Apple's week December 19: Happy Holidays

It's been a slower week in the world of Apple news with the Christmas holiday right around the corner. Most articles took the time to look ahead, even for rumors we've seen before.

Here's the news for the week:

Looking ahead

There have been several rumors in recent weeks about Apple's product strategy. It seems that Apple will transition to twice-annual releases for various iPhone models, splitting them by entry and high-end options.

I'm not entirely sure that this will be the case, but apparently, supply chains reflect this eventuality. However, if you listen to how CEO Tim Cook describes the supply chain, it is a mistake to view one report as a holistic view.

It seems that in 2026, there will be an iPhone 17e in the spring, then iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in the fall alongside an iPhone Fold debut.

In 2027, the spring will have the iPhone 18e, iPhone 18, and iPhone Air 2. The fall will have the iPhone 19, the iPhone 20 (anniversary edition), and iPhone Fold 2.

These rumors stop there, but still assert that Apple will be at "seven iPhones" by 2027. The math doesn't really work out, nor does it resolve for 2028.

If the iPhone Air isn't meant to be annual, then the 2028 release cycle would be at a normal number of iPhones. However, they'd be released on a different schedule.

I'm not buying this yet. Analysts like to jump to Apple making some dramatic change that never actually occurs. Of course, this also feeds into the idea that Apple never bothers with a foldable iPhone.

My guess is that the iPhone Fold will get delayed (and ultimately never release), and this new release schedule won't materialize. Without an iPhone Fold, I'm not sure what the point is in changing how things are done today.

The 2028 cycle is odd enough without all this complication. The iPhone Air is clearly not meant to be an annual device, so only the iPhone 19e could debut in the spring. The fall would focus on the iPhone 21 Pro, and even if there were a foldable, it is doubtful it would be annual either.

All of these rumored changes to the release schedule make sense if the iPhone Fold release and it with the iPhone Air are annual releases thereafter. But this seems highly unlikely.

I'm normally not so skeptical of Apple releases, but this rumor cycle has reached quite an odd fever pitch that even the rumors feel insubstantial. We'll see what happens.

Happy holidays

I'm not going to cover the Macworld leaks if only because they seem redundant overall. There are new iPhones, iPads, and Macs expected as usual, and that's not exactly a surprise.

This might be a shorter entry overall. There's not much going on in the news, and I won't waste your time making up things to discuss.

It's time for me to enjoy some time with the family for the holiday season. I know things are tough and the world feels like it's facing some of its greatest challenges to date, but I promise we'll all make it through okay.

I hope that everyone reading this has a merry Christmas, happy holiday, or whatever it is you'd prefer be addressed for this season.

It is a time to find loved ones and remember the gifts we bring by simply being available. I'll be back with more for the New Year, but even if it's another short entry, expect more detail in 2026.

I'm excited to see what the new year will bring.

A photo of a small Maine coon mix with wide eyes looking ahead, brown and black fur — Marble is more worried about playing with the fake tree