Apple is still buzzing for a week into November, with five new products launching this week and two more still available for next week.
Things are also moving forward on the software side with Apple having released the first betas of iOS 27.3 and related updates, bringing a series of changes and new features. We’re also anxiously awaiting new products arriving in the first half of 2027, so keep reading below for all the details on these stories and more!
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Apple launched five new products this week
Apple released five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models.
The following new products are now available:
- iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip
- iMac with M6 chip
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
Apple’s HomeView smart home hub and updated Apple TV 4K box will follow next week, on Friday, November 13.
Everything new in the iOS 27.3 beta
Apple this week began testing iOS 27.3, the biggest update to iOS 27 since it launched in September. iOS 27.3 includes some features that Apple showed off earlier this year and adds entirely new features.
Among the changes in the update are changes to Safari with a new vertical tab layout option as well as an Adaptive Dark Mode feature for websites that don’t offer their own Dark Mode option, improvements to Siri’s AI, an expansion of the new iPhone Duo StandBy features to other iPhone models, and more.
The revamped Health app that was in beta 27.2 for testing but removed before public release is back in version 27.3 and will see a public launch later this year.
Apple warns stores about iPhone Duo display cracking issue
In a memo shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers last week and subsequently obtained by MacRumorsApple has provided technicians with guidance on how to diagnose and fix the iPhone Duo’s internal display cracking problem.
If a customer reports the problem, Apple recommends that technicians inspect the iPhone Duo and repair or replace it according to their standard procedures. While the instructions themselves are simple, the fact that Apple issued an internal note suggests that the problem is widespread enough to warrant official guidance.
Meanwhile, this week, Apple CEO John Ternus said that Apple cannot predict when it will be able to meet demand for the foldable iPhone, with BloombergMark Gurman says Apple’s change from its original plan to launch the device in November in just two countries contributed to difficulties meeting demand.
Three new iPads are said to be launched in the first half of 2027
The revamped iPad mini launched this week is a piece of Apple’s tablet lineup and BloombergMark Gurman says the rest of the lineup should receive updates in the first half of next year. The iPad Air will reportedly receive an upgrade to OLED displays, while upgrades to the iPad Pro and base iPad are expected to be more modest.
Before the 2027 updates, there’s still some time left in 2026, and while we don’t expect any other major product announcements before the end of the year, many previously announced hardware and software updates are still on the way.
Here’s a new tour of Apple’s HomeView software
App developer Steve Troughton-Smith over the weekend shared a tour of the software on Apple’s upcoming HomeView smart home hub. Apple has already demonstrated HomeView to select tech journalists and content creators, but Troughton-Smith offered a more in-depth look at several features, interfaces, and apps.
CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from third-party developers will also be supported on HomeView, and Troughton-Smith shared a look at what Spotify will look like on HomeView as well.
We’ve known for a while that HomeView was ready to be released while Apple waited for the launch of Siri AI as its primary interaction mechanism. This certainly appears to be the case as it appears the units will initially ship with the six-month-old version 26.5 of the software and will need to be updated to version 27.2 of the HomeView software during setup.
Apple’s flash storage vendors are finally ‘getting their revenge’
The Wall Street JournalApple’s Rolfe Winkler reported last week that flash storage vendors, once “abused” by Apple, have taken “vengeance” on the company over the past year due to a severe shortage of memory chips, which stems from artificial intelligence companies building massive data centers that use significant amounts of flash storage and RAM.
As the iPhone took off, Apple became the world’s largest buyer of flash memory, and naturally, that gave the company a lot of leverage in negotiations. The report goes into detail about some of the harsh tactics employed by Apple and its former procurement chief, Tony Blevins.
However, flash suppliers now have the upper hand, and high demand for their chips has resulted in shortages that are expected to persist until 2030, resulting in continued high prices.
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