Apple prepares a wave of new products — iPad Pro M5, MacBook Pro and Vision Pro revisited
While the announcement season seemed to be over, Apple is set to kick things off again this week. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the Cupertino company is preparing a series of discreet yet strategic launches without a grand keynote; the new products will be unveiled online through simple press releases and updates on the official website.
What Apple is about to launch this week
As shared by Gurman in his Power On newsletter, three flagship products are expected to be announced:
- iPad Pro M5 — the latest generation of the high-end tablet, still focused on performance and productivity.
- Vision Pro (2025 Edition) — an enhanced version of Apple’s spatial headset, featuring a faster chip and a redesigned strap system.
- 14-Inch Entry-Level MacBook Pro — equipped with the M5 chip, the first variant of the new generation of Apple silicon.
However, it’s important to note that the high-end 14 and 16-inch models will have to wait until early next year to be produced at scale with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
And that’s not all: Gurman also hints at 2026 being a particularly busy year for Apple, with the arrival of a new AirTag, a second-generation HomePod mini, and a revised Apple TV.
A more subdued but calculated announcement strategy
This lack of a media event is no coincidence. According to Gurman, Apple favors online launches for products that don’t involve major redesigns but rather internal updates — in this case centered on the integration of the new M5 chip.
In other words, no aesthetic revolutions are to be expected: these products will rely on brute power and energy efficiency.
This approach allows Apple to maintain a steady pace of technical improvements without mobilizing the entire ecosystem around a large event.
The importance of these updates
With the M5 chip’s arrival, Apple continues its strategy for ongoing upgrades in the Mac and iPad lines. Creators, developers, and professionals are the main targets of these refreshes: more performance, improved responsiveness, and better optimizations for demanding workloads like 8K video, 3D, or generative AI.
These updates also serve as a mechanism to stay ahead of direct competitors — particularly Qualcomm and Intel, which are also preparing new ARM processors for PCs.
An evolution, not a revolution
Let’s be clear: this wave of launches is more about evolution than revolution. Current models equipped with M4 chips are already incredibly powerful, especially the iPad Pro M4, which has redefined the bar in terms of graphics performance.
For users with recent machines, the actual performance gain from the M5 will need to be substantial to justify a new purchase. However, for those still using an Intel Mac or even an M1 MacBook, the leap to an M5 MacBook Pro promises significant power and battery life improvements, fully justifying the upgrade.
As for the iPad Pro M5, it primarily targets artists, video editors, and designers who are already pushing the limits of their tablets. For the general public, the current generations remain more than sufficient.
Apple in 2026: an ambitious roadmap
The coming year is expected to mark a phase of consolidation for Apple:
- New high-end MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips,
- A revamped HomePod mini,
- A more accurate AirTag 2,
- And an Apple TV with additional Apple Intelligence features.
The goal: to unify the hardware ecosystem around the M5 silicon, ensuring a consistent experience across all devices — from Mac to Vision Pro headset.
