Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MacRumors! News in the Apple world has unsurprisingly been relatively slow over the past week, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone managed to make its way back into the news, while we also shared updates on current and future Apple TV news.


iOS 26.3 will be bringing some new features, particularly for users in the EU, so we'll look for additional betas and eventually a public release once the new year rolls around, and read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Top Stories

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report and new mockups are anything to go by.


Based on The Information's recent report that the foldable iPhone will feature a 5.3-inch external display and a 7.7-inch internal display when unfolded, designer Ben Geskin mocked up a physical representation of what such a device might look like in the hand, and it's actually remarkably compact with a form factor very similar to a passport book.

Apple is reportedly still testing next-generation ultra-thin flexible glass for the device's interior display, seeking to find the best solution to make the crease down the middle essentially invisible.

Where's the New Apple TV?

Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new ‌Apple TV‌ before the end of 2025, but it's clear that's not going to happen now.


It's not clear what happened, but it's possible Apple decided to hold all home-related product announcements until spring 2026, when the smarter, more capable version of Siri will be ready in iOS 26.4.

In the meantime, check out our video recapping what we might see in the next-generation Apple TV.

Turn Off the User Profiles Screen on Apple TV 4K

Some current Apple TV users have been annoyed by the new profile selection screen that appears every time you wake the device. While it's a handy feature for multi-user households, there are plenty of households that want to use their Apple TVs under only a single profile, so the selection screen is simply a nuisance.


Fortunately, there's a relatively easy way to turn off the profile selection screen if you know to look for it.

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Apple is continuing to increase interoperability support in its products for users in the European Union due to the Digital Markets Act, and the EU is once again crediting the DMA for new expansions coming in iOS 26.3.


Third-party devices like earbuds will be able to seamlessly pair with iOS devices similar to how AirPods and Beats products already work, by simply bringing the accessory close to the device to bring up a simple one-step pairing process.

Users in the EU will also see expanded notifications support for third-party accessories like smartwatches, allowing users to view and interact with incoming iOS notifications on a third-party device as they can already do on an Apple Watch.

Apple Hit With Supersized Fine in Italy Over an iPhone Privacy Feature

Italy's Competition Authority (AGCM) has imposed a €98.6 million ($116 million) fine on Apple over its App Tracking Transparency feature.


Since the release of iOS 14.5 in April 2021, Apple has required apps to ask for permission before tracking a user's activity across other apps and websites for personalized advertising, as part of a feature named App Tracking Transparency. If a user selects the "Ask App Not to Track" option, the app is unable to access the device's advertising identifier.

In a press release and executive summary this week, the AGCM said the App Tracking Transparency rules are "disproportionate," and "harmful" to app developers and advertisers. Ultimately, it found that Apple abused its dominant position in the EU market.

iPhone 18 Trial Production to Start in February Ahead of Spring 2027 Launch

Apple is reportedly already preparing to begin trial production of the iPhone 18 series after Chinese New Year, according to Weibo-based leaker Fixed Focus Digital.


The claim suggests small-scale manufacturing runs will start once factories return to normal operations following the Lunar New Year shutdown, which typically ends in late February.

The Chinese leaker claims that production lines for the iPhone 18 Pro models have already been set up, indicating that the Pro hardware design has already been locked in. Multiple sources have reported that Apple will move to a split-release strategy, with the Pro and Fold models debuting in the usual fall time frame while the standard iPhone 18 won't be released until spring 2027 alongside an iPhone 18e and potentially an iPhone Air 2.

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This article, "Top Stories: iPhone Fold Mockup, Where's the New Apple TV?, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates.


This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories!

Top Stories

iOS 26.3 Beta 1 Features: What's New So Far

With iOS 26.2 and other 26.2 updates now available to the general public, Apple has started beta testing on the next round of 26.3 updates. With work on this round of updates typically spanning the holidays, they tend to be smaller in scale, but there are still a few notable changes.


iOS 26.3 brings changes that make it easier to switch from iPhone to Android, with corresponding changes to Android making the reverse process simpler as well. Users in the European Union will also be gaining a setting that allows iPhone notifications to be forwarded to third-party devices, increasing interoperability.

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Macworld's Filipe Espósito last week revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.


As always, Apple's plans could change, so there is no guarantee that any or all of these features will end up being released to the general public, but some of the leaked features include:

• iOS 26.4: Revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence


• iOS 26.4: Redesigned Health app, potentially involving a previously rumored Apple Health+ subscription service


• iOS 26.4: Credit card AutoFill improvements for third-party apps


• iOS 27: Improvements to collections in the Photos app and AirPods pairing


• iOS 28: New metrics for Apple Watch sleep tracking

Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

More information on the sourcing of that software leak has subsequently surfaced, and it apparently comes from an early build of iOS 26 (then still known as iOS 19) that was on a leaked prototype iPhone.


In addition to numerous features planned for future software updates, which we've outlined in more detail, the leak also reveals dozens of devices in Apple's product pipeline, including many of the expected evolutionary updates to existing products but also some new products that have either been previously rumored or newly revealed.

Notable additions include the first foldable iPhone, Apple's upcoming smart home products, the rumored low-cost MacBook powered by an A18 Pro chip, an iMac with a high-powered M5 Max chip, and more.

Apple Aims to Boost Popularity of iPhone Air 2 in Two Ways

A new report this week from The Information outlined some details on Apple's iPhone product roadmap, including word that Apple is looking at two key improvements for the second-generation iPhone Air: a second rear camera and a lower price tag.


The current iPhone Air has reportedly not sold well due to compromises related to camera capabilities, battery life, and perceived value for the price, with suppliers reportedly already winding down production due to the number of already-produced units still available for distribution.

The same report claimed that next year's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will include under-screen Face ID with the front camera becoming a punch hole at the top-left corner of the screen. Apple is reportedly also adding a mechanical iris to one of the device's rear cameras, which will allow for variable aperture to control the amount of light reaching the sensor.

Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details

We've already heard a lot about Apple's first foldable iPhone that's expected next year, but a new report from a frequent leaker on Chinese blogging site Weibo has added a few new details to the existing rumors.


The foldable iPhone will reportedly use a Touch ID power button on the side of the device rather than Face ID in order to save internal space, and it will include a 7.58-inch internal display with an under-screen camera. When folded, the outside will feature a 5.25-inch display with a punch-hole camera.

ChatGPT's Apple Music Integration Is Now Live

There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists.


ChatGPT can be used to search through the ‌Apple Music‌ catalog for songs, artists, albums, and playlists, even without an ‌Apple Music‌ subscription. OpenAI says that all users are able to discover music, generate playlists, and listen to preview clips in ChatGPT. ‌Apple Music‌ subscribers can add songs, albums, and playlists to their ‌Apple Music‌ Library using ChatGPT.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!
This article, "Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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