This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: a curious M5 iPad Pro rumor, iOS 27 and the iPhone Fold, HomePod Touch, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.
M5 iPad Pro rumor says two front-facing cameras coming
Last year the M4 iPad Pro moved its front-facing camera from the portrait side of the device to the landscape side instead. But it seems Apple has another camera-related change coming to the M5 model.
Per Mark Gurman, this fall’s M5 iPad Pro will come with not one, but two front-facing cameras. One camera will remain on the landscape side, while the second camera is added to the portrait side. Gurman says this is “presumably so FaceTimers and selfie fans can use the device equally well in either orientation.”
My takeaways
I wrote earlier this week about how this rumor may have more to it than it appears.
It’s always possible that Gurman’s guess is correct, and Apple is making this change solely to provide a consistent video calling experience in any orientation. I have a hard time believing that’s the only reason, though.
Instead, what I suspect is that some of iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored multi-cam recording features will be available on the M5 iPad Pro too. A good candidate is something like the Mac’s Desk View feature, which has expanded significantly in the past year.
These features would provide more reason to include an extra camera, and be very consistent with iPadOS 26’s trend of adding Mac-inspired productivity features.
iOS 27 will bring special features designed for iPhone Fold
iOS 26 won’t launch widely until this fall, but one of the first rumors for next year’s iOS 27 release arrived this week.
Mark Gurman reported that for iOS 27, Apple “will prioritize software features tailored specifically” for the upcoming iPhone Fold. That new foldable iPhone model is expected to launch next fall, around the same time as iOS 27 will ship.
My takeaways
Gurman’s reporting isn’t surprising at all, but it is good to hear. Apple’s foldable iPhone might be fine running the current version of iOS, but what could make it truly shine is multitasking upgrades.
Since the iPhone Fold will be like a slightly smaller iPad mini when unfolded, I’d expect to see some form of app windowing in iOS 27. Getting the full-blown windowing system from iPadOS 26 would be great, but at a minimum, Apple should provide a way to run multiple apps side-by-side.
HomePod Touch could be the name of Apple’s ‘HomePad’
After iOS 26 beta 4 arrived this week, Aaron Perris discovered a curious line of text related to the HomePod. It reads:
Your HomePod won’t be able to show you the local weather, time, or respond to Siri requests about your area.
No current HomePod models include a screen, so they can’t “show” anything. Thus, it seems Apple’s forthcoming ‘HomePad’ product will use the ‘HomePod’ branding—likely ‘HomePod Touch.’
My takeaways
As much as I always found ‘HomePad’ a fun combination of HomePod and iPad, the name HomePod Touch makes a lot more sense as part of Apple’s broader lineup.
HomePod and HomePod mini are established brands, and while neither has been a real hit for Apple, cohesive branding is a win for consumer awareness. And if HomePod Touch manages to find big success, it could have a halo effect on the whole HomePod lineup.
iPhone 17 Air battery capacity
Battery is set to be the iPhone 17 Air’s single biggest weakness, and a new leak of the device’s expected battery capacity has seemingly confirmed that.
Weibo leaker Instant Digital said the 17 Air’s battery capacity “does not exceed 3000mAh.” This corroborates a prior rumor of the capacity being around 2800mAh.
My takeaways
Battery capacity is far from the only factor that determines a product’s battery life. I’m curious how much of a difference iOS 26’s new Adaptive Power mode will make in battery, for example, alongside other OS optimizations.
I’m still planning to buy an iPhone 17 Air myself, but the rumored new battery case might prove essential for me on especially high-usage days.
What are your takeaways from this week’s Apple rumors? Let us know in the comments.
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- AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199, down from $249)
- MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
- HomeKit smart plug 4-pack
- 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack
- 100W USB-C fast charging power adapter
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