This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column on 9 on 5 Mac provides a quick list of the latest Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: Apple’s upcoming Siri revealed, iPhone 18 Pro’s Dynamic Island, ‘HomePad’ update, and more. Here are the Apple rumors of the week.
iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island size
Following several conflicting reports about what’s going on with the iPhone 18 Pro’s Dynamic Island, there now seems to be a consensus.
The previously rumored hole-punch cutout in the top left corner is not happening. Instead, the iPhone 18 Pro will keep the existing pill-shaped Dynamic Island design—but slim it down.
According to Ice Universe leaks, the new Dynamic Island will be about 35% smaller than the current design.
Things I took
I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of a vertical cutout on the left side of the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera, but the idea of a small Dynamic Island makes a lot of sense. Small size mockups look great too.
On a related note though, if Apple won’t ship the hole-punch design to the iPhone yet, I doubt it will be able to pull off the rumored, all-glass design for the next 20 years’ model.
HomePad boot time update
Information recently it was reported that Apple is developing a wearable AI pin device. Within that report however, there was an update given to some AI-centric products.
The report mentions Apple’s rumored HomePod with a display (commonly referred to as ‘HomePad’ or ‘HomePod Touch.’). It’s been a while since we got a HomePad update, but according to Information The product is scheduled to launch this spring.
Things I took
Spring is usually the timeline we already expected based on it Bloomberg’s reporting. However, it’s been a while since an update, so the confirmation of that spring date is good news. It also coincides with the expected launch of iOS 26.4 and the new and improved Siri.
The launch of the new Siri is expected in February
In his first Open it 2026 newspaper, Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to unveil its new and improved AI Siri “in the second half of February.”
Gurman isn’t sure if this reveal will happen at a big press event or a small press conference, but he says the company wants to “show off the functionality” Siri will get in iOS 26.4.
Over time, Gurman added that Apple plans to integrate iOS 27’s Siri-like chatbot deeply into the system’s main apps like Safari, TV, Life, Music, and Podcasts.
Things I took
All signs point to a big year for Siri, starting soon. The rumored two-phase rollout of Siri development means, however, that I’m tempering my expectations a bit for what Apple will unveil next month. Hopefully we’ll at least get the improvements that were first promised in iOS 18—as well as greater reliability and overall intelligence.
The rumored Mac roadmap for 2026
In Open itMark Gurman has also published a roadmap of new Macs to expect in the coming year. You write:
Versions of the MacBook Pros, MacBook Air and Mac Studio with specific features – and a new display – are planned for the first half of the year. An updated MacBook Pro should be available in late 2026.
A new Mac mini and a cheaper MacBook are also mentioned, but without specific timings given.
Surprisingly, Gurman concludes by suggesting that the M6 chip may debut sooner than many expect. He says the M5 to M6 gap may be similar to the shortened half-year window we saw between M3 and M4.
Things I took
The most interesting tidbit to me involves the M6 hint.
When Apple surprised everyone by shipping the M4 chip six months after the M3 was introduced, it did so in the iPad Pro—not the Mac. There are no rumors about a new iPad Pro coming anytime soon, as the M5 model is only a few months old.
Gurman does not believe that Apple’s MacBooks will be the first M6 devices. That would make the Mac mini a prime candidate. But it would be strange for Apple’s low-cost Mac to get a high-end chip first.
What are your takeaways from this week’s Apple rumors? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
FTC: We use auto affiliate links to earn income. More.
