Rumor Replay: Apple’s foldable iPad and iPhone are coming, AirTag 2 and more

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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: Apple’s foldable iPad and iPhone are coming, plus a fresh Magic Mouse approach, and AirTag 2. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

iPhone 18 Fold and more affordable iPhone 17 Air

This week The Wall Street Journal reported on Apple’s next two years of iPhone updates:

iPhone 18 Fold
iPhone 17 Air

Neither of these devices carry official names yet, but running with the two names above, WSJ says that 2026’s foldable iPhone will ‘unfold to a display size that would be larger than an iPhone 16 Pro Max.’ they also state that next year’s 17 Air ‘is intended to be cheaper than Pro models.’

My takeaways

Every time we get a report about the foldable iPhone, it makes the device seem more real—especially as 2026 draws near. I’m intrigued to see what Apple can uniquely bring to foldables, but I’m not sure a display larger than the Pro Max is what I want. One-handed use is extremely important to me, which is why I use an iPhone 16 Pro, not Pro Max. However, the market seems to show that people love huge phones, so Apple’s probably on the right track.

The iPhone 17 Air’s expected pricing is welcome news, especially because it makes sense of the specs we’re getting. Previous reports said the device would be ultra-premium, yet with compromises that don’t justify that price. Now, the reported A18 chip, single rear camera, and ultra-thin design all cohere nicely with a moderate price point.

19-inch foldable iPad Pro

We’ve heard rumblings before of a roughly 19-inch iPad-Mac hybrid foldable device, and this week Mark Gurman shed more light on the project.

Though some of Gurman’s report is intentionally ambiguous, he seems to believe this is an iPad we’re talking about, not a Mac. It’s always possible, though, that it could include key capabilities from both products.

My takeaways

There’s a lot we don’t know yet, but this foldable iPad could be my dream all-in-one product. Apple’s two iPad Pro sizes each have very different strengths and weaknesses, and this foldable could potentially combine the best of both sizes. Gurman says we’ll have to wait until 2028 for this foldable though, so I’m not getting my hopes up yet.

Radically new Magic Mouse coming

Apple’s Magic Mouse has, for a long time, played second fiddle to the Magic Trackpad. But according to Mark Gurman, the company isn’t content to let the accessory remain stagnant.

Apple is apparently working on a whole new Magic Mouse design that could radically alter the way the device works. It’s a ‘full overhaul’ of the Magic Mouse that ‘better fits the modern era.’

My takeaways

Gurman doesn’t say this, but I wonder if Apple’s motivation, in part, is to create a new Magic Mouse that’s optimized for Vision Pro and spatial computing. Current Mac accessories aren’t ideal for spatial environments, even if they technically work. Perhaps Apple can create something well suited both for fresh platforms like the Vision Pro and legacy ones like the Mac.

AirTag 2

AirTag 2 is coming in 2025, and this week Gurman reported that it’s expected to boast a more modern Ultra Wideband chip.

That chip upgrade will enable significantly improved Precision Finding support, so you can get very precise guidance from your iPhone when tracking down a lost AirTag from, potentially, up to 90 meters away.

My takeaways

My biggest issue with AirTag is its battery life (something a new add-on accessory just fixed), so I hope AirTag 2 offers improvements on that front too. That aside, expanded support for Precision Finding seems like a no-brainer enhancement.

Which of this week’s Apple rumors are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments.