Apple is turning 50

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Apple is expected to launch many important devices such as iPhone 18 or MacBook Pro M6, although there are still challenges surrounding the market and competitors.

iPhone 17 Pro advertisement at a train station in Shanghai (China). Photo: Bloomberg .

In his Power On report on Bloomberg , analyst Mark Gurman lists the products and services expected to be launched by Apple in 2026, the company's 50th anniversary year.

“Apple is heading into one of its most important years in recent memory,” Gurman stressed. The company’s projects range from hardware, software to executive changes.

Hardware series in 2026

April 1, 2026, marks Apple's 50th anniversary. According to Gurman, the company will launch a series of products to celebrate this milestone.

Rumored devices for early next year include the iPhone 17e, the A18-powered iPad, and the M4-powered iPad Air. There's also an M5 version of the MacBook Air, while the MacBook Pro gets M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options, along with a couple of new external displays.

Next up, Apple is expected to enter the smart home market in March and April with the launch of its speaker- and wall-mounted smart displays. These devices were rumored to be coming earlier this year, but were delayed due to the unfinished Siri update.

“The launch of the display marks a new step for Apple to upgrade its AI services through the new Siri assistant. This lays the foundation for a broader smart home monitoring ecosystem, including a security camera expected to launch in late 2026,” Gurman wrote.

iPhone 17 Pro advertisement in front of an Apple store. Photo: Bloomberg .

On the software side, Apple is expected to introduce iOS 27, watchOS 27, macOS 27 and other operating systems at the WWDC conference in June. Bloomberg 's writer believes that the company will introduce a new AI strategy, greatly improving the Apple Intelligence toolkit before upgrading the iPhone later this year.

By September, users can expect the first generation of foldable iPhone. In addition, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to remove the Qualcomm modem, switching to the C2 chip developed by Apple itself. The next generation iPad mini is also likely to be launched at this time.

Another hotly anticipated device is smart glasses. Gurman said some suppliers are already producing small quantities of them, suggesting they could be ready by the end of next year.

By the end of the year, Apple is expected to significantly improve the MacBook Pro. In addition to the M6 ​​Pro and M6 Max chips, the device has thinner bezels, a touchscreen with an OLED panel. Finally, the Mac mini and Mac Studio M5 are also models worth waiting for.

Surrounded by difficulties

Gurman says 2026 is also a crucial year for Apple in terms of legal decisions that could impact the current App Store business model. While the judge ruled that the Apple-Google contract is still valid, the rise of AI browsers could still be a concern.

Tariff uncertainty is also a concern for many companies. For now, the impact on Apple is not too big, with the company only suffering a few billion dollars in related losses. However, with the majority of iPhones and products in general still made in China, the impact next year could be bigger.

Bloomberg 's writer points out the positive things for Apple in 2026. The company expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenue to increase 10-12% compared to the same period last year, nearly double the forecast of Wall Street analysts.

The above figure is equivalent to 137-139 billion USD . If accurate, it will be the first quarter that Apple's revenue reaches over 140 billion USD . Apple also confidently announced that the fourth quarter of 2025 is expected to record the highest iPhone sales and revenue in history.

Despite the optimistic business forecast, Gurman said Apple still faces many challenges. The new version of Siri is expected to use Google's Gemini model, adding a web search feature. However, it is not certain that users will welcome the new feature, let alone the stability and ability to fix problems in the old version.

An Apple store. Photo: Bloomberg .

“Apple is also late to the smart home wave. It’s unclear whether the company can surpass Google or Amazon, which have spent years building smart home ecosystems,” the Bloomberg writer added.

The foldable iPhone was also launched later than its competitors. Profitability and widespread acceptance from users are still questionable. The failure of Vision Pro is considered a lesson for Apple.

Changes in leadership are also an important issue, revolving around changes in strategy and product development plans.

“People with fresh perspectives can be good, but internal change often starts a period of instability,” Gurman added.

Despite the challenges, Apple still possesses scale, financial resources and solid brand power.

“Apple still has the resources to shape the era of AI, smart home technology and foldable devices. 2026 will be the deciding year for whether Apple can pursue its plan with the speed and precision expected,” Gurman emphasized.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-co-gi-de-ky-niem-50-nam-post1599593.html