Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including iPhone 17 Pro display issues, new iPhone release dates, ten years of the iPad Pro, Black Friday in the Apple Store, the iPhone’s App of the Year, and the iPhone Sock success.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
Apple Addresses Phone 17 Pro Display Problems
Apple has moved production of some of its OLED displays from BOE to Samsung following performance checks. ZDNet Korea reports on the changes that will affect iPhone 17 Pro units on sale in the Chinese market.
Samsung will now take on the BOE order, while LG Display will continue to provide the displays for the non-Pro iPhone 17 models.
Is The iPhone Air Delayed Or Not?
The fashionably thin iPhone Air launched alongside the iPhone 17 family in Sept. 2025, but the lack of a number meant there has always been a question around the lifecycle of the Air. Would it be an annual launch, or does Tim Cook and his team have other plans? Recent reports point to the next Air not arriving until 2027:
“Is it a delay? Leaving aside the existential question of whether a product that hasn’t been announced can actually be delayed, I’d suggest that Apple was keeping its options open. First of all, by not putting the number 17 in the name of the iPhone Air, as most analysts had been predicting, there’s greater leeway as to when a successor might come along, in terms of public expectations.”
When Will The Next iPhone Be Released?
The September launch window for the new iPhone family is one of the few fixed spots in the smartphone calendar. Apple looks ready to introduce a second spot in March by splitting the iPhone launches between the more advanced “Pro” models for September and the vanilla “standard” models six months later:
“So next year, Apple will likely announce the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, the long-awaited iPhone Fold, and possibly new smartwatches and Macs, in the fall. Then, in the spring of 2027, Apple will announce the base model iPhone 18, a possible successor to the iPhone 16e (iPhone 18e), and a potential successor to the iPhone Air. This two-pronged approach is inherently more flexible and will ease Apple’s operational strain.”
Ten Years Of iPad Pro
After a decade of the iPad Pro, what has Apple’s “please don’t call it a tablet” tablet morphed into? As David Pierce details, the iPad Pro started out as a form with no function. People saw a small laptop, but with no keyboard. Apple saw something else. But, ten years later…
“Rather than try to make it into something other than a laptop, Apple made it… a laptop. The Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard lines, which launched with the first Pro, both continued to improve. The iPad’s multitasking got (slowly and chaotically) more powerful. The iPad Pro was one of Apple’s first devices to switch to USB-C. It began to support external drives, and devices like microphones and game controllers. Even the Files app got better. Slowly but surely, Apple’s tablet began to resemble a PC. Apple gave the people what they wanted.”
Don’t Call It A Discount
Apple may not call out Black Friday, but with its latest offers falling between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, everyone else will. Perhaps that’s down to Apple not offering a price drop, but instead additional value through Gift Cards. Forbes contributor David Phelan has all of the offers and gift card values, including those for iPhone purchases, which come with an interesting twist:
“As usual, there are no gift cards when you buy the very latest model of iPhone, that is, the iPhone 17 series or iPhone Air. But the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16e all attract a gift card.”
App Of The Year Finalists
As 2025 draws to a close, the annual awards are coming to the fore, including Apple’s own curated list. While there are many genres and subjects with their own awards (mostly broken down by their respective App Store categories), the shortlist for “App Of The Year” offers three apps and their developers a golden moment in the spotlight. The are…
- BandLab, for helping musicians record and mix tracks with a community.
- LADDER, for taking the guesswork out of strength training.
- Tiimo, for presenting to-dos in a way that feels a bit more calming.
And Finally…
Last week, Apple announced the Issey Miyake-designed iPhone Pocket, a fabric case for the iPhone. This week, the so-called iPhone Sock has sold out. Why?
“…it looks like the combination of the fashion name, the originality of the Pocket and, perhaps, the words “Special Edition,” which let users know this was going to be a limited release all made the new accessory appealing. Apple doesn’t partner with other brands often. Apple hasn’t said whether there will be more stocks arriving but the limited release suggests that there won’t. So, if you find it’s sold out now, it may mean it’s gone forever.”
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.