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 Watch Ultra 3’s screen bump, iPhone 17 event date, curious case leaks, an OLED MacBook Pro, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 getting larger screen
After iOS 26 beta 5 was released earlier this week, Aaron Perris discovered that it includes an Apple Watch image with a resolution not matching any existing models.
All signs point to this being a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 screen size. The bumped resolution is 422 x 514, a bit higher than Apple Watch Ultra screens which have a 410 x 502 resolution.
My takeaways
Last year, the Apple Watch Series 10 arrived with a host of strong upgrades. Meanwhile, Apple Watch Ultra got nothing new except a satin black finish.
It’s great to see that this year’s Apple Watch Ultra 3 should more than make up for the two-year wait. It always felt odd that the 46mm Series 10 came with a technically larger display than the Ultra, for example. Even if this year’s size increase isn’t huge, it should still be enough to give Ultra the size crown once more.
My biggest question is: will the case size increase too, and if so can Apple pack in more battery? Or is the screen bump simply due to reduced bezels?
iPhone 17: Apple event date, batteries, and cases
One month out from Apple’s expected iPhone 17 unveiling, a trio of new rumors arrived this week.
- The iPhone 17 launch event is apparently set for Tuesday, September 9, according to internal documents of German carriers.
- Leaked images from yeux1122 revealed a side-by-side look at batteries for the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro. Can you tell which is which?
- Majin Bu posted images purported to be Apple’s official iPhone 17 silicone cases, featuring a hole for lanyard attachments, and a special “liquid silicone” design option.
My takeaways
September 9 always seemed like the best date for the iPhone event based on previous patterns, so that comes as no surprise. Nor does the big difference in battery sizes between the iPhone 17 Air and Pro.
The iPhone 17 cases shared by Majin Bu, however, are an especially interesting—if a bit sketchy—rumor.
Adding lanyard holes to the case is an interesting move. I’m curious if we’ll see both wrist- and neck-length type lanyards as new options. I also wonder if there’s more to the story with the “Liquid Silicone” cases than what we’re seeing now.
OLED MacBook Pro still expected in 2026
A report from Omdia notes that Samsung will supply OLED displays for a new MacBook Pro model expected to ship in 2026.
This display change will also reportedly bring a switch from the current notch design to a pill-shaped cutout, potentially enabling the Dynamic Island.
My takeaways
We’ve seen reports before about the MacBook Pro getting OLED in 2026 and dropping the notch. Though some wondered if the possible delay to the M5 MacBook Pro would push back the presumed M6 OLED model, it sounds like that shouldn’t be the case.
The Dynamic Island has proven a worthwhile addition to the iPhone, but I’m not so sure it will work as well on the Mac. Apple has certainly laid the groundwork this year though by bringing Live Activities to macOS Tahoe.
New Apple TV 4K could launch as early as next month
Citing an unspecified source, MacRumors reported this week that a new Apple TV 4K is still set to launch before the end of the year.
This claim corroborates prior reporting from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg about an impending launch.
My takeaways
Historically, Apple has sometimes launched Apple TV products at its September event, and sometimes later in the fall. My bet is on a September debut this year.
Apple TV+ has a stacked fall lineup that Apple will no doubt want to promote at its iPhone 17 event. As a result, it would make a lot of sense to launch its new Apple TV 4K at the same time—even if it doesn’t ship right away.
What are your takeaways from this week’s Apple rumors? Let us know in the comments.
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