Things are getting crazy in the Apple rumor world, as even though the iPhone 18 Pro and several other products have only just launched and the iPhone Duo is right around the corner, there's even more to come imminently.


October 13 looks to be the date for an introduction of Apple's revamped smart home portfolio, including the home hub device we've been hearing about for ages. This week also saw word that Apple's supply chain is struggling to meet production yield goals for the iPhone Duo ahead of its launch, while iPhone 18 Pro owners are now getting a chance to put the devices through their paces, so read on below for all of the details!

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Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

A couple of those leaked products above could be arriving very shortly, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple will be introducing a trio of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13.


Apple will reportedly debut its long-rumored smart home hub product, as well as the new HomePod mini and Apple TV models, and while he didn't specify how Apple will introduce them, signs are pointing to some sort of event.

Apple retail stores have reportedly also received confidential boxes that are marked "Do Not Open Until October 8" and which are likely to contain merchandising materials. It's unclear, however, if they are for the upcoming iPhone Duo launch or something related to the smart home product introduction.

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.


The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base.

Leaks suggest the hub may be available in Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, and Rose Pink colors, and will be able to display user-customizable Photo Faces pulled from your photos library, memories, and shared albums, a feature that appears similar to what will be available for StandBy mode on the iPhone Duo.

iPhone Duo Reportedly Facing Production Problems Ahead of Launch

The iPhone Duo is reportedly facing production difficulties ahead of its October launch, with early output expected to be limited.


A person said to be close to Foxconn's supply chain told China's Jiemian News that final assembly yields for Apple's first foldable iPhone were only slightly above 60% as of September 17. The source said that, under Apple's current quality standards, it could take another six months to a year for the assembly line to reach a mature yield.

According to the source, Foxconn is repeatedly adjusting equipment, assembly processes, and production settings as it makes the iPhone Duo at scale. The source also said suppliers were waiting to see whether Apple would ease any quality requirements to accelerate production.

iPhone 18 Pro First Impressions: What Do You Think So Far?

It's been almost two weeks since the iPhone 18 Pro models launched, and we want to hear from MacRumors readers. What do you think of Apple's newest iPhones? If you upgraded from an older phone, was it worth it? What about upgrading from an iPhone 17 Pro? What problems are you running into? Anything you love so far?


MacRumors readers have already been sharing early opinions on the MacRumors forums, and there are interesting discussion threads to read through. For early reviews and hands-on images, make sure to check out the first impressions and photos thread.

Not everything has been perfect, however, as some users have been experiencing issues such as speaker crackling or popping while some iPhone 18 Pro Max users on AT&T in the U.S. have been having issues with cellular connectivity or eSIM provisioning.

Apple Planning to Launch Products Faster and More Often

John Ternus is marking one month as Apple CEO, and he is apparently undertaking efforts to restructure the company to accelerate product development and introduce new products more frequently, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


Ternus apparently wants Apple to "broaden its range of devices and create a leaner organization with a greater focus on engineering." One proposal under consideration is to rely less on Apple's traditional spring and fall product release cycles, and introduce new devices more quickly and throughout the year. Ternus has also purportedly indicated that Apple must become "more experimental" to remain competitive in the era of artificial intelligence.

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This article, "Top Stories: Apple Smart Home Launch on October 13, iPhone Duo Production Issues, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today confirmed that a "small number" of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network have experienced an issue that causes the device to lose cellular service, thereby preventing phone calls, text messages, and data from working. Thousands of users complained about the issue across the Apple Support Community and other platforms.


Apple said it released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and an AT&T carrier settings update earlier today to help prevent more iPhone 18 Pro Max users from being impacted by this issue going forward. In a statement shared with MacRumors, Apple strongly encouraged all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update to iOS 27.0.1 now. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on General → Software Update.

The carrier settings update for the iPhone 18 Pro Max will automatically download for AT&T users over the next 14 days, according to Apple. To manually trigger the update, users can open the Settings app and tap on General → About.

Apple's full statement:

We have identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network that may cause a device to lose service and be unable to make calls. We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today. These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.

Notably, Apple said that iPhone 18 Pro Max devices that have been affected by this cellular issue on the AT&T network cannot have service reactivated with a software update. Instead, Apple said the device must be replaced entirely, and it advises affected customers to contact Apple Support or AT&T, or visit an Apple Store or AT&T location.

Apple said it has only observed this issue with iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network. No other iPhone models or carriers are known to be impacted.

Apple did not disclose the underlying cause of the issue. U.S. models of the iPhone 18 Pro Max rely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem for cellular connectivity, while variants of the device sold in all other countries are equipped with Apple's custom C2 modem. It is unclear if this modem difference is a factor in this AT&T issue.

It is also unclear if there will eventually be an Apple Service Program dedicated to this issue. In the meantime, it sounds like Apple Stores will replace affected iPhone 18 Pro Max devices for free, so book an appointment with the Genius Bar if necessary.
This article, "Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Users With AT&T Cellular Issue Need to Have Device Replaced" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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