Apple's fall announcement cycle in 2026, according to analyst forecasts, is expected to go beyond the usual pair of new products — the iPhone and Apple Watch. As RBC-Ukraine reports, citing Mark Gurman's analytical report for Bloomberg, the company's schedule for the coming weeks includes two more significant devices: the fifth generation of the base AirPods and the eighth iteration of the compact iPad mini tablet, which will feature an OLED display for the first time in the history of the line. Both products are set to become key highlights of a season that kicks off on September 9.
Two new products beyond the iPhone
The main keynote is scheduled for September 9, 2026 — the same day as the unveiling of the new generation of iPhone. According to Gurman's data, it is at this event that Apple is expected to present the AirPods 5. Pre-orders for the earbuds will open on the day of the announcement, while actual retail sales are set to begin around September 18. Thus, the company is sticking to its familiar formula: a high-profile event, instant pre-orders, and the start of shipments roughly a week later.
AirPods 5: what's inside and when sales begin
As with the previous generation, the earbuds will be released in two variants — a base model and one with active noise cancellation. The main changes concern the "insides": Apple will bring updated microphones and acoustic components, previously available only in the Pro series, into the base line. Developers expect this to improve the clarity of voice transmission during calls and the accuracy of voice command recognition by the Siri assistant. In addition, support for the Bluetooth LE Audio protocol and a new H3 audio chip are expected, which should enhance sound quality and energy efficiency.
Pricing policy amid rising memory costs
Despite the general price increase in the electronics market driven by rising memory component costs, the price of the AirPods 5 is expected to remain at $129 for the base version and $179 for the noise-cancelling model. Gurman separately notes that more advanced AirPods Pro with cameras and AI algorithms should not be expected before 2027 — meaning the innovation cycle in this category is stretched out by at least a year.
iPad mini 8: the first OLED tablet in the line
The second major piece of fall news will be the release of the iPad mini 8, planned for October 2026. According to Gurman, the announcement may take the form of an official press release without a separate presentation. Production of the new display panels has already been taken on by Samsung Display. The OLED panel will deliver higher contrast, a wider color gamut, and lower power consumption, and thanks to thinner bezels the screen diagonal may increase slightly. In terms of hardware, the tablet will jump from the A17 Pro chip straight to the A19 Pro processor (the same one used in the iPhone Air), gain a Wi-Fi 7 module, and will likely get more expensive: the starting price could exceed the current $499.
Contradictory data
The sources contain a small inconsistency in the name of the flagship smartphone that the earbuds are announced alongside: the basic summary simply refers to the "iPhone 18," while materials citing Bloomberg (vc.ru, rozetked.me) specify the "iPhone 18 Pro." The difference is likely due to the fact that several models of the line are shown within a single event, although Apple has not officially confirmed the exact lineup of the announcement. It is also worth noting that the release format of the iPad mini 8 (a press release instead of an event) is Gurman's analytical forecast, not a company statement, so the date and method of presentation may shift.
Bottom line: fall 2026 promises to be one of the most packed for the Apple ecosystem in recent years. If Gurman's forecasts come true, users will receive two long-awaited updates at once — affordably priced AirPods 5 with "Pro-like" sound and the first OLED tablet in the compact line, which will close the display technology gap between the mini and the more expensive models.
