Apple's 50th anniversary in 2026 is shaping up to be a massive year for new products
A new report outlines a packed 2026 roadmap, including new M5 and M6 Macs, a foldable iPhone, and a smart glasses preview.
It looks like 2026 is going to be one of Apple's biggest product years ever. A new report details a massive roadmap for the company's 50th anniversary, touching everything from M5 and M6 Macs to brand-new categories like foldables.
What's Apple planning for its 50th birthday?
Apple’s 50th anniversary is on April 1, 2026, and it sounds like the company is planning to celebrate with an absolute avalanche of new hardware. A detailed new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman lays out a packed schedule that spans the entire year, starting right away in the early months.
The spring is when things get really new, with the reported launch of Apple's first smart home displays, which will tie into a big AI and Siri push at WWDC in June. But the second half of the year is where the real headline-grabbers are. The report points to the fall launch of Apple's long-awaited foldable smartphone, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro (which will finally use Apple's in-house modems). We might even see a preview of Apple's smart glasses. To cap off the year, a late 2026 revamp of the MacBook Pro is rumored, bringing M6 chips and, yes, an OLED touch screen.
Apple's rumored 2026 product roadmap
Here's a look at what the report claims is on the schedule:
Early 2026: A big Mac and iPad refresh, including an M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pros, new Mac monitors, an M4 iPad Air, and an A18 entry-level iPad. The iPhone 17e is also slated for this window.
- March-April 2026: The launch of Apple's first smart displays (in two versions), kicking off its new smart home strategy.
- June 2026 (WWDC): The debut of iOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27, alongside major updates to Apple Intelligence and Siri.
- Fall 2026: The main event, featuring Apple's first foldable smartphone and the iPhone 18 Pro (which will reportedly use Apple's in-house modems).
- Late 2026: A new MacBook Pro revamp with M6 Pro/Max chips, a thinner design, and an OLED touch screen.
- Sometime in 2026: A new iPad mini, an M5 Mac mini, an M5 Mac Studio, a broader smart home security lineup (like cameras), and a potential preview of Apple's smart glasses.
This lineup is a mix of major refreshes and entries into entirely new categories. The spring launch of the smart display, tied to the AI push at WWDC, is clearly a major focus. But the second half of the year, with a foldable and a touch screen Mac, is where the real fireworks are.
Why is this roadmap such a big deal?
The next MacBook Pro might be completely overhauled. | Image credit — Apple
This isn't just a normal refresh cycle; it's a full-court press. This roadmap shows Apple aggressively pushing into new categories where, frankly, it's very late to the party.
Take the foldable. Samsung has been refining its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices for years, and Google has its own Pixel Fold. Apple’s entry will either legitimize the entire market or feel painfully behind the curve.
Then there are smart glasses. This is a true "next big thing" gamble, competing with products like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses but likely aiming for something much more advanced. And as we've discussed, the smart home push is a direct, if delayed, assault on Google and Amazon. This 50th-anniversary plan isn't just a celebration; it's an attempt to set the stage for Apple's next decade of dominance by invading all of its rivals' turf at once.
This product list is almost too good to be true
Honestly, this list is wild. If even 75% of this roadmap actually ships in 2026, it will be one of the most chaotic and exciting years in Apple history.
The product I'm most excited about isn't even the flashiest: it's the late-2026 MacBook Pro. A thinner chassis with an OLED touch screen is the kind of pro-level upgrade I've been waiting for. The foldable phone is a big gamble. After the Vision Pro showed that "if Apple builds it, they will come" isn't a guarantee, I'm not convinced a $2,000+ foldable iPhone is a sure bet. Still, it feels like Apple is throwing everything at the wall for its 50th, and it'll be fun to watch.
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