In the news: Apple leaks, Siri AI regulation and more

The Apple rumor mill never stops, and this week Woozad was able to announce details on several upcoming products.

We’re also learning more about the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max as well as the upcoming iPhone Duo, while this week saw the launch of the new Beats 360 headphones and the start of class action claim acceptance over Siri AI delays, so read below for all the details on these stories and more!

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iPad Mini with A20 Pro, new HomePod Mini colors and new Apple TV 4K just leaked

Woozad This week saw leaks of upcoming iPad mini, HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K models, all of which are expected to be announced in October as part of another wave of product launches, including an all-new operating system to accompany some of the new hardware.

The most notable iPad mini details revealed in the leaks include an A20 Pro chip, a new speaker design and a landscape front camera, while images have revealed that the upcoming HomePod mini will come in new colors like green and pink. There’s also evidence of an upcoming “Apple TV 4K (4th generation)” model, so it looks like a new Apple TV is finally coming soon after a four-year wait.

A separate Apple code leak has confirmed some rumors about the 12th generation iPad, although we don’t expect it to launch until early next year.

Siri AI settlement website now live: Apple to pay some iPhone owners

In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit in the United States over the delayed launch of Siri AI, and the settlement website is now live.

Apple will pay approximately $25 per eligible iPhone to eligible customers, who can submit a claim through the settlement website between September 21 and December 21 of this year. The exact payment may be more or less than $25 depending on the total number of valid claims submitted and other factors, with the maximum amount being set at $95.

Apple denies all allegations made in the lawsuit, but agreed to the settlement to avoid the costs and risks of a trial.

iPhone 18 Pro Max requires a “Prepare to Ship” battery drain before shipping

The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a single-cell battery capacity greater than 20 watt hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity must be limited via firmware.

According to Apple, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max uses an “innovative battery firmware solution” that limits battery capacity to less than 20 Wh from the time the iPhone is manufactured until it is delivered to the customer. Activating the iPhone removes the limit to make the full charging capacity of the battery available.

Customers who need to ship the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max for repair, exchange, or other purposes should use a new prepare-to-ship feature. Prepare to Ship discharges the battery below 20 Wh and sets a charge limit so that iPhone stays below the threshold during the shipping process.

Apple Executive Says ‘Hold Us Accountable’ on iPhone Duo Crease

Apple’s VP of Hardware Engineering, Tom Marieb, recently spoke with TechRadar and shared some candid thoughts on Apple’s upcoming iPhone Duo.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ uses a nano-texture matte display, intended to reduce glare and minimize fold visibility. When asked if the ‌iPhone Duo‌ crease would be more visible over time, as tends to happen on other foldables, Marieb said the nano-texture display would help. He asked people to hold the company “accountable” for increasing visibility.

Marieb also discussed the Duo’s innovative hinge, the use of Ceramic Shield 2 on the front display, and much more.

Beats 360 offers customization and a revamped over-ear headphone design

After months of teases and leaks, Apple’s Beats brand officially announced its new Beats 360 headphones this week. Priced at $349.99, the Beats 360 represents a redesign of the Beats over-ear headphone design, with a focus on sound quality, comfort and customization.

Beats 360 does not replace the brand’s Studio Pro over-ear headphones, as the Studio Pro will remain part of the Beats lineup at a discounted price of $299.99, down from the previous $349.99. Compared to Studio Pro, Beats 360 features an all-new acoustic architecture that delivers up to 1.75x more active noise cancellation and a 12dB increase in output while maintaining clarity across all frequencies with low distortion.

Swappable ear and headband pads allow you to personalize your look by mixing and matching colors and materials, with Beats offering additional pad kits at deeply discounted prices as part of an introductory promotion.

iPhone 20 Pro screen sizes leaked ahead of 2027 launch

Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone lineup, releasing next year, could feature slightly larger screens than the iPhone 18 Pro models, if a recent leak shared on Weibo is accurate.

The prolific Chinese Digital Chat Station claims that the initial display specifications of the iPhone 20 Pro include a 6.41-inch display with a resolution of around 2,686 × 1,236 pixels, while the iPhone 20 Pro Max is said to have a 6.96-inch display with a resolution of around 2,912 × 1,340 pixels.

For comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are 6.27 inches (rounded to 6.3 inches) and 6.86 inches (rounded to 6.9 inches), respectively. Meanwhile, the resolutions of the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are 2,622 × 1,206 pixels and 2,868 × 1,320 pixels, respectively.

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