Top Stories: Apple Silicon Turns 5, iPhone Pocket, and More

It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through November already, as 2025 rapidly draws to a close with no firm signs of several smaller hardware updates we’ve been hoping to see before the end of the year, although we did get one surprising new iPhone accessory this week.

This week also saw the fifth anniversary of the very successful Apple silicon effort on the Mac, contrasted with the future of the iPhone Air seeming shakier than ever. On the software side, Apple made some more tweaks with the second beta of iOS 26.2 and released the Digital ID feature to allow users to add their U.S. passports to the Wallet app, so read on below for all the details!

Top Stories

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

This week marked the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple’s Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020, and it debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The ‌M1‌ chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the “world’s fastest CPU core” and industry-leading performance per watt, and it’s only improved since then. We’ve had five total generations of Apple silicon chips, with the M5 unveiled in the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ just last month, so check out our look at how Apple’s latest M-series chip compares to the first one.

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

While Apple branched out into the crossbody strap accessory market with the iPhone 17 lineup, the company has now gone a step further with the release of the special-edition iPhone Pocket, a knitted accessory much like a stretchy pocket or sock that can hold an iPhone, AirPods, or other everyday items.

Available in a number of vibrant color options, the iPhone Pocket comes in both short strap ($149.95) and long strap ($229.95) options, although it almost immediately sold out in the United States upon launch. The iPhone Pocket was created in a partnership between Apple and Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE, whose namesake founder was the designer of the iconic black turtleneck worn by Steve Jobs.

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple’s Delaying the Next-Generation Version

The thin and light iPhone Air has sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation ‌version that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone in Fall 2026, reports The Information.

Apple has not necessarily canceled the second-generation iPhone Air, but the company is reportedly looking at ways to improve it such as by adding a second rear camera to try to improve its appeal, and a revamped version could appear in Spring 2027 alongside the regular iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e as Apple moves to split up its flagship iPhone launches across the year.

Another report this week claims that the iPhone 16e has similarly “failed” at its $599 price point that marked a significant increase compared to its iPhone SE predecessor, though there have been no reports of a potential delay beyond the rumored Spring 2026 time frame for a follow-up iPhone 17e model.

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Rumors of updates for the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag have regularly pointed toward the middle or end of 2025, but it’s looking less and less likely to happen as the time ticks down. While HomePod mini stock in particular is running low at many third-party retailers, the holiday shopping season is already kicking into high gear with Apple even featuring the current model among its top gift ideas.

Delayed releases for HomePod mini and Apple TV updates could be tied to ongoing delays with Apple’s revamped Siri that will drive an expansion of the company’s smart home platform with new hardware such as a home hub device and cameras, but it’s unclear what might be holding up the release of a second-generation AirTag with greater range and other improvements.

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 2

Apple this week provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26.2, which adds a few new features worth knowing about.

Changes since the first beta include a new Liquid Glass look for the Measure app, an option to turn off pinned conversations in the Messages app when in CarPlay, improvements to animations and the Games app, and more.

Apple Launches U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone

Apple has announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport.

The Digital ID can be used for domestic air travel at TSA checkpoints in more than 250 airports, and in the future it will be able to provide identity and age verification at select stores, in compatible apps, and on supported websites.

The Digital ID does not, however, fully replace a physical passport, as it can not be used for international travel and border crossing purposes.

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