Apple is turning 50 this year. On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak officially founded Apple Computer Company. In the five decades since, the company certainly made its mark on the world, introducing product lines many of us still use today. The Mac (1985), the iPhone (2007), and the iPad (2010) are all still going strong—even if huge product lines like the iPod (2001) are no more.
Apple doesn’t shy away from anniversaries, and it seems the big 50 is no exception. In a press release on Thursday, the company confirmed that it would be officially celebrating 50 years of “thinking different and the innovations that have helped shape the way people connect, create, learn, and experience the world.” Its announcement goes on to quickly recap its biggest products—both hardware, software, and services—and pledges to continue “thinking different in the years ahead.” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote a letter for Apple.com that largely does the same.
The thing is, the announcement doesn’t really reveal how Apple plans to celebrate this anniversary. It says that in the upcoming weeks, Apple and its “global community” will be “recognizing the creativity, innovation, and impact that people around the world have made possible with Apple technology.” How vague!
Based on the wording of the announcement, I’m guessing we’re going to see some official videos from Apple showcasing customers using their products and services. The company’s Apple Watch videos come to mind, like “Dear Apple.” This video highlights a number of letters Apple Watch users have written to Apple about the many ways their watches have improved—or, in some cases, saved—their lives. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple make another version of this, with a 50th anniversary theme in mind.
But I’m also guessing Apple will produce videos showing off how customers use the company’s other products: musicians using MacBooks to record new tracks; artists using iPads to draw and paint; users with hearing difficulties using AirPods as hearing aids.
Expect these videos to be posted to Apple’s new “Hello Apple” Instagram page. As of this article, the company has a handful of videos posted, including a clip showcasing iPhone durability tests, a short product video showcasing the MacBook Neo, a video of an artist using an iPad, and a video showing off a number of different “interpretations” of the Apple logo. Apple also shared Tim Cook’s letter in a post here.
Apple will roll out three “Ultra” products this year
But Apple isn’t just about tooting its own horn (though it is very good at that). The company tends to release big products around major anniversaries. For the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, for example, the company released the iPhone X, which totally transformed the design of the product and the way we use it. (Nine years later, most of us are still using that same iPhone X design.)
Apple has already shaken up the market this year with a rather disruptive product: the MacBook Neo. While not specifically released for the 50th, it’s fitting that Apple would launch this device this year. It’s too early to know for sure, but a capable Mac that goes for as low as $499 will likely change the budget and mid-range computing market.
While the MacBook Neo is a “big” product due to its disruptive potential, Apple may also release “big” products that offer features previous products never did. These are being called Apple’s “Ultra” products, devices that go beyond the company’s “Pro” moniker. Right now, we expect to see three of them this year:
What do you think so far?
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iPhone Ultra: Apple has yet to release a foldable smartphone to compete with the likes of Google and Samsung. The “iPhone Ultra” (or, more likely, iPhone Fold) could very well launch for Apple’s 50th, and cost $2,000 to boot.
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AirPods Ultra: Apple’s next-gen AirPods are rumored to ship with embedded cameras. These won’t be like the ones that come with smart glasses, however. Instead of taking photos, they’ll be used for visual intelligence, so you can ask Siri questions about your surroundings without having to take out your iPhone.
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MacBook Ultra: Apple just launched the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, but a brand-new high-end MacBook could drop this year, too. The “MacBook Ultra” could offer the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options, but with an OLED display—a first for the Mac. That high-end display tech will likely cost extra on top of the Pro’s $2,199 starting price, though.
iOS 27 comes out for Apple’s 50th
It doesn’t take leaks and rumors to know that Apple will follow up last year’s iOS 26 with iOS 27. However, we can look to leaks and rumors to know what features Apple has planned for the new update.
The biggest feature, undoubtedly, is Apple’s revamped Siri, which the company originally announced back in 2024. This version of Siri is supposed to be supercharged with AI, capable of digging through your various apps and files to answer complicated questions and queries. Apple has had to delay AI Siri several times, as the company struggles to catch up to others in the AI space, and while it’s possible the new Siri will arrive with an iOS 26 update (e.g. iOS 26.5), Apple may just save it for iOS 27. Either way, Apple’s big Siri overhaul may, fittingly, land during this anniversary year.
Rumors suggest that iOS 27 will also introduce a Siri chatbot for the first time. You’d be able to have a conversation with Siri like you would ChatGPT or Gemini, though I still maintain the only thing I really want Siri to do well is set my timers and check the weather.
What you shouldn’t expect for Apple’s 50th
As of now, the rumor mill isn’t pointing to any big 50th-themed products in the works from Apple. The company has, on occasion, released special versions of its products (like the U2 iPod) and while I’m sure there are some Apple fans out there that would appreciate a 50th anniversary iMac or iPhone, that just isn’t likely. You’ll have to settle for an OLED MacBook or a foldable iPhone that costs $2,000.
To that point, I’m not expecting Apple to hold any anniversary sales, either. The MacBook Neo’s wildly reasonable price tag is probably the most “generous” the company is getting in my lifetime. As AI companies buy up computing components at a record pace, expect prices to only go up.
