Apple leak teases 'Christmas surprise' — here's what we could see

Apple Event Nov. 2020
(Image credit: Apple)

Despite Apple holding its "One More Thing" event last week for the new MacBook Air and other new Macs powered by the mighty M1 chip, it looks as if there's one more "one more thing" coming this year.

That's because leaker L0vetodream claimed in a new tweet that we'll be getting "a Christmas surprise from Apple." Apparently it'll be something suited to the winter; not that this gives us much more of a clue.

It sounds a little like the "12 Days of Gifts" that Apple used to run every Christmas up to 2014. Opening the special app each day would grant the user a free app, TV episode or movie. But a lot's changed with Apple's business focus in the past six years, so it's unlikely to be a direct revival of this.

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Our immediate thought is that Apple might introduce some new accessory for the iPhone 12. It might be a new MagSafe-related item, since it's one of the more significant features of the latest iPhone. Or perhaps it's something that can be used with the new iPad Air, Apple Silicon MacBook Pro M1, or other recently launched devices.

Equally, it could be a heavily rumored product that we've been expecting to launch but has yet to make an appearance. The AirTags trackers or the AirPods Studio over-ear headphones both come to mind here, although the latest rumors for both devices point to an early 2021 launch.

The surprise may not be a physical item, however. Fledgling leaker LeaksApplePro believes that Apple's going to bring out some free software, though this looks to be an opinion, not a proper leak. Similarly, Apple may decide to release some Apple TV Plus content for free, giving all Apple device owners free access to the service.

There's also a chance this surprise is something we already know is coming, but wasn't given a specific release date. Apple Fitness Plus, for example, still has a vague "late 2020" launch date, which would arguably fit in with what L0vetodream suggested. But since we already know a lot about Fitness Plus from when it was announced in September, it's not much of a surprise.

Of course, this leak could prove to be completely wrong, so do take the above with a pinch of salt. And as ever, time will tell if this leak bears fruit. 

Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.