I’ve gazed into my crystal ball and here’s what I see Apple releasing this year….
Apple Vision Pro
First of all, the Apple Vision Pro of course. If you can believe the pundits, the $3,499 (and higher) Spatial Computer will go on sale in late January or early February. It will apparently only be available in limited quantities at first with most predictions saying Apple will “only” sell about 500,000 units.
The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thinks that the tech giant will sell all the Vision Pros it can make. And I think there will be a considerable market for accessories for the headset, such as external battery packs, cases (for taking it with you when you travel), headbands, and more.
Speaking of sales, I’m planning to buy one, though it’s going to hurt my bank account to do so. Though I’ve been in the Apple journalism business for more than 30 years, the company doesn’t send me any products to review. I have to spring for ‘em all myself.
That said, here’s my occasional ad: If you’d like to help support AWT (and make my life easier), consider becoming a patron. We offer at least three patron-exclusive posts each week. You can start at only $2 per month (though $5/month gets you the exclusives).
iPads
Apple did very letter with its tablet line-up in 2023 — and sales dipped. Look for that to change in 2024 with some serious upgrades to the iPad line-up.
The iPad Pro will come in updated 13-inch and 11.1-inch sizes and sport OLED displays, M3 processors, and MagSafe charging support. I expect the other iPad models to stick with the current LCD screen technology, though we should see a bigger (12.9-inch) iPad Air. And the non-Pro models will also get faster processors.
Also, I think that Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is right when he says Apple will release an updated Magic Keyboard along with new iPads. He says that not only will the new accessory will have a larger trackpad to be more Mac-like, but that the redesign will be even more extensive. From his report: For the first time on a Magic Keyboard, the top case — the area around the keyboard itself — will be aluminum, matching recent Mac laptops.
The new approach will make the accessory feel more like a premium product, with the Mac’s aesthetic. The switch to aluminum also gives the keyboard a sturdier structure: The older, flimsier version was prone to bending and even tearing at the edges. I’m told that, when closed, the exterior shell of the Magic Keyboard will retain the cover material of the current model. It will also continue to have one USB-C port.
Aluminum is a lightweight material, so the new model shouldn’t be much heavier. But I have to wonder if the change will lead Apple to raise the $300 starting price.
By the way, don’t look for a foldable iPad. This isn’t going to happen anytime soon. And I’m going out on a limb here and predicting that Apple will drop the vanilla “iPad” model and stick with iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini models to simplify a confusing tablet line-up.
iPhone 16
Naturally, Apple will release new iPhones in the September/October time frame. Don’t look for a foldable or curved smartphone from the company. But here’s a roundup of the rumors on what we can expect:
° The iPhone 16 Pro may feature an upgraded Ultra Wide camera with a 48-megapixel sensor.
° All iPhone 16 models will feature a significant upgrade in microphone specifications.
° All models will sport an Action button.
° A tetraprism camera will be featured in the iPhone 16 Pro.
° The lineup could feature a more power-efficient display thanks to a new OLED material set that is reportedly being developed by Samsung.
° Apple could revamp Siri with the iPhone 16 by adding generative AI features to the company’s personal assistant
° The iPhone 16 Pro could sport an extra button and move the mmWave antenna to the left of the device instead of the right to accommodate the change.
° The lens in the 2024 iPhone 16 will be revised and equipped with more advanced molding glass (MG) to make the mobile phone lighter and thinner, improve the optical zoom magnification, and greatly improve the user experience.
° All iPhone 16 models will move from the A16 processor to the A18.
° The iPhone 16 series may gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the “Capture Button.” Codenamed “Project Nova,” the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase.
° The Capture Button will be located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower. The mmWave cutout will be been moved to the opposite side, located under the volume buttons. It is currently unknown what the new capacitive button will be used for.
° The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will feature 8GB of memory and an A17 Bionic chip fabricated with TSMC’s N3E process.
° iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models should feature Wi-Fi 7 support and an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens.
° They will adopt a stacked rear camera sensor design across the lineup in 2024 after (mostly) similar adoption in this year’s standard iPhone 15 models.
° The iPhone Pro Max could be the first to feature a super telephoto periscope camera for dramatically increased optical zoom.
Apple Watch
Along with new iPhones, Apple will also release new Apple Watches (hopefully, the ongoing legal battle with Masimo will be resolved soon).
Again, I think Gurman is correct in saying that, in an August edition of his Power On newsletter, that 2024 or 2025 will see Apple launch the “Apple Watch X,” the biggest redesign of its smartwatch ever. I think we’ll see it this year.
The launch of the smartwatch will come in time for the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch. Gurman says Apple is trying to make the Watch X thinner than previous model. He adds that it could also include a new magnetic attachment system for attaching and swapping bands.
I also think we’ll see an even bigger Apple Watch Ultra ion 2024. The current Ultra has a 1.93-inch display, while the 2024 version will be 10% larger with a 50mm case size, according to according to DigiTimes It’s also expected to be the first Apple Watch to adopt micro-LED display tech. DigiTimes is hit-or-miss when it comes to Apple product predictions, but I think they’re spot on with this rumor.
AirPods
Apple’s next-generation AirPods should include more a affordable model (around US$99) as well as an updated AirPod Max. Currently, the second generation AirPods cost $129 and the third gen AirPods are $169 with a Lightning charging case and at $179 with a MagSafe case.
MacRumors thinks that new features in an updated AirPod Max could include: customizability with interchangeable headbands and earcups; automatic left and right ear detection; touch pads on the earfuls for audio control; H2 processors; better noise cancellation; improved battery life; MagSafe charging; and a lower-pried, sports-oriented model.
Also, look for Apple to replace the Lighting charger on AirPods with USB-C charging. And look for updated AirPod Pros with body-
Macs
The Mac is due for big upgrades, too, with the MacBook Air slated to gain the M3 chip soon. And new MacBook Pros, codenamed J614 and J616, are already in development. Look for processor updates to the entire Mac line-up.
2024 will likely see the unveiling of the M3 Ultra processor for a Mac Studio. Again, I’m going out on a limb here and predicting that Apple will discontinue the Mac Pro line-up and introduce a bigger iMac.
However, I don’t think the new all-in-one will be dubbed an iMac Pro. I think it will continue to bear the moniker “iMac,” but will be offered with a bigger screen and more processor options.
Apple Services
Apple has raised prices for its various services last year and, sadly, I expect to see more price hikes this year. (Hey, the company is spending money hand-over-fist on movie projects, and they’re not going to eat the resulting losses forever).
I also expect Apple to introduce some new services. I’d love to see Apple Books+. Other possibilities — as predicted by the Loup Ventures group — include:
° Health+, a healthcare opportunity that would leverage sensors “to capture more health data, more frequently, than perhaps any other consumer health platform.”
° Stocks+. If Apple is comfortable launching a credit card, they could eventually add other financial services, such as investment accounts. The Stocks app is already a go-to app for many investors, and there’s more the company could do. First, Apple could replicate its success with Apple Card and offer low-fee, private, secure, simple brokerage accounts.
° Maps+. Loup Ventures thinks an Apple Car is on the product roadmap and that it and “Apple Maps could work together in a new service, Maps+, to help deliver the future of transportation.”
° Mail+, which would handle “inbox management, scheduling, and many of the daily tasks we perform in the Mail app could be automated, adding sufficient value to our lives while commanding a monthly fee.”
° Podcasts+, in which Apple will take a page from Spotify’s playbook and bundle premium podcasts (Podcasts+) with Apple Music and Apple One, at no extra charge for paying subscribers.
