Happy New Year’s everyone! I hope you’re having a great year so far. It’s 2023, and that means it’s time to start speculating on what everyone’s favorite trillion-dollar fruit is up to. In this post, we’re going to be looking at what Apple 2023 is going to look like.
I’ve gone ahead and categorized the products we’re looking at into three categories:
- Products to expect this year. These are products that are very likely to come out this year, enough that you may want to make your purchasing decisions around these releases.
- Surprise releases that might happen in 2023. These are potential product launches that might happen, but they’re more speculative. Don’t make any decisions based on these launches, just get excited for them!
- What about software? This short section covers some of the software releases we’re expecting from Apple this year.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into our first section!
Contents
Apple 2023: Products to expect this year
As mentioned, the products mentioned in this section are relatively guaranteed to come out this year. Nothing is for certain, of course, and we don’t have any insider knowledge. But based on Apple’s history, what did (and didn’t) release last year, and rumors from trusted sources, these are the products we’re pretty sure will release in 2023.
iPhone 15
The biggest and most surefire release for Apple 2023 is the iPhone 15. Apple has released a new iPhone every year since the first iPhone came out in 2007, and we don’t expect this year to be any different. In fact, the iPhone launch is so routine at this point that we can nearly predict the day (September 5th or 6th).
What’s a bit harder to anticipate, though, is the features that this new iPhone will launch with. At the moment, it seems like there’s a good chance that this will (finally) be the iPhone that supports USB C.
Our reason for believing this is that regulators in the European Union have announced legislation that will require USB C standardization from devices being sold in the EU. So Apple has four options going forward:
- Stop selling in the EU (not going to happen)
- Sell two different versions of the iPhone, one with and one without USB C charging (probably not going to happen)
- Ditch the Lightning port on iPhone and fully embrace USB C (this is my prediction)
- Ditch a charging port altogether for a wireless-only iPhone (probably won’t happen, but I wouldn’t rule it out)
Technically, these regulatory changes won’t actually take effect until the end of 2024. So Apple doesn’t have to come out with a USB C iPhone just yet, but it feels like the right time regardless.
Besides that, you can expect the usual changes to this year’s iPhone. Better camera quality, a confusing lineup with bigger and smaller iPhone sizes, and possibly the continuation of the Dynamic Island feature on the iPhone Pro.
A powered-up Mac mini
A product that I personally find more exciting for Apple 2023 is the Mac mini. Yes, Apple did come out with a Mac mini not too long ago. And yes, that Mac mini has an M-Series chip inside it, which means it shouldn’t need to be updated by Apple for quite some time.
That said, there have been a lot of rumors popping up from trusted sources indicating that a high-end Mac mini could be on the way. This would be an interesting market for the Mac mini to break into, as it’s previously been marketed as a low-power, cost-effective entry point into the Mac lineup.
However, given that the Mac mini requires you to purchase a screen and keyboard yourself, there’s a good chance that Apple is going to push a new kind of Mac mini that’s geared towards hobbyists. After all, someone who likes customizing their PC is not going to be interested in the all-in-one iMac. But a modular Mac mini might get a second look.
Whatever the case, we’re expecting a redesigned, slightly more powerful Mac mini to come out this year.
An upgraded iMac and/or iMac Pro
The next product we’re expecting from Apple 2023 is a bit of a tossup. That’s because we’re not really expecting both of these products to launch this year. Instead, we predict that it will be one or the other, though I suppose it could be both.
That is an upgraded iMac and/or an iMac Pro. The iMac Pro is probably more certain, as it is officially behind Apple’s schedule. Apple fans may remember that in 2020, when the M1 chip was announced, Apple claimed that the entire Mac lineup would be switched to an M-Series chip by the end of 2022.
Well, the iMac Pro seems to have missed the memo. To be fair, Apple did remove the iMac Pro from its website, so technically, it’s not part of the lineup anymore. But I’m sure that’s just because the iMac Pro is running behind schedule and not because Apple has nixed it from the Mac for good.
If this Mac doesn’t come out this year, though, then you can probably expect a new iMac in its stead. The 2020 iMac was (and is) a beautiful machine, and it was one of the first Macs to get the M-Series chip. It’s the computer I’m writing this article on, in fact, and I think it’s an excellent device.
That said, the M-Series chips have already made some pretty big strides in the last few years. So I and others are predicting that Apple may give the iMac a bump in performance. I highly doubt a redesign is on the way, but some changes to the lineup of colors could happen. Specifically, I’m expecting fewer colors for the iMac if it sees an update this year.
A bigger, better iPad Pro
Another product that we’re pretty certain will come from Apple 2023 is a bigger, better iPad Pro. The iPad lineup is one that Apple has been heavily invested in over the last few years, and it seems the main drive behind that has been to make the iPad a serious alternative to the Mac.
Now, Apple still seems insistent that the iPad and the Mac are not going to converge at any point, even though many have been suspecting that would happen for some time. So don’t expect 2023 to be the year that the iPad becomes a one-to-one Mac replacement.
Instead, what we’re expecting is that the iPad Pro is going to come in an even bigger size than before, somewhere around 14″. This would make it way less portable and much more MacBook-like, so you probably wouldn’t be bringing it out of the house too often.
However, for that extra size you can probably expect some new sensors, a much better camera array, and (hopefully) some more powerful apps.
The M3 chip
The last thing we’re expecting to see from Apple 2023 is the new M3 chip. Or at the very least, an improvement on the M2.
If you had asked me to predict what the M-Series lineup was going to look like back in 2020, I would’ve guessed that 2023 was around when we’d get the M2 chip. But Apple seems to be working at a pretty fast pace to bring us new, high-quality, very powerful chips.
The M2 has already handily surpassed the M1 in performance, and we anticipate that the M3 isn’t far behind. So if you’re looking to grab a Mac this year, you may want to wait and see what Mac devices ship with the M3 chip. The M1 and M2 are still solid options, but of course, the M3 will have the most longevity.
Apple 2023: Surprise releases that might happen in 2023
And that’s it! Those are our predictions for Apple 2023 that we are pretty sure will come true. Next, let’s talk about some predictions that we aren’t so sure about.
Below is a handful of products that we have been expecting from Apple for the last few years, and finally, it seems that they might arrive. None of these are guaranteed, so please, don’t plan your year around these releases. Just keep them in the back of your mind and cross your fingers when product launches come around.
Apple Glasses
First up on this list is a product that has been my most anticipated device, probably of all time. That’s Apple Glasses, which I hope will come out in 2023.
For those that don’t know, Apple Glasses are a rumored Apple device. They have been rumored for several years now, and while we don’t know 100% that Apple is working on these things, we are very, very, very sure that they are.
That said, this doesn’t mean that they’re coming out any time soon or even at all. Apple is likely working on a handful of new products at any given time that will never see the light of day.
Still, Apple Glasses are expected to launch eventually given that many people (including myself) feel that the next phase of mobile computing (and potentially computing as a whole) is Augmented Reality.
That’s what Apple Glasses (if that’s what they’re to be called) are expected to be. A headset that you can wear that mixes digital elements into your reality. This would effectively remove the need for computers or devices with screens, which would in turn remove the need for any other devices at all. Hence, the next phase of computing.
The reason this device has taken so long to launch from Apple is that, as you can probably guess, we aren’t completely ready to develop this kind of tech. VR and AR headsets are still very bulky, uncomfortable, and finicky right now. But the tech is definitely advancing, as even Meta’s headset (which flopped) was far better than a lot of people expected.
It’s not really Apple’s style to release a prototype product, so we probably won’t see anything about Apple Glasses until they’re ready to launch. That could be in 2023, or it could be in a few years. So be on the look out, because this could be the year the next big thing from Apple hits the market!
Updates to the HomePod lineup might come from Apple 2023
Another product that could come from Apple 2023 is a revamped HomePod. The HomePod has been one of the most awkward Apple products in a long time, probably since before Steve Jobs rejoined and revitalized the company.
Not because the HomePod is a bad product by any means, but because it’s had a very hard time finding its footing in the market. It’s been one of the least popular, competitive, and innovative smart home speakers, despite being very high quality and well-integrated.
In fact, the HomePod performed so poorly that Apple axed it a while back. Currently, you can only purchase a HomePod mini from Apple.
That could change by the end of this year, though. There are rumors that Apple is working on a HomePod with a screen, which would be the first of its kind. That could mean the return of the HomePod, or it could mean a brand new style of HomePod being added to the lineup.
This is also the year where Matter, the smart home standard developed by Apple, Google, and others, makes its way to Apple devices. This will make the HomePod much more compatible with generic smart home devices, making it much more useful and “smart”. So while we aren’t sure that Apple is going to invest in the HomePod in 2023, this certainly seems like the year to do it.
More Macs with the M2 chip
As we’ve touched on throughout this article, we’re expecting Apple to bring better M-Series chips to its Mac lineup. That might not sound like news, but it’s actually a pretty big deal.
In the past, Apple was reliant on chipmaker Intel to come out with a new chip. Otherwise, the Mac lineup would see very little changes.
Nowadays, Apple makes its own chips. So it can update and release new Macs on a more consistent basis.
So we’re not just expecting to see some big Mac releases, but also some smaller quality of life updates to the Mac lineup. That means more Macs with the M2 or M3 chips, making them faster and more powerful.
AirPods Max 2
Another big release from Apple 2023 that I have my fingers crossed for is AirPods Max 2. The AirPods Max are the priciest option in the AirPods lineup right now, and they’re my favorite pair of headphones that I’ve owned so far. They’re comfortable, cancel nearly all background noise, and most importantly, sound excellent.
That’s why I’m hoping 2023 is the year that we’ll finally get the AirPods Max 2. Officially, there hasn’t been much in the way of announcements or rumors around this product. And, honestly, I’m a little worried that Apple may drop this product at some point given how niche it is for the average user.
Still, there’s a possibility that rather than dropping it, Apple will revamp the AirPods Max and give them new features. If that were to happen, I would expect to see new color options, better sound quality, better noise canceling, and potentially a different interface.
A foldable iPhone
Last but not least is a foldable iPhone. Honestly, I have no clue if Apple is considering releasing a foldable iPhone at this point. The hype for foldable devices seems to have died down a bit, and in my experience, they’re mostly pointless.
Foldable phones have still have a crease in the middle of the screen, which is the main reason I haven’t considered buying one. And there still hasn’t been any groundbreaking features taking advantage of foldable screen technology. So that has me feeling that foldable phones are a cool novelty, but not much else.
Still, there’s always the possibility that Apple is working to perfect this hardware behind the scenes. And I’ll be honest, if an iPhone did come out that was foldable (in the style of an old flip phone, not as a tablet-hybrid) and there was no crease, then I might consider grabbing it over a traditional iPhone.
Even then, though, I would purely be picking it up for the novelty. Regardless, though, this could be the year that Apple launches a foldable iPhone. If that happens, we might see these devices stick around for the long-term.
Apple 2023: What about software?
Before closing out this post, I also wanted to touch on two pieces of software that might come from Apple 2023. Like the vast majority of Apple’s software, these updates and services will probably be free. So think of them as nice bonuses for the devices you already own rather than a product to be on the lookout for.
iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS updates
The first software products that are virtually guaranteed to come from Apple 2023 are iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS updates. And, based on Apple’s history, you can expect these updates to be announced over the summer and released in the fall.
Currently, it’s too early to know what kinds of features to expect from these updates. So I’ll just give my general predictions based on the direction that Apple has been trending for the last few years.
For iOS, I’m expecting a continued focus on features that utilize machine learning and the Neural Engine. That could mean more image recognition, more predictions based on your habits, and more complex, automatic workflows. For instance, your iPhone might perform a few actions at a certain time of day or when you arrive at a location based on the way you normally use your iPhone.
For iPadOS and macOS, I’m expecting to see much more interplay. More apps moving between these platforms, more features that interplay, and deeper integration. This way, the devices are more powerful and versatile on their own than before and even greater when put together.
For watchOS, I predict that it’ll be more of the same. Some slight improvements, a new health feature or two, and that’s about it. For watchOS to advance (and that’s even assuming it needs to), the hardware is going to have to progress further.
An Apple search engine
A software update that I wouldn’t necessarily count on arriving from Apple 2023 is an Apple search engine. There have been rumors about an Apple search engine for years now (I’ve covered them before here), but no concrete evidence.
Unfortunately, not much has changed in the last three years. The Apple search engine is still just a rumor, despite many outlets claiming it is just around the corner. We don’t know when, or even if, this service will be available.
That said, I would not be surprised in the slightest if Apple announced its own search engine this year. It would help it compete against Google, would provide a more secure and private browsing experience to Apple users, and could reduce the number of ads that Apple users see. All of these would be another reason to switch to Apple and get locked into the Apple ecosystem.
Apple 2023: It’s set to be a big, surprising year
And that’s it! Those are our predictions for Apple 2023. To recap, we’re expecting big things for the Mac and iPad, as Apple has been pushing advancements in these lineups for the last few years. The iPhone and Apple Watch have mostly peaked, so it’s up to disruptive tech like Apple Glasses to revitalize Apple’s mobile segment. Whether or not we’ll see a product like that this year remains to be seen.
For more insights, news, and guides on all things Apple, check out the rest of the AppleToolBox blog.
See you next time!
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