Apple rumors - page 23

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Deep down inside, you know you want to give your Mac the finger. Apple might make that happen in the (somewhat) near future, according to the latest rumor. That’s right — Apple reportedly is “seriously considering” making a touchscreen MacBook. That’s enough to get us chattering!

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple’s headset inches closer to (mixed) reality. But where are you going to put that waist-mounted battery pack if you don’t wear a belt?!? This is chaos!
• Lots of geeky talk on the future of Apple screens, and why microLED will make a big difference.
• What Apple products to expect this year, and when we think we’ll see them.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Apple now has engineers “actively engaged in the project” of adding touchscreens to Mac computers, starting with the popular MacBook Pro. According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, a consistent and reliable leaker, the first Mac with a touchscreen display could ship as soon as 2025.

The product is evidently still being tested internally, with no definitive plans for a product launch set in motion.

Apple will bring a microLED screen to its wrist wearable, according to a reliable source of insider info. This would replace the OLED displays currently in Apple Watch.

A switch to microLED would bring an improved type of screen: brighter and less prone to burn-in.

The long-awaited Mac Pro desktop will finally debut at a big March event, according to a tipster. As will a Mac mini powered by Apple’s M2 chip.

Plus, Apple is apparently getting ready to knock people’s socks off, as three MacBooks are also supposedly on the agenda for the event — including a 15-inch MacBook Air.

Apple plans a modest increase the screen sizes in the next generation of iPad Pro models, according to a reliable source. Numerous earlier leaks indicted these will also be the first Apple tablets with OLED displays.

That will make the upcoming iPad Pro significant a improvement over the 2022 version.

Every year, Apple launches a handful of products that stand out from the competition. 2023 is going to be no different, but next year will be special for Apple in many ways.

The company could enter a new product category with its AR/VR headset, and the iPhone could get some major hardware upgrades. Below is a roundup of five Apple product launches to look forward to in 2023.

There’s bad news for those ready for a folding iPad. Apple is not working on a small folding tablet to replace the iPad mini, according to a reliable source of inside info.

Still, a new version of the iPad mini with a faster processor is on the way.

Although Apple killed off the iMac Pro line, it’s coming back better than ever, according to a reliable source. That means a high-end macOS all-in-one is supposedly on Apple’s product roadmap.

The company is also reportedly working on a Mac Pro desktop, also powered by Apple silicon.

Apple is currently working on multiple new external monitors powered by Apple silicon. This includes a replacement for the Pro Display XDR that launched in 2019.

There’s no confirmed timeline for the launch of the new monitors.

A 15.5-inch MacBook Air is on Apple’s agenda for the first half of 2023, according to a reliable source.

This would be the first time the traditionally thin and light line of notebooks has expanded past the current 13.3-inch screen.

Very early benchmark scores for what is apparently the 2023 MacBook Pro show buyers will be able to configure the laptop with much more RAM. And new details on the M2 Max processor were revealed, too.

The performance scores show a modest 14% increase over the 2021 version, but benchmark scores months before the release of any computer are of limited use.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors make it sound like we’re getting some major changes on the design front. And, while the switch from Lightning to USB-C sounds like a winner, Apple might pull one of its irritating tricks by making a handy feature exclusive to the iPhone Pro models next year.

Also on The CultCast:

• Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on your favorite Apple gear.
• COVID-19 chaos in the Chinese factory complex known as “iPhone City” points to further supply-chain disruptions for Cupertino.
• Find My miracles!
• Mondo’s Severance collectibles look like a really cool way to dig deeper into the most creative show on Apple TV+.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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Apple is reportedly sticking with a two-year replacement cycle on its budget handset line. That means the iPhone SE 4 won’t be out until 2024, according to a reliable source.

The launch is apparently far enough away that Apple hasn’t settled on a final design.

Purported CAD renders of the Apple Watch Pro appeared online Monday, giving us a clear look at the rumored high-end wearable’s design. The renders show a new physical key on the left side of the watch.

The rugged Apple Watch variant will be aimed at athletes and endurance sports.

UPDATE: The Apple Watch Ultra was announced on September 7, and the leaked CAD drawings turned out 100% accurate. Read our preview of the smartwatch for all the details. 

The iPhone 14 is expected this week, but you don’t have to wait until Wednesday – most of the details have leaked out already. We know about the new Plus version, the higher-res camera, the always-on display and much more.

So why wait? Here’s all the leaked details on the 2022 iPhone.

Apple is reportedly working on at least three AR/VR headsets. The company will first launch the “Apple Reality Pro” headset, which would directly rival Meta’s upcoming Quest Pro headset.

CAD renders supposedly of the AirPods Pro 2 charging case appeared online Friday, revealing some changes potentially coming to Apple’s noise-canceling earbuds. They show an opening for a lanyard attachment as well as speaker holes that could make misplaced AirPods Pro easier to locate.

Apple might announce the second-gen AirPods Pro alongside the iPhone 14 at its Far Out event on September 7.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Last-minute leaks indicate iPhone 14 Pro might not suffer the indignity of the “pillhole.” And that’s not the end of the revelations and guesswork prior to Apple’s Far Out event next Wednesday.

Also on The CultCast:

• Soon, all your Apple devices will talk to satellites.
• Apple Watch Pro is all about the battery life so it can keep pace with endurance athletes.
• AI-generated art is getting really good — and really creepy!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: CultCloth

Get the only cleaning cloth you need: CultCloth!

A critical detail has leaked about about Apple’s upcoming wearable designed for serious athletes. The new top-tier Apple Watch will have a 47mm screen, according to a new report coming out of Asia.

This will make it the largest version yet of Apple’s wrist computer.

A replacement for the original, full-size HomePod is reportedly in development. The smart speaker is expected to provide better audio performance than the current HomePod mini.

And it might debut as early as fall 2022.

Apple reportedly does not plan to hold an in-person iPhone 14 event this September. Instead, the company will once again announce the upcoming iPhones via a virtual event.

Apple seemingly diversified its supply chain by adding a new component supplier for the iPhone 14 lineup. Chinese company SG Micro has acquired the necessary certifications to supply components for the high-end iPhone 14 Pro series.

The move comes as Apple looks to avoid disruptions in its supply chain due to external factors.

MacBook Pros powered by upgraded Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max chips could debut as early as this fall. The new chips would focus on delivering improved GPU performance.

The upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro refresh is not expected to pack any other significant changes.

The iPhone 14 is reportedly already in the test production phase. That puts Apple’s next-gen smartphone on schedule to launch in September, as expected.

But, in a separate report, an industry analyst warns that one version of the 2022 iPhone may be in short supply when it launches.

Apple’s second-generation AR/MR headset could debut in 2025 with a more affordable price tag than the original. The company seemingly plans to launch two different variants of the headset to target consumers with different budgets.

Apple’s first-generation mixed reality headset is currently expected to launch in the first half of 2023.