Apple rumors - page 27

Work on a folding iPhone reportedly goes on. Apple is secretly testing “multiple prototypes that contain foldable displays,” according to a reliable tipster.

But the company is also watching closely to see if foldable phones will turn out to be a fad without staying power.

Apple’s bid to do away with the notch could lead to a pill-shaped camera cutout in its display, as well as hidden Face ID sensors, according to a tipster.

Recent rumors suggested that iPhone 14 will be the first to feature a “punch hole” camera cutout in its screen rather than current models’ notch. And though we initially assumed that would be circular — like those on Android devices — that may not be the case.

Apple’s upcoming virtual reality and augmented reality headset will have three displays, according to a new report by display-industry analysts. They also have a prediction for what the third screen will be used for.

Rumors indicate the VR/AR headset finally will surface in 2022.

Apple’s next desktop monitor won’t be cheap, but it could be significantly less expensive than the high-end Pro Display XDR, according to a new report.

The new standalone screen is expected to land with a price tag of around $2,500. In comparison, the Pro Display XDR still starts at $4,999 — and that’s without the optional (but arguably necessary) stand that costs $999.

Apple will launch a second generation of AirPods Pro in the fall, according to an analyst who’s also a reliable tipster. The upgraded earbuds allegedly will offer better sound than the current version, via support for lossless audio. And there reportedly will be other changes, too, including a new design.

Long before the launch, AirPods of all kinds are shipping like crazy, thanks to Apple’s lowering the cost, according to the same analyst.

Apple might break into a new product category in 2022. The company reportedly will unveil its long-rumored virtual reality and augmented reality headset.

Over the years, Apple profoundly changed the smartphone, tablet, smartwatch and MP3 player markets, taking niche products mainstream. It’s possible it’s about to do the same for VR/AR.

2022 could be the year Apple takes iMac to the next level. Various leaks point to an iMac Pro with a blazing-fast processor and a beautiful screen.

But it’s not supposed to be any larger than the biggest current iMac, though the overall design is expected to change.

Apple won‘t let the iPad languish in 2022. Most notably, some big improvements are reportedly coming to the display and charging capabilities of the iPad Pro line.

And the iPad Air and iPad won‘t be overlooked, either.

With 2022 almost on us, it’s time to look forward to the massive MacBook Air refresh expected next year. Tipsters say there’ll be a slim new design, a much better screen and a range of other improvements.

This notebook is also expected to be the debut of the super-speedy Apple M2 processor.

2022 might bring some significant swings in Apple’s phone strategy. The “regular” iPhone 14 series reportedly will include a more affordable 6.7-incher in place of the 5.4-inch mini model. And the two upcoming iPhone Pro models could get rid of the notch, replacing it with a smaller alternative.

Plus, there allegedly will be a big improvement to the rear-facing camera, as well as other changes. And an iPhone SE 3.

Apple’s upcoming 27-inch iMac refresh could miss out on the mini-LED upgrade that this year graced iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. A new report, citing industry sources, claims the all-in-one computer will stick with more-familiar LCD panels instead.

The same sources also say the new 27-inch iMac will be available in a range of color options, just like the 24-inch model introduced in May.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our 2022 hopes are up, up and away on the latest rumors about what new features iPhone 14 Pro might bring. The camera sounds like it will once again deliver impressive gains, but it’s the potential for an iPhone 4-style makeover that’s really got us drooling.

Also on The CultCast:

• New Apple displays on the horizon?
• Dying AirPods … and amazing deals on replacements.
• Alex E. Heath’s goggle-eyed moment during his interview with The Matrix stars.
• More of our product picks in Gear of the Year.

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.

Apple is currently building two smaller, more affordable alternatives to its 32-inch Pro Display XDR, according to a leaker. The company is also said to be working on a new high-end display with a built-in A13 chipset.

The new screens in early development reportedly use LG panels. And it remains unclear when they might hit the market.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like Apple has some really big plans for 2022. We’re psyched about some things, skeptical about others, but definitely shining up our Apple Cards.

Also on The CultCast:

• Snap Spectacles, as modeled by Alex E. Heath.
• Anxiously awaiting the end of the “notch.”
• AppleCare+ getting a fear-based boost?
• More of our Gear of the Year picks.

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.

Apple is on course to introduce its third-generation iPhone SE early in 2022, according to a market-analysis firm. It’s expected to be the first in this budget line with 5G cellular-wireless networking.

But other details on the device are more sketchy at this point.

The first iPhone SE with an edge-to-edge display won’t launch until 2024, according to a new report. And the third-generation model in the budget line, expected in 2022, supposedly will come with an unexpected name.

A new series of renders based on rumors about the 2022 MacBook Air show just how slim it might be. And how it might borrow many of the features of the recently announced MacBook Pro.

The upcoming model reportedly will include an M2 processor, a MagSafe connector and a mini-LED display with a screen notch. But not the wedge design of previous MacBook Airs.

Apple’s “Unleashed” event on Monday is likely to bring what Mac fans have been eagerly anticipating for over a year: redesigned MacBook Pro models with upgraded displays and the return of traditional ports. But that’s just the start. We could see the debut of two more models, all powered by a new Apple M-series processor.

Here are the computers that leaks and rumors say are coming. But we could always be surprised. Again.

Apple promises “big things” at its product event happening October 18. Although that’s the only official hint we have, leaks have revealed details on a couple of extra-large Macs that might fit the bill.

And there could be good news for fans of both MacBook and iMac at the “Unleashed” event.

Apple is developing its own “Nintendo Switch style gaming console” with a hybrid design that “will outperform anything that Microsoft or Sony offers in 2021,” according to one very sketchy report citing unnamed sources.

The company has games “rivaling” Nintendo hits The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey that are “almost ready to go” to showcase the device, which will supposedly be powered by Apple Silicon.

A MacBook Air with 13.3-inch mini-LED display is reportedly a bit farther away that previously thought. An analyst predicts it will go into production in time for a fall 2022 release, not a summer one.

But they’ll be new macOS laptops long before then. Apple is widely expected to launch a pair of redesigned MacBook Pro models with mini-LED and an updated M-series processor possibly as soon as October 2021.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is fed up with employees who leak details of upcoming devices to the press. He sent out a company-wide memo that said, “people who leak confidential information do not belong here.”

The memo was quickly leaked to the press.

A trusted analyst has backed up a recent leak that the iPhone 14 will replace the screen notch with a hole punch camera. And there are other significant changes reportedly coming in the 2022 model.

But TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pushed back his prediction for when some much-anticipated features will reach the iPhone.

Apple is expected to introduce the third-generation of AirPods this week. But the current version of these truly wireless headphones reportedly won’t be discontinued. This might result in AirPods 2 dropping in price.

It would be quite a change, as Apple’s earbuds are some of the most expensive on the market.

Apple will almost certainly unveil the iPhone 13 at its “California Streaming” event on Tuesday. But why wait? Virtually all the details already leaked out. Here’s everything we’re expecting for Apple’s 2021 handset.

This won’t be a simple “speed bump” upgrade. Quite a bit is changing.