In 2023, Apple is anticipated to enter the head-worn wearable market, launching its AR/VR or “blended” actuality headset. With a brand new product coming, it will be an thrilling 12 months filled with firsts and all of the hype that comes with a brand new product class.
A lot of the Mac lineup is due for a refresh, and we’re anticipating to see new MacBook Professional, Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Professional fashions, and the ‌Mac Professional‌ specifically is notable as a result of it hasn’t been up to date since 2019. There might be refreshes of all of the common merchandise just like the Apple Watch and the iPhone, with the iPhone 15 fashions coming.
The foremost change to the ‌iPhone 15‌ might be a swap over to USB-C, with Apple eliminating the Lightning port. Different options embody periscope zoom expertise for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional (or Extremely), plus an A17 chip. We have outlined all the pieces we learn about all the new merchandise which can be coming from Apple in 2023, primarily based on present rumors.
Apple has been engaged on an AR/VR headset for greater than 5 years now, and 2023 is the 12 months once we’re anticipating the preliminary model to lastly make an look. This would be the first new product class Apple has gotten into because the 2015 launch of the Apple Watch, and it will likely be Apple’s second wearable.
Just like the Apple Watch, the primary AR/VR headset might be costly, accessible in smaller portions, and will have restricted utility. AR/VR refers to each augmented and digital actuality, an idea often known as “blended” actuality. It combines digital actuality and augmented actuality, overlaying digital objects over the true world in some situations, although most rumors counsel it can focus closely on digital experiences.
The AR/VR headset might be named the Actuality Professional or the Actuality One, however last naming shouldn’t be but clear.
Design
Apple’s AR/VR headset is anticipated to appear like different VR headsets in the marketplace, that includes a curved entrance show that covers the eyes. The show will sit towards the face utilizing a mesh materials, and it’ll characteristic swappable and adjustable Apple Watch band-like straps. The headset is designed to be light-weight, and it’s anticipated to be lighter than most headsets at the moment out there to make it extra snug to put on.
There might be bodily controls and built-in audio capabilities, plus there might be a number of cameras to detect gestures, hand actions, eye actions, and the ambient surroundings.
Show
The blended actuality headset will embody two high-resolution 4K micro OLED shows with as much as 3,000 pixels per inch, and there may be additionally rumored to be an exterior show that can supply exterior indicator info.
Capabilities
Apple is anticipated so as to add greater than a dozen optical cameras to the headset for mapping the surroundings, monitoring the consumer, and projecting visible experiences. In digital actuality apps and video games, the headset will have the ability to seize correct facial actions, relaying them in video chats and different interactions.
Eight of the cameras will reportedly be used for see-through augmented actuality experiences. For instance, there might be cameras which can be in a position to detect the individuals within the room and map surfaces and room dimensions, putting digital objects in entrance of and behind actual world objects for a seamless expertise between the true and the digital.
A pair of downward-facing cameras might seize leg motion for extra correct movement monitoring. As for management, Apple will use eye-tracking, hand gestures, eye monitoring, and there might be an connected machine element, akin to an enter accent worn on the fingers.
Iris scanning might be included as an authentication and safety mechanism akin to Face ID and Contact ID. Inside, it will likely be outfitted with Apple-designed chips which can be on par with the chips used for the MacBook Air. It is going to embody a high-end essential processor together with a much less highly effective processor for managing the sensors.
Working System and Performance
The AR/VR headset will run an working system that might be named xrOS, which stands for the prolonged actuality idea that represents each the augmented and digital actuality features of the machine.
Apple is anticipated to create an App Retailer for the headset, with a give attention to gaming, streaming video content material, and communication. Apple might work with media companions to create content material that may be watched in VR, and there might be a VR FaceTime expertise with Animojis that mirror facial expressions.
Apple might additionally staff up with recreation builders to create VR video games for the headset, and it’s anticipated to combine closely with current providers like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.
The headset has been in improvement for a number of years, and Apple has needed to push the discharge date again a number of occasions now because it has labored to beat design points and disagreements over the course of the challenge, however 2023 is anticipated to be the launch 12 months.
Pricing and Launch Date
The AR/VR headset is anticipated to price round $3,000, and the primary model will not be geared toward basic shoppers, as a substitute positioned as a tool for builders, content material creators, and professionals.
Apple might use the Worldwide Builders Convention to introduce the headset, giving builders time to design apps for the machine earlier than a launch within the fall. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had mentioned that it might be introduced as early as January 2023, nevertheless it feels like which will have been a bit of optimistic.
Learn Extra
We’ve got a devoted roundup the place we have now aggregated all the rumors concerning the AR/VR headset, and it’s up to date frequently so it’s value trying out if you wish to sustain with the information on the headset.
‌iPhone‌ refreshes occur each September and are a few of Apple’s most dependable product updates. We are able to at all times rely on getting a brand new ‌iPhone‌, and in 2023, we’re anticipating the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup.
Rumors counsel Apple will launch the ‌iPhone 15‌, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional Max, although that latter machine might truly get a brand new identify – ‌iPhone 15‌ Extremely to replicate its place because the highest-end ‌iPhone‌ accessible. The 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 15‌ “Professional” mannequin might get options not accessible within the 6.1-inch ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional or the 2 commonplace ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions.
Measurement and Design
The ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions are anticipated to come back in the identical basic sizes (Apple is not returning to the 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ mini), so we will count on two 6.1-inch iPhones and two 6.7-inch iPhones. As of now, we have not heard something about actually vital design updates, however there have been rumors of a brand new, rounded off design much like the casing on the 2021 14 and 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions.
There’s discuss of a doable titanium chassis for the Professional fashions, in addition to stable state quantity and energy buttons that will be much like the Residence button on ‌Contact ID‌ iPhones. iPhones use mechanical buttons that bodily depress as of now, however a stable state button would as a substitute use haptic suggestions to imitate the texture of a button press.
Such performance would require Apple so as to add two further Taptic Engines on the sides of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional fashions, nevertheless it might have advantages like further safety towards water ingress.
In 2023, all the new iPhones are anticipated to assist the Dynamic Island that’s restricted to the iPhone 14 Professional fashions as of now.
USB-C
Apple is rumored to be transitioning away from Lightning and is as a substitute set to undertake USB-C, the identical connector already used for Macs and iPads. USB-C will permit for common charging throughout a lot of the Apple machine lineup, plus on some fashions, it might allow sooner charging speeds.
The ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional fashions are anticipated to assist both USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt speeds for information switch as much as 40Gb/s. That is going to be restricted to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional, although, and the usual ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions will proceed to characteristic USB 2.0 speeds restricted to 480Mb/s.
Periscope Digicam
Periscope digicam expertise is anticipated to be the most important replace for the ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions, however the periscope lens might be restricted to the high-end 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 15‌ “Professional” or “Extremely” relying on the naming scheme.
Rumors counsel that solely the high-end bigger ‌iPhone‌ can have the house for the periscope lens expertise, which is zoom lens expertise. The periscope lens will substitute the telephoto lens, and it’ll permit for improved optical zoom. Apple is anticipated to implement 6x optical zoom, up from 3x within the present ‌iPhone 14 Professional‌ fashions.
With 6x optical zoom and digital zoom, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Extremely might have one of many tremendous zoom options which can be accessible in Android smartphones. Samsung, for instance, permits for as much as 100x digital zoom with its 10x optical zoom sensor.
Apple is anticipated to undertake Sony’s picture sensors for the ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions with extra mild to enhance each underexposure and overexposure. The sensor will allow enhancements in portraits and different pictures the place robust backlighting may be a problem. It is not recognized if the brand new sensor might be used throughout the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup or restricted to the higher-end ‌iPhone 15‌ “Professional” fashions.
A17 Chip
Apple goes to make use of the A16 chips for the usual ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions, however the ‌iPhone 15‌ Professional fashions might get Apple’s next-generation A17 chip, the primary constructed on TSMC’s next-generation 3-nanometer node.
3nm chip expertise will improve processing efficiency by 10 to fifteen p.c, whereas additionally lowering energy consumption by as much as 30 p.c.
RAM
‌iPhone 15‌ Professional fashions might supply 8GB RAM, up from 6GB within the present ‌iPhone 14 Professional‌ fashions.
Learn Extra
For extra on the ‌iPhone 15‌ fashions, we have now a devoted iPhone 15 roundup that’s up to date each time new rumors come out.
Macs and Shows
Virtually the whole Mac lineup is due for a refresh, and there are some thrilling updates coming, together with a brand new 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and the primary Apple silicon ‌Mac Professional‌.
Mac Professional (First Half of 2023)
The ‌Mac Professional‌ is the final remaining Mac that’s fully outfitted with Intel-based chips, and it has not been refreshed since 2019. Apple is engaged on a brand new model of the ‌Mac Professional‌, nevertheless it took a while to develop as a result of Apple silicon chips wanted to evolve earlier than they might substitute Intel’s high-end Xeon chips.
We’re not positive whether or not we’ll see any notable design adjustments for the ‌Mac Professional‌, which at the moment makes use of a stainless-steel body and aluminum housing with interlocking three-dimensional hemispheres for warmth dissipation.
What will certainly be new is the Apple silicon chip expertise inside, with Apple anticipated to make use of an M2 Extremely chip, an iteration of the M1. It might characteristic as much as a 24-core CPU, as much as a 76-core GPU, and as much as 192GB of RAM, presumably extra.
There is not any phrase on when precisely the ‌Mac Professional‌ is coming, however rumors thus far counsel that it might come early within the 12 months, maybe at a spring occasion or at WWDC.
14 and 16-inch MacBook Professional (First Half of 2023)
There was no refresh of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions in 2022, so they’re due for an replace in 2023. Design adjustments usually are not anticipated because the final design change got here in 2021, however we expect new Apple silicon chips.
The up to date MacBook Professional fashions are anticipated to characteristic ‌M2‌ Professional and ‌M2‌ Max chips, upgrades from the M1 Professional and M1 Max chips used within the prior-generation fashions. Rumors counsel the ‌M2‌ Max chip will characteristic as much as a 12-core CPU and as much as a 38-core GPU.
15-inch MacBook Air (Spring 2023 to Late 2023)
The present ‌MacBook Air‌ measures in at 13.6 inches, however Apple is engaged on a bigger 15-inch model that will be between the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions in dimension.
We do not know so much concerning the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, however it’s anticipated to make use of the identical basic design because the 2022 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with flat edges, a big Drive Contact trackpad, a keyboard with operate keys, and no fan.
It’s not anticipated to incorporate a mini-LED or ProMotion show expertise, as Apple will reserve these options for the higher-end MacBook Professional fashions.
Mac mini
Previous to the launch of the Mac Studio, it was believed the machine can be within the ‌Mac mini‌ household, nevertheless it was not. The ‌Mac Studio‌ shouldn’t be changing the ‌Mac mini‌, although, and there may be rumored to be a brand new ‌Mac mini‌ coming in 2023.
Little is thought concerning the ‌Mac mini‌, which suggests it is in all probability going to get an iterative replace fairly than main refresh with a brand new design. Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ says we will count on no design adjustments with the identical type issue, although some rumors have prompt we might see totally different colours.
The ‌Mac mini‌ will use Apple’s ‌M2‌ and ‌M2‌ Professional chips. The ‌M2‌ was already launched within the ‌MacBook Air‌, whereas the ‌M2‌ Professional has but to launch. Timing on a brand new ‌Mac mini‌ launch is unclear, although some experiences have pointed to the primary half of the 12 months.
iMac
The 24-inch ‌iMac‌ hasn’t been refreshed since 2021, so it’s due for an replace. An up to date model would probably get Apple’s M3 chip, in accordance with Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, however no main design updates.
There are additionally rumors that Apple is engaged on a larger-screened model of the ‌iMac‌ that will carry again the larger ‌iMac‌ possibility, however little has been heard about such a machine. It is doable that this bigger ‌iMac‌ might characteristic ‌M3‌ Professional and ‌M3‌ Max chip choices and be an ‌iMac‌ “Professional,” changing the discontinued 2017 machine that by no means acquired a successor.
Except for a doable 2023 launch date, we do not know the rest concerning the timing of refreshed 24-inch ‌iMac‌ or the debut of a 27-inch ‌iMac‌.
27-inch Show
Apple is engaged on a number of new show choices set to launch in 2023. One in every of these shows might be a successor to the high-end Professional Show XDR, and the opposite might be a followup to the Studio Show or one thing in between the Studio Show and Professional Show XDR.
Analyst Ross Younger says that one of many shows might be 27 inches in dimension and can characteristic mini-LED expertise and ProMotion assist, however little else is thought about them at this time limit. New show choices might come sooner or later in 2023.
Apple is engaged on a brand new model of the HomePod that is set to come back out in 2023, in accordance with Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌, whereas Bloomberg‘s ‌Mark Gurman‌ has mentioned that the HomePod might be sized between the unique HomePod and the HomePod mini.
A mid-sized HomePod would probably be offered alongside the ‌HomePod mini‌ as a costlier possibility, with the speaker anticipated to characteristic a touch-integrated show and an S8 chip. Apple is rumored to be planning to launch the brand new HomePod in early 2023.
Apple Watch Sequence 9 (Fall 2023)
Apple refreshes the Apple Watch yearly alongside the ‌iPhone‌, and in 2023, we expect the Apple Watch Sequence 9. There is not any phrase on what it might embody, and thus far, we have not heard rumors concerning the Sequence 9.
Apple is engaged on new well being sensors for monitoring blood glucose and blood stress, however thus far, these are not prepared for launch. Alongside the Apple Watch Sequence 9, Apple might presumably refresh the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Extremely, however the ‌Apple Watch SE‌ would not usually get yearly refreshes and we do not but know the refresh cycle of the Extremely as a result of it’s new.
It has been two years because the AirPods Max have been refreshed, so a brand new model might be on the horizon. There have been no rumors of a refresh, however primarily based on previous launch timelines, the ‌AirPods Max‌ would be the subsequent AirPods to get an replace.
A brand new model of the ‌AirPods Max‌ might undertake options already launched within the AirPods Professional akin to an H2 chip, improved Lively Noise Cancellation, a U1 chip for Discover My Precision Discovering, Bluetooth 5.3, and Adaptive Transparency.
iPad mini and iPad Air (Late 2023)
The iPad Air might get refreshed with an ‌M2‌ chip in 2023, although we have not heard particular rumors about an replace. The iPad mini is overdue for a refresh as a result of it hasn’t been up to date since 2021, and Apple analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ just lately mentioned that an up to date ‌iPad mini‌ with a brand new chip is anticipated in late 2023 or early 2024.
Wrap Up
In accordance with the rumors we have heard thus far, 2023 goes to be an unusually busy 12 months for Apple, with plenty of thrilling bulletins within the works. Make certain to comply with MacRumors.com and the MacRumors roundups and guides over the course of 2023 to maintain up with the rumors we’re listening to, and bookmark our What to Count on Information and our Occasions Information to see a frequently up to date overview of what is forward.
