But that’s hardly all irons in the fire for the world’s most valuable company. What else is Cupertino cooking up and what else could we see at the ‘Far out’ event? Here’s a list of Apple’s rumored upcoming products, along with our best guesses as to whether or not we’ll see them on September 7th.
AirPods Pro 2nd generation
Of all the products Apple has in the works, the most likely to appear at the September event alongside the iPhones and Apple Watches is the new AirPods Pro. These second-generation AirPods Pro (or AirPods Pro 2 as some call them) have been rumored for a long time, but are said to finally hit the market this fall. Why announce them along with the new iPhones? Well, one of the rumors is that they will support Bluetooth 5.2 and LE Audio. Since no current iPhone supports Bluetooth 5.2, it would make sense to combine the announcements. We don’t think Apple would dare to make the new AirPods Pro only work with the new iPhones, but they may offer more advanced features when used with the latest headphones. Something like “the new AirPods Pro do all these great things, but if you have them connected to the new iPhone, they also do these other things”. The new AirPods Pro are expected to have a refined design, better sound quality, better noise cancellation and perhaps new fitness features.
Apple TV 4K
There are rumors of a new Apple TV coming in the second half of this year, but we don’t know much about it other than it’s expected to have an “improved cost structure.” That’s a fancy way of saying it will cost Apple less…and that could come in the form of a lower price or just more profit for Apple. If this is indeed coming in 2022, it could appear at any time. Unless it’s an absolutely massive change in design and features, which isn’t expected, it could be a relatively short announcement that will be hidden either at the September or October events, or even once it goes live online with little fanfare. The new Apple TV will likely look a lot like the current model. Jared Newman/Foundry
10th generation iPad
One of the most exciting products coming out this year, if rumors are to be believed, is the 10th generation iPad. Finally, breaking away from its old design, the new iPad is supposed to take design cues from the iPad Air, with a 10.5-inch screen, Touch ID on the side button and flat edges. Rumor has it that it will have USB-C and will also support the second-generation Apple Pencil. But we don’t think it will appear at the September event. Apple has officially delayed iPadOS 16, saying that the first release will be iPadOS 16.1. We believe this will happen in October and no new iPads will be revealed before an October event to coincide with the iPadOS 16.1 release date.
M2 iPad Pro
Now that the M2 processor is out (in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro), it’s time to update those M1-based iPads with an M2 processor. M2-based iPad Prods may also have wireless charging, but the rumored larger iPad – 14- or 15-inch – probably won’t make an appearance until next year. Look for the M2 iPad Pro to land in October with the 10th generation iPad. The iPad Pro is set to get an M2 processor, but probably not until October. IDG
M2 Mac mini
Another M1-based product ready for the M2 treatment is the Mac mini. There have been conflicting reports on this…some say we’re expecting the same Mac mini we have today, just with the new M2 processor. Others say a new design is in the works with a new case and a two-tone design. It’s probably not going to be at the September event – consumer Macs are usually at a later event, so look out for October if it’s coming at all this year.
Mac Pro
The latest product to make the switch to Apple’s silicon is the Mac Pro. Apple said the transition would take two years, and well, time is almost up. Does this mean we’ll see the Mac Pro this year? Opinions differ. It’s hard to imagine an “M2 Extreme” on a Mac when we don’t yet have a MacBook Pro or Mac Studios with an M2 Max or M2 Ultra. And with Mac Studio performing so well, there doesn’t seem to be a rush to find something even more powerful out there. Even if Apple does give us a sneak peak of the new Mac Pro, with a 2023 release date, we believe it will happen later in the year and not during the September event. A new Apple silicon-powered Mac Pro could be on the way later this year. IDG
iMac Pro
While we’re on the subject of Macs, we should mention that Apple is expected, at some point, to release a larger iMac based on Apple’s silicon. What some are calling the new iMac Pro will have Apple Silicon and a new design, similar to the M1 iMac. The screen will be larger (around 27 inches) and will likely include ProMotion or mini LED backlights for HDR. It will come with a higher-end M2 processor, such as M2 Max or M2 Ultra. However, none of this is ready yet, and the mere existence of this product seems to be in doubt – some say that the Apple Studio Monitor is the product that some tipsters were confusing with a larger iMac. We don’t think it’s coming in 2022 or even 2023, so don’t hold your breath for a release at the September event.
HomePod with display
If it is indeed a late 2022 device, there’s no reason Apple couldn’t reveal it at the September event. But it looks like it would need a more substantial look than sitting in the shadow of the iPhone, Apple’s most popular product. Our guess is that it won’t arrive until 2023, and we won’t see it at an event this fall.
AR/VR headset
We know that Apple is working on AR headsets or glasses. The latest rumors say the first device will be an expensive, high-end, limited-production unit for developers to follow with something sleeker and more affordable for the mass market a year or so later. Some even say the device will launch in January 2023 – and Apple wants to tease major new products months in advance with a big ‘one more thing’ announcement. There’s no reason it couldn’t happen at the end of the iPhone event or the October event — after all, Apple introduced the Apple Watch as One More Thing at the iPhone 6 event — but it’s much more likely to get the its own event.
