4 products Apple didn’t unveil at the iPhone 14 launch (and when we might see them)
OPINION: Apple has just taken the covers off the new iPhone 14 series, along with a bunch of Apple Watches and next-gen AirPods Pro.
Apple’s Far Out event was packed with juicy releases but, as with all Apple events, there were many heavily-rumoured products that didn’t show up.
Here we’ve rounded up some of the tech that is likely fairly close to launching, but just wasn’t close enough to be released with the iPhone 14.
iPad Pro M2
The iPad Pro has a fairly loose update pattern. Unlike the iPhone, yearly updates aren’t always a given and it often gets smaller refreshes every 18 months or so. However, if the rumours are to be believed, then the forthcoming iPad Pro refresh could be its biggest in years – just don’t expect it to arrive this week.
Reports have indicated a big redesign is on the way, with wireless charging added and the recently-announced M2 chipset replacing the current M1. Hopefully, we’ll see that Mini LED display from the 12.9-inch model arrive on the smaller 11-inch model too.
In terms of a release date, it looks like Apple will save the iPad Pro until October, likely alongside the release of the iPadOS 16.1 software that’ll bring Stage Manager with it.
AirPods Max 2
While rumours have suggested Apple is set to include a pair of AirPods at this week’s launch event, it likely won’t be an update to the very expensive AirPods Max we first saw in 2020.
Little has leaked about the follow-up, with no indication they’re set to be announced in 2022. We did hear reports of possible new colours joining the current roster last year, so there’s every chance this could be the next time we hear about AirPods Max.
MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch M2
Apple launched the M2 chip earlier this year alongside the MacBook Air and 13-inch Pro, however there was no mention of speedier M2 Pro or Max chips, nor of the updated silicon arriving on Apple’s flagship 14-inch and 16-inch laptops.
Apple announced the last current high-end machines in October 2021, and it seems likely we’ll see the refreshes either during a similar timeframe or early in 2023. These machines aren’t crying for updates quite yet, but smaller updates to speedier M2 chips would make sense for Apple before the Holiday rush.
In a recent report for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman – a usually reliable source for Apple information – claimed Apple would release new high-end Macs in October, however it was not specific about these being laptops and it could very well be a new iMac Pro or Mac Pro – two machines that have yet to be switched over to Apple Silicon.
The next-gen Apple TV
Like the iPad Pro, it’s hard to pin an update cycle for the Apple TV box. We last got an update to Apple’s media streamer in 2021, however, this was a small update with a redesigned remote and HDMI 2.1 – and very little else. Some reports have suggested Apple could be set to launch a smart home device that features some TV functionality, however this could be some way off yet.