The first half of 2022 was incredibly busy – we saw the introduction of the Mac Studio, the Studio Display, a completely redesigned MacBook Air, and more. Apple also unveiled its next round of software updates, including iOS 16, at WWDC in June.
But Apple’s year is far from over, and there are a lot of announcements still to come. Here’s everything we know.
Table of contents
Mac Pro
The Apple Silicon transition will continue into the rest 2022 — and this could be the year that the transition is completed. According to Bloomberg, Apple is planning a new Mac Pro powered by Apple Silicon. This machine could be around half the size of the current Mac Pro in terms of design.
Apple even teased the launch of the new Mac Pro during its special event in March. Apple VP John Ternus said: “That leaves just one more product to go: Mac Pro, but that’s for another day.”
The new Mac Pro is rumored to come in 20 or 40 computing core configurations, made up of 16 high-performance or 32 high-performance cores and four or eight high-efficiency cores. GPU options would reportedly include 64-core and 128-core options.
Redesigned iPad Pro
The iPad Pro got a notable update in 2021 with a transition to the M1 chip for power as well as a mini-LED display in the 12.9-inch. Not long after the 2021 iPad Pro was announced, rumors started circulating about what to expect from the next-generation model.
Bloomberg has reported that Apple is developing a redesigned iPad Pro with a glass back. This change would allow for the iPad Pro to support wireless charging for the first time, as well as reverse wireless charging.
Reverse wireless charging would allow you to place a wireless charging-compatible device, such as an iPhone or AirPods, on the back of the iPad Pro to recharge that device. The power would be shared from the iPad Pro to the other device.
More recently, however, 9to5Mac learned that Apple has scaled back its plans for an iPad Pro redesign. Instead of a completely glass back, the company is planning a larger glass Apple logo that would support wireless charging.
Another change reportedly coming with the 2022 iPad Pro is an expansion of mini-LED display technology to the 11-inch iPad Pro for the first time; this is the display technology that first came to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2021.
As for a release date, iPadOS 16 is expected to be released sometime in October. The current rumor is that the new iPad Pro hardware will also be released around that same time.
iPad 10
In addition to the new high-end iPad Pro, Apple is also planning to overhaul its most affordable iPad this year. The 10th generation iPad is expected to launch this fall and could be the biggest update to the entry-level iPad in years.
The current ninth-generation iPad features the A13 Bionic chip, but this year’s entry-level iPad will be powered by the A14 Bionic chip. According to 9to5Mac’s sources, the 10th-generation iPad will join the more expensive iPads as it will also provide support for faster 5G networks.
The new iPad 10 is also rumored to switch to USB-C from Lightning for charging and data transfer. The form factor is also expected to be updated with flat edges similar to iPad Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini.
You can learn more about the iPad 10 in our complete roundup right here.
iPhone 14
We can’t forget the iPhone 14. The iPhone 14 is rumored to be a major overhaul to the iPhone lineup, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicting that the lineup will consist of two 6.1-inch models and two 6.7-inch models.
The 2022 iPhone lineup could look something like this in terms of marketing names: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Kuo says that the iPhone 14 Max will represent the lowest price ever for a large 6.7-inch iPhone, potentially at around $900.
While some earlier reports suggested the iPhone 14 could feature a design similar to the iPhone 4, the latest rumors say Apple is planning a more modest redesign instead. In fact, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max are expected to look nearly identical to the current iPhone 13.
The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, however, are rumored to ditch the notch.
Instead of the notch, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to feature a new hole-punch + pill-shaped design. It makes sense for Apple to adopt this design with the iPhone 14, with the “punch-hole” housing the camera that’s currently located in the notch.
The iPhone 14 will also include dramatic improvements to the front-facing camera, according to Kuo, with support for auto focus for the first time. In terms of the rear camera, Kuo says the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be upgraded to 48-megapixels, an increase from the 12-megapixel sensor in iPhone 12.
The iPhone 14 lineup is expected to be announced and released sometime in September of 2022. While there have been rumors of a delay, the latest reporting suggests everything is on schedule for a September launch.
Apple Watch Series 8 with new health features
The Apple Watch lineup is also expected to be overhauled in 2022. Kuo has reported that Apple will release three new Apple Watch models in the fall of 2022, including a new high-end Apple Watch Series 8, a new Apple Watch SE, and the previously-rumored rugged sports version.
In terms of health technologies, the Apple Watch Series 8 is expected to add a body temperature sensor, enabling additional health and fitness tracking. Bloomberg has reported that this sensor won’t give you your actual body temperature, but rather alert you when your temperature is elevated.
A recent leak also shed more light on what to expect from the Apple Watch hardware and software. According to the source, Apple Watch Series 8 will look like this:
- 41mm and 45mm like Series 7 design
- Aluminum in starlight, midnight, product red, and silver
- Stainless steel in silver, graphite, and gold
- No titanium model in this version
Apple also reportedly has a new watch face coming for the Apple Watch Series 8. The hardware is also expected to use a “stronger glue” for the watch casing on the Series 8 compared to the Series 7, which will improve durability.
Apple Watch Pro
But the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE aren’t the only new watches coming this September – Apple is also working on a new Apple Watch Pro model as well.
Reports suggest that the Apple Watch Pro will be an “evolution of the current rectangular shape.”
One of the key changes to the Apple Watch Pro will be the materials from which it’s made. The Apple Watch Pro will reportedly feature a “more durable formulation of titanium” as part of Apple’s efforts to make it as rugged as possible. This lines up with the Apple Watch Series 8 not being available in titanium.
The Apple Watch Pro is also expected to offer increased battery life. The Apple Watch Pro could also offer exclusive features for fitness and health tracking that require longer battery life .
Learn more about the Apple Watch Pro right here in our full guide.
AirPods Pro 2
Apple is also reportedly planning new second-generation AirPods Pro for release in 2022. This announcement will come three years after the first version of AirPods Pro was released.
Initial reporting on AirPods Pro 2 indicated they would feature a “more compact” design that removes the stem that current sticks out from the bottom of the AirPods Pro. Apple, however, is said to have struggled with this redesign and is now planning to keep the same form factor.
But many new features are still expected to come with AirPods Pro 2, including a new design for the charging case. 52audio shared an image of that new charging case, showing off a slightly new form factor alongside speaker holes on the bottom of the case for Find My.
There’s also a pair of metal holes on the side of the AirPods Pro 2 case, which appears to be designed to allow you to attach a strap to the case, similar to many third-party accessories that exist today.
AirPods Pro 2 are also rumored to come with some new features related to audio quality. According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, AirPods Pro 2 will be the first of Apple’s AirPods products to offer support for lossless audio playback.
New MacBook Pro updates
Last but not least, Apple is also planning to upgrade its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with new chips inside. The MacBook Pro just got a major overhaul last year, so this year’s update is expected to focus solely on spec improvements.
Bloomberg has reported that new versions of the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are expected as soon as this fall. This update could ultimately be pushed to 2023, however.
Other possibilities
What are you most excited to see from Apple over the next 5 months? Do you have any other predictions? Let us know down in the comments!
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