The coming 2024 promises to be a busy year for lovers of Apple gadgets and equipment. According to rumors, from the end of winter the Cupertino team will begin to delight us with new devices, release long-announced devices for sale and show several small updates.
As is tradition, we have collected all the rumors and rumors to prepare a calendar of events for Apple fans.
1. Start of sales of the Vision Pro headset
Probability: 70%
When to expect: February March
The long-awaited Vision Pro gadget from Apple slipped through our annual forecasts for several years and was only presented at WWDC in the summer of 2023.
Apple employees are already providing training on how to use the phone. Early versions of the headset were received by the first developers in order to create and adapt new software for it.
There are rumors that the Cupertino team is preparing to launch the sale of the helmet as early as February 2024. Other analysts believe that the gadget will not be ready for sale at the end of winter, and will appear on shelves later.
2. Updated Mac accessories with USB-C.
Probability: 90%
When to expect: March, April
Already in the spring we can see the long-awaited update of accessories for Mac with USB-C connectors. The appearance of such devices has been a long time coming, and after the release of a new line of iPhones with USB-C, it was very strange to see Mac accessories with a Lightning port on the shelves.
Analysts are expecting the familiar Magic Keyboard, Mouse and Trackpad with a new port, without other significant changes.
3. iPhone SE 4th generation
Probability: 60%
When to expect: Spring
Rumors about the release of another gadget with such an index have been circulating for a long time. And then the two-year model update cycle is approaching. The two previous generations were shown in the spring of 2020 and 2022, respectively.
For the third time, no one will understand the release of powerful hardware in the iPhone 6/8 body. We need to make the gadget in a new, up-to-date design. Here is our concept in the topic.
Analysts expect such a gadget in the case iPhone 14 with Type-C and Face ID scanner. It is not clear at what expense the Cupertino team will reduce the price of the model. The gadget can get old hardware (which is not typical for SE models), the Face ID sensor can replace the Touch ID key, like on the iPad, or save on the device’s camera.
Other analysts believe that the iPhone SE 4 will not appear in 2024.
4. Big update in the iPad line
Probability: 90%
When to expect: during the whole year
Last year marked the first start of sales of the first iPad, when buyers did not introduce a single new tablet model. In recent years they have been steadily updating the base iPad and iPad Pro, mini and Air models, updates have not been updated as often. All analysts agree that in 2024 the Cupertino team will update the entire line of tablets.
▶ iPad Pro We expect it at the beginning of the year. The tablet may receive an M3 processor, support for MagSafe accessories and new high-contrast OLED displays.
▶ iPad Air I also expect it at the beginning of the year. The hardware update will be minor; the device can be equipped with the same M1 chips or switch to M2. The enlarged model is of greater interest. Cupertino residents can show off the 12.9-inch iPad Air. According to rumors, suppliers are already shipping such matrices to Apple assembly lines.
▶ Basic iPad may receive a minor update in the fall. The design of the tablet remains the same, with slightly improved hardware. old iPad 9 c key Home The current line will be removed under the headphones.
▶ Ipad mini may also receive a minor update. But this happened only in the second hour of the night in 2024.
5. Global changes in iOS
Probability: 50%
When to expect: spring-summer
This year, customers will make two important changes to the iOS mobile operating system. Developers can open the NFC module to application components. European parliamentarians and some banks insist on this, actively discussing the initiative with Cupertino. For us, this may provide the opportunity for contactless payment with MIR cards.
The second main innovation may concern the entrance to application stores. The topic of the App Store monopoly in iOS has also been discussed at various levels for a long time; Japan has also joined the EU requirements. And in one of the recent iOS updates, it became possible to install applications via AirDrop. Whether this is a bug or the appearance of a new feature is still unclear.
Options may be quietly rolled out in one of the updates iOS 17make into chips iOS 18 or even get clever and bypass the restrictions of the European Parliament without opening the entry system to shops and banks.
An interesting feature may appear in a new iOS 18. This could be an analogue of the GPT neural network, which will work locally on the iPhone. Similar developments are being carried out at Apple, and the feature can only consist of new iPhone 16.
According to rumors, iOS 18 may receive an updated design and at least new features to improve stability.
6. Minor update to some Mac lines
Probability: 80%
When to expect: during the whole year
▶ MacBook Air may receive a small update in the spring. The device is equipped with a new Apple M3 chip. There are no other changes to the new laptop.
▶ MacBook Pro in 2024 and can’t get updates at all. The laptops were updated periodically in 2023. I can’t offer anything fundamentally new for user-developers yet. Only in a year or two will this line be able to receive OLED matrices.
▶ iMac, with a high degree of probability, transferred to a two-year update cycle. The next generation of M5 processors will appear in 2025. But Apple has so far abandoned the large 27-inch model.
▶ Hardware updates can be obtained Mac mini And Mac Studio. The update may coincide with the presentation of new Apple processors at the fourth WWDC conference.
7. Four new iPhone 16s.
Probability: 100%
When to expect: early morning
As always, in September the Cupertino team will present a new line. iPhone 16. Most likely, we again saw 4 smartphones: basic iPhone 16 And iPhone 16 plus and flagship iPhone 16 pro And iPhone 16 pro max. The names for this were found in the code of the simplified version of iOS 18.
The new products will most likely feature a new 3-nanometer chip. Apple A18. Models may receive a new graphene cooling system.
Pro models can get a 48-megapixel module for an ultra-wide-angle camera.
Basic models iPhone 16 And iPhone 16 plus I can get a modified camera block. Objects will be located on the same axis, as in older models. iPhone x/xs. This is necessary for shooting 3D video for helmets Vision Pro.
The action button may appear throughout the line iPhone 16. In addition, the keys may not be physical, but touch-sensitive with tactile feedback.
8. Apple Watch X in a new design
Probability: 90%
When to expect: early morning
At the presentation of new iPhones, updated watches will most likely be shown. This will be the tenth generation, from which a major redesign is expected. In recent years, watch updates have been boring and have done little to drive sales.
Analysts are confident that the design will be greatly redesigned and several new medical features and options for athletes will appear.
An important change could be the new strap mount. This will reduce the thickness of the watch, but at the same time will not be compatible with older accessories.
Briefly: what and when to expect
◉ February March. We are waiting for the start of sales of the helmet Vision Pronew MacBook Air on M3 chip, update iPad Pro And iPad Air enlarged model, new accessories with Type-C. Perhaps they will show it at this time iPhone uv 4.
◉ June. We’ll see at the WWDC summer presentation iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11 And macOS 15. There may be an update then Mac mini And Mac Studioshowed the chips Apple M4.
◉ September. We will see four models iPhone 16 And Apple Watch 10and after the start of sales they receive the final versions of the mobile OS.
◉ October November. Cupertino residents will show an update for the basic iPad And Ipad mini. Perhaps some other Mac will be updated.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
