Apple’s big event in September is less than two weeks away. The company is never tipping its hand about what will be announced, but we’re pretty sure it will be the iPhone 14 line (iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, both regular and Max sizes) and new Apple watches (Apple Watch) . 8 Series in two sizes and probably a third larger “Pro” or “Extreme Sports” model and a new Apple Watch SE).
But that’s hardly all the irons in the fire for the world’s most valuable company. What else is Cupertino cooking and what else might we see at the “Far out” event? Here’s a list of rumored upcoming Apple products, along with our best predictions for whether or not we’ll see them on September 7th.
Second generation AirPods Pro
Of all the products Apple has pending, the most likely to appear at the September event alongside iPhones and Apple Watches is the new AirPods Pro.
These second-generation AirPods Pro (or AirPods Pro 2, as some are calling them) have been rumored for a while now, but they’re said to finally hit the market this fall. Why announce them alongside 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 ads. We don’t think Apple would dare to make the new AirPods Pro work only with the new iPhones, but they may offer more advanced features when used with the newer phones. Sort of “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 as well.
Apple TV 4K
There are rumors of a new Apple TV arriving in the second half of this year, but we don’t know much about it other than that it’s expected to have an “improved cost structure.” That’s a fancy way of saying it will cost less to make for Apple… and that could come in the form of a lower price, or just more profit for Apple.
If it really comes in 2022, it could appear at any time. Unless it’s an absolutely huge design and feature change, which isn’t expected, it could be a fairly short announcement placed at the September or October events, or even just released straight away on the web 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 on the way 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 be compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil.
But we don’t think it will appear in 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 unveiled until an October event that coincides 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 upgrade M1-based iPads to an M2 processor. M2-based iPad Prods may also have wireless charging, but the rumored larger 14- or 15-inch iPad likely won’t appear until next year. Look for the iPad Pro M2 to land in October alongside the 10th generation iPad.
The iPad Pro is in line to get an M2 processor, but probably not until October.
IDG
M2 Mac mini
Another M1-based product primed for the M2 treatment is the Mac mini. There have been mixed reports on this one… some say we can expect 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 probably won’t be at the September event – consumer Macs are usually at a later event, so keep an eye out for it in October if it comes this year.
Mac Pro
The latest product to make the transition to Apple’s silicon is the Mac Pro. Apple said the transition would take two years, and well, that time is almost up. Does this mean we’ll see the Mac Pro this year? Opinions are mixed. It’s hard to imagine an “M2 Extreme” on a Mac when we don’t yet have MacBook Pros or Mac Studios with M2 Max or M2 Ultra. And with Mac Studio performing so well, there doesn’t seem to be a rush to get something even stronger.
Even if Apple gives us a preview of the new Mac Pro, with a 2023 release date, we believe that will happen later in the year and not during the September event.
A new Mac Pro with silicon from Apple may 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 to release a larger silicon-based iMac at some point. What some are calling a new iMac Pro would have Apple Silicon and a new design, similar to the iMac M1. The screen would be larger (27 inches or so) and possibly include ProMotion or mini LED backlighting for HDR. It would come with a high-end M2 processor, like an M2 Max or M2 Ultra.
But none of this is ready yet, and the mere existence of this product seems to be in doubt; some say the Apple Studio Display is the product that some informants mistook for 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
Google has its Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max, Amazon has a slew of Echo Show devices, but Apple doesn’t have a smart home device with a display. We’ve heard rumors of a HomePod with a screen (some are calling it a “HomePod with an iPad attached”) for a while now. The latest rumors say it’s due in late 2022 or early 2023.
If this is indeed a late 2022 device, there’s no reason why Apple couldn’t unveil it at the September event. But it seems it would need a more significant sample than sitting in the shadow of the iPhone, Apple’s most popular product. Our guess is that it won’t arrive until 2023, if not, and we won’t see it at an event this fall.
AR/VR headset
We know that Apple is working on an AR headset or glasses. The latest rumors say that the first device will be a limited production unit, high-end and expensive, so that the developers will follow up with something more stylish and affordable for the mass market a year later.
Some even say the device will arrive as early as January 2023, and Apple likes to introduce major new products months in advance with a big “one more thing” announcement. There’s no reason it can’t happen at the end of the iPhone event or the October event; after all, Apple introduced the Apple Watch as something else at the iPhone 6 event, but it’s much more likely to have its own event. .