2024 is shaping up to be a historic year for Apple, with announcements ranging from the highly anticipated launch of Vision Pro to a complete overhaul of the iPad line. Of course, we'll see the new iPhone 16, and possibly new AirPods, as well as this year's Apple Watches. Let's review the list of all the launches planned for 2024.
New iPhone 16, iPad revamp, surprises in the Apple Watch, and AirPods ready to make a splash
Let's start with information confirmed by Apple. In 2024, the company will launch the new Apple Vision Pro, its first spatial computer announced during WWDC 2023. Rumor has it that the Vision Pro, expected to launch in February with a starting price of $3,499 (unofficially confirmed), is currently in production with the first units arriving in stores. We expect this device to mark a before and after in how we interact with technology.
After a 2023 with no new iPad launches, 2024 promises to be much more exciting. It's rumored that Apple is preparing new versions of all its iPad models. We're expecting a new 12.9-inch iPad Air to join the current 10.9-inch model. An iPad with the M2 chip inside for improved performance.
For the iPad Pro models, the big news will be the switch to OLED screen technology, like the iPhone. Additionally, a slight increase in screen size and the use of M3 chips are expected, which will mean a very substantial increase in performance and efficiency, especially in graphics.
Alongside these releases, we're expecting a new version of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and a new version of the Apple Pencil with magnetically interchangeable tips. Finally, we expect that by the end of 2024, Apple will launch updated versions of the education iPad and the iPad mini, mainly with improvements to the internal components.
At WWDC 2024, the launch of the next version of operating systems will take place, including iOS 18, focusing on new artificial intelligence features and RCS support in the Messages app, improving communication between iPhone and Android devices. Not to mention these four 2024 innovations will change iOS 17 and the iPhone forever.
Then, in September, as every year, we expect a new generation of iPhone. An iPhone 16 with changes in screen size, a new button dedicated to video capture, and improvements in the camera, also in the front one, which for the first time, would increase in resolution.
Also in September, we expect a new Apple Watch. Two in fact. The first, which we tentatively call "Apple Watch X," would be the tenth-anniversary version and would feature a complete redesign, including a new strap fastening system, now magnetic. With more battery and an improvement in the internal components, this Apple Watch would mark the path for the next 10 years in terms of watches. It would be accompanied, although we know little about it, by a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra.
In the Mac realm, there's good news for 2024. After the debut of the first Macs with the M3 chip last October, including the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros and the 24-inch iMac, the transition to M3 is expected to continue this year. Apple would be developing new versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air and a 15-inch model, both with the M3 chip, expected for March 2024. Additionally, we also expect a new version of the Mac Studio and the Mac Pro with the M3 Max and M3 Ultra chips, although these might not arrive until late 2024 or even early 2025. Meanwhile, the future of the Mac mini, currently available with the M2 and M2 Pro, remains uncertain, with no concrete details about its update to M3.
Finally, we expect the AirPods 2 and 3 to be discontinued this year, while two different versions of the AirPods 4 are being developed. These new models would feature a hybrid design combining elements of the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, but without the interchangeable silicone tips of the latter. Additionally, they will switch from Lightning to USB-C for charging.
We also expect the new AirPods Max to arrive by the end of 2024, albeit with few changes, mainly the switch from Lightning to USB-C for charging and possibly new colors.
All in all, 2024 promises to be a year full of innovations and improvements in the Apple ecosystem, with new products and updates expected across nearly all its product lines. From the annual classics to unexpected surprises, an exciting year awaits us.
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