Which of the biggest Apple rumors will become reality in 2023? | Siege Tech

We’ve made it via 2022! The final couple of months may need been a little bit gradual, particularly on the Mac entrance, nevertheless it was nonetheless a giant 12 months for Apple. And now we are able to flip our eyes to the horizon, to the undiscovered nation that’s…2023.

With the largest strikes of 2022 in our rearview mirror, it’s time to preach on what Apple may need in retailer for the 12 months forward. What’s going to we be wanting again at, a 12 months therefore, as the corporate’s greatest strikes in 2023?

Right here then are my picks for the areas that the majority deserve your consideration over the subsequent 12 months.

Get actual

At this level, I’ve predicted sufficient occasions that Apple should make a digital actuality sport the place Lucy holds a soccer as I attempt desperately to kick it. However like Bullwinkle making an attempt to tug a rabbit out of his hat–if I’ll combine my cartoon metaphors–this time for certain.

Meta

Smoke round Apple’s blended actuality headset has solely been thickening over the previous couple of years, although little doubt challenges like COVID and the following provide chain woes have pushed again no matter announcement window the corporate was initially concentrating on. However as we pull into 2023, the clouds have cleared a bit and it looks like this digital actuality would possibly lastly change into an actual actuality.

This is able to mark one of many greatest new classes that Apple’s entered in a number of years and, like lots of these earlier markets, it’s one which has loads of present gamers (Sony, HTC, and, in fact, Meta) however continues to be solely in its infancy. That’s usually the sort of state of affairs the place Apple excels, bringing readability of imaginative and prescient and its experience in delivering what shoppers need (even when they don’t understand it but).

All of that’s, in fact, tempered by the studies that the corporate’s preliminary providing will probably be costly and maybe aimed extra at builders prematurely of a later, extra streamlined product. But when nothing else, 2023 must be the 12 months that we see the define of Apple’s plan for this class, which may additionally find yourself being the final large product of Tim Cook dinner’s tenure as CEO.

Hold ’em interoperated

Initially of 2021, I outlined three battles that Apple could be dealing with within the 12 months forward, and the final of these–Apple versus governments all over the world–continues to be simply ramping up nearly two years later. Whereas the corporate has remained largely inured from critical challenges within the U.S., regulators elsewhere all over the world have taken a tougher have a look at Apple and located it wanting. Chief amongst them is the European Union.

Michael Simon / IDG

The area’s Digital Markets Act, which comes into impact in 2024, has the potential to upend Apple’s cart, doubtlessly requiring the corporate to let rivals provide their wares on iOS and iPadOS (and presumably tvOS) outdoors of the App Retailer. Current studies counsel that Apple is at present planning for such an eventuality, which may are available an announcement alongside iOS 17’s debut.

However that’s not the one disruption that the corporate will see on account of this regulation. It may also have an effect on every part from browser engines on iOS to messaging protocols to non-public APIs. The EU’s regulation about charging ports additionally takes impact in 2024 and it’s extensively anticipated that the subsequent iPhone will change the proprietary Lightning port with USB-C forward of that requirement.

From a macro view, although, it is going to be fascinating to see how Apple, an organization that prizes management to an nearly fanatical diploma, offers with choices being taken out of its fingers. I anticipate this to be one of many greatest challenges the corporate has ever needed to face from a strategic standpoint and it means 2023 is shaping as much as be one of the fascinating years to look at in Apple’s latest historical past.

The transition lens

At the same time as Apple missed its self-appointed deadline to transition your complete Mac product line to Apple silicon inside two years, rumors have sprung up that the corporate is scaling again plans for its upcoming Mac Professional, the final main mannequin to make the soar.

Foundry

The Mac has been going fairly robust within the wake of that transition and I don’t anticipate that to vary in 2023. However Apple’s going to be making some selections within the 12 months forward about the place it spends its time and vitality growing its computer systems, which will be fascinating to see. Dialing again the Mac Professional, as rumor would have it, from a ridiculously highly effective machine to only a tremendously highly effective machine will little doubt disappoint some, nevertheless it’s indication of the truth that Apple is aware of the place its market is. The Mac Professional is already a distinct segment product that accounts for a tiny share of Macs and the highest-end configurations are solely a small share of these gross sales.

Promoting merchandise that enchantment to extra shoppers is lots like robbing banks: that’s the place the cash is. That is why it’s additionally little shock that the corporate’s mentioned to be planning a bigger model of the MacBook Air, its hottest mannequin. The way forward for the Mac Studio and the iMac can even assist make clear the corporate’s advertising and marketing philosophy, assuming they’re certainly up to date within the 12 months forward. In any occasion, with the joy of Apple’s newest chip transition coming to a detailed, it’s time to see what enterprise as standard appears like for the Mac as its fortieth anniversary looms.

Every thing else

These are solely the highlights of what I’m in search of in 2023: there’s a full 12 months of Apple occasions, new merchandise, and upgrades to return. What’s going to the iPhone 15 convey? Does the Apple Watch Extremely design begin trickling right down to the remainder of the product line? Hey, what about that classical music app Apple mentioned was coming in 2022? And does anyone know what’s happening with the iPad lately?

This previous 12 months has been full of its justifiable share of surprises, and there’s no purpose to suppose 2023 will probably be any completely different. So pop in your AirPods, hearth up the Apple TV, and binge away on the newest Apple TV+ content material as we usher within the new 12 months.