MacRumors

Apple's mixed-reality headset will feature a physical dial for switching to a view of the real-world, a waist-mounted battery pack, small motors to automatically adjust its lenses, and much more, according to The Information.

The paywalled report purports to reveal a broad range of previously unheard-of specific features for the headset, including:

• A waist-mounted battery, connected via a magnetic, MagSafe-like power cable to the headset's headband. One battery charge lasts no longer than two hours, but users can swap the battery out for longer sessions.
• A design that uses aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber to reduce its size and weight. Cameras are largely concealed for aesthetic reasons.
• A small, Digital Crown-like dial on its right side that enables users to quickly transition between the virtual and physical world. Unlike the Apple Watch, it will not offer haptic feedback.
• Apple has developed different headbands, including one for consumers made of a similar material to Apple Watch sport bands with built-in speakers, and one targeted at developers.
• Magnetically attachable custom prescription lenses for glasses-wearers.
• Small motors to automatically adjust its internal lenses to match the wearer's interpupillary distance, providing the largest field of view possible for each individual.
• A 120-degree field of view, like the Valve Index – more than the Meta Quest Pro's 106-degree field of view.
• The H2 chip for ultra-low latency connection with the second-generation AirPods Pro and future AirPods models.
• Two chips, including a main SoC, including a CPU, GPU, and memory, and a dedicated image signal processor. Both are fabricated with a 5nm process, meaning that the headset misses out on advancements expected to come to other Apple chips later this year. The chips communicate via a custom streaming codec that Apple was forced to develop due to unacceptable latency.
• The dedicated ISP translates the distorted images captured by the external cameras into a faithful video representation of the user's surroundings with low latency. The chip contains custom high-bandwidth memory made by SK Hynix.
• The ability to run existing iOS apps in 2D.

Third-party Bluetooth headphones apparently do not work well with the headset and suffer from too much lag, and there is no 3.5mm headphone jack on the device. Apple has focused on making recent and future AirPods models work with low-latency when paired with the headset. Both the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ and the headset contain the H2 chip, which is said to offer an "ultra-low-latency" mode when paired together. Apple has also purpotedly debated whether AirPods should be mandatory for communication activities on the headset to better protect privacy.

Early prototypes of the headset used large external batteries designed for power tools strapped to the wearer's waist, before Apple integrated the battery directly into the headband like the Meta Quest Pro. As of 2022, Apple reportedly shifted the power source back to a battery pack intended to be worn on the user's waist, connected via a cable to the headband – a design advocated by Apple's former design chief, Sir Jony Ive.

While it was once rumored that the headband would be interchangeable like Apple Watch bands, that is no longer the case, since engineers faced technical challenges with the headband acting as a conduit for power to the headset.

Apple is said to favor hand-tracking and voice recognition to control the headset, but it has tested a "wand" and a "finger thimble" as alternative control input methods.

The headset is not expected to be accompanied by a dedicated gaming controller, and Apple has seemingly not focused substantially on gaming for the device. That being said, the company does have a plan to allow Unity to be its first partner to offer full VR experiences in the headset via its game engine.

Apple is focused on videoconferencing on the device, with digital avatars that have a high-level of accuracy when mimicking a user's facial expressions and body movements. It has also created software to allow users to perform activities like dragging the Maps app off a Mac screen and using it to display a 3D model of a city on a table top, and has devoted resources to educational resources for the device.

The Information also reaffirmed the presence of several features it previously revealed and independently confirmed others highlighted by sources like Bloomberg, Nikkei Asia, and DigiTimes:

• The headset has a large outward-facing display on its front. This can show the facial expressions of the headset's wearer to people around them, seeking to reduce a sense of isolation when using the device.
• The outward-facing display features an ultra-low refresh rate and reduced power consumption, much like the always-on display of the Apple Watch and iPhone 14 Pro.
• Interior Micro OLED displays for each eye with a 4K resolution, made by Sony, forming an 8K image overall.
• Each eye is tracked by at least one camera, allowing the headset to accurately show the user's gaze on an avatar. Eye-tracking also enables the headset to perform foveated rendering to conserve power by only rendering imagery in full resolution directly where the user is looking.
• More than a dozen cameras and sensors capture both facial expressions and body movements, including the user's legs. Apple apparently removed cameras to capture eyebrow and jaw movements when it developed machine learning to accomplish this.
• Both short- and long-range LiDAR scanners to map surfaces and distances in three dimensions.

The report claims that Apple supplier Pegatron assembled thousands of prototype units of the headset last year at a facility near Shanghai, having passed multiple prototyping stages and entering engineering validation testing. It added that the device was originally supposed to launch in 2022.

In addition, Apple has allegedly discussed pricing the headset at around $3,000 or more depending on its configuration, according to four people with knowledge of the matter speaking to The Information.

The iPhone 16, destined for release in 2024, will feature faster RAM, while the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro will see no change in its type of memory, leaker ShrimpApplePro said today on Twitter.

In a tweet seen by MacRumors, the leaker says the A18 Bionic will be based on TSMC's 3nm process like this year's A17 Bionic, and feature LPDDR5X memory. Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro features LPDDR5, and the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro later this year will also feature LPDDR5 memory, according to the leaker. The A17 Bionic for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro will be made using TSMC's N3B chip process, while the A18 Bionic will be based on TSMC's enhanced ‌3nm‌ process.

While the type of memory is not changing, the iPhone 15 Pro could come with 8GB of RAM instead of the 6GB currently offered on the high-end iPhones. With more RAM, users will be able to enjoy improved multitasking on iOS with multiple apps open in the background, and LPDDR5X in 2024 could help improve battery efficiency.

Apple has patented a possible next-generation Apple Pencil that can sample colors from the real world and then input that same color onto an iPad, as well as other features, including the ability to sample textures.

The patent, reported by Patently Apple, describes an ‌Apple Pencil‌ with color sensors built into the tip of the pencil that can sample the surface of real-world objects and detect their color. Images in the patent show the ‌Apple Pencil‌ may come with a built-in light ambient sensor, light emitter, and a light detector that can detect the color and texture of a surface.

Like with all patents, it doesn't reveal when such a feature or product will launch, if ever. Apple filed a patent for a similar feature in June 2020, and three years later, no such update to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ has been made. The second-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ was announced in 2018, with no clear indication of when a third-generation model could debut.

Apple has added new capabilities to the ‌Apple Pencil‌ with improved ‌iPad‌ hardware and new iPadOS features. For example, the new M2 iPad Pro has a feature called Apple Pencil hover, allowing users to hover the pencil over the ‌iPad‌ to know where exactly the ‌Apple Pencil‌ will touch the display.

Apple has officially marked the third-generation iPad mini as an obsolete product, marking the official end of the road for one of Apple's most popular iPads.

In December, MacRumors reported that Apple would designate the third-generation ‌iPad mini‌ in both Wi-Fi and cellular configurations as an obsolete product in the coming weeks. Today, Apple officially moved the iPad to its list of obsolete devices, meaning it will no longer be eligible for repairs as service providers can not order parts for the device.

The third-generation ‌iPad mini‌ was a popular ‌iPad‌ that launched in 2014 alongside the second-generation iPad Air. The third-generation ‌iPad mini‌ included the A7 chip and a Touch ID home button.

The world's largest iPhone plant is nearly resuming operations at its peak capacity following weeks of limited production that has hit Apple's supply chain, forcing it to have possible difficulties in meeting the demand for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro during the holidays.

As reported by Bloomberg, Foxconn, Apple's largest supplier, is at 90% of its peak capacity at its main plant in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, according to company representatives. The plant is currently operating with 200,000 staff, according to Foxconn executive Vic Wang.

In the last few months, supply chain disruptions caused by ongoing restrictions caused ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro production to be critically hit, with the latter being the most impacted. During the peak of the disruptions, Apple put out a press release in November saying ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro production was operating at "reduced capacity." At the time, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro was estimated to ship out in several weeks, even as long as a month.

Supply of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro has started to improve, with wait times on Apple's online store in the United States showing just one to two weeks for most configurations.

India is considering exempting certain products from a proposed law that would force a selection of consumer electronic devices to adopt a USB-C port. Among the devices being possibly exempted, AirPods could be included.

According to a report from Mint, citing a senior Indian official, the government is considering exempting featurephones, wearables, and hearables from a proposed law that would require USB-C on devices. The official cites device makers and stakeholders as having shared concerns that mandating those products to adopt the universal port would result in costs increasing for consumers.

While the specific definition of the exempted devices has yet to be decided, the definition of hearables could include Apple's line of AirPods. The EU has already passed a law that requires devices sold in the region to have a USB-C port by 2024, including AirPods. Under the EU's regulation, Apple would be required to switch the AirPods to USB-C, even if the Indian requirement says differently.

Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, previously confirmed that Apple would have to switch the iPhone to USB-C. While reports suggest the iPhone 15 later this fall may make the switch away from Lightning, according to the EU's deadline for the USB-C law, Apple could wait until the iPhone 17 in 2025 before moving to the faster and more universal port.

In addition to outlining his expectations for the iPhone 15 lineup today, tech analyst Jeff Pu said Apple will likely release two notable products in 2024, including the first Apple Watch with a micro-LED display and lower-priced AirPods.

In a research note for Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities, Pu said a new high-end Apple Watch will likely adopt a larger 2.1-inch micro-LED display measured diagonally, which would allow for increased brightness compared to current Apple Watch models with OLED displays. This model would presumably be a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra, which launched last September and has a 1.92-inch display.

Pu referred to the lower-priced AirPods as "AirPods Lite," but it's unlikely that Apple would actually use this branding. He said these AirPods would be priced lower to compete with wireless headphones from other companies, but he did not share any further details. Currently, the $129 second-generation AirPods are the cheapest option from Apple.

Pu has a mixed track record in regards to predicting Apple's future plans, and these AirPods and Apple Watch details have not been previously rumored, so this information is far from certain yet. Apple's plans for its 2024 products could also change over time.

Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will have several new features, including a titanium frame, solid-state buttons with haptic feedback, and increased RAM, according to tech analyst Jeff Pu.

In a research note today for Hong Kong investment firm Haitong International Securities, Pu outlined his expectations for the iPhone 15 lineup, which he said will include a 6.1-inch iPhone 15, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. Notably, he expects the Pro models to feature a titanium frame and solid-state volume and power buttons with haptic feedback from two extra Taptic Engines. He also expects the Pro models to have 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPhone 14 Pro models.

All three of these features have already been rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models by other sources like leaker "ShrimpApplePro" and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Pu said the iPhone 15 Pro models will be powered by an A17 Bionic chip manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process, while he expects the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus to be equipped with the A16 Bionic chip and 6GB of RAM. All four models will have a USB-C port and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X70 modem for 5G and LTE, he said.

As widely rumored, Pu expects the telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to feature periscope technology for increased optical zoom. As for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Pu expects a 48-megapixel rear camera lens like on iPhone 14 Pro models.

Based on "recent supply chain checks and views on the tech industry," Pu remains cautious about the stock prices of many companies within Apple's supply chain. Pu believes that Apple's product momentum has "turned weak" and he expects iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods shipments to decline on a year-over-year basis in 2023.

Pu has a mixed track record in regards to predicting Apple's future plans, but much of the information he shared today about iPhone 15 models has been previously rumored. Apple is expected to announce its iPhone 15 lineup in September as usual.

With 2023 now upon us, many people are setting New Year's resolutions and one of the more popular ones is always a desire to get into better shape. To entice those looking for some help reaching that goal, Apple has turned over its home page to Fitness+, the company's subscription service with thousands of workouts across nearly a dozen different types.

Kicking off with the tagline "Welcome to the year of you," Apple's home page also notes that "Now all you need is iPhone," a nod to a change in iOS 16.1 that allows Fitness+ to be used without an Apple Watch.

While Fitness+ can be used with only an ‌iPhone‌, an Apple Watch offers more utility by allowing real‑time, personalized metrics to be displayed onscreen, including your heart rate, Burn Bar, and activity rings.

Apple Fitness+ is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, or it can be bundled with other Apple services in an Apple One Premier subscription. A single Apple Fitness+ subscription can be shared with up to five other family members and it comes with a free one-month trial for all users. Users who purchase a new ‌iPhone‌, Apple Watch, iPad, or Apple TV qualify for a free three-month trial.

Ahead of CES 2023 this week, Samsung has announced several upcoming additions to its monitor lineup, and perhaps the most interesting model for Apple users is the ViewFinity S9, Samsung's first 27-inch 5K display that will compete against Apple's Studio Display.

27-inch 5K displays remain fairly rare, but Apple has long embraced the higher pixel density for its ability to display true Retina-quality content at reasonable size. Just like the Studio Display and Apple's former 27-inch iMac, Samsung's ViewFinity S9 will feature a 5120 x 2880 display, and its wide color gamut will cover 99% of the DCI-P3 spectrum while HDR600 support improves shadows and highlights.

The ViewFinity S9 features a matte finish to minimize glare, is equipped with USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, and includes a 4K SlimFit camera.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but it will be launching "early" this year.

Samsung's popular Smart Monitor M8 is also receiving an update, with a new 27-inch size joining the previous 32-inch option. Both sizes carry 4K resolution and are available in four color options with height and tilt adjustments.

The M8 now pivots up to 90 degrees for a portrait orientation, and it supports VESA standards for those who prefer different mounting solutions. The included 2K SlimFit camera has been upgraded, and there's new mouse support for many of the included apps on the display such as Samsung's SmartThings Hub for managing connected home devices and Smart Hub for dedicated apps like Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, and more.

Pricing and a release date have yet to be announced.

In addition to the ViewFinity S9 and Smart Monitor M8, Samsung is also announcing several new Odyssey gaming monitors including the Odyssey Neo G9, a 57-inch 32:9 super ultra-wide curved display at 7680 x 2160 resolution with DisplayPort 2.1 and a 240 Hz response rate.

Finally, there is the Odyssey OLED G9, a 49-inch curved OLED gaming monitor with 0.1 ms response time and 240 Hz response rate. Both displays will launch "later" this year with pricing yet to be disclosed.

Check out Samsung's press release for full details on all of these monitors.

Amazon is kicking off the new year with a fresh discount on Apple's M1 iMac. You can get the 8-core GPU/512GB model for $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This is an all-time low price on this version of the 24-inch iMac, and only Amazon has the deal. It's available in Pink, Blue, and Green, although Green's delivery estimates have already dropped into February.

The M1 iMacs launched in 2021 and compared to the previous generation 21.5-inch model, the new models offer up to 85 faster CPU performance, up to 2x faster GPU performance, and up to 3x faster machine learning. They also come with color-matched accessories with custom colors for the keyboard, Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, power cord, and Lightning to USB-C cable.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has teased a return of Fortnite to iOS in 2023, nearly three years after the best-selling game was removed from the App Store for violating platform rules, marking the start of a contentious and high-profile legal battle.

In a tweet to celebrate the new year, Sweeney said, "Next year on iOS!" followed by an image of a Fortnite character looking up at fireworks that spell out 2023. Apple is reportedly planning to allow sideloading and alternative app stores with iOS 17 next year, in order to comply with the newly passed DMA (Digital Markets Act) law in Europe. Under the law and its implementations, ‌Epic Games‌ could, in theory, bring Fortnite back to iOS, just not through the ‌App Store‌.

Fortnite was removed from the ‌App Store‌ in August 2020 after ‌Epic Games‌ included a direct payment option in the game that circumvented Apple's in-app purchasing system, violating ‌App Store‌ rules. Apple ultimately removed Fortnite from the App Store, placing the blame directly on Epic for violating its rules. A statement from Apple at the time:

Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store. Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services.

Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade, and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem - including its tools, testing, and distribution that Apple provides to all developers. Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we're glad they've built such a successful business on the App Store. The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users. We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store.

The removal of Fortnite from the ‌App Store‌ caused ‌Epic Games‌ to file a lawsuit against the Cupertino tech giant. "We're fighting for open platforms and policy changes equally benefiting all developers. And it'll be a hell of a fight!" Sweeney said at the time.

Three years later, both ‌Epic Games‌ and Apple are now appealing a court decision made in September 2021 that would have required Apple to allow developers to add in-app links to outside websites, paving the way for alternate payment options that do not require developers to use the in-app purchase system.

‌Epic Games‌ claims Apple's control over iOS and the ‌App Store‌ is anti-competitive and that alternative app stores should be allowed on the iPhone. Apple, on the other hand, believes the ‌App Store‌ remains the safest and most trusted way for developers to target users and users to explore apps. Sweeney has previously called the ‌App Store‌ a "disservice to developers."

For a full roundup of events and the latest developments of the high-profile case, see our guide.

Apple is increasing the price of out-of-warranty battery replacements for all iPhone models older than the ‌iPhone‌ 14 later this year, the company announced on its website (via Reddit). Apple is also increasing prices of iPad and Mac battery replacement.

Apple says starting March 1, 2023, the price of out-of-warranty battery replacements for all models of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 series, as well as older ‌iPhone‌ models, will increase by $20. Currently, Apple charges $69 for a battery replacement on most ‌iPhone‌ models, according to an estimation calculator on the company's website.

The price increase will only impact customers who do not have AppleCare or ‌AppleCare‌+ for their devices. With ‌AppleCare‌+, customers pay $0 for a battery replacement once their battery health has decreased past 80%.

Update: Apple is also increasing the price of out-of-warranty battery replacements for Mac and the ‌iPad‌. MacBook Air battery replacement will increase by $30 and MacBook Pro battery prices by $50. Newer ‌iPad‌ models will see their prices increase by $20. These price changes will be effective March 1, 2023.

While 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for new Apple devices, there are at least six new products we are actively not expecting the company to launch this year.

Certain devices across many of Apple's key product lines, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and AirPods, are expected to remain untouched in 2023, with little to no risk of being replaced by a successor. While it is likely that a large number of Apple devices now on sale will remain so through the entirety of the year, only some can be firmly counted out for this year at the current time.

Third-Generation AirPods Pro

A third-generation version of the AirPods Pro is highly unlikely to launch in this year owing to the relatively recent launch of the second-generation model.

The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ launched in September last year, offering a major update with active noise cancellation enhancements, Adaptive Transparency mode, H2 chips, battery life improvements, touch volume controls, improved battery life, IPX4 sweat and water resistance, Apple Watch charger compatibility, the U1 chip for precision finding, and more. The scale of this update suggests that it could be some time before a sufficient number of further upgrades are ready for a third-generation model.

The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ came 35 months after the launch of the previous generation, which also suggests that it could be a long while before a third-generation model arrives. Likewise, Apple appears to focus on refreshing just one AirPods model each year, and the AirPods Max are next up for a refresh, followed by the standard AirPods. This means that third-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ may not arrive until 2025.

Fourth-Generation iPhone SE

There have been a multitude of rumors about the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE, even predating the launch of the current, third-generation model that launched in early 2022 – yet it increasingly looks like the device is off the cards for this year and may even have been canceled entirely.

The current ‌iPhone‌ SE contains the A15 Bionic chip – something it shares with the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, ‌iPhone‌ 14, ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus, iPad mini, and third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K. The ‌iPhone‌ 13, ‌iPhone‌ 14, and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus are all highly likely to remain in Apple's product lineup this year, even after the launch of iPhone 15 models in the fall. This means that the current ‌iPhone‌ SE will retain relatively modern hardware throughout the entire year, making it less necessary for Apple to refresh the device.

Apple also seems to leave two to three years inbetween ‌iPhone‌ SE models, rendering an update this year less likely. Reports about the device have also been fairly consistent that the next ‌iPhone‌ SE was scheduled to arrive in 2024, rather than this year.

More strikingly, rumors around the device have recently cast skepticism on the device launching at all. In October, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said there was no sign of an iPhone SE with a Touch ID side button actually in the pipeline. In December, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the company had now canceled or postponed the release of the fourth-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE due to consistently lower than expected shipments of middle tier and lower-end smartphones like the ‌third-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE‌, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, and the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus.

Seventh-Generation iPad Pro

The next-generation iPad Pro models are the most-rumored upcoming ‌iPad‌, but they look very unlikely to launch this year. The current 11- and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ models were released in October 2022, adding the M2 chip, Apple Pencil hover, Smart HDR 4, Wi‑Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 – another minor refresh like the fifth-generation iPad Air.

With the current- and previous-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ models featuring M-series chips, and the 2022 refresh making the leap to the ‌M2‌ chip, the M3 chip is the most likely chip to be included in the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌. The M3 chip is expected to be manufactured using TSMC's 3nm process, bringing the biggest performance and efficiency boost to Apple's chips in several years. The first Apple devices with M3 chips are not likely to appear until the second half of 2023, which seemingly rules out a new ‌iPad Pro‌ anytime soon.

Moreover, the main feature rumored for the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ is OLED displays – an upgrade that has been rumored for over a year. Dozens of reports from multiple sources are consistent that ‌iPad Pro‌ models with OLED displays are scheduled to launch in 2024, rather than this year. The OLED displays Apple is planning to use will reportedly be more durable and enable thinner and more lightweight device designs, and they could have slimmer bezels with the display size options increasing from 11- to 11.1-inches and 12.9- to 13-inches.

The one thing that is clear about the next major ‌iPad Pro‌ update according to rumors is that it will not launch in 2023, meaning that any new ‌iPad Pro‌ models this year seem very unlikely. Apple waited over 18 months between the 2021 and 2022 ‌iPad‌ Pros, and if a similar timeline was followed again, the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ would launch in May 2024.

Fourth-Generation Apple TV 4K

Like the ‌AirPods Pro‌, the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K recently received a fairly significant refresh in 2022. The third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K added the A15 Bionic chip, a new design, support for HDR10+ content, twice as much storage, and a USB-C port on the Siri Remote. As a significant update late in 2022, another update in 2023 seems unlikely.

Like the ‌iPhone‌ SE, the ‌Apple TV‌ now contains the A15 Bionic – a chip that is likely to remain prevalent across a range of Apple devices through 2023, meaning that a further chip upgrade this year seems highly unlikely. It is also not clear what else Apple could bring to the ‌Apple TV‌ at this time to offer a meaningful upgrade, and the lineup seems to be in a strong position with two models at lower price points of $129 and $149.

No immediate successor to the current ‌Apple TV‌ has been rumored for 2023, but there have been reports about a combined Apple TV and HomePod device for some time. This device does not seem to be nailed down for a launch date this year.

13-Inch MacBook Air

There is a slim chance of a MacBook Air refresh that adds the M3 chip in the latter half of 2023, but this seems unlikely given that Apple is rumored to have plans to launch a 15.2-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with the M2 and M2 Pro chips around mid-2023.

It seems improbable that Apple would want to introduce a more powerful, smaller ‌MacBook Air‌ model just months after it launched a larger model with the ‌M2‌ chip, so a new 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ may not launch this year at all. Supporting this, there have been no concrete rumors about Apple launching a ‌MacBook Air‌ with the M3 chip in 2023.

Some of the most reliably insightful sources in the rumor community, including Ming-Chi Kuo, Mark Gurman, and Ross Young, have all said that a 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ model is coming this year – and this appears to be the focus of ‌MacBook Air‌ rumors in 2023.

Apple Car

Apple has been rumored to be working on its own electric vehicle for many years at this point, and while the project is seemingly increasingly developed and focused, the car is not expected to emerge publicly this year.

There have been hundreds of well-sourced reports about Apple's car plans, but the latest information from Bloomberg suggests that the company recently scaled back its plans and dropped its proposed $120,000 price point, eliminating ambitions for a full self-driving vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals.

Now, the car is expected to have a much more conventional design with limited self-driving capabilities, for a price under $100,000. The car is now expected to launch in 2026 at the earliest, but it could be announced sometime in 2025.

2023 is upon us and it will be another busy year for iPhone software. While details about iOS 17 remain slim, Apple has previously announced several features that will be available this year as part of upcoming updates like iOS 16.3 and iOS 16.4.

Below, we have recapped seven iOS features that are expected to launch or expand to additional countries in 2023, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account that will allow for interest to be earned on Daily Cash.

Web Push Notifications

Apple said iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will add opt-in support for web-based push notifications in 2023. This feature will allow iPhone and iPad users to receive notifications from websites through Safari, just like notifications sent from apps.

Apple Pay Later

Announced at WWDC 2022 last June, Apple Pay Later is a financing feature that will let qualifying customers in the U.S. split a purchase into four equal payments over six weeks, with no interest or fees to pay. The feature will be built into the Wallet app and will be available for purchases online and in apps on the iPhone and iPad.

Apple says the feature is coming in a future software update for qualifying applicants in the U.S. and may not be available in all states. Apple Pay Later is not available with iOS 16.2 and is not present in the first beta of iOS 16.3. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that the feature might launch with iOS 16.4 this year.

Security Keys for Apple ID

The first iOS 16.3 beta enables a new Security Keys for Apple ID feature that Apple said will be available globally in early 2023. The feature gives users the option to use hardware security keys to further protect their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthens Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of a verification code from another Apple device.

Apple does not plan to release its own hardware security keys. The feature will rely on third-party security keys available from brands like Yubico.

Apple Card Savings Account

In October, Apple announced that Apple Card users would "soon" be able to open a new high-yield savings account from Goldman Sachs and have their Daily Cash cashback rewards automatically deposited into it, with no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. The account would be managed through the Wallet app on the iPhone.

Once the account is set up, all Daily Cash received from that point on would be automatically deposited into it and start earning interest, unless a user opts to continue having Daily Cash added to their Apple Cash balance. Apple Card provides 2-3% Daily Cash on purchases made with Apple Pay and 1% on purchases made with the physical card.

The savings account was listed in the release notes for the iOS 16.1 Release Candidate, and Goldman Sachs updated its Apple Card customer agreement for the feature, but it has still not launched. The savings account is still not available in the first iOS 16.3 beta released last month, and it's unclear when it will launch.

Next-Generation CarPlay

At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of its iPhone-based software platform CarPlay, which will feature support for multiple displays, widgets, and integration with vehicle functions like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.

Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others. Apple plans to share additional details about the next generation of CarPlay later this year.

Advanced Data Protection in More Countries

Apple recently introduced an optional Advanced Data Protection feature that expands end-to-end encryption to many additional areas of iCloud when enabled, including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, and more. The feature was added in iOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, and other recent software updates for U.S. users only and will start rolling out to the rest of the world in early 2023, according to Apple.

It's unclear exactly when Advanced Data Protection will be available in additional countries, but given Apple's early 2023 timeframe, it's possible that the feature will be expanded to more iPhone users with iOS 16.3 or iOS 16.4.

Emergency SOS via Satellite in More Countries

Apple last month announced that the iPhone 14's life-saving Emergency SOS via Satellite feature will be supported in additional countries next year. However, Apple did not provide a list of countries where the feature will be expanding to next.

Emergency SOS via Satellite first launched in November in the U.S. and Canada and requires an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16.1 or later. The service became available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK last month, with iOS 16.2 or later required for some local emergency service numbers.

The feature allows iPhone 14 users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years starting at the time of activation of an iPhone 14 model.

On Friday, we shared a What to Expect Guide that highlights everything we're expecting to see from Apple in 2023, based on current product rumors and historical release data.

We're counting on the release of the mixed reality headset that Apple has been working on for years now, along with the Apple silicon Mac Pro and a number of other refreshed Macs. There's an iPhone 15 with a USB-C port in the works, and we could get new HomePod and AirPods Max refreshes.

We know what we think we're going to be seeing from Apple in 2023, but we want to hear opinions and wishlists from the MacRumors community. What do you want to see Apple release this year?

Are there new iPhone features you're hoping for, or something new in iOS 17 or macOS 14? What are you wanting to see from Apple's AR/VR headset?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and take a look at our What to Expect guide to see an overview of the current rumors. We'll learn a lot more about Apple's 2023 product plans in the coming months, and we'll have in-depth coverage of the rumors here at MacRumors.com.

If you want to discuss Apple's upcoming products and rumors, our MacRumors forums are an excellent resource, plus they're a great place to get help on current Apple products and software options.

As always, thank you to our readers and forum members for making MacRumors the number one source for Apple news, rumors, and advice. MacRumors celebrated its 22nd birthday this year, and that's thanks to our dedicated readers. We are looking forward to another year of rumors in 2023. Happy New Year!

In August 2021, Apple announced it had acquired classical music service Primephonic. At the time, Apple said it planned to release a dedicated classical music app in 2022, but the year has now ended without the app launching.

"Apple Music plans to launch a dedicated classical music app next year combining Primephonic's classical user interface that fans have grown to love with more added features," said an Apple Newsroom press release in 2021. Apple has not publicly addressed the plans since, and it's unclear if the app will be released in 2023.

Primephonic shut down in September 2021, with subscribers at the time receiving six months of access to Apple Music for free. If it ever launches, the Apple Classical app would serve as a replacement for Primephonic, providing users with a destination for streaming classical music from the likes of Beethoven and Mozart.

Hidden references to the Apple Classical app were discovered in a beta version of the Apple Music app for Android and in the iOS 15.5 beta last year. Even more references to the app were discovered in an XML file on Apple's servers last year.

Apple said it would incorporate the best features of Primephonic, including "better browsing and search capabilities by composer and by repertoire" and "detailed displays of classical music metadata," and it's possible that the company simply needs more time to work on this. Primephonic also compensated artists and other rights holders with a unique pay-per-second-listened model instead of a pay-per-play model like Apple Music, so perhaps Apple is still trying to figure out a suitable payout model for the Apple Classical app.

At this point, it's unclear if the Apple Classical app will be released at some point in 2023 or if the plans have been abandoned. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the situation and we'll update this story if we hear back.

The calendar has turned to January 1 and Apple has shut down popular weather app Dark Sky. The app had already been removed from the App Store in September and it stopped functioning for existing users starting today.

Apple acquired Dark Sky in March 2020 and it has since incorporated many of the app's features into the preinstalled Weather app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Earlier this month, Apple shared a support document with information on how Dark Sky users can use the Weather app, which now offers "hyperlocal" forecasts, including next-hour precipitation, hourly forecasts for the next 10 days, high-resolution radar maps, and severe weather notifications.

To use Dark Sky features in the Weather app, your device must be updated to iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS Ventura. Some of the features are currently only available in select countries, as outlined in a separate Apple support document.

Apple will also be shutting down Dark Sky's API for third-party weather apps on March 31, and introduced its own WeatherKit API as a replacement.