Every new Apple product coming in 2022

The past couple of years might have been overshadowed somewhat by the Coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped Apple from overhauling most of its product range, including getting more than half way thorough transitioning the Mac from Intel to its own processors with the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max making a great first impression. 

We’ve seen Apple launch new AirPods, the HomePod mini in a set of fun colours, a new collection of iPhones, improved iPads, and an update to the Apple Watch. But there is more to come in 2022.

In this article we take a look at what we expect Apple to launch in 2022. We’ve investigated every rumour and trend we could find to bring you our predictions. Read on to find out what could be in store.

Macs

Apple revealed in June 2020 that it would be transitioning all its Macs from Intel processors to its own silicon within two years. Apple’s already updated many of its machines, including the MacBook Air, Mac mini, 24in iMac, the 13in MacBook Pro, 14in MacBook Pro, and 16in MacBook Pro models.

That leaves the following Macs in need of an M-series update, plus there are rumours that suggest that the second generation of the already launched M1 Macs could be in the works.

And don’t forget that the autumn of 2022 will also bring an update to macOS. In fact
macOS could be a Mammoth update with new features based on machine leaning (AI).

We run through the Macs likely to see an update in 2022 below:

Mac mini

Apple is said to be working on a new, more powerful, Mac mini that will replace the Intel-powered Mac mini model that Apple kept in the line up.

This new “more powerful version of the Mac mini” will feature the same chip as the new MacBook Pro, according to a Bloomberg report discussed here:
Apple to overhaul entire Mac line up.

We’re just surprised that Apple didn’t launch this update alongside the 14in and 16in MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max. But perhaps we will see it alongside the update to the 27in iMac.

And that may not be the only new Mac mini in 2022 – in a December 2021
Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates that there will be two new Mac mini coming, so we assume there will also be an M2 upgrade for the M1 version.

Read more about the
New Mac mini.

When? WWDC: June 2022

30in+ iMac

The smaller iMac saw a big update in April 2021, with a new colourful design and a larger screen. But what of the larger iMac?

We think it’s likely that the 27in iMac will be succeeded by a model with a larger screen – 30in or 32in. Although disappointingly rumours are pointing to a 27in display regardless. It may also get a similar redesign to the 24in model, although the colour options may be different.

To differentiate with the 24in iMac, Apple may refer to this new iMac as an iMac Pro. At any rate, this will be a pro, or high-end iMac and the M1 Pro and M1 Max would appear to be destined for this machine – maybe even a duo configuration of one of those M1 chips (more on that below).

Read about the
32in iMac in our news round up.

When? WWDC: June 2022

Mac Pro

As for the
Mac Pro: work is said to be underway on the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, with 32-core CPU and up to 128-Core GPU, which could be possible if Apple combines four M1 Max in one machine.

If Apple decides to use WWDC 2022 to show off it’s pro-focused desktop Macs with M-series chips we might see the new Mac Pro at the same time.

The big question is what would this M-series chip be called? With M1 Pro and M1 Max that doesn’t really leave a name that could be considered even more powerful. Perhaps 2022 will be all about the M1 Max Quad or M1 Mac Duo. Read more in
Apple Trends 2022: The High-End Macs Are Coming.

When? WWDC: June 2022

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is said to be getting a redesign and this could include a selection of iMac like colours, like those below:

A 2022 launch is rumoured for this new machine, which will apparently feature the M2 chip – the successor to the M1.The M2 could have two more CPU cores due to being produced using an improved 5-nanometer process, according to rumours.

Perhaps we could see it alongside the iMac and Mac mini in the summer, but we may have a longer wait.

Read
everything we know about the new MacBook Air.

When? Autumn 2022

13in MacBook Pro

There is one school of thought that believes that the 13in MacBook Pro might be discontinued when the new M2 MacBook Air arrives. Another suggests that we may see a 13in MacBook instead of a 13in MacBook Pro.

Gurman, at least, believes that there will be a new entry-level MacBook Pro coming in 2022 – he says as much in
his predictions for 2022. If it does arrive we can expect a M2 chip. Will it be good enough to be considered a Pro machine though?

When? Autumn 2022

iPads

We’ve already got an M1 chip in the iPad Pro in 2021, what else can we expect to see?

We can be pretty confident that iPadOS will be updated in the autumn, will there be more synergy with Mac apps? Will the gap narrow between Macs and iPads? Read more in
iPadOS meeting macOS in the middle.

iPad Air

Apple updated nearly all its iPads in 2021, except for the iPad Air. Right now the cheaper iPad and iPad mini look like much better options than the iPad Air – with more powerful chips and FaceTime camera improvements – so it’s high time that the iPad Air got an update with a better front camera with ultra-wide angle. Could we see an M1 chip in the iPad Air? 5G is also to be expected.

When? Spring 2022

iPad Pro

According to Mark Gurman, we can expect a
new iPad Pro with updated design and wireless charging support. Given that the current iPad Pro has an M1 chip, what can we expect for the new iPad Pro? Will it gain the M2 at the same time as the MacBook Air? Don’t expect a M1 Pro or Max – the heat development of these chips is too much for an iPad.

MagSafe support for the iPad is also said to be in the works and charging other devices from the iPad may also be possible.

When? Spring 2022

10.2in iPad

Gurman indicates we can also expect a new standard iPad in 2022, although a longer wait to 2023 is a possibility.

When? October 2022

Read more about the new iPads in
Apple’s plans for the iPad family.

iPhone

We can expect a brand new iOS in 2022. iOS 16 could see a new design and new widgets. Read more in
Apple trends 2022 iOS 16. But what everyone wants to know about is the new iPhones. 

It’s a given that we will see an iPhone 14 in September, or at least October 2022, but there are rumours that we might also see another iPhone get an update:

iPhone SE

There could be a
new iPhone SE with 5G coming in the spring, something analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seems to be certain about. We hope that it maintains the Home button as this is something that is essential for some users and if they don’t have this option it could be a real disadvantage.

Kuo actually thinks that there could be
two iPhone SE models in development at Apple. He claims that Apple is also working on a fourth-gen model, which will feature a larger screen, but that model won’t come out until 2023 and may be named the
iPhone SE Plus.

When: Spring 2022

iPhone 14

There are already rumours about the successor to the iPhone 13. We are hearing that there will be no more iPhone mini – instead there will be a larger non-Pro iPhone to match the Pro Max. We expect that all models will get the 120Hz refresh rate that was only available on the Pro models this year, an even smaller notch (or no notch) also seems likely, as do and camera improvements. We
investigate if the iPhone 14 will have a notch separately.

Read more in our
iPhone 14 rumour round up.

When: September 2022

Apple Watch

There could be more than one new Apple Watch on the way in 2022.

Apple Watch 8

There were lots of rumours about a brand new design for the Apple Watch in 2021, but when it launched no such redesign was apparent. There is a theory that Apple changed it’s plans at the last minute when the new design was found to cause problems.

Perhaps 2022 will bring the redesigned Apple Watch everyone was expecting in 2021.

As Halyna Kubiv discusses in
Apple Watch 8 – tick or tock? when the 2022 Apple Watch launches we could see new health sensors. Rumours indicate blood sugar and temperature sensors are in the works – but will they be ready in time? Non-invasive blood sugar measurement may still be a long way off.

When: September 2022

Apple Watch SE 2

Mark Gurman and other pundits have indicated that there could be a new Apple Watch SE in 2022. Perhaps Apple will give it a processor boost from the S5 to an S6, and perhaps some of the missing features – such as the ability to take an ECG (an electrocardiogram – a measurement of your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.) We’d also love to see an always on screen.

When: September 2022

Apple Watch Sport

In his predictions for 2022 Mark Gurman suggests that Apple is making a durable Apple Watch model for athletes. He has previously mentioned that this will be called the
Apple Watch Sport and feature a shock-resistant design.

When: September 2022

Audio

Amid news that a new high-res audio subscription option will be coming to Apple Music in June 2021, it’s time for Apple to improve the capabilities of some of its audio products.

AirPods Pro

Apple updated the AirPods – one of its most popular products – in October 2021. That leaves the AirPods Pro (last updated in October 2019) in need of some attention.

Read about the
AirPods Pro 2022 here.

When? Spring 20212

HomePod with screen

This might not arrive in 2022, but we do hope there is some truth in the rumours that Apple is working on a HomePod with a screen. We’ve always said that a screen would make the HomePod infinitely more usable, but perhaps we are the only ones who hate having to talk to our speaker.

A screen would extend the uses of the HomePod beyond audio into visual – so you could watch podcasts and news reports and YouTube videos, but most usefully communicate via FaceTime.

Read:
HomePod with screen rumours.

When? TBC

New areas

If Apple was never to innovate away from the products it makes right now it could be left behind as technology progresses. It’s no surprise therefore that the company is working on various new areas.

Games console

We think this might just be an evolution of the Apple TV, but there are reports claiming that Apple wants to sell a games console that would compete with the Switch.

Read about these
Apple games console rumours.

When? TBC

AR Glasses

Apple’s made clear its interest in augmented reality, and we may hear more about Apple’s plans to make
Apple AR Glasses or even some
VR glasses from Apple in 2022!

The rumours suggest that we could see Apple’s AR – or
Mixed Reality product by the end of 2022. It may be that Apple shows of the device, but waits until 2023 to launch it.

Maybe Apple will finally show off something at WWDC in an attempt to get developers to design apps for the new device(s).

Read
What will Apple’s AR/VR glasses do?

When? TBC

Apple Car

The
Apple Car was the hot rumour of 2016, but it’s since emerged that Apple has scaled back its ambitions on this front but something is definitely happening in the motoring field. The company is said to have had up to
1,000 developers working on the so-called
Project Titan, and to have set up various different front companies, including Faraday Futures and Sixty Eight Research.

At one point industry chatter suggested 2020 as a possible date for a launch: that clearly didn’t happen, but it seems that there is something going on, the question is what?

When? 2025 or never