Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo spilled a variety of details about Apple’s Mac roadmap, the next AirPods Pro, Apple’s AR/VR headset plans, and more during another busy week for Apple rumors.
In other news, it appears that the next round of Apple software updates, including iOS 15.2, macOS 12.1, and related releases, will be available soon. The updates will include several new features, including Apple Music Voice Plan, SharePlay for Mac, and others, but not the much-anticipated Universal Control.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s transition from Intel processors to its custom-designed chips in Macs will continue with the introduction of at least five new Macs in 2022.
The new Macs will include revised versions of the MacBook Air, entry-level MacBook Pro, bigger iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro, according to Gurman’s monthly “Power On” email, with some of the machines believed to be powered by Apple’s next-generation M2 CPU.
via MacRumours
Gurman also mentioned a ruggedized Apple Watch, a new iPad Pro with wireless charging capability, and an AR/VR headset aimed at gaming, content consumption, and communications, all of which he expects to be released in 2022.
According to the Korean website The Elec, Apple plans to release iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models with hole-punch displays next year.
via MacRumours
The hole-punch display design would allow Apple to remove the notch while still allowing for a cutout for the front-facing camera, and it’s a design that some Android smartphones, such as Samsung’s Galaxy S10 and newer, have used for a few years.
According to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple plans to release a second-generation AirPods Pro with a new design in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The new AirPods Pro is said to include a more compact, stemless design, similar to the Beats Studio Buds, as well as additional built-in sensors that could enable new fitness monitoring and other features.
Apple seeded Release Candidate versions of several software updates this week, including macOS 12.1 and iPad 15.2, but there is no mention of Universal Control in the release notes.
Given that a Release Candidate usually corresponds to the final release of an update, it appears that Universal Control will not be available with macOS 12.1 or iPadOS 15.2, despite Apple’s promise that it will be ready this autumn.
The good news is that macOS 12.1 fixes several issues, including Tap to Click, YouTube HDR video playback, MagSafe charging, and more. The Apple Music Voice Plan, which allows users to access Apple Music exclusively through Siri for a lower monthly fee of $4.99, is expected to be released to all users as soon as next week.
Thanks to MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, we were able to get an early look at the Apple Music Voice Plan ahead of the release of iOS 15.2.
also read:
PlayStation Now was coming to mobile phones much earlier but was dropped by Sony
