Technologies

6 New Apple Products That Could Be Coming in 2023

The iPhone 15 and an AR/VR headset aren’t only new devices we expect in the coming months.

Apple never discusses new products before it’s ready to formally introduce them, making it impossible to know exactly what to expect. But certain products tend to arrive around the same time every year, providing possible clues. Leaks and rumors also paint a picture of potential gadgets we may see throughout 2023, such as the iPhone 15 and Apple’s long-rumored «mixed-reality» headset.

If the reports turn out to be accurate, 2023 could mark several firsts for Apple’s product lineup. We may see the company’s first AR/VR headset, the first iPhone with USB-C and the first 15-inch MacBook Air, for example. As for other products like AirPods, the Apple TV and the iPad, Bloomberg reports we likely won’t see major changes to those product lines this year.

The debut of a mixed-reality headset would signal an entirely new product category for Apple, while the other updates suggest Apple is further optimizing its devices to contend with Android and Windows competitors that offer bigger screens and universal USB-C charging.

Apple has already released several new products this year, including a new yellow version of the iPhone 14, an updated HomePod, a Mac Mini with the M2 and M2 Pro chips, and MacBook Pro computers with the new M2 Pro and M2 Max.

Here’s a look at what we’re expecting in 2023 based on Apple’s previous launches, rumors and leaks so far. Apple did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

iPhone 15 lineup

From left to right: the iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14.

Celso Bulgatti/CNET

Apple usually launches new iPhones in September, and this year will likely be no different. Among the most significant changes we’re expecting to see in the iPhone 15 is the switch from the Lightning charging port to USB-C. That’s because there are new rules requiring tech products sold in Europe to support USB-C by 2024. Still, it’s unclear whether Apple will fully embrace the transition to USB-C across the entire iPhone 15 lineup, or if it will make a region-specific model for Europe.

Another potential update could include the Dynamic Island’s arrival on standard non-Pro iPhone 15 models, Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, tweeted in September. At the same time, Apple could add more features to the iPhone 15 Pro that differentiate it from the base models. Such features could include a new periscope camera with better optical zoom for the iPhone 15 Pro Max and solid-state buttons for both Pro phones, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple AR/VR headset

Apple is rumored to release a mixed-reality headset this year.

James Martin/CNET

Apple’s long-anticipated mixed-reality headset could finally make its debut in June, according to Bloomberg, marking Apple’s first major expansion into a new product category since the Apple Watch. The headset is expected to blend elements of augmented reality, which lays digital graphics over real-world environments similar to the smartphone game Pokemon Go, and virtual reality, which envelopes users in 360-degree graphics like the $400 Meta Quest 2.

But don’t expect Apple’s headset to come cheap. The device could cost $3,000 and will run on a new type of software that’s essentially a 3D version of the iPhone’s interface, Bloomberg reports. Expect it to be powered by Apple’s M2 chip, which can be found in its current MacBook lineup, the report says.

Tech giants from Meta to Sony to Microsoft have all tried their hand at virtual or augmented reality. But there’s an expectation that Apple’s first VR product could popularize the technology, since the company has a long track record of doing so with other products.

«I think Apple is going to be a big help to the market kind of like it has with, let’s face it, smartphones, tablets and smartwatches,» said Ramon Llamas, a research director at the International Data Corporation.

Apple Watch Series 9

The Apple Watch Ultra (left) and Apple Watch Series 8 (right) both launched last year.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

Like clockwork, Apple typically releases new Apple Watch models alongside its new iPhones in the fall. This year, however, we may see a more modest update than usual. Bloomberg reports that we shouldn’t expect to see significant changes to the Apple Watch this year. What that means is unclear, but it’s possible the watch could include routine updates like performance enhancements rather than significant new health-tracking features.

That falls in line with the pattern that Apple has followed in recent years. Other than the addition of temperature sensing and car-crash detection, the Apple Watch Series 8 is very similar to the Series 7. Apple has also introduced more new features through software updates rather than hardware changes in recent years, such as the ability to track sleep stages that arrived in WatchOS 9. But I’m hoping the Series 9 inherits some features from the Apple Watch Ultra, especially its handy Action button, which makes it easier to jump right into a workout.

There haven’t been many rumors or reports about whether to expect updated Apple Watch SE or Ultra models in 2023. But since Apple doesn’t always release special-edition products on an annual cadence, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Apple skip those updates this time around.

A new iMac

The 2021 iMac with Apple’s M1 chip.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Fans of Apple’s colorful all-in-one computer may have something to look forward to this year. The company’s next iMac is at an advanced development stage, meaning it could arrive in the second half of this year, according to Bloomberg. The refreshed computer will likely run on Apple’s rumored M3 processor, which would be a step up from the M2 chip powering the current MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. It’ll have a 24-inch screen like the 2021 edition and will be available in the same color options, but will have some internal design changes, according to the report.

Mac Pro with M2 Ultra

The 2019 Mac Pro on stage alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Screenshot by Alexandra Able/CNET

Apple is also readying a new version of its top-of-the-line Mac Pro that would run on a chip called the M2 Ultra processor, likely a successor to the M1 Ultra, according to Bloomberg. That would mark a departure from the current model, which debuted in 2019 and runs on Intel’s Xeon processors. The chip will reportedly have 24 CPU cores, 76 graphics cores and 192GB of memory.

The $5,999 Mac Pro is Apple’s high-end desktop computer aimed at professionals. It’s the last remaining Mac in Apple’s current lineup that doesn’t include the company’s own silicon. The report suggests it will launch between late spring and summer, meaning we might see it at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

A 15-inch MacBook Air

Apple’s lightweight laptop will reportedly be available in a 15-inch size for the first time this year. Bloomberg reports that a 15-inch MacBook Air is in Apple’s 2023 product roadmap, although it’s unclear whether this machine will run on the company’s expected M3 chip. A new 13-inch MacBook Air is also said to be in the works.

These two laptops are also expected to arrive in the late spring or summer, so we should be hearing about them in the coming months if Bloomberg’s report is accurate.

All told, the rumors, leaks and reports suggest 2023 could be a pivotal year for Apple’s computing lineup. If Apple does announce its first mixed-reality headset, we’ll get a glimpse at the company’s vision for the future of computing. Apple CEO Tim Cook has been vocal about the potential he sees for augmented reality, but we haven’t seen dedicated Apple hardware for providing those experiences yet. The arrival of Apple silicon in the Mac Pro would also mark the completion of Apple’s transition to its homegrown Mac chips within its current lineup.

Technologies

iOS 17 Cheat Sheet: Your Questions on the iPhone Update Answered

Here’s what you need to know about new features and upcoming updates for your iPhone.

Apple’s iOS 17 was released in September, shortly after the company held its Wonderlust event, where the tech giant announced the new iPhone 15 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. We put together this cheat sheet to help you learn about and use the new features in iOS 17. It’ll also help you keep track of the subsequent iOS 17 updates.

iOS 17 updates

Using iOS 17

Getting started with iOS 17

Make sure to check back periodically for more iOS 17 tips and how to use new features as Apple releases more updates.

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

+15 More

See all photos

Technologies

Get Ready for a Striking Aurora That Could Also Disrupt Radio Communications

Don’t expect the storm to cause a lingering problem, though.

A geomagnetic storm is threatening radio communications Monday night, but that doesn’t mean you should be concerned. In fact, it may be an opportunity to see a colorful aurora in the night sky.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a geomagnetic storm watch after witnessing a coronal mass ejection from the sun on Saturday. The watch, which was issued over the weekend and will expire after Monday, said the onset of the storm passing over Earth on Sunday night represented a «moderate» threat to communications. As the storm continues to pass through, it could deliver a «strong» threat on Monday night that could cause radio communications to be temporarily disrupted during the worst of it.

Even so, NOAA said, «the general public should not be concerned.»

A coronal mass ejection occurs when magnetic field and plasma mass are violently expelled from the sun’s corona, or the outermost portion of the sun’s atmosphere. In the vast majority of cases, the ejection occurs with no real threat to Earth. However, in the event the ejection happens in the planet’s direction, a geomagnetic storm occurs, and the Earth’s magnetic field is temporarily affected.

In most cases, geomagnetic storms cause little to no disruption on Earth, with radio communications and satellites affected most often. In extreme cases, a geomagnetic storm can cause significant and potentially life-threatening power outages — a prospect that, luckily, the planet hasn’t faced.

Switching poles

Every 11 years, the sun’s magnetic poles switch, with the north pole and south pole swapping positions. During those cycles, the sun’s activity ramps up as it gets closer to pole-switching time. The height of its activity is called solar maximum, and scientists believe we either may be entering the solar maximum or may be already in it.

During periods of heightened solar activity, sunspots increase on the sun and there’s an increase in coronal mass ejections, among other phenomena. According to NOAA, solar maximum could extend into October of this year before the sun’s activity calms and it works towards its less-active phase, solar minimum.

Even when geomagnetic storms hit Earth and disrupt communications, the effects are usually short-lived. Those most affected, including power grid operators and pilots and air traffic controllers communicating over long distances, have fail-safe technologies and backup communications to ensure operational continuity.

But geomagnetic storms aren’t only about radios. In most cases, they also present unique opportunities to see auroras in the night sky. When the storms hit, the plasma they carry creates a jaw-dropping aurora, illuminating the night sky with brilliant colors. Those auroras can be especially pronounced during the most intense phases of the storm, making for nice stargazing.

If you’re interested in seeing the aurora, you’ll need to be ready. The NOAA said the «brunt of the storm has passed» and even if it lingers into Tuesday, there won’t be much to see after Monday night.

Technologies

Last Total Solar Eclipse for 20 Years Is Coming: How to See and Photograph It

It’s your last chance until 2044.

Get your eclipse glasses ready, Skygazers: the Great American Eclipse is on its way. On April 8, there’ll be a total eclipse over North America, the last one until 2044.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun and turning an otherwise sunny day to darkness for a short period of time. Depending on the angle at which you’re viewing the eclipse, you may see the sun completely shrouded by the moon (called totality) or some variation of it. The more off-angle you are and the further you are from the path of the eclipse, the less likely you’ll be to see the totality.

The 2024 total solar eclipse will happen on Monday, April 8. The Great American Eclipse will reach the Mexican Pacific coast at 11:07 a.m. PT (2:07 p.m. ET), and then traverse the US in a northeasterly direction from Texas to Maine, and on into easternmost Canada. If you want a good look at it, but don’t live in the path of totality, you shouldn’t wait much longer to book accommodation and travel to a spot on the path.

Or how about booking a seat in the sky? Delta Airlines made headlines for offering a flight that allows you to see the entire path of totality. Its first eclipse flight, from Austin, Texas, to Detroit sold out quickly. But as of Monday, Delta has added a second flight from Dallas to Detroit, which also covers the path of totality. The airline also has five flights that will offer prime eclipse viewing.

Not everyone can get on one of those elusive eclipse-viewing flights. Here’s a look at other options to nab a chance to see this rare sight and what to know about it.

Total solar eclipse path

The eclipse will cross over the Pacific coast of Mexico and head northeast over mainland Mexico. The eclipse will then make its way over San Antonio at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET on April 8 and move through Texas, over the southeastern part of Oklahoma and northern Arkansas by 2:50 p.m. ET.

By 3 p.m. ET, the eclipse will be over southern Illinois, and just 5 minutes later, will be traveling over Indianapolis. Folks in northwestern Ohio will be treated to the eclipse by 3:15 p.m. ET, and it will then travel over Lake Erie and Buffalo, New York, by 3:20 p.m. ET. Over the next 10 minutes, the eclipse will be seen over northern New York state, then over Vermont. By 3:35 p.m. ET, the eclipse will work its way into Canada and off the Eastern coast of North America.

Best places to watch the Great American Eclipse

When evaluating the best places to watch this year’s total eclipse, you’ll first want to determine where you’ll have the best angle to see the totality. The farther off-angle you are — in other words, the farther north or south of the eclipse’s path — the less of an impact you can expect.

Therefore, if you want to have the best chance of experiencing the eclipse, you’ll want to be in its path. As of this writing, most of the cities in the eclipse’s path have some hotel availability, but recent reports have suggested that rooms are booking up. And as more rooms are booked, prices are going up.

So if you want to be in the eclipse’s path, and need a hotel to do it, move fast. And Delta’s eclipse-viewing flight from Dallas to Detroit has just four seats left at the time of publication.

Eclipse eye safety and photography

As with any solar eclipse, it’s critical you keep eye safety in mind.

During the eclipse, and especially during the periods before and after totality, don’t look directly at the sun without special eye protection. Also, be sure not to look at the sun through a camera (including the camera on your phone), binoculars, a telescope or any other viewing device. This could cause serious eye injury. Sunglasses aren’t enough to protect your eyes from damage.

If you want to view the eclipse, you’ll instead need solar viewing glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. Anything that doesn’t meet that standard or greater won’t be dark enough to protect your eyes. Want to get them for free? If you’ve got a Warby Parker eyeglasses store nearby, the company is giving away free, ISO-certified solar eclipse glasses at all of its stores from April 1 until the eclipse, while supplies last.

If you don’t have eclipse viewing glasses handy, you can instead use indirect methods for viewing the eclipse, like a pinhole projector.

Read more: A Photographer’s Adventure With the Eclipse

In the event you want to take pictures of the eclipse, attach a certified solar filter to your camera. Doing so will protect your eyes and allow you to take photos while you view the eclipse through your lens.

There’s also a new app to help you both protect your eyes and take better photos of the eclipse on your phone. Solar Snap, designed by a former Hubble Space Telescope astronomer, comes with a Solar Snap camera filter that attaches to the back of an iPhone or Android phone, along with solar eclipse glasses for protecting your eyesight during the event. After you attach the filter to your phone, you can use the free Solar Snap Eclipse app to zoom in on the eclipse, adjust exposure and other camera settings, and ultimately take better shots of the eclipse.

2024 eclipse compared to 2017

The last total solar eclipse occurred in 2017, and many Americans had a great view. Although there are plenty of similarities between the 2017 total solar eclipse and the one coming April 8, there are a handful of differences. Mainly, the 2024 eclipse is going to cover more land and last longer.

The 2017 eclipse started over the northwest US and moved southeast. Additionally, that eclipse’s path was up to 71 miles wide, compared with a maximum width of 122 miles for this year’s eclipse. Perhaps most importantly, the moon completely covered the sun for just 2 minutes, 40 seconds in 2017. This year, maximum totality will last for nearly four-and-a-half minutes.