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/CNETApple 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.
Read more: I Want to See These 6 Features on the iPhone 15
Apple AR/VR headset


Apple is rumored to release a mixed-reality headset this year.
James Martin/CNETApple’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/CNETLike 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.
Read more: All the Apple Watch Series 9 Rumors We’ve Heard So Far
A new iMac


The 2021 iMac with Apple’s M1 chip.
Sarah Tew/CNETFans 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/CNETApple 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


The M2 MacBook Air.
Dan Ackerman/CNETApple’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
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, June 28
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 28.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s Saturday, so it’s extra-long, and might take you a while. Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Detachable parts of a dress form
Answer: ARMS
5A clue: Catering container containing caffeine
Answer: TEARUN
8A clue: Climbing structure offered in pet stores
Answer: CATTREE
9A clue: Gets into town
Answer: ARRIVES
10A clue: Frédéric Chopin or Ray Charles, notably
Answer: PIANIST
11A clue: They don’t hold water
Answer: SIEVES
12A clue: ___-jerk reaction
Answer: KNEE
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: With some chance of failure
Answer: ATARISK
2D clue: Prepare for a new job, maybe
Answer: RETRAIN
3D clue: Midday Broadway showing
Answer: MATINEE
4D clue: Goal of a noted reality show set on an island
Answer: SURVIVE
6D clue: Witherspoon who portrayed June Carter in «Walk the Line»
Answer: REESE
7D clue: Lodgings for larks
Answer: NESTS
8D clue: Souvenir from a baseball game
Answer: CAP
Technologies
Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store
A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.

In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.
With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.
For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.
Cost to developers
Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.
Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.
Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.
Why now?
In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.
Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»
If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469
Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.
Wordle hint No. 4: Placement
The two vowels are next to each other.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.
Recent Wordle answers
June 22, No. 1464: THRUM
June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY
June 24, No. 1466: ELITE
June 25, No. 1467: COMFY
Will Wordle run out of words?
When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.
Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.
«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.
She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.
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