2023 has been a giant yr for Apple, as 2022 was earlier than it. The identical could be stated for 2021, and by now you are most likely noticing one thing of a sample. Yearly is a giant yr once you’re Apple, whether or not you are launching a giant new product or watching and listening because the world waits so that you can make a mistake and fall in your face. However 2024 is someway a little bit completely different. It is a yr the place the strain may be very a lot on, and Apple is on the point of launch some huge new merchandise — though admittedly, a few of them are newer than others. However for these of us watching from the surface, 2024 has the potential to be a type of huge years that we at some point look again on. The query is, how will we take a look at it?

As 2023 begins to wind down and 2024 begins to return into focus, there are many rumors flying round to counsel that Apple has lots of irons on the fireplace. Whereas 2023 noticed a few of its product strains stagnate, the other is anticipated in 2024. The iPad lineup is in for a revamp, and the Apple Watch could possibly be about to undergo its greatest change in a decade. And that is earlier than we get onto the iPhones that we are able to safely count on in the direction of the top of the yr. Oh, and there is the little matter of Apple’s entry into a brand new market.

That market, the blended actuality headset market, is an attention-grabbing one. It is nonetheless younger, and there aren’t all that many choices available. And the Imaginative and prescient Professional is ready to be like nothing anybody has ever tried earlier than. That is thrilling, however it’s additionally a possible for a misstep the likes of which Apple is not actually used to. And that makes 2024 extra vital — and extra attention-grabbing — than current years. I, for one, cannot wait and I’ve huge expectations for Apple in 2024.

So, with all that in thoughts, here is what I am hoping Apple will ship subsequent yr.

The iPad Professional’s coming of age

2023 was the primary yr during which Apple did not replace any a part of its pill lineup. Which means there was no new iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, or iPad Professional however 2024 is ready to be a really completely different scenario totally.

We have been listening to so many rumors of a brand new OLED iPad Professional that it is not possible to consider it is not within the playing cards. The expectation is that Apple goes to deliver OLED tech to the small and enormous iPad Professional, presumably growing the display measurement barely within the course of. However the modifications will not be skin-deep, with new M3 chips additionally anticipated to be a part of this refresh. And between the brand new, extra vibrant show and the ultra-fast M3 chip, these iPad Professionals would be the greatest but. And it is about time Apple used that energy.

Apple appears to have taken a step again from its declare the iPad could be a laptop computer alternative, one thing that was very a lot a part of its advertising and marketing not too way back. There are rumors {that a} new, upgraded, and aluminum keyboard case is on the horizon. If true, that may make the iPad Professional extra laptop-like than ever. But it surely’s the software program that is the issue, and I hope iPadOS 18 involves the rescue. Enhancements to Stage Supervisor would not go amiss, for starters. And whereas mouse and trackpad help has improved of late there may be nonetheless room for an improve. I for one want to see an precise mouse pointer, however possibly I am simply old school.

Nonetheless Apple does it, the iPad Professional must be a spot the place apps have characteristic and usefulness parity with their Mac counterparts. Perhaps 2024 is the yr that lastly begins to occur.

A brand new computing paradigm — enter, Imaginative and prescient Professional

It is not possible to look in the direction of 2024 with out serious about the Imaginative and prescient Professional headset. It is the factor that casts an enormous shadow over the yr, or not less than the primary few months — Apple is now anticipated to launch it as quickly as February.

Whether or not or not the Imaginative and prescient Professional headset will probably be successful is tough to inform, however I do know that I need it to be. As anybody who has seen Minority Report, it is not possible to not desire a new paradigm shift in the way in which we use computer systems. Will Imaginative and prescient Professional and so-called spatial computing be that shift? It is not possible to inform, however it positively will not occur till the $3,499 asking worth is slashed by a substantial margin. Fortunately, Apple is alleged to be engaged on a less expensive AR/VR headset model already.

You possibly can argue that the iPhone has already modified the way in which we use computer systems — in that we do not essentially want to make use of them anyplace close to as a lot as we as soon as did — however it’s Imaginative and prescient Professional and visionOS which have the potential to vary the sport in a complete new approach. Those that have spent hands-on time with the headset have been virtually universally impressed, which bodes nicely. However we can’t get a correct really feel for a way spectacular the headset is till it begins touchdown on the heads of people that spent their cash on it.

I might prefer to see Apple give Imaginative and prescient Professional each likelihood of success, one thing I am certain it is going to. However the primary factor I need is one thing which may not bear fruit till 2025. I need Apple to be onerous at work discovering methods to make the headset cheaper and extra accessible. If solely in order that I can justify spending the cash on one sooner or later!

An Apple Watch refresh worthy of a 10-year birthday

The unique Apple Watch shipped in 2014 — I’ve mine proper right here, and it nonetheless works simply advantageous — which makes the 2024 mannequin one that may rejoice a 10-year birthday. And that is a giant deal for Apple.

Apple has a historical past of celebrating such milestones. The iPhone X shipped in 2017, 10 years after the unique iPhone, and we have already heard rumors that the subsequent wearable out of Cupertino might bear the Apple Watch X moniker.

I might very very like to see Apple go all-out with the Apple Watch X, simply because it did with the iPhone X in 2017. That mannequin introduced with it a redesign that noticed the debut of Face ID, a characteristic that’s nonetheless a key a part of its greatest iPhones and iPads at this time. I might additionally prefer to see Apple lastly provide some new sensors and well being capabilities as nicely.

Fortunately, rumors counsel that is precisely what Apple has in retailer. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims sleep apnea and blood strain monitoring are two options within the pipeline, with the latter being of explicit curiosity to me. I at present monitor my very own hypertension utilizing a cuff system that connects to my iPhone 15 Professional Max through Bluetooth, and whereas it really works, it feels prefer it’s time it was put out to pasture. I am trying to the Apple Watch X to make that doable.

Wildcard — a clearer high-end Mac technique

This one appears unlikely, if solely as a result of I am not 100% satisfied that Apple is aware of what its technique is at this level. However hear me out.

In 2024 I might prefer it to be extra clear what Apple thinks the Mac Professional is for. Who, it is for, to be extra exact. As a result of proper now, it would not actually appear to be for anybody. It has the identical innards because the Mac Studio proper now, topping out on the M2 Extremely chip. But it surely’s rather a lot greater and prices extra.

Traditionally, the Mac Professional was designed for individuals who need to put their very own graphics playing cards inside, including extra RAM and an upgraded CPU as they go. However whereas the Mac Professional remains to be modular, it is not modular in the way in which a Mac Professional usually is. You possibly can’t add extra RAM or improve the CPU, and it would not have a discrete GPU so that you can improve — every thing’s constructed into the Apple silicon you selected once you purchased it.

Positive, you may add specialist I/O playing cards and inside storage for those who should, however the quantity of people that want that type of factor is so minuscule that it is onerous to think about it is a market Apple even must cater to. The Mac Professional market was already minuscule earlier than the Mac Studio arrived. Now the Mac Professional would not have all the perfect bits of what made it a Mac Professional, so I am undecided it must be round anymore.

I might prefer to see Apple actually handle that. Both by making the Mac Professional extra upgradable — which appears unlikely — or simply canning the entire thing and calling it a day.

I did let you know it was a wildcard, did not I?

The remaining will deal with itself

There are a lot extra new merchandise on the horizon for Apple, however they’re going to just about deal with themselves. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional lineups will probably be nice, and there is speak of a brand new 12.9-inch iPad Air, however this can all deal with itself. And neither will probably be really new, so actually, how thrilling can they be?

The actual star of 2024 is bound to be the Imaginative and prescient Professional headset, however it may be the most important flop as nicely. However very like the items across the Christmas tree, Apple’s different product releases will encompass it, little question promoting nicely and providing comparatively minor upgrades over the fashions they change. And that is all simply advantageous.

Simply as long as Apple Santa offers me a number of the huge items I simply requested for, that’s.