We have come to the end of 2022! Well, almost. And barring last-minute announcements from Cupertino, we’ve seen everything Apple has to offer for the current year. Which, of course, means we can turn our eyes to the horizon, to the unknown land that is…2023.
With the biggest moves of 2022 in our rearview mirror, it’s time to pontificate about what Apple might have in store for the coming year. What will we look back on, a year from now, as the company’s biggest moves in 2023?
So here are my picks for the areas that most deserve your attention over the next 12 months.
become real
At this point, I’ve predicted enough times that Apple should make a virtual reality game in which Lucy holds a soccer ball as I desperately try to kick her. But like Bullwinkle trying to get a bunny out of his hat-if I can mix up my cartoon metaphors-This time, it’s sure.
Meta is going to have new competition from Apple in 2023. Mark Zuckerberg, watch out.
Meta
smoke around Apple’s mixed reality headset has only gotten thicker over the past couple of years, though no doubt challenges like COVID and the resulting supply chain issues have pushed back the announcement window the company was originally aiming for. . But as we approach 2023, the clouds have lifted a bit and it looks like this virtual reality could finally become a real reality.
This would mark one of the biggest new categories that Apple has entered in several years and, like many of these previous markets, it is one that has many existing players (Sony, HTC and, of course, Meta) but which is still in its infancy. childhood. This is often the kind of situation where Apple excels, bringing clarity of vision and expertise to deliver what consumers want (even if they don’t know it yet).
All of this is, of course, tempered by reports that the company’s initial offering will likely be expensive and perhaps aimed more at developers ahead of a more streamlined later product. But if nothing else, 2023 should be the year we see the outline of Apple’s plan for this category, which could also end up being the last big product of Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO.
Keep them interoperable
At the beginning of 2021, I had planned three battles What Apple would face in the coming year, and the last of them – Apple vs. governments around the world – only accelerating almost two years later. While the company has remained largely immune to severe challenges in the United States, regulators elsewhere in the world have taken a closer look at Apple and found it wanting. Chief among them is the European Union.
EU forced Apple to switch to USB-C on iPad and iPhone. Will the EU do more to force Apple’s hand?
Michel Simon/IDG
The region’s Digital Markets Act, which will take effect in 2024, has the potential to upend Apple’s shopping cart, potentially forcing the company to let competitors offer their products on iOS and iPadOS (and presumably tvOS) by outside of the App Store. Recent reports suggest that Apple is currently planning such an event, which could be announced alongside the debut of iOS 17.
But that’s not the only disruption the company will see as a result of this regulation. It can also affect everything from browser engines on iOS to messaging protocols to private APIs. The EU charging ports law also comes into force in 2024 and it is widely expected that the next iPhone will replace the proprietary Lightning port with USB-C before this requirement.
From a macro perspective, however, it will be fascinating to see how Apple, a company that values control to an almost fanatical degree, handles the decisions that get out of hand. I expect this to be one of the biggest challenges the company has ever faced from a strategic perspective and it means that 2023 is shaping up to be one of the most interesting years to come. look into recent Apple history.
The transition lens
Same as Apple missed his self-proclaimed deadline to transition the entire Mac product line to Apple silicon within two years, rumors have swirled that the company will scale back its plans for its Upcoming Mac Prothe latest major model to make the leap.
Besides a new Mac Pro, 2023 could be another big year for the Mac lineup.
Foundry
The Mac has gone pretty strong as a result of this transition and I don’t expect that to change in 2023. But Apple is going to make choices over the coming year as to where it spends its time and energy to develop its computers, which will be be interesting to see. Dialing the Mac Pro, as rumored, from a ridiculously powerful machine to an extremely powerful machine will no doubt disappoint some, but it’s a good indication that Apple knows where its market is. The Mac Pro is already a niche product that represents only a tiny percentage of Macs and the most high-end configurations represent only a small percentage of those Sales.
Selling products that appeal to more consumers is a bit like robbing banks: that’s where the money is. That’s why it’s no surprise that the company is planning a larger version of the MacBook Air, its most popular model. The future of the Mac Studio and iMac will also help clarify the company’s marketing ethos, assuming they are indeed updated in the coming year. Either way, with the excitement of Apple’s latest chip transition coming to an end, it’s time to see what the status quo looks like for the Mac as it nears its 40th anniversary.
Everything else
These are just the highlights of what I’m looking for in 2023: there’s a full year of Apple events, new products and upgrades to come. What will the iPhone 15 bring? Is the design of the Apple Watch Ultra starting to trickle down to the rest of the product line? Hey, what about that classical music app Apple said it would arrive in 2022? And does anyone know what’s going on with the iPad these days?
This past year has been full of surprises, and there’s no reason to think 2023 will be any different. So pop in your AirPods, turn on Apple TV, and enjoy the latest Apple TV+ content as we usher in the new year.
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