Touch ID MacBook, 'Series 4' Apple Watch with ceramic back, USB-C iPad Pro may be coming
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has chimed in on Apple's releases expected before the end of 2018, with the analyst saying that the wide-range of products will fuel suppliers -- and Apple's bottom line.
Imminent product refreshes, as predicted by Ming-Chi Kuo
Most of the report seen by AppleInsider reiterates previous work by the TF International Securities analyst. Ming-Chi Kuo still expects the LCD 6.1-inch iPhone to account for about 55 percent of the shipments in the second half of 2018, growing to nearly 70 percent before the first half of 2019 is over.
The rumor mill has gone back and forth regarding Apple's plans at the low end of the Mac portable lineup. Rumors from earlier in the year suggested that the MacBook Air was getting a Retina Display,, with more recent ones suggesting an entirely new product was imminent.
Previous rumors have pegged the Apple Watch "Series 4" to have a higher resolution, as well as a faster processor.
Aside from support for new hardware watchOS 5 will bring a Walkie Talkie app and native podcast support, including offline playback for both first- and third-party apps. People will also be able to launch Siri by raising their wrist, and get proactive suggestions from the Siri watchface based on daily routines.
Fitness followers will get long-awaited automatic workout detection, new Yoga and Hiking workouts, and pace alerts for people wanting to keep up a certain speed during runs and walks.
Imminent product refreshes, as predicted by Ming-Chi Kuo
Most of the report seen by AppleInsider reiterates previous work by the TF International Securities analyst. Ming-Chi Kuo still expects the LCD 6.1-inch iPhone to account for about 55 percent of the shipments in the second half of 2018, growing to nearly 70 percent before the first half of 2019 is over.
MacBook and MacBook Air
As previously mentioned, Kuo also predicts that a new "low-price MacBook" may replace the MacBook Air and possibly the existing MacBook. It is expected to have Touch ID, though -- but not the Touch Bar as found in the MacBook Pro.The rumor mill has gone back and forth regarding Apple's plans at the low end of the Mac portable lineup. Rumors from earlier in the year suggested that the MacBook Air was getting a Retina Display,, with more recent ones suggesting an entirely new product was imminent.
iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is also expected to see an update, with an enhancement to charging speed, and data transmission speed with a shift to USB-C for the connector. Rumors about a new iPad Pro suggest that the 10.5- and 12.9-inch models will lose some bezels, and possibly ditch the headphone jack at the same time."Series 4" Apple Watch
The "Series 4" Apple Watch is again said to have narrower bezels. Additionally, it is predicted to support electrocardiography, and all models have some form of ceramic back, as opposed to a composite back.Previous rumors have pegged the Apple Watch "Series 4" to have a higher resolution, as well as a faster processor.
Aside from support for new hardware watchOS 5 will bring a Walkie Talkie app and native podcast support, including offline playback for both first- and third-party apps. People will also be able to launch Siri by raising their wrist, and get proactive suggestions from the Siri watchface based on daily routines.
Fitness followers will get long-awaited automatic workout detection, new Yoga and Hiking workouts, and pace alerts for people wanting to keep up a certain speed during runs and walks.
Comments
Unlocking this Mac is so easy, you just buy a $500 watch.
I never felt it was accurate to call Touch ID part of the Touch bar. I think of it as more or less beside it.
Apple does intend to eliminate ports completely at some point, so we should get used to thinking about how their existing Lightning connected devices will operate in the absence of Lightning. Take for instance the Apple Mouse, and all the complaints about Lightning port on the bottom, making it unusable when charging. That would change substantially if let's say there were an inductive charging Mouse Pad.
Apple is moving in the right direction here and USB-C isn't it, though USB-C will likely be necessary for any device which purports to replace a computer, like the iPad Pro.
Let’s start it now then…
I believe that design choice was so people could never use it in wired mode, as Jony and gang probably felt they'd never unplug it and then it may as well not be wireless. But I think it was misguided design thinking. Typical wireless mice for the most part are more annoying with all the repeat charging or swapping of batteries. They should have swallowed their design pride and put the port on the lower front, and allow people who want to use it wired to do so and others to not.
As for your inductive mouse pad idea, I feel a better concept would be put the inductive charger in the iMac foot, and allow that to charge both keyboard and mouse. The mouse pad would need to have a wire coming from it; the iMac foot is already attached—and they could do one better and allow it to charge with iMac Shut Down, but connected to power, or at least while sleep mode.
Personally switched to wired mouse recently and will soon switch to wired keyboard.
(I made that up; to clarify)
Errrnt, it's not about "pride" and some crazy story that they're trying to force you to use it wireless. The answer is simpler, just look at the Magic Mouse -- there is no front for a port, it's a glass touch surface all the way down. The wireless version is the same design as the wired, so changing its shell shape completely is unwarranted when just making a wireless version.
I doubt you own one, but I do. Charging is rare and not the slightest of concerns. If for some reason I failed to heed the notification that it will soon need charging and plug it in after my session, then I can plug it in before a session for one minute what I get a drink of water or coffee or use the bathroom or flip thru some papers or whatever -- and it's charged for an entire day's use. Conversely I also have a wireless mouse that can be used plugged in, and I rarely use it. The MM design is better, period.
The whiners bitching about not being able to plug it in and use it are typical PC guys and the OCD hater sort, who don't even use the stuff they're complaining about.