INVESTIGATES

After a big year in 2021, Charlotte Henry wonders what the next 12 months has in store for Apple

WRITTEN BY CHARLOTTE HENRY

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Will 2022 be the year we finally see an Apple AR headset hit the shelves?

W hile for many companies and individuals 2021 was another year of pandemic-induced struggling, Apple has emerged stronger than ever. It seems to have weathered lockdowns, chip shortages, and all manner of other disruption whilst launching the iPhone 13 range, new Macs and iPads, the latest generation of the ever-popular AirPods, the Apple Watch Series 7, and rapidly updating the M1 series of chips. After production delays, there was also a host of new content on Apple TV+. This included hit movie Finch, starring Tom Hanks, and the blockbuster success that is the Ted Lasso series.

So, what’s next? What can we expect from a firm that is, depending on the day, the world’s most valuable?

iPhone 14 and iOS 16

Let’s start with the obvious. Around September next year we can expect to get a look at the new iPhone, which will presumably be called the iPhone 14.

There will be the inevitable flow of rumours in the run-up to the unveiling, as journalists and industry analysts try to work out what features the new handsets will offer.

The iPhone 13 was an incremental upgrade compared to the substantial changes introduced with the iPhone 12. It is likely then that the iPhone 14 will bring with it a fairly significant features overhaul, given the two-year cycle these things tend to follow. There will undoubtedly be the usual improvement to the already seriously impressive cameras, but we may also see some new sensors included, perhaps aimed at the health sector. One thing that may not make it into next year’s line-up is the ‘mini’ version. Although popular with those that own them, the take-up is thought not to be big enough to justify continuing the smaller model.