What to Expect From Apple in 2020: New iPhones, Refreshed iPads, Apple Watch Series 6 and More
This year, with some exciting new items on the horizon, we're hoping to see some big changes from Apple. In 2020, with 3D sensing rear cameras, 5 G technology, and an all-OLED lineup, major iPhone modifications are planned.
Apple is also working on revamped versions for iPad Pro, new Macs, Apple Tags, and may have a few other surprises in store, such as an augmented reality headset, a lower-cost HomePod, an updated Apple TV, and more.
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Below, based on both current reports that we have heard so far and past release details, we have rounded up all the products we expect to see from Apple in 2020.
"iPhone SE 2"
Apple is said to be preparing to unveil a new low-cost iPhone during the first half of 2020 that will be offered alongside the iPhone 11, 11 Mini, and Pro Max. In reality, the smartphone, while in rumours called a "iPhone SE 2", is most similar to an iPhone 8. It might also be named a "iPhone 9," which, since the company launched the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X in 2017, is Apple's missing iPhone.
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It will feature a single-lens rear camera, 3 GB RAM, and will be available in silver, red, and space-gray colours to keep costs down. The next low-cost iPhone will be priced at $399, reports say.
For more information on the upcoming iPhone SE 2, check out our iPhone SE 2 roundup.
iPhone 12 Lineup
Like it does each year, Apple will update its iPhone lineup in the fall of 2020. Rumors say that we should expect to see several iPhones in 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch sizes in 2020, a deviation from the existing 5.8, 6.1, and 6.5-inch sizes used by Apple in the last few years.
Apple is expected to introduce higher-end 6.1 and 6.7-inch iPhone models alongside lower-end 5.4 and 6.1-inch iPhone models, for a total of four iPhones in the fall of 2020.
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Both iPhones are supposed to feature OLED displays in 2020, with Apple doing away with the lower-end iPhone's LCD display. A redesign of a metal frame that is identical to the iPhone 4 frame, which had a distinctive, flat look, will feature at least one of the upcoming iPhones that is in the works.
A new TrueDepth camera system that reduces the notch size could be included, and reports indicate that the higher-end models would feature a new 3D triple-lens rear camera system that uses a laser to measure depth information, resulting in enhanced capabilities for photography and AR. It is predicted that the lower-end iPhone will use a dual-lens camera setup.
It is expected that any new iPhone arriving in 2020 will support 5 G technology, which is faster than the existing 4 G LTE technology. 5 G networks will take some time to expand through the United States and the rest of the world, but by the end of 2020, there will be good coverage.
We don't know what the 2020 iPhones will be named yet, but iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are likely bets considering the naming of the 2019 lineup.
For more on what to expect from the iPhone 12, make sure to check out our iPhone 12 roundup.
Apple Watch Series 6
Apple also launches a new Apple Watch every year when the iPhone is refreshed, and this year, we're anticipating the Apple Watch Series 6. So far, we haven't heard a lot about the Apple Watch Series 6, but there are a few specifics that reports have highlighted.
It is said that the Apple Watch Series 6 features faster performance , better water resistance and enhanced wireless transmission for faster WiFi and cellular speeds, changes introduced by a swap for the flexible circuit boards in the unit to liquid crystal polymer metarial.
Sleep tracking is anticipated to be a big 2020 feature, with Apple reported to be adding, among other things, sleep tracking capabilities to the system for tracking sleep duration and quality.
It remains to be seen if there will be any new health monitoring features in the Apple Watch Series 6, but as launch approaches, we will learn more about the new product. Make sure to check out our Apple Watch roundup to keep up with fresh Apple Watch rumours.
Updated iPad Pro Models
There was no iPad Pro refresh in 2019, and rumors suggest a refresh is coming in the first half of 2020.
Apple is said to be planning to launch an updated iPad Pro with a faster Face ID and a Time-of - Flight (ToF) rear-facing camera system that would allow the iPad Pro to capture 3D models and then edit them for an all-new productivity experience with the Apple Pencil.
By calculating the time a light or laser signal takes to get from the camera to the subject at each point in the image, the time-of - flight camera device will calculate the distance between objects. In order to allow more precise depth perception and better positioning of virtual objects, the information is used to create a 3D image of the surrounding area.
There is also a rumour by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that suggests that Apple is preparing to launch a high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display in late 2020, although it is not yet clear if this interferes with the rumours of a launch in early 2020. Apple may be considering a phased launch of the iPad Pro in 2020, or one of the launch timelines might be off.
Without compromising on display quality, Mini-LED will allow thinner and lighter product designs and will, in reality, bring many OLED benefits such as deeper blacks, better contrast, HDR, and better performance of the large colour gamut.
More information on the upcoming iPad Pro can be found in our iPad Pro roundup.
Other iPads
With Apple upgrading the 10.2-inch seventh-generation iPad and the 10.5-inch iPad Air, other iPads may also see a refresh in 2020, although we have not heard any clear reports about these devices as of yet.
AirTags
Apple is working on AirTags, a Bluetooth tracking device similar to Tile that is designed to be attached to items such as keys and wallets, allowing them to be tracked in the Find My app.
For Apple's AirTags, there is no expected release date, but given that for months now we have seen signs of them in iOS 13 , Apple is likely targeting a 2020 launch.
AirTags have built-in chips that attach to an iPhone, which relay the location of the devices to which they are linked. You can use any Apple computer or iCloud web browser to find a missing AirTags object, as you would with a lost iPhone.
Rumors suggest AirTags will feature an Apple-designed U1 ultra-wideband chip for more accurate tracking than Bluetooth can provide, which will give Apple an edge over its competitors.
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New MacBook Pros
It is speculated that Apple plans to refresh the 16-inch MacBook Pro range with a new computer with a mini-LED display in 2020. Mini-LED technology can make product designs smaller and lighter, while providing many of the same advantages as OLED, such as enhanced wide colour gamut, high contrast, greater dynamic range, and truer blacks.
Apple is also expected to introduce a 13-inch MacBook Pro, which may arrive during the first half of the year, with a scissor switch keyboard. Earlier reports have indicated that up to 32 GB of RAM could also support the 13-inch model.
Other Mac Updates
We didn't hear a lot of concrete reports about other Macs arriving in 2020, but at some point during the year, Apple is expected to add its new scissor switch keyboard to the MacBook Air.
We've heard no news about system upgrades like the iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac mini, but updates are still a possibility at some point in 2020. In our Mac roundups, listed below, we will keep track of any future Mac updates:
- MacBook Air
- iMac
- iMac Pro
- Mac mini
- Mac Pro
Software
Apple launches new apps for the iPhone , iPad, Apple Watch , Apple TV, and Macs every year at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
We expect to see iOS 14, iPadOS 14, WatchOS 7, tvOS 14, and macOS 10.16 this year. We haven't heard any specifics so far about what to expect.
Lower-Cost HomePod
Apple is said to be preparing to launch a version of the HomePod for the second generation, which was first launched in 2017. It is said that the new version features a lower price point, which should allow it to compete better with speakers from other companies.
Instead of seven in the current HomePod, the latest HomePod is said to have two tweeters, resulting in a lower audio quality but a more affordable price tag. There is no news yet as to when Apple will launch a new HomePod in 2020.
Other Possibilities
Over-the-Ear Headphones
There were reports saying that Apple was collaborating with a "all-new concept" on high-end over-ear headphones that are as comfortable as AirPods but with superior sound quality. It was said that the headphones feature noise cancelling technology and were intended to reach a higher-end segment.
Despite reports suggesting a launch could occur as soon as 2019, no over-ear Apple-branded headphones materialized in 2019, and we've heard nothing more since then. Even though those are on-ear, not over-ear, it's likely that the headphones were actually the Beats Solo Pro that released in October. Like Beats Studio3, Beats Solo Pro features Active Noise Cancellation.
Apple TV
Ahead of the launch of Apple TV+, signs of a new Apple TV model were found in iOS 13, and rumours have suggested an upgraded Apple TV could use a faster A12 processor, but other than that, we haven't heard anything about a new Apple TV.
Sometime in 2020, an updated set-top box will arrive, but we don't know when and we don't know any other features that could be included. Make sure to check out our Apple TV roundup to track the rumours.
AR Smart Glasses
Apple is working on smart glasses with augmented reality that are supposed to be sold alongside the iPhone, with the iPhone performing the majority of processor requirements and the glasses serving a display role.
As an iPhone companion, offering the glasses would allow Apple to keep them slim and lightweight. Some reports have suggested that these glasses might come as soon as 2020, but it is not clear whether that is still the case because Apple is now aiming for a launch date for 2022 as a recent article from The Details indicated.
For all of the rumors that we've heard on Apple's work on AR headsets, VR headsets, and mixed reality, make sure to check out our Apple smart glasses roundup.
ARM-Based Mac
Through creating its own ARM-based chips for its Mac lineup, Apple is working to reduce its reliance on Intel, which would allow it to produce its chips in-house without waiting for Intel's release timelines.
There is no news about when an ARM-based Mac could be launched by Apple, although some reports have indicated it might appear on the MacBook Air as early as 2020, maybe. Check out our ARM-based Mac guide for more on Apple 's work on ARM-based Macs.
Wrap Up
In the works by Apple in 2020, there are some exciting goods, and we will definitely see some unexpected surprises as well, as we do every year. To keep up with all of the rumours about the upcoming products that Apple has in production through our What to Expect Guide, make sure to follow MacRumors.com and the MacRumors roundups over the course of 2019.
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