6 Apple Products You Shouldn’t Buy Right Now
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For the most part, getting an Apple device, even if it's an older model, is rarely an issue. However, there comes a time in a product's life when you're better off waiting for the model to arrive.
Of course, all of this is speculation; Apple doesn't reveal which products it has in the works until it makes an official announcement. Nevertheless, we usually have a pretty good idea of what might come soon.
Between educated speculation and outright rumors, we expect Apple to release a handful of new products soon. Read on for 6 products you should think twice about buying right now.
Avoid the Base iPad
At this point, the base iPad has been around for decades, but it seems Apple will not get rid of it anytime soon.
You can buy the 10th-generation iPad right now, and you'll get a solid entry-level tablet for your most basic needs. However, you might be better off waiting a few more weeks before making a purchase.
Rumor has it that Apple might launch a new 11th-generation iPad this year. Some speculate that we might see it during the expected Apple October event.
That said, don't expect a huge upgrade this time around. Apple usually just keeps upgrading the processor on the entry-level iPad, and we expect the company to do the same this year.
So we expect some improvements on the inside, and that's it. The display, size, and price should remain the same. That might make you wonder if it's worth waiting for a better product, but the newer the iPad, the longer it'll last. Plus, even if the new iPad doesn't impress you, the old model will likely come down in price once its successor has been announced.
Don't Buy iPad mini
The iPad mini is also expected to get an upgrade this year, which is fair since we haven't had a new iPad mini since 2021.
This year, we'll likely see the 7th-generation iPad mini, which could get a bigger upgrade than the entry-level iPad.
On the outside, we expect Apple to keep everything the same. So don't expect a new display or smaller bezels. The colors might be the most significant change; expect a few different ones to make the new iPad mini stand out.
The real change might be on the inside. According to popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPad mini's biggest selling point will be its new processor. While we don't expect Apple to add an M-series chip on the smaller iPad, we might see the next best thing.
Usually, Apple adds the chip of an older iPhone to the iPad mini, but this year might be different. Apple might add the A17 Pro chip or even the iPhone 16's A18 chip to the iPad mini.
The reason is Apple Intelligence. These are the only two iPhone chips capable of handling Apple's AI technology, so using one of these processors will guarantee that the iPad mini is a great entry-level iPad for anyone who wants to try this new technology.
Besides the processor, we might see Apple increase the RAM on the iPad mini as well. The current iPad mini only comes with 4 GB of RAM, which is unsuitable for a 2024 product. So, Apple might upgrade it to 8 GB to handle Apple Intelligence without many hiccups.
As for the release date, we're expecting Apple to launch the iPad mini during its October event based on reports from reliable sources.
Don't Get Any MacBook Pro Model Right Now
Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, Apple's October event already has high expectations. In addition to new iPad models, we expect Apple to unveil its M4 MacBook Pro lineup.
This will include the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an entire lineup of new Apple silicon chips, similar to what Apple did during last fall's Scary Fast event.
Like other options, Apple will focus on what's inside. Apple revealed the M4 chip earlier this year as the most powerful Apple silicon processor. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, it's only available for the new iPad Pro models.
However, with the new MacBook Pro, Apple is expected to upgrade both models to the M4 chip. But if Apple plans to do the same thing it's done in the past, we might also expect to see the introduction of two more powerful chips: the M4 Pro and M4 Max processors.
Additionally, some rumors have suggested that the entry-level M4 MacBook Pro will now start at a minimum of 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.
Don't Think of Getting a New iMac Just Yet
Apple is also rumored to be preparing to launch a brand-new iMac this year. Just like other products on the list, we expect Apple to reveal the new iMac during its October event.
As you can probably guess, this year's iMac isn't expected to feature any design changes. In fact, the only difference, you guessed it, could be on the inside.
Like the other Macs, the 2024 iMac is expected to feature a new M-series chip. Although this iMac might only come with an M4 chip, it might be capable of having the M4 Pro or M4 Max chips if they're available.
Even if there aren't many rumors about it, it's highly expected that the iMac will also come in new colors.
Avoid the Mac mini for Now
Good news for Mac mini lovers: Apple is expected to release a brand new model this year.
The best news is that the Mac mini might be the only one getting a brand-new design. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the new Mac mini will have a smaller footprint — possibly as small as an Apple TV, which would be a great upgrade.
Additionally, it is rumored that the Mac will ditch the USB-A ports for good. Instead, Apple might add up to five USB-C ports this time around.
On the inside, the Mac mini will most likely feature the M4 and M4 Pro chips, as it has in the past.
There aren't many rumors about the price, but we expect, and hope, that Apple will keep the same price as the current generation Mac mini.
Don't Buy the iPhone SE
There have been rumors about a new iPhone SE for years now, but it seems we're finally getting close to the release of the new budget-friendly iPhone.
The current generation iPhone SE was first released in 2022, and its design was a bit outdated even then, but now it desperately needs an upgrade.
The good news is Apple's most affordable iPhone will finally get a big upgrade. Rumor has it that the 4th-generation iPhone SE will finally feature Face ID.
Rumor has it that the iPhone SE 4 will feature a design similar to that of the iPhone 14. This means we should expect a larger display, a notch, a bigger battery, and a better camera, although it may only come with one camera to make it more affordable for Apple to produce and set it apart from the iPhone 14, which Apple is still selling for $599.
It's also a given that the new iPhone SE will ditch the Lightning port and embrace USB-C.
If the rumors are true, we're also expecting the iPhone SE to feature the A18 chip that's on the iPhone 16 and 8 GB of RAM. Why do we expect that big of an upgrade? Because those are the minimum requirements for a device to run Apple Intelligence, and Apple will likely want to use this technology on this iPhone as well.
If the rumors are true, this will be the biggest upgrade to the iPhone SE ever, and it might be many people's go-to iPhone.
As for the release date, you shouldn't expect Apple to launch the iPhone SE during its October event. Instead, this iPhone is expected to launch in the first months of 2025.
For reference, the iPhone SE 2 was launched in April 2020, while the iPhone SE 3 was released in March 2022. So, we expect Apple to launch the fourth-generation iPhone SE sometime in March or April.