8 Apple Predictions for 2024
Credit: 4RMD / Alexander Shatov / Unsplash+ / DigitalTechTrends / Jesse Hollington
All in all, Apple had a pretty good 2023. The company managed to release many new products, and it shocked the world with news like USB-C on the iPhone and the Apple Vision Pro.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg; Apple still has a lot of new things in the works, many of which are likely to happen in 2024.
While we can never know for sure what the secretive Cupertino company is working on, we already have a pretty good idea of what 2024 might look like for Apple.
Apple is working on a lot of new things for us to play with. Whether it is a VR headset, or the ability to talk to your Android friends, there will be a lot of changes for the company and the iPhone in 2024.
With that said, most of these are speculations. We'll still need to wait and see how Apple will handle all of these predictions. One thing is for sure, though: 2024 will be a great year for Apple fans.
Whether it's new technology, new products, or maybe a new App Store, Apple has a busy year ahead. Read on for eight top Apple predictions for 2024.
Note: The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. All images of unreleased products are artists’ concepts that do not necessarily reflect Apple’s actual designs. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.
Apple Will Launch New iPads in 2024
Apple didn't worry about updating the current iPad lineup in 2023. After all, why should you fix it if it hasn't broken?
With that said, the company might be working on a few new iPads, and they might come sooner than you think.
First, there are rumors that the iPad Air will get a refresh this year, and instead of just one model, we might get two. Rumor has it that we'll have the familiar 10.9-inch version joined by a 12.9-inch model this time around.
Moreover, they'll also likely feature Apple's M2 chip, making them more powerful than the current M1 iPad Air.
The iPad Pro might also see a refresh this year. Rumors say that Apple could increase the size of the larger model from 12.9 inches to 13 inches. It might not seem like much, but it'll definitely make it stand out.
We'll also likely see the M3 chip on the iPad Pro models since the current generation already has Apple's M2 processor.
The good news is that we might see all of these new iPads in the first quarter of 2024. The bad news is that iPad Pros might get a price increase. According to some rumors, the 11-inch and the 13-inch iPad Pros might raise their prices to $1,500 and $1,800, respectively.
Apple Is Focusing on Virtual Reality
It's not a secret that Apple is betting heavily on VR in 2024. For starters, the company's new VR headset, the Apple Vision Pro, is set to release on February 2, 2024.
But that's not all the company is doing. Apple also implemented a new feature on the iPhone 15 Pro lineup called Spatial Video, and it uses the Main and the Ultra Wide cameras on your iPhone 15 Pro to shoot videos in 3D. This feature is meant to be used almost exclusively with the Apple Vision Pro, which is the only device capable of providing the immersive viewing experience needed to fully enjoy these videos.
However, chances are that's not the only thing that Apple is working on in the virtual reality department. The company might reveal some new features after the Apple Vision Pro releases or during this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The Vision Pro might also launch in several other countries by then, too.
Apple Is Moving Away From the iPhone
This is a rumor that's been going around since the end of 2023. Apparently, the company will try to "move beyond" the iPhone in 2024.
It's probably not a surprise that the iPhone is Apple's most-sold product. The iPhone accounts for around half of Apple's yearly revenue, but the company wants to move past that and focus on other products.
Of course, that doesn't mean that Apple won't produce iPhones anymore, but rumor has it that Apple will focus more on wearables this year. This includes the Apple Vision Pro, the AirPods, and the Apple Watch — assuming Apple manages to sort its legal issues out.
Is the New iPhone Ultra Finally Coming
We've heard rumors of a new higher-end iPhone since early 2023, but this year might finally be the year that Apple introduces the iPhone Ultra.
If you kept up with the rumors in 2023, you probably heard of the iPhone 15 Ultra, a new premium iPhone that would be bigger and more powerful than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but Apple might not be done with the idea just yet. Some rumors are already saying that Apple might launch a fifth iPhone 16 model this year.
While there aren't many details as of yet, the iPhone 16 Ultra will probably have a more powerful processor, a larger display, and a bigger battery. And, of course, it would also be the most expensive iPhone yet.
We Might See a New iPhone SE
Another big prediction for this year is the introduction of a new, more affordable iPhone SE. Historically, Apple has used the body of older iPhones with the internals of newer iPhones with the iPhone SE.
And 2024 won't be any different. However, we might see a huge upgrade this year. Instead of using the older iPhone 8 body Apple has used in the previous two generations, the new iPhone SE might use the design of the iPhone X or iPhone XR, or even move beyond that to the style of the iPhone 14
This means the new iPhone SE will finally have Face ID instead of Touch ID, will get rid of the big chin, and could reintroduce the notch we all love to hate.
Additionally, we might see a larger 6.1-inch display, a bigger battery, and the A16 Bionic chip that the iPhone 14 introduced. Don't get your hopes up too high, though, as some reports suggest we may not see the next-gen iPhone SE until 2025.
Apple Will Finally Embrace Generative AI
Artificial Intelligence has become really popular nowadays. Whether you use it with your homework or just to learn something new, most of us have been trying to implement the use of AI in our daily lives.
Apple has since shown this potential, and it's apparently already working on some new generative AI tech that might be introduced in 2024. If the rumors are true, Apple will completely update Siri so it can use artificial intelligence.
This means Siri would actually become a smart virtual assistant and would be able to create tailored recommendations based on how you use your iPhone. Moreover, you could use Siri to write emails or messages for you instead of having to have to write them yourself.
According to the rumors, Apple will release or at least announce its new AI tech during this year's Worldwide Developer's Conference, which usually happens in June.
Will Apple Finally Make Messages More Inclusive
There has been a lot of debate over the blue and green text bubbles, and it's mostly because Apple makes it a bit difficult to message Android users.
Fortunately, that will change in 2024. Late last year, Apple confirmed that the company will adopt the Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging standard in 2024.
This will make it easier to message Android users, and it will make messages more dynamic, secure, and easier to use. For instance, it'll be easier to send high-quality videos or images to your Android friends with the Messages app instead of using an instant messaging app like WhatsApp.
While we don't know when this is going to change, it's highly likely that we'll see the RCS integration announced during the 2024 WWDC as part of iOS 18.
Apple Might Add Support for Third-Party App Stores
One of the reasons why people choose Android over iPhone is because of how easy it is to install apps from pretty much anywhere.
On Android, you can use the Google Play Store to download apps or download apps from any website you want. You can also use a third-party app store like the Amazon App Store to find other apps and games.
Apple doesn't let you do this because it wants to protect you and your iPhone. And while that might be true, the EU is basically ordering Apple to change this, so you can use third-party app stores on iPhone.
According to many reports, Apple will allow third-party app store support in Europe, so it's possible that we'll also see this happen in the US and other countries. With that said, we'll still have to wait and see how Apple handles this situation in 2024.