Q&A | Discussing the iPhone 14 mini, iPhone Fold, M2 MacBook Air, Beats Headphones, iMac Pro (+Much More)

Every week on Twitter, I’ll ask you to let me know what you want me to discuss in our weekly Q&A. This time I received a lot of exciting questions, and I want to answer as many as I can. This is going to be a long article – so let’s get right to it!

How many sources do you have? How many have you lost this year?

Well, for obvious security reasons, I can not give you that information. But I can tell you, and I know other leakers will agree, that less information has been leaked since Apple became more serious about them.

Is there a chance that we will see an iPhone 14 mini?

There’s definitely no chance, as next year’s iPhone lineup will consist of two 6.1″ and two 6.7″ devices. The mini version is not selling very well and is not as profitable for Apple as the other sizes. Therefore, it has been decided that the iPhone 13 will be the last mini-sized model.

Will there be Touch ID on the iPhone 14?

That’s a very good question. I can tell you that this feature has been dropped from the regular 14 series. However, it’s still being tested to be included in the Pro lineup next year under the display, though it’s unclear if we will end up seeing it.

Will the cutout be smaller on the iPhone 14?

This is an interesting question. In my opinion, Apple wants to differentiate the regular iPhones from the Pro line, and I know the plan this time is to use the same notch as the current iPhones for the regular line only, but they are working on a punch-hole display for the Pro iPhones. That way, they will be unique from the regular line.

When will we see the M1 Max iMac?

I have heard that a new iMac will launch around week 12. I can not confirm if this is definite, as most of these things are usually placeholders that Apple uses internally. However, if all goes as planned, the release will not be far off, which is currently set for mid-March.

When will the M2 MacBook Air hit the market? Will it be sold at a higher price than the current M1 MacBook Air? Will Apple continue to sell the M1 model after the M2 is released?

This is going to sound a little strange, but I believe that is exactly Apple’s strategy. They plan to add mini-LED to the M2 MacBook Air, and that will lead them to sell it for more than the current $999 price if I am not mistaken. So I definitely think Apple will continue to sell the current MacBook Air as a cheaper alternative to the new M2 MacBook Air, which I believe is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2022, but those schedules change frequently, so do not think of it as a confirmed release, just the highest possibility.

Any chance there will be a cheaper Apple monitor in 2022?

I know Apple is working on it, but unfortunately, I do not have any concrete details or an expected launch date, but I do not expect it to cost under $1,499. Apple wants to keep selling the Pro Display XDR and maybe even refresh it at some point. Make sure to follow me on Twitter, so you do not miss an update regarding the cheaper display.

When will Apple release the AirPods Pro 2?

I expect them to launch in Q3 2022. Do not expect them too soon, as I have not received any information from Apple’s marketing or supply chain. I also covered the AirPods in an article that you should definitely check out.

Will the new iMac have a 27″ display or a 32″ display?

Apple is working on a 32″ iMac, but it will be different from the one coming out in early 2022. If I had to guess, I’d say this one will be called iMac, while the 32″ will be called iMac Pro once it’s unveiled, which I do not know yet, but that’s just my opinion mixed with common sense.

Will Beats be releasing new headphones?

Yes. Originally, Apple was going to let the Beats headphones die, but has since realized that they can reach people with them that they can not reach with the AirPods. 

The clearest example is the AirPods Max. There are plenty of people who would love to own a pair of Apple-made over-ear headphones, but they can not spend $549 on them. Instead, they could buy the upcoming Beats Studio 4 for $349, which they are working on right now.

They are supposed to launch in late 2022, and from what I hear, they’ll definitely be worth it. I’ll give you more specific details as soon as I know more about it.

Any news on the iPhone fold?

Yes, but unfortunately, not much. I know Apple is testing two types of devices. One that is very similar to the Galaxy Flip, and the other that is very similar to the Galaxy Fold. There is currently no release schedule, but do not expect them to be announced until 2023. Apple wants to make sure these devices work perfectly, and they do not want to sell “prototypes” like Samsung does.

Should I buy an Intel Mac?

Not at all. If you can not work with Apple Silicon yet, I recommend buying a Windows PC; please do not buy an Intel Mac now.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]