Q&A | iPhone 14 Pro Color, Design and Camera, Apple Watch Series 8 Changes, M2 MacBook Air Price (+ Much More)

As some of you may have noticed, there was no Q&A last week. I was sick and couldn’t really do anything, so today’s article will feature more questions than usual! This article is going to be long, but very interesting. So let’s get started!

Will the M2 MacBook Air Be More Expensive Than the Current M1 MacBook Air?

There are currently two possibilities being considered by Apple.

1. The first is to price the M2 MacBook Air at around $1,200 and continue to sell the M1 version for ~$899. This has an obvious problem: it could lead people to buy the M1 MacBook Air instead of the redesigned model since most people probably wouldn’t find any justification for spending the extra $300 for the M2 MacBook Air.
2. The second option being considered is to price the redesigned MacBook Air at the usual $999 and stop selling the M1 model. This would make the profit margin for this computer smaller than usual, but the good thing about it is that Apple would sell a lot of new devices.

What Color Will the New iPhone 14 Pro Be?

So far, I’ve been told that Apple is working on a rose gold-like color. It’s supposed to be richer than the rose gold iPhone 8. I can’t confirm if this will be the final color, as Apple usually works with tens of different colors before deciding on one to be released. For example, we all thought a copper-like color would be chosen for the iPhone 13 Pro, and we finally saw the iPhone in Sierra Blue. You’ll have to wait a bit longer to have a confirmation on the color.

Will the iPhone 14 Pro have a Notch?

When I last spoke with my sources, they told me they’re currently working on devices with and without a notch. It’s not yet decided whether the iPhone 14 Pro will keep the current screen design or change it in favor of a punch-hole design. Regardless of which scenario Apple decides on, I can confirm that the regular iPhone 14 will have a notch; the doubt between notch and punch-hole is exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro. I’m sure there will be news on this soon. There should be an early manufacturing test in April or May. I’ll have more details by then.

When Can We Expect the Regular iPhone to Have a LiDAR sensor?

I don’t expect this to happen anytime soon. No matter what the Apple marketing team says about LiDAR and how they’re using it to improve photography, the reality is that they’re using all iPhones and iPads with one to collect data that will be used by the teams at AR and VR who are working on the headset and glasses. If this were the case, it would make sense to have a LiDAR sensor in as many devices as possible, but this is one of the only features that differentiates Pro devices from regular devices, so I don’t expect Apple to put such a sensor in a non-Pro iPhone in the near future.

Will the New iPad Pro Be Released During the Spring?

I don’t have a concrete answer to this question, but I can tell you that it’s a distinct possibility based on current production data. But as you know from previous products like the AirTags and AirPods 3, Apple can finish products as many months before they’re unveiled as they want, so the release date is up to Apple. But yes, from a manufacturing point of view, it could be possible.

What Are the Camera Setups for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro?

Not much will change compared to the current devices. The iPhone 14 will get two rear cameras and one front camera. The iPhone 14 Pro will have three rear cameras, a LiDAR sensor, and one front camera.

I’ve heard that the iPhone 14 Pro will get a 48MP camera. That doesn’t mean that all the sensors will be 48MP, but rather that the three sensors will add up to 48MP. This is a strange marketing strategy by Apple. I don’t really like it because I find it a bit misleading. This is exactly the same thing that happened when they announced 4x zoom on the iPhone 12 Pro, and it was only 2x because they considered the 0.5x sensor. It’s not a lie, but it’s misleading.

Anyway, the iPhone 14 Pro cameras will be great. MP doesn’t matter much for phone cameras. Aperture and image processing software are much more important than megapixels.

Will the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Have Round or Square Edges?

Apple made a move to square edges with the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, and I don’t think they’ll go back to round edges. Some say round edges felt better than the current square edges, but they were also much more slippery. So don’t expect them to return anytime soon.

What About Pro Apps for the M1 iPad Pro?

Apple has a lot of delays with this one, but they’re working on it. I can guarantee you that. I don’t know when or how, but Apple will end up bringing Xcode, Logic Pro, and Final Cut to the iPad Pro. That could happen with the next iPad Pro announcement sometime in 2022. We don’t know yet, because software updates are much less predictable in terms of release dates. Apple can postpone them indefinitely.

When Will the Next Mac mini Be Released? Will It Have Better Graphics?

The next Mac mini will soon be ready to ship, and I expect Apple to unveil it at an event in March, although Apple could also hold it back until the second half of 2022. It will be redesigned and will have multiple ports, including four USB-C, an HDMI port, and an Ethernet port, among others. It will be powered by the same methods as the 24-inch iMac.

Considering that this new Mac mini will be configured with the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the graphics performance will be much better.

Do You Have Any Other News About iOS 16?

I do not have much more information about iOS 16, but I can tell you to expect interactive widgets, some AR/VR-focused apps or features, probably lock screen widgets, and redesigned icons. Expect more visual changes overall, an improved UI, and changes to the Reminders and Files apps. Apple is also working on changing what’s displayed at the top of the home screen. It could be a hint towards a punch-hole iPhone.

Will There Be Any New Features on the Apple Watch Series 8?

Well, the only improvement confirmed to me is new and louder speakers. I am sure there will be more changes, especially after the Series 7. An actual faster processor is also in the works. Apple is also working on a blood pressure sensor, but I do not think it will be included in the Apple Watch Series 8. I am told there could be three different sizes this time around, including a 48mm display size option. That would be pretty interesting.

Will There Be a New iPod touch Next Year?

I do not expect a new design for the iPod touch. There is a slight chance that we will see a spec update, although I seriously doubt it. I understand that there might be some market for it, but given the fact that Apple has hidden the iPod page on their website and that I have not heard anything about a new device or even a codename, I can almost confirm that we will never see another iPod touch from Apple, unless in the shape and form that we know today.

Is There a New Apple Pencil Ready (or in the Works)?

Yes. Apple is working on an Apple Pencil 3. I do not know much about it, though. It could launch sometime in 2022 or 2023, and I do not expect it to have many new features other than lower latency and more sensors. It could also include Find My features. I will be able to give you more specific details on that as we get closer to launch. I do not expect it to be released along with the 2022 iPad Pro, but I’ll keep you updated here and on my Twitter account if anything changes.

What Will Differentiate the Apple Car from Current Models Like Tesla?

Well, I find this question very interesting. Apple has always done things differently. The iPhone changed the phone industry. The iPad made a big difference in the tablet market, and the MacBook Air changed the way laptops are made. I am not saying Apple will change the car industry, because it’s much larger than the phone, tablet, and laptop industries were in 2007, but I am sure something will change.

Apple will have to deal with a lot of regulatory issues, especially from the European Union, and if they manage to sell a car without a steering wheel and fully automated, it will certainly pave the way for other manufacturers like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz to do exactly the same. What is clear is that this could end very well or very badly for Apple, and we will have to wait until 2026 or 2027 to find out.

I hope you enjoyed this weekly Q&A. As I said, it’s longer than usual this time because I was not able to take questions last week. Let me know in the comments below if you prefer this longer format or a shorter one. Thanks so much for reading. I hope you have an awesome day!

[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.]