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As we emerge blinking from a pile of wrapping paper, Stuff’s editor barks: “It’s time to place in your guessing trousers! Blast Apple 2022 rumours on the web! Say random issues about how the iPhone 14 Professional Max might be made solely of bees!”
Really, he didn’t. Presumably as a result of he’s nonetheless below a pile of wrapping paper himself. However principally as a result of that is Stuff and we don’t try this sort of factor. As a substitute, we’re munching on the final mince pie and mulling over what we hope Apple will ship our manner this 12 months.
(If anybody can sneak this checklist into Tim Cook dinner’s Reminders app, we’d be most grateful.)
Take Mac desktops to the Max
Final 12 months, we acquired a brand new MacBook Professional after which an excellent larger new MacBook Professional. They had been each very professional certainly. However desktop professional Macs haven’t but seen the identical love, with the iMac Professional quietly disappeared and the Intel Mac Professional soldiering on, making an attempt to persuade folks to spend over 5 grand with a purpose to social gathering prefer it’s 2019. Successor programs must rock up this 12 months, sporting environment friendly, highly effective Apple silicon.
Squash all of the bugs
When software program goes unsuitable, there’s an inclination to assume “that is me”. More and more with Apple, you assume: “Really, no – it’s you.” 2021 wasn’t a excessive level for Apple on this regard. The web was flooded with individuals who couldn’t use widgets on their cellular units (they’re nonetheless damaged on a Stuff iPad Professional); iCloud stays a large number concerning syncing (as in, the factor it’s primarily designed to do); and quite a few different niggles recommend Apple’s software program QA isn’t almost as tight as its {hardware} QA. That should change.
Suppose completely different with design
Apple should sustain the momentum on reimagining Macs in significant methods. We had been sceptical of the 24in iMac till we had one on our desk. It blended into the house slightly than feeling like an intrusive piece of tech package. Natch, professional Macs might want to scream about their uncooked energy, however what of the MacBook Air and Mac Mini? Color and friendliness slightly than a slab of gray for the previous? One thing – lastly – correctly mini for the latter?
Begin a Mac improve programme
In 2015, Apple supplied a brand new solution to entry an iPhone. The iPhone Improve Programme has you’re taking out a 0% APR mortgage for an iPhone and AppleCare, which nets you a brand new iPhone for a manageable month-to-month fee. You’ll be able to hold the programme going and improve yearly or full the present cycle’s mortgage and retain the latest gadget. Within the US, Apple’s launched one thing broadly comparable for enterprise companions and notebooks. We’d wish to see that prolonged to customers and all Macs.
Deliver again Contact ID
Contact ID by no means solely went away, however we imply carry it again to iPhone. COVID isn’t going anyplace, and demanding masked people even have an Apple Watch or repeatedly faucet in a passcode to unlock an iPhone doesn’t really feel very Apple. (OK, perhaps “purchase one other costly factor to make issues work” is sort of Apple, to be truthful.) The iPad Air and iPad mini neatly combine Contact ID into the facility button. The iPhone 14 ought to comply with go well with.
Lastly get gaming
It is a massive ask, however sooner or later Apple must elevate somebody to a place of energy who loves and will get video games in the identical manner its exec crew loves music. Proper now, the Mac recreation ecosystem has been hit by yet one more transition, the Mac App Retailer video games choice is abysmal, discoverability of high quality cellular video games is poor, streaming on cellular stays demonised, and Apple Arcade is more and more disappointing, counting on rebadged premium titles and originals which can be freemium video games with the IAP ripped out.
Don’t neglect the iPod contact
There’s probability Apple has forgotten about its iPhone with out the telephone bit. Head to Apple’s Retailer web page and attempt to discover one with out resorting to go looking. No? We couldn’t determine it out both. However the iPod contact is incredible and moveable – perfect for youths if you want a small, gentle gadget to do most of what an iPhone can. Shove a compass and a extra trendy chip in there than the A10 Fusion and we’ll be good to go.
Simplify product strains
With Apple transforming a bunch of its merchandise, it appears like there’s house for streamlining the line-up over the approaching 12 months, thereby making it much less complicated. We have already got the 24in iMac. There might be a much bigger one, however do we want that and an iMac Professional? Maybe the larger one can simply be the iMac Professional? Equally, perhaps it’s time to retire the MacBook Air branding and produce again the MacBook for people who don’t need to go professional.
Make a headset for the remainder of us
Apple creates expertise folks really want slightly than what they assume they want. The corporate meaningfully disrupted the PC house a number of occasions, together with reimagining smartphones and wearables. Headsets are subsequent, and Apple must leverage the corporate’s prowess in AR and spatial audio in a fashion that goes past area of interest fare, thereby making a product for everybody. (Though: Apple. So it’ll begin life as a headset for ‘everybody with deep pockets’. Nonetheless, it’s a begin.)
Dial down the notches
Apple isn’t the one firm so as to add notches to smartphones, however the notch more and more appears like a design factor partly used to distinguish its merchandise. In that case, it’s a horrible one. Though not the world’s largest distraction, the notch impacts on immersive smartphone experiences, with apps and video games not at all times bearing it in thoughts. Seeing it rock up on a MacBook Professional wasn’t perfect. However we shudder to assume how intrusive a notch can be on a redesigned MacBook Air with a white bezel or – horrors! – an iPad.
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