by The Apple rumor mill is constantly in motion, something we at Creative Bloq are very grateful for. We like to imagine what might come next for the tech powerhouse, and our readers are pretty keen on speculative articles, too. Anything seems possible when discussing the next iteration of Apple’s various product lines, so even the wildest rumors are never off the table.
However, we are often disappointed. Not every hot rumor can be true; Imagine what a modified MacBook would look like if it contained every whisper you’ve ever heard. This year, there were three Apple rumors that we were particularly attached to but unfortunately did not bear fruit. So buckle up as we embark on an “if” journey (and check out the best Apple deals when you’re done).
Wireless charging for iPad
As soon as we learned that Apple was about to launch a new iPad lineup in 2022, rumors started flying. And the most surprising news came courtesy of Apple leaker Mark Gurman.
Gürman explained that the 2022 iPad has been significantly redesigned with new features such as glass back, magsafe support and wireless charging. Wireless charging. for an iPad. Along with most of Twitter, we couldn’t believe it at the time and weren’t surprised it didn’t.
While none of that happened (the iPad’s redesign lineup was much more subtle), it would be great to see iPad design completely shaken up. But you’re in trouble when you combine a glass back with vibrating wireless charging, right?
Pill and Hole notch
Oh, notch. The scourge of the smartphone designer’s life, the notch is greatly hated by those who love to make things look good. And word on the street before the iPhone 14 launch was that Apple would significantly redesign the notch.
Initially, it was said that the notch would take on a new shape, a “pill” (a long pill-shaped drop) with a hole next to it – like an exclamation point sideways (see concept above). But Apple leaker Mark Gurman (again) noted that the notch will actually be a long pill with a camera lens inside, because the distinction will look weird in use.
What actually happened was the Dynamic Island, not far from Gurman’s prophecy. Dynamic Island, with a long, pill-shaped cutout that changes shape to display notifications and the like, takes the notch’s purpose one step further. We thought this was an interesting innovation, but not everyone agreed, as many users still asked why they couldn’t completely remove the notch. And so, the notch debate goes on forever.
VR headset
Apple’s entry into VR is highly anticipated, and we continue to get closer to reality with every juicy bit of information. In the first half of 2022, we thought we had it done when rumors indicated it would be confirmed this year. However, as the year continued quietly with no announcements, we began to lose our faith.
However, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted in November that the headset will be announced in January 2023, so there’s still hope that the VR headset doesn’t stay in virtual reality forever. Mark Gurman (for the third time) provided more details in the news release, noting that Apple is currently working on three headsets using the codenames “N301”, “N602” and “N421”.
It looks like the first will launch as the Apple Reality Pro and will be a “high-end competitor” to Meta’s upcoming Quest Pro. Next comes the cheaper device, the N602. Finally, there will be some Apple augmented reality glasses (N421) in the future.
Then we will continue to wait.
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