Apple 2024 Product Roadmap
We have a dedicated page to track those announcements and expectations, do read them from time to time. From the looks of it, Apple isn’t going to change much in terms of their playbook, because after all, they make more than a billion dollars a week using that playbook.
2023 was a very eventful year for Apple. From the surprise release of new Macs in January, bringing USB-C to iPhone, and the creation of a new computing paradigm, spatial computing, aka Vision Pro. We see what 2024 will bring for Apple and the rest of us.
Major Themes
The major theme that Apple will undoubtedly push for 2024 undoubtedly will be spatial computing. They have planted the seeds in 2023 and will sow it for 2024. First by introducing the product itself, Vision Pro, although no one can buy it, thus creating the buzz. Second, by adding ecosystem features you’ll need a Vision Pro to use it, like allowing recording spatial videos on the iPhone, but needing a Vision Pro to view the video. And 3rd, by announcing a new family of M3 chips that of course going to power the Vision Pro.
Apple is looking for new markets to dominate. Right now, the iPhone is what paying Apple’s rent like how Windows and Office paid for Microsoft’s rent in the 90s and 00s. Microsoft evolved and Azure, a cloud computing platform, is now the main revenue driver for Microsoft, so Apple will try to create a new revenue stream via spatial computing.
After setting up the main theme of the year, Apple will cruise along to ensure nothing will rock the boat. Of course, there will be challengers that will try to rock the moat like Google pushing for RCS or someone that has a hacky way of doing things like Beeper Mini. And you can expect a multi-trillion dollar company like Apple will take all its power to stop it.
Apple Events
As it has become a tradition now, Apple will make a major announcement through a media event for every season of the year. The most important season of course is Fall where they will unveil the iPhone just in time for the all important holiday shopping season, but there’s a lot of build up to reach the climax.
| Season | Month | Expected items to be showcased* | Actual Event Date | What actually happened. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | January or March | M3 on Mac Mini, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, possibly iPad Air. Vision Pro officially released with M3 chip. New iPhone colors in March | January 8 | Vision Pro availability. Press release only. |
| March 4 | MacBook Air with M3. Press release only | |||
| New iPads | May 7 | Online video event. Updated iPad Air with new size (13"). Redesigned iPad Pro with M4 chip. M4 chip formally introduced. Apple Pencil Pro. Updated Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro. The word "AI" and "Machine Learning" mentioned a few times. | ||
| Summer | June | Apple ecosystem preview. Major focus on spatial computing. Mac Studio and Mac Pro with | June 10 - 14 | WWDC 2024 keynote followed by Platforms State of the Union and the rest of WWDC session. Launch of Apple Intelligence, rollout of Vision Pro to more countries, previews of visionOS 2, watchOS 11, iPadOS 18, iOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. No new hardware. |
| Fall | September | iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods updates. | September 9 | Annual iPhone event. iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, AirPods Max 2 |
| Winter | October | October 28-30 | Apple video drip over 3 days. Apple Intelligence formally launched; Updated iMac with M4; All new Mac Mini with M4 / M4 Pro; Updated MacBook Pro with M4 / M4 Pro / M4 Max. M4 Max is the performance crown |
Product Update
Q1: New M3 Macs, Vision Pro officially launched.
We expect Apple to officially sell the Vision Pro with some tweaks. The M2 that was introduced in WWDC will obviously updated to the newer M3 chip because the M3 is energy efficient and obviously more powerful than the M2. The M3, despite being the base chip in the M3 family, has more computing power than the M1 Max.
We expect Apple to expand the M3 family to run on updated MacBook Air and Mac Mini. Apple might update the iPad family at this point to run the M3 chip.
Q2: WWDC, M3 Ultra, Spatial computing updates, Apple’s push to gaming
Apple traditionally hosts the Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in June at Apple HQ and this year will be no different. I expect that Apple will push more features in the spatial computing area to make Vision Pro the product that you want to get.
We should get the updated Mac Studio and Mac Pro with the M3 Ultra chip. No word if we are going to get the often rumored M3 Extreme chip that would be a Mac Pro exclusive.
Apple has been trying to make gaming on Apple a thing. They are quite successful with mobile gaming (a 30% cut on every transaction sure help it) and there’s a great possibility to push it on other platforms like Mac and Apple TV.
Q3: iPhone event
September is the most important event for Apple because it will showcase Apple’s most important product: the iPhone. And we expect a lot of iPhone 15 Pro features like the larger camera sensor, the A17 Pro chip will eventually go to the base iPhone 16. The iPhone 16 Pro will continually be honed to be a professional tool with better cameras, more sensors, and more exotic materials.
We also expect other products that are centered around the iPhone like the Apple Watch, the AirPods will be updated in this event.
Q4: M4 family, Macs update, October surprise?
October will be the final push for Apple before the holiday shopping season begins. Here Apple will update Apple Silicon with the M4 family which will be on the MacBook Pros. The iPads might be updated at this event or in January.
Since 2024 will be an election year, will there be an October surprise? Since Apple started the spatial computing fight with the Vision Pro, I expect that Apple will launch a lower-end version of the Vision product. After all, the biggest hurdle of the Vision Pro is the high barrier of entry at $3,500. Apple will have to eventually bring down the product to a $2,000 level to make it more mass-appeal.
We have a dedicated page to track those announcements and expectations, do read them from time to time. From the looks of it, Apple isn’t going to change much in terms of their playbook, because after all, they make more than a billion dollars a week using that playbook.