After all, being great is simply not good enough when you are worth more than the other 3 biggest American tech giants combined. Thus, as a tech enthusiast, this is what I want to see from Apple in 2023.
The iPhone in 2023: Less could be more
This means that the days when you can get the best of what Apple has to offer, in a small package, will be officially over. Users will be forced to make the switch to a larger form factor in order to benefit from all the exclusive features.
As a person who still thinks that 6” is on the upper end of the spectrum when it comes to smartphone size, this is something that I am genuinely not looking forward to. Forcing users into what was previous “phablet” territory, solely for the purpose of differentiating between the Ultra and the Pro is a controversial move on Apple’s part.
By that I mean that any feature that requires a bigger device to function to its fullest capacity should be making its way to the Ultra alone. However, it would be a shame for Apple to artificially handicap the 6.1” iPhone 15 Pro, for example, by giving it an inferior chipset, in order to give users greater incentive to splurge on the Ultra.
In short, I would like to see Apple maintain as much similarity as possible between the Pro and the Ultra in 2023. Secondly, it would be nice to see a return of the smaller form factor that the Cupertino company has seemingly abandoned. Given the poor sales of the iPhone 14 Plus, it is not entirely impossible to see an iPhone 15 mini. I would not hold my breath, however.
Instead, I would like to see the mini return in the form of an entry-level iPhone SE. Currently, most leakers expect the iPhone SE 4 to adopt the design of the iPhone XR. In light of the recent delay that analysts have reported, this idea could have been scrapped.
At any rate, a capable iPhone, with a display of less than 6”, is something that is well-worth looking into. Good small smartphones are increasingly difficult to come by, which opens a niche that Apple could benefit from.
In summary, there are two main things I would like to see from Apple’s iPhones in 2023: (1) an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra that stand on relatively equal footing and (2) a modern iPhone with a small form factor.
The iPad in 2023: Time for a change
However, the biggest thing that Apple has to work on when it comes to the iPad is in the software department. Hardware-wise, they are already exceptional, it is iPadOS that is the main impediment. Stage Manager is a good start, but we need more refined multitasking features, and an experience that can rival MacOS, at least to some extent.
In a nutshell, these are the three things on my iPad wish list: (1) OLED / mini-LED technology on the smaller iPads, (2) a large 14” iPad, possibly dubbed “iPad Ultra”, and (3) refinements of iPadOS, bringing the latter more in line with a true desktop OS.
The Apple Watch in 2023: Why no Pro?
As a result, I cannot comfortably splurge on the Ultra, because I would feel as if I am making little to no use of its sports-oriented features. However, there are a number of reasons why I still want one – including the new design, the bigger screen, the vastly superior battery life and the brighter screen.
The AirPods in 2023: AirPods Ultra?
By now it is apparent that Apple is working on a new name hierarchy when it comes to its products. The SE line represents the entry-level options, the Pro moniker – the more high end ones, while the Ultra (which is rumored to replace the Pro Max) is reserved for the most premium devices.
At the moment, this seems rather unlikely. A more reasonable (and simple) request that I have from Apple is to introduce at least another color option to the AirPods earbuds lineup. I am, quite frankly, sick of the glossy white finish.
Conclusion: Will Apple deliver?
I am fully aware that Apple does not give a bother for one client’s personal opinion. Nevertheless, an ideal case scenario would be at least some of these aspirations to make their way to consumers. I honestly believe many of them will be well-received by a majority of users.
Ultimately, however, Apple is going to be Apple, and it will do whatever it wants – for better or worse. The only saving grace is that the Cupertino company is known for its impossibly high standards of execution. Even if it fails to deliver on all of the points listed above, I will still be interested in seeing what the biggest tech giant has in store for us in 2023.
