The rumor: Apple will be doubling the max capacity of iPhone storage in 2021, according to Jon Prosser (79.2% accurate).
Our take: I’ve heard privately that 1TB is not coming to the iPhone anytime soon. But sure, it’s possible.
The rumor: The second-generation version of AirPods Pro 2 is less than half a year away, according to DigiTimes (65.1% accurate).
Our take: While I initially expected AirPods Pro 2 to come in the second half of 2021, it seems they are launching a bit sooner: my bet is in May. Looking forward to seeing what Apple has done with the design, which could be a significant departure from what we know.
The news: As part of a number of Black History Month initiatives, including highlights across Apple Music, News, TV+ and more, Apple also unveiled the first limited edition Apple Watch variant.
Our take: In a video just a few weeks back, I just mentioned how cool it would be for Apple to acknowledge a social cause meaningful to them via a special edition product in the US. And here it is. To learn more about Apple’s 2021 initiatives for Black History Month, click here.
The rumor: A potentially ground breaking feature will debut on Apple Watch Series 7, according to ETNews (55.5% accurate).
Our take: Considering ETNews’ track record, I doubt this is coming this year. Next year, maybe. But I don’t think that’s ready to debut in 2021 yet, considering that many still consider non-invasive glucose monitoring to be years away.
The rumor: Apple is preparing upgrades to Apple TV, tvOS and Apple Arcade in 2021, according to The Verifier (54.3% accurate).
For the next Apple TV:
Rumored details about ‘Apple Arcade+’:
And for the reported changes coming in tvOS 15:
Our take: Wild to hear that the new Apple TV could still be 9 months away. Expecting some pretty big things from this 6th-gen version after seeing it delayed time and time again. As for Apple Arcade+, call me skeptical: I think we might see a price bump and I certainly see a future where AAA games make their way to the platform. But it would be a bit odd to have 2 different tiers.
The rumor: After previewing the major upgrades coming to MacBook Pro, iMac and MacBook Air later in 2021, Mark Gurman (89.1% accurate) has also hinted at other major features coming later down the road.
Our take: Of any instance to put Face ID in a product, it has always made the most sense to me in the context of the Mac. You’re already looking directly at your computer and it would be a seamless way to authenticate yourself, rather than always looking down and scrambling to find the Touch ID sensor…or typing in your full account password. But Gurman says this and cellular connectivity aren’t coming soon.
The rumor: Apple is preparing a redesigned MacBook Air that could release as soon as soon as the second half of 2021, according to Mark Gurman (89.1% accurate).
Here’s what to expect:
Our take: Seems like Apple is giving all their notebooks the thinner bezel treatment in 2021, which will make them look significantly more modern. For the MacBook Air, I’m most excited to see how the thinnest and lightest MacBook gets thinner and lighter.
The rumor: iOS 15 won’t support a number of Apple’s older devices, according to iPhone Soft (not yet rated).
Our take: While it was impressive that iOS 14 supported the same devices as iOS 13, there is only so much that Apple can do with old hardware. Most of these devices saw 5+ years of support, which is respectable.
The rumor: Apple is continuing work on a VR headset with some AR features, according to Mark Gurman (89.1% accurate).
Our take: Gurman compares this VR headset to the $5,999 Mac Pro: an ultra-premium device aimed at an extremely specific niche. I’m certainly interested, but it doesn’t seem like this is going to be anywhere near affordable.
The news: Apple seeded the release candidate (RC) version of iOS 14.4 to developers on Thursday, suggesting a broader public release will be happening soon. We’ve posted the full changelog below.
iOS 14.4 includes the following improvements for your iPhone:
This release also fixes the following issues:
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
The news: AirPods Max are more modular than we thought, thanks to a new discovery by iFixit.
Our take: This is super cool, it’s a feature that we thought got cut…but it’s here! Perhaps this suggests a sport variant is on the way…
