2022 MacBook Pro said to release in March with M2 chip and a Touch Bar

The rumor: Apple will announce a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with an unchanged design in March, according to a Weibo source spotted by MacRumors (72.7% accurate).

The details, according to the source who first claimed the 14/16-inch MacBook Pros would have a notch…

  • In March, Apple will unveil a replacement to the current 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro…but the only change will be a new M2 chip inside
  • This suggests the rest of the MacBook Pro will remain the same, even keeping the Touch Bar from the old design: no notch or 120Hz ProMotion display will be present

Ian’s Take: While initially, I was skeptical when DigiTimes reported that Apple would release an M2 13’’ MacBook Pro in early March, hearing this from a source that has previously proven to have accurate supply chain information adds more credibility to the rumor. I still find it hard to believe that Apple would release a second-generation M2 system before they finish releasing their highest-end M1-based systems…but this Weibo source has said crazier things before.

iPhone 14 won’t have a SIM card slot (rumor)

The rumor: Apple is preparing to sell iPhones without a SIM card slot in 2022, according to MacRumors (78% accurate).

Here’s what to know…

  • “An anonymous tipster informed MacRumors that Apple has advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only smartphones by September 2022. The tipster shared a seemingly legitimate document outlining the timeframe for this initiative, although the document does not specifically mention Apple or the iPhone…As part of the transition, some U.S. carriers will allegedly start offering select iPhone 13 models without a nano-SIM card in the box in the second quarter of 2022″ the report says
  • A previous rumor from just a few days ago suggested that a SIM-less iPhone would be dropping in 2023…not next year as this new report suggests

Our take: This is a much more aggressive timeline than I would have anticipated, but it doesn’t sound that wild considering how well eSIM works currently…at least here in the United States. I think the lack of a physical SIM tray would be a major dealbreaker for many folks that live abroad. For reference, MacRumors is 78% accurate for rumors like this one.

New images claim to show AirPods Pro 2 for the first time

The leak: AirPods Pro 2 will have the same design but include a redesigned charging case with speakers, according to MacRumors (78% accurate, source).

  • The AirPods Pro 2 buds look almost identical to the original AirPods Pros although the optical sensor has been removed (likely for a skin-detection based solution like on AirPods 3)
  • An updated case shows speaker holes, a metal loop for a strap and improved Find My integration

Our take: I don’t think these are real: they contradict most of the rumors we’ve heard from credible sources for AirPods Pro 2 thus far, and even MacRumors sound skeptical in their own article. I’m just not convinced right now.

New M1X MacBook Pro display resolutions revealed in macOS Monterey beta

The leak: Apple has likely referenced the new display resolutions for the upcoming 14/16-inch MacBook Pro models, as spotted first by MacRumors (78% accurate, link).

  • The leaked “3024 x 1964 Retina” and “3456 x 2234 Retina” display resolutions do not correspond to any Apple products past or present
  • The moderate increases in resolution suggest an increase from ~226 to ~250 pixels per inch (PPI) which translates to clearer and sharper images

Our take: It appears the new MacBook Pro displays are going to look incredible considering they will be Mini-LED, as well. Shouldn’t be much longer before they’re announced, now…

New 12.9-inch iPad Pro may get ~8% thicker due to new display

The rumor: One of the new iPad Pro models releasing tomorrow will be 0.5mm thicker, according to MacRumors (71.9% accurate).

  • The new dimensions are said to be 280.65 x 215 x 6.4mm, which means the updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro is getting 7.81% thicker
  • This change in thickness is reportedly due to the new MiniLED display, which is said to be a significant upgrade over current LCD technology

Our take: Considering how large the 12.9-inch iPad Pro already is, this is actually a pretty sizable depth increase. Perhaps this is why there are new Magic Keyboards coming?

iPhone 13 display glass shows new notch design

The leak: We have our first images of the new notch design for the 2021 iPhones, according to MacRumors (71.9% accurate).

  • The photos, from repair company iRepair, show a skinnier notch for the first time
  • Apple will seemingly shift the earpiece up to the top of the bezel, as shown in schematics that initially surfaced last year

Our take: Although more recent rumors have suggested Apple would go with a different design (same width but shorter), it seems plausible that this notch design could also ship later this year. I actually like this design the best, and it looks great in these images.

Apple October 2020 event leaderboard update

This is our biggest leaderboard update yet. While other products see rumors intermittently throughout the year, Apple’s biggest product, the iPhone, is relentlessly leaked week-by-week until the eventual Fall unveil. Following the October 13 event, here’s how iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and HomePod mini rearranged the source leaderboard.

Sources that increased

🏀 Mark Gurman: 87.8 ⮕ 88.3% accurate

  • +30 correct rumors
  • -2 incorrect claims

🧻 Jon Prosser: 74.5 ⮕ 85.2% accurate

  • +69 correct rumors
  • -6 incorrect claims

👨‍💻 Ming-Chi Kuo: 74.6 ⮕ 77.5% accurate

  • +19 correct rumors
  • -1 incorrect claims

🗞 WSJ: 76.7 ⮕ 77.4% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

MacRumors: 69 ⮕ 70% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

🧭 Macotakara: 66.7 ⮕ 69.6% accurate

  • +16 correct rumors
  • -5 incorrect claims

🍍 Max Weinbach: 63 ⮕ 67.1% accurate

  • +23 correct rumors
  • -8 incorrect claims

🔢 DigiTimes: 61.3 ⮕ 65% accurate

  • +14 correct rumors
  • -4 incorrect claims

🦅 Barclays: 57.9 ⮕ 64.5% accurate

  • +9 correct rumors
  • -3 incorrect claims

The Verifier: 51.3 ⮕ 51.9% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

💵 Economic Daily News: 36.1 ⮕ 36.8% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor
  • -1 incorrect claim

Source(s) that stayed the same

🧧 Kang 康总: 97.8 ⮕ 97.8% accurate

  • +84 correct rumors
  • -2 incorrect claims

Sources that decreased

🌙 L0vetodream: 88.9 ⮕ 87.9% accurate

  • +32 correct rumors
  • – 5 incorrect claims

Note: As you may have noticed, no source is 100% accurate. That’s because all sources get some info right and some info wrong: do not harass anyone for their track record. The leaderboard functionality on AppleTrack is here only to help Apple enthusiasts better understand how likely a rumor really is.

As always, if you notice a discrepancy on someone’s record, let us know.

iOS 14.2 confirms iPhone 12 won’t ship with included headphones

The news: A small change to some wording in iOS 14.2 reveals Apple’s plans to remove EarPods from the box this year, as spotted by MacRumors (69% accurate).

  • The wording change can be found when looking at copy for reducing RF exposure while using your iPhone
  • In previous version of iOS, the words “the supplied headphones” were present
    • The updated text now just says “headphones”
  • Ming-Chi Kuo (74.6% accurate) and others previously predicted no headphones in the box this year
Top is iOS 14.0.1 and prior, bottom is iOS 14.2 (image courtesy of MacRumors)

Our take: While this is bad news, I still think losing the power brick has far worse implications. You can easily make the argument that most people buying an iPhone already have some pair of headphones at home. But the amount of people with extra power bricks available, on demand…I think it’s shockingly less.

‘Apple One’ name confirmed, services bundle coming soon

The news: Apple is preparing to launch a multi-tiered services bundle, according to evidence discovered by 9to5Mac (75.1% accurate) and MacRumors (63.6% accurate).

  • Apple just registered a bunch of new domains like appleone.audio, appleone.film and appleone.website
  • Code in iOS 14 also references the following features for the upcoming bundle
    • “Cancel Apple One”
    • “Keep Apple One”
    • “You can unsubscribe from Apple One and keep only what you want”

Our take: Seems like Apple One will probably be announced at the event on Tuesday. That being said, the savings aren’t even said to be that great.

Hidden strings in iOS 14 via 9to5Mac