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The Mac Pro.Samuel Axon
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And here's a rear view.Samuel Axon
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Let's zoom in to see some of the ports in this configuration.Samuel Axon
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There's more to see at the bottom.Samuel Axon
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On top, you'll notice a couple more ports, a power button, and this handle. When you grab it, you can twist and pull the entire cover off in one motion for 360-degree access to the internals.Samuel Axon
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This is what the frame looks like with nothing in it.Samuel Axon
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These stands can optionally be replaced with wheels.Samuel Axon
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The cheese-grater design serves as a cooling function, but it's also a deliberate nod to the past.Samuel Axon
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OK, from this angle, it really does look like an ultra-shiny cheese grater.Samuel Axon
Apple has already had a busy year with the launch of the Apple Card and the reveal of the above-pictured Mac Pro, but it's about to get much, much busier. A new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu—who have reported reliably on Apple's plans in the past—details numerous upcoming product announcements from Apple.
Citing people familiar with the situation, the report mentions three iPhones, a MacBook Pro, an Apple Watch, iPad Pros, an entry-level iPad, a higher-end iteration of AirPods, and a more affordable alternative to HomePod.
And those are just the as-yet-unannounced products: Apple has already stated its intentions to release a new Mac Pro, an ultra-high-end display for creative professionals, the Apple TV+ streaming service, the Apple Arcade games subscription service, and new versions of its iOS and iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS software—all before the end of the year. The report doesn't specify whether Apple will announce all of the new products at the rumored September 10 event. That seems unlikely; last year Apple held two events, one in September and one in October. The September one focused entirely on the iPhone and Apple Watch, while the October one covered new Macs and iPads.The new iPhones, iPads, MacBook Pro, and Apple Watch are all expected by the end of 2019, the report said, whereas the revised AirPods and HomePod could come later.
The iPhone lineup
According to Bloomberg's sources, Apple will release direct successors to all three current iPhones: the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR.
Successors to the two XS models will carry a "Pro" label—perhaps iPhone 11 Pro. Their flagship feature will be an entirely new rear-facing camera system that includes an ultra-wide angle lens that would "let users zoom out and capture a larger field of view." The sensors would capture three different images to do this and combine them using artificial intelligence.The report also claims the new iPhones will take high-resolution photos that would rival "some traditional cameras" and that low-light performance will get better. The rear array will reportedly include new 3D camera components to improve augmented reality experiences.
Video recording capabilities will also improve; a new feature will allow users to tweak videos while they're being recorded live—cropping, color alterations, effects, and so on.
Meanwhile, the iPhone XR successor will get one additional rear camera for optical zoom. All the new iPhones will also have an updated version of the front-facing TrueDepth sensor array, the report says, allowing the phones to identify users' faces for Face ID authentication at new angles such as when the phones lay flat on a table. This would address a common complaint by users and reviewers about current Face ID-equipped iPhones.All new iPhones will also include Apple's new A13 processor, which will add a new component called either the AMX or the matrix coprocessor. This new silicon will aid with computer vision and augmented reality tasks.
The three new models will offer a reverse wireless charging feature, allowing users to charge their AirPods from their phones, provided they have the AirPods' wireless charging case introduced this year. Samsung also introduced a similar feature to its phones recently.As long-rumored, 3D Touch will be discontinued in the new iPhones. It will be replaced across the line by Haptic Touch, as previously seen on the iPhone XR. Finally, Bloomberg claims that water resistance will improve on the new phones and that all three models will ship with OLED displays.
Bloomberg expects the new iPhones to ship to customers by the end of September.
The MacBook Pro
Less is known about the new MacBook Pro Apple plans to unveil, but it is likely to be the most major redesign since the introduction of the Touch Bar and butterfly keyboard to the line in 2016.The Bloomberg report joins a choir of supply line voices claiming that the new MacBook Pro will include a 16-inch screen, but in a form factor similar in size to the current 15-inch model. This is because the new MacBook Pro will have significantly smaller bezels around its screen.
iPad Pro and iPad
Apple will refresh both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models this fall, Bloomberg's sources say. However, it will not be a radical update. The cameras will be upgraded, though the report doesn't specify how, and faster processors will be introduced.We'll also evidently see a refresh of Apple's entry-level iPad—the one positioned for educators, among other things—with a 10.2-inch screen.
Apple Watch, AirPods, and HomePod
Finally, the report included tiny details about three other upcoming products. The Apple Watch will see a very small update focused on the new watchOS 6 software and new case finishes—that's expected to launch this year.
A pricier upgrade to AirPods with noise-cancelation and water resistance may be announced this year, but the device will likely ship in 2020. The same goes for a cheaper version of the poor-selling HomePod smart speaker, which will reportedly come with two tweeters instead of the seven in the current model.As previously leaked, Apple's first event of this year will likely occur on September 10. We'll cover all the announcements as they happen when the day comes.
Listing image by Samuel Axon
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