What Apple Product I Am Getting Next?

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I like Apple products, that's no secret, but I don’t purchase them for purchasing’s sake. They have to offer a compelling reason for me to pull the trigger. So far, this year, I have purchased the following products:

  • Mac Studio M1 Ultra
  • Studio Display
  • iPhone 13 Pro (for my son)
  • Apple Watch Series 7 x2 (One for my son, one for my daughter)
  • 14” MacBook Pro M1 Pro
  • A couple of Apple iPhone cases
  • New Apple Track Pad and Magic Keyboard
  • Apple TVs 4K x3 (For gifting)

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Putting things in perspective, this has been an average year, I purchase a couple of big-ticket Apple products yearly to replace older ones.

So, what else I am getting this year?

At the start of the year, I was sure I was getting the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max this year and an Apple Watch Series 8 for sure. But I am not so sure now, I think I may be done with Apple purchases for the remaining of the year.

Why? Isn’t Apple Impressing Me Anymore?

Mac

Ohh, I have been very impressed with Apple for sure. The performance of the M series of machines is just spectacular and has made my day-to-day work so much more efficient. The Mac Studio combined with the Studio display just looks and works amazingly, and the 14” MacBook Pro new design is just stellar. I don’t think I will be updating the Mac Studio or Macbook for at least 2 to 3 years.

iPhone

The reason is that I don’t need anything else. My iPhone 11 Pro Max just got a fresh battery, and it feels like the day I got it, I can’t see any reason to upgrade this year. Yes, we may get better cameras, but I shot mostly using my Sony A7 IV or Fuji X100V, so I have no rush on a better camera on my iPhone. Yes, the new iPhone may record better video but once again I do most video shoots using either my A7 IV or my Sony FX3.

iPad

My last iPad purchase was last year's iPad Mini, and it has become my favorite iPad. I have 3 iPads currently, a 4th Gen iPad Air, 4th Gen iPad Pro 12”, and the after-mentioned Mini. I have been using my Air less and less lately and the Pro, while it gets more use than the Air, it has fallen to second place. I had never owned an iPad Mini before, but oh boy I am in love with the tiny iPad, its portability and handling make it a must-grab for me.

And that's the reason I am probably not getting any new iPad this year, I highly doubt the Mini will see any update, and I am happy with my current Pro. This may change if a new Mini gets updated with better resolution and Speakers and CPU, but I don’t think the Mini will get updated this fall.

So, definitely nothing else this year, right?

I can see a couple of products that if announced I will get. New AirPods Pro for sure. I have 3 pairs presently I can’t be without them and when they get updated, I am getting them on day one.

Apple Watch Series 8 is probably a skip, but I will put the odds of getting one at 30% it all depends on battery improvement and sensors.

VR Headset? I will get them, but I am sure they will not be released this year.

Looking forward to 2023

Now 2023 will be an interesting year I expect new products and major redesigns to current ones, so I will probably be giving Apple a little more cash.

A Mac (mini) and External Display Is A Better Option Than an iMac Even For Apple

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2022 seems to be the year we finally get an update 27” iMac (maybe called iMac Pro) and a new Mac Mini Pro (it should just be called Mac).

Everyone seems to be anxiously waiting for the pro iMac to drop but I think Apple should just discontinue it and make just the Mac.

Let me explain.

Apple should leave the all-in-one design as a consumer machine in the form of the current M1 iMac. Offer an entry-level display-less option like the current M1 Mac Mini but for the pro segment just offer the Mac and Mac Pro.

What will the Mac Be?

The Mac will be a desktop display-less machine similar to the current Mac Mini but way more powerful and maybe even offering some expandability (unlikely) and the more powerful and expandable Mac Pro tower.

Along with these machines, Apple should offer external display options with different sizes, feature sets, and prices.

But why? The current iMac design is wasteful.

Pro users tend to upgrade more frequently and having to replace the whole machine including a perfectly working display is a waste. Having the option to just swap the Mac will not only benefit the pro user when it's time to upgrade as selling the device and replacing it will be a lot easier than having to ship or move a whole 27”+ iMac. This will also benefit Apple as it will result in more frequent upgrades, less shipping, and storage cost plus it aligns with their environmental commitments.

Besides what about if a pro user wants a pro desktop but just needs a 24” display or the opposite it wants something larger than 27”? Options are the key here and I believe the all-in-one design for pro users is an outdated and wasteful idea.

We can only look forward to the Spring when we may see Apple's direction. Hopefully, a Mac and external display are unveiled.