It’s been a mixed year for Apple fans, with much of the company’s attention and development resources trained on the Vision Pro launch in 2024. While the Mac has received a slew of updated models, up to date and a whole new generation of chips in 2023, the iPhone and Apple Watch both had extremely conservative launches and the iPad had no launches at all.
But let’s imagine a different timeline; one where Vision Pro doesn’t exist and Apple engineers and designers have unlimited time to work on whatever they want. In other words, which Apple products didn’t receive an update in 2023, but should have?
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
ipad mini
Among the neglected iPads in 2023, that is to say all of them, the iPad mini was the most neglected. While the standard iPad and iPad Pro were last refreshed “recently” in October 2022 and the iPad Air was updated in March 2022, the sixth generation iPad mini arrived at the fall 2021. It’s seriously late. By the time Apple’s next spring event rolls around, we’ll have waited two and a half years for Apple’s next micro-tablet.
At one point, the iPad mini seemed related to the iPad Air, its larger but comparably featured mid-range sibling, but the mini’s longer update cadence since 2019 has pushed it down to a smaller equivalent of the standard iPad. (Among other things, the 2022 Air update brought an M1 desktop-class processor, while the 2021 iPad mini is stuck on the A15.) I’m not against the mini being released as an entry-level budget option, but it’s a hassle. the decision should be made actively, not something you let happen gradually through inaction.
Aside from more powerful processors, the iPad mini (which doesn’t have a Smart Connector) still doesn’t have access to Apple’s line of Magic Keyboards, and perhaps a new small edition could help to make the mini a viable option for working on the move. But for now, this isn’t going anywhere.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
AirPods Max
If the iPad mini is neglected, having not seen any updates since September 2021, what do we say about the AirPods Max? They were released in December 2020 and were quickly ignored forever.
It doesn’t help that they were flawed from the start. The design of the earbuds themselves is divisive (I don’t like it, but my colleague Jason Cross liked it), while the Smart Case is terribly unifying, both in terms of design and function. But the feature set, which seemed solid at launch, has become less and less impressive over the past three years, so much so that an update is now absolutely necessary. My colleague Jason will settle for nothing less than a total overhaul.
For what it’s worth, the AirPods Max are due for an update in 2024, but since that’s only expected to involve a few new colors and a USB-C port, it seems too little, too late.
Foundry
Magic mouse
We’re really going retro now. Products last refreshed in 2021 and 2020, we look ahead to one last update in the distant and altogether more innocent days of 2015 (aside from a new black color in 2022). But it’s still relevant, as far as Apple is concerned: Pay a small fortune for a new iMac today and you’ll find a Magic Mouse nestled in the package like a sinister time traveler from the era of bad design.
As with the AirPods Max, I had reservations about the Magic Mouse’s overall design language from day one, but let’s put those aside for now. (I’ve given up hoping that Apple will ever make the kind of ugly mouse that actually feels good in the hand.) Let’s focus instead on the lack of Force Touch – a Magic Trackpad feature since 2015 – and the ‘annoying charging setup that means you can’t use the thing at the same time.
The time had come in 2023 for the Magic Mouse to magically transform into a mouse that’s actually worth having, and I’m bummed that once again, it hasn’t.
Apple
Pro XDR Display
If you’re asking $4,999 for a display, you better hope it’s good. The Pro Display XDR was certainly good when it released in 2019, but things have moved on and it’s surprising Apple hasn’t found time in 2023 to update it.
It’s not just us who say this. Several experts have predicted that Apple will release a new version of the Pro Display XDR powered by Apple silicon in 2023 alongside a new Mac Pro. The rumored new part of the Mac Pro came true, but there was no new screen with it.
At this price point, it would be reasonable to expect cutting-edge technology, not the best that 2019 has to offer. ProMotion, mini-LED, and an increase from 32 to 36 inches and 6K to 7K are all reportedly planned for a new Apple display, and it’s time for Apple’s pro customers to get them.
Foundry
Siri
Regular readers, my apologies: you’ve heard all this before. But I’ve vowed to keep complaining about Siri until Apple does something, and I don’t break my vows lightly.
Currently, as is frequently pointed out on this site, Siri is not fit for purpose, facing glaring issues with accuracy and intrusiveness. Unfortunately, fixing the accuracy of a service requires recognizing that it was inaccurate in the first place, which is why this project is not a high priority project. But Apple could overcome this obstacle by announcing “Siri 2.0” and focusing on the new smart features it offers – since that’s another area where Siri lags behind its competitors – and then casually mentioning that It’s “the most accurate voice assistant”. we never did.
Considering Siri’s crucial importance to certain Apple products (namely the HomePod) and its deep integration throughout the Apple ecosystem, I find it strange that the company hasn’t given it a major update in 2023. Maybe she’ll get one in 2023. 2024, but I won’t hold my breath. Or hula-ing my braids, as Siri 1.0 would say.
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