Barring any surprises, Apple is not expected to release any more new hardware before 2024 ends. Apple is rumored to have many product announcements planned for the first half of next year, though, including an all-new smart home hub, the iPhone SE 4, an AirTag 2, an updated iPad Air, an iPad 11, and updated MacBook Air models.
Below, we recap rumors about all of those upcoming products.
Home Hub
Apple's all-new smart home hub is expected as early as March.
The hub is expected to feature around a 6-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker or mounted on a wall. The device is rumored to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected to support both Siri and Apple Intelligence. Proximity sensors could detect how far away a person is and automatically adjust the size of widgets shown on the screen.
The device will allow users to manage HomeKit accessories, and it could double as a home security system by displaying camera footage. And with a built-in camera, users will be able to make FaceTime video calls with the device.
The hub will compete with products like Google's Nest Hub and Amazon's Echo Show.
iPhone SE 4
Apple plans to release the iPhone SE 4 in March, according to multiple reports.
The device is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer chip than the A15 Bionic in the current model, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and the first Apple-designed 5G modem.
Apple is rumored to have been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, a move that will allow it to reduce and eventually eliminate its dependance on its current supplier Qualcomm. It is unclear if Apple's first 5G modem will have any consumer benefits compared to Qualcomm's modems, such as faster cellular data speeds.
Apple announced the iPhone SE 3 during an online event in March 2022. The device looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. In the U.S., the iPhone SE currently starts at $429, but the new model might see at least a slight price increase.
AirTag 2
Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
A key new feature rumored for the AirTag 2 is an upgraded Ultra Wideband chip with improved location tracking. If so, the AirTag could be updated with the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that debuted in all iPhone 15 models last year.
The new AirTag could be more tamper-proof, according to Gurman. He said the accessory's built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove, as an anti-stalking measure. He also expects the new AirTag to provide "better range," which could allow the Precision Finding feature to work at farther distances. No other design changes have been rumored.
According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new AirTag will have some kind of integration with the Apple Vision Pro headset.
The current AirTag was announced in April 2021.
New iPad Air Models With New Magic Keyboard
Minor updates to the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models are expected in spring 2025.
It is possible that a new chip will be one of the only upgrades the iPad Air receives, but it is unclear if Apple will give it the M3 chip or the M4 chip. While the M3 chip would be a logical choice, Apple has been quickly transitioning away from chips built with TSMC's first-generation 3nm process. So, perhaps the iPad Air will get the same M4 chip used in the latest iPad Pro models. There is precedent for that, as the iPad Pro and iPad Air had the M1 chip simultaneously for around six months in 2022.
An updated Magic Keyboard for both iPad Air models is also expected, and it should gain some of the features introduced on the latest Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. That means potential features for the next iPad Air version of the accessory include a thinner and lighter design with an aluminum palm rest, a larger glass trackpad, and a row of function keys with shortcuts for things like display brightness and volume.
The current iPad Air models with the M2 chip launched in May this year.
iPad 11
The entry-level iPad is also expected to receive an update in spring 2025.
The device will likely support Apple Intelligence, according to Gurman. That suggests the iPad 11 will get a newer A-series chip compared to the iPad 10, and an increased 8GB of RAM. No major design changes have been rumored for the device.
Apple released the iPad 10 in October 2022. It has an A14 Bionic chip.
New MacBook Air Models
The next Macs to receive the M4 chip should be the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air in spring 2025. No other major changes are expected for the laptops.
The current MacBook Air models launched in March this year.
Since last month, all MacBook Air models now start with 16GB of RAM, up from 8GB. There was no price increase associated with this change.
