As the new year approaches, there are tons of great devices we know we’ll see in 2023—new iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches will appear throughout the year. But there will surely be some surprises that no one but us saw coming. Here are three totally unexpected products that could debut in the early months of 2023.
apple security key
Apple has announced that it will introduce support for physical security keys for Apple IDs to add extra security for users worried about their iCloud data being hacked. We’ve already seen the feature in the iOS 16.3 beta, which is expected to arrive early next year.
Apple
Essentially, if you choose to use it, it will replace the current two-factor authentication method that sends you a code to input on the device you want to access. Instead, you’ll be able to plug in a dongle-style security key, such as the popular YubiKey by Yubico, which will handle authentication on your behalf.
But what if Apple made its own key instead? Security keys will be less likely to be adopted but Apple could change this if it releases its own key. We’ve already seen how people flocked to $19 polishing cloths, and a security key like Google’s Titan Security Key would be a great way to get more people interested in advanced security.
Security Keys provide even more protection for your Apple ID, especially for those whose data is at high risk of being compromised. As Apple describes, “Security Key strengthens Apple’s two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors. This takes our two-factor authentication even further, Prevents an advanced attacker from obtaining the user’s second factor in a phishing scam.
An Apple NFC key would be a great surprise to promote the new feature – and we’d love to see Apple take a crack at designing it. Maybe glossy white, or brushed aluminum, or matte black with a small embossed Apple logo.
airpods max 2
Apple first introduced its over-the-ear headphones in late 2020 and since then there has been no update or many rumors to Apple’s premium (both in quality and price) AirPods Max headphones. But we’re thinking a new version is coming.
And there are several clues that a new model could be coming soon. At the time of writing, the delivery time at the Apple Store is showing as 1 to 2 weeks, which means the product won’t arrive until the second week of January. And on Amazon, where the AirPods Max are always on sale, many colors are out of stock. Compare this to the 3rd-gen AirPods or AirPods Pro which are readily available and it suggests that either Apple is having problems with its supply chain or is keeping stock levels low for the release of the 2nd-gen model Is.
Apple
Hopefully, this time Apple will address the concerns we had with the first generation, mainly the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency when editing audio or listening to lossless files, the heavy weight of the headphones, and God-awful “smart case” that Apple somehow escaped from its design lab. There are also several features introduced with the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro that could make an appearance – enhanced noise cancellation, adaptive transparency, better battery life, and touch controls. Oh, and we wouldn’t mind a USB-C port instead of Lightning.
apple pencil for iphone
OK, we admit this is a long shot. But hear us out. We reported earlier this year on rumors that Apple intended to release a stripped-down stylus at the iPhone 14 event that would work with the iPhone’s display (and the 10th-gen iPad (10th generation). A better solution would have been and its dongle). Now, you probably know that Steve Jobs was famously against the idea of a stylus for the iPhone, but the success of the Apple Pencil, matched with the larger display, means that an iPhone Pencil isn’t such a crazy of an idea anymore.
According to rumours, the iPhone Pencil was similar to the Samsung S-Pen in that it did not require direct charging and instead drew power from the phone. It was small enough to be easy to use with an iPhone, didn’t have the pressure sensitivity of the iPad’s Apple Pencil, and was expected to cost around $49/£49, which was perfect for people who wanted to jot down notes His iPhone. Apparently, the device had already begun mass production before Apple abruptly canceled the project.
So why would Apple release it in early 2023? For the past two years, Apple has launched a new iPhone color to juice sales in the middle of the cycle — green in 2022 and purple in 2021 — so it’s not unusual for Apple to focus some attention on the iPhone in the middle of the cycle. And with production issues in the iPhone 14 Pro line during the holiday season, Apple is looking to get as many iPhone sales as possible in the first quarter. And a cheap and tiny stylus made just for the iPhone might be just the thing.