Apple had a strong 2022, with a raft of updates to their popular products, including the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the M2 iPad Pro.
Apple's iPhone for photography lineup continues to include some of the best camera phones out there, and its new models add ProRAW image capabilities. Its iPad range still continues to dominate tablets market as well as our list of best tablets for photo editing. New and improved in 2022 with the latest powerful M2 processors, the gap between laptops and tablets is shrinking fast.
Apple's latest M2 processors in its MacBook range also bring its raw power to photo editing, making the MacBooks some of the best photo-editing laptops on the planet. We can't wait to see what Apple has in store in 2023 and hope that it has a few shocking reveals for photographers and creatives alike.
What could we see from Apple iPhone in 2023?
Apple's iPhone 14 range was another round of fantastic upgrades and still sits very pretty on our list of best camera phones. But honestly, they were a little boring compared to previous years. With only minor redesigns to the cameras and body, the biggest new feature was the nice but gimmicky dynamic island. Does Apple have anything more significant coming for its iPhones?
Based on current rumors and speculation, it looks like we are due an incremental upgrade for the base-level iPhone next year. Last year, Apple ditched the iPhone Mini and replaced it with the 6.7" Plus, and this looks likely to stay, with Apple planning to release both the regular (6.1") and Plus size again.
Design-wise, expect much of the same, with maybe a few new color choices. There is a chance that this year we might see USB-C finally arrive on iPhone, but don't count your chickens, as the EU has given Apple until 2024 to comply. The biggest change to expect is the addition of the dynamic island, which was reserved for only the top-tier phones in 2022.
Get the Digital Camera World Newsletter
The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!
In terms of camera specifications, it looks like the iPhone 15 will inherit last year's cameras from the iPhone 14 Pro, which will be a nice step up from the current model – but it's never exciting to get old tech. We will also be looking at an upgrade to the A16 processor featured in last year's Pro model.
iPhone 15 Pro
Not much is currently known about the regular old iPhone 15 Pro, with much of the buzz going to its larger sibling (below).
What we can expect though is a similar design to last year, with the stainless steel frame and glass sandwich and a 6.1" screen. There is a rumor that the back panel will be slightly more rounded at the edge to make it more comfortable to hold, but that has been disputed by other sources.
If the USB-C port makes it to any iPhone in 2023, you can probably expect the Pro to be included.
Based on previous history, the Pro phone would also likely get upgraded to the latest Apple A17 processor, with all the power and performance boosts that it brings. In the camera department, while nothing is confirmed, it would be very surprising not to see some improved sensors in the Pro, combined with some new AI and deep learning tricks from the latest A17 processor.
There is a rumor that Apple is testing under-display fingerprint readers in its iPhones. These have featured in the best Android phones for a few years and have gotten very good in the last couple of generations, so it is about time for Apple to add them as a sign-in option. Although don't expect face ID to go anywhere; Apple would most likely offer both sign-in methods.
iPhone 15 Ultra
Apple is heavily rumored to be replacing the iPhone Pro Max version with a new iPhone 15 Ultra. This would closely follow its strategy with the Apple Watch, which last year got an Ultra version, with a slew of new features, and a hefty price increase.
We don't quite know what features Apple might add to this Ultra version yet. The Watch Ultra was a more rugged adventure watch, but that wouldn't really make sense for an iPhone. Although we could see the titanium frame from the Watch Ultra make its move to iPhone.
We could finally see the long-rumored debut of a periscope lens in an iPhone, which would give Apple's flagship the optical zoom reach to match up with the latest Pixel 7 Pro or even Samsung's monster 10x optical zoom in the Samsung S22 Ultra.
Might we even see the debut of the M2 chip in a smartphone? Or at least an M2 Lite? This is pure speculation, however, Apple's in-house chips are by far and away its biggest success story from the last few years, so it's likely they would be pleased to grab more headlines with their silicon.
Something we do think we know is the price. It is expected that the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra will come with at least a $200 price increase. If this is $200 on top of last year's price remains to be seen, as the entire iPhone range might be in for a price hike.
iPhone SE
Currently, no new iPhone SE is expected until 2024. The current iPhone SE is one of our best budget phones but is already falling behind the stiff competition as companies like Samsung release newer budget models like the excellent Pixel 6a.
What could we see from Apple iPad in 2023?
It is likely that Apple will release a new and updated iPad Pro in the next 12 months. Apple released the last two iPad Pros in April 2021 and October 2022.
We should probably expect the latest iPad to come with new Apple M3 silicon, with Apple consistently updating the M chip in the previous two models year after year.
The biggest change we are expecting is in the screen size, with a colossal 16-inch iPad Pro potentially on the way. There are also rival reports suggesting that this might be limited to just 14.1 inches. Apple made a lot of changes to iPadOS to make it easier to multitask and use peripherals, so a 14.1 or 16-inch iPad would essentially release Apple's goal of making the iPad Pro into a legitimate laptop competitor. However a bigger screen certainly comes with a bigger price, so don't expect this 16-inch iPad to come cheap.
In the design department, everything looks set to remain the same, with the same mini-LED screen being used on the latest models. It does look like the front camera might move to the long edge, which would match Apple's move on the regular iPad 10.2" last year.
The rest of the range
We don't have much to go on for the rest of the iPad range. Apple has overhauled the design of the regular iPad, the iPad Air, and the iPad Mini substantially in the last couple of generations, so we would not be expecting anything major in that department. We may see re-releases of essentially the same models as the current generation, but with slightly newer chips.
What could we see from Apple MacBook in 2023?
We look set to see a new pair of 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros in the first half of 2023. After last year's debut of the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the MacBook Pros, we will very likely see the M2 Pro and M2 Max silicon in these latest models.
This would continue Apple's slightly confusing strategy of debuting its chips in a 13-inch model and then releasing these upgraded versions. So we might also see a 13-inch MacBook Pro towards the end of the year with an M3 chip.
Everything else on the new 14 and 16-inch models looks set to stay the same, with a pretty significant overhaul coming to the MacBooks last year with the return of MagSafe, the HDMI port, and much improved webcams.
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air got the M2 chip at the end of last year, as well as a very nice new blue option for the chassis. Based on current rumors, don't expect much beyond the potential upgrade to the latest M3 chip, and maybe some fun new color options.
What could we see from Apple Mac in 2023?
iMacs
Are we finally going to see the iMac Pro? Apple released the excellent iMac 24-inch M1 in 2021. This came with a very good screen, but not up to the lofty standards of designers and artists. The M1 chip in the 2021 model has also now been completely eclipsed by the latest coming from Apple's design department.
Pros across the world have been crying out for an iMac Pro ever since the previous version was discontinued in 2021. Apple has shown it is capable of producing some of the best screens in the world with its Apple Studio Display, and its M1 Ultra is setting benchmarks on fire. So is the time for an iMac Pro now? Rumors from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo certainly think so, and we really hope they are right!
Mac Studio
We last saw an update to the Mac Studio in April last year, which added the latest and most powerful processors with the M1 Pro and M1 Ultra. The Mac Studio is a fantastic compact little desktop, so we are not expecting much to change with the design, but we are hoping for a new Mac Studio with upgraded M2 Max and Ultra chips that offer even more raw power!
Bonus Rumors
VR / AR Headset
Apple is rumored to have a new VR/AR headset coming out in 2023 to rival the Meta Quest 2 and the best VR headsets. You can read the latest in this report from Tom's Guide.
A Car
In 2014 Apple started working on "Project Titan", which allegedly was an attempt to build a car to rival the latest Teslas. This project is rumored to have been scaled back quite dramatically in the latest round of fiscal tightening. However, the project is now rumored to be for semi-autonomous self-driving technology.
Apple isn't just the iPhone company, and we are likely to see a lot of other updates coming to Apple's ecosystem, with potential upgrades to its Watches, AirPods range, Beats headphones, AirTags, and more. Apple might even be buying a soccer team.
What else might we see making its way from the depths of Apple's R&D department next year? Stay tuned for all the latest Apple rumors. You can also check out our guides to the best camera phones, the best tablets for photo editing, and the best photo-editing laptops.
