Apple to Update iPhone, Watch, and MacBook by End of Year

Apple hasn’t overhauled the MacBook line since 2012, when it launched the Retina display on laptops. That will change by the end of the year, according to sources cited in Bloomberg.

Some say Apple hoped the iPad Pro could succeed the MacBook, but as tablet sales stagnate across the board, the company has recommitted effort to its lineup of laptops. MacBooks generate almost exactly as much revenue as iPads do for Apple.

The redesigned MacBook will be—wait for it—thinner and lighter, as well as boast more powerful graphics and a smarter trackpad among other updates. Rumors suggest there may even be a secondary display above the keyboard that replaces the function key row and changes the available controls based on which app is open. The new MacBook is expected to arrive closer to the end of the year.

Next Month, a New iPhone Launches. Here’s What to Expect

Before then, however, consumers can expect a new Apple Watch and the iPhone 7.

This September, rumors suggest the iPhone will have a few upgrades, such as better battery life and an improved home button, but retain a virtually identical form factor. The biggest upgrades are expected to come from the camera—a dual-camera system that takes two photos at once and merges them is likely to be the best smartphone camera on the market—and the storage, which may start at 32GB and reach up to 256GB, similar to the iPad Pro. Apple is also expected to remove the headphone jack at the bottom of the iPhone. The next-gen iPhone will launch with iOS 10, Apple’s forthcoming mobile operating system, which features interactive widgets, a smart home app, and a redesigned Apple Music.

A New Apple Watch with GPS, Better Battery Life Could Launch Beside iPhone Next Month

In his most recent research note, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the Apple Watch 2 will launch this year and include a faster processor, GPS, a barometer, enhanced waterproofing, and longer battery life.
Overall, the exterior will remain similar, with unchanged screen sized. Cellular connectivity is not anticipated until 2017, according to Kuo.