All You Need To Know About Apple's iPhone Pro, iPad Pro And MacBook Pro 16
It is getting to be about that time when Apple refreshes its consumer hardware. So, what is on tap for this year? The latest leaks and rumors point to Apple launching new iPhone Pro models, new iPad Pro tablets, and a long overdue revamp to the MacBook Pro, to go along with another round of Apple Watch devices and various other things.
Apple is already on its second round of iPhone X devices—the latest models include the iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR. That means it is time for a new generation of iPhone handsets. Assuming Apple sticks to the same script it has been using since 2017, it will launch three iPhone models, probably sometime in September.
iPhone Pro
People who are apparently familiar with the situation told Bloomberg that Apple is prepping three iPhone Pro variants. The big upgrade on these phones will be the camera arrangement—Apple is said to be adding a third camera lens to the rear of the phone. This would be used to capture ultra-wide angle photos and videos. It would also enable users to zoom out and capture a larger field of view.
We have seen leaked renders of this camera arrangement before. The camera sensors are arranged in a triangle, with an LED flash taking up space as well, making for a large square cutout on the back of the iPhone. With the new sensor arrangement, the iPhone Pro would capture three images at the same time, and then use AI software to generate a combined photo.
Reverse wireless charging is said to be part of the new iPhone Pro models as well, similar to Samsung's Galaxy S10 phones. This will allow users to plop a set of AirPods on the back of the phone to charge them, or even another iPhone..
Other features include a new multi-angle Face ID sensor, better water resistance, an updated OLED display with Haptic Touch, and a faster A13 processor. None of the handsets will have a 5G radio, though, as Apple is waiting at least one more round (and possiblly more) before jumping into 5G territory.
iPad Pro
Moving on, Apple is said to be following up the launch of its iPad Air and iPad mini models from earlier this year with refreshed models of the iPad Pro. If the sources are correct, both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models will receive similar upgrades to the iPhone Pro handsets, with upgraded cameras and of course a beefier processor. They will look the same, though.
Apple will also refresh its lower-end 9.7-inch iPad, giving it a bigger 10.2-inch display. The 9.7-inch screen has been a mainstay of the iPad since it first launched in 2010, but it looks as though that size will be retired with the next round of iPad models.
MacBook Pro 16
Apple is supposedly planning a new MacBook Pro 16 model. The screen on this laptop would measure over 16 inches diagonally, as the model suggests, but the overall size would not be much bigger than the current MacBook Pro. That's because Apple is said to be using slimmer bezels to extend the screen real estate.
This would be a big addition to the MacBook Pro family. Apparently Apple is hoping the larger size (compared to the 15-inch models) will entice professionals, especially since the company discontinued the 17-inch MacBook Pro several years ago (in 2012).
Other details are not yet available, and it will be interesting to see which specific processors Apple decides to put inside them. The current generation MacBook Pro 15 tops out at a 9th generation Intel Core i9-9980HK "Coffee Lake" processor with 8 cores and 16 threads of computing muscle, paired with up to a Radeon Pro Vega 16.
There is new silicon available from both Intel and AMD, the former of which recently launched both 10nm Ice Lake and 14nm Comet Lake parts, and the latter having rolled out its Navi GPUs.
All of this will be in addition to new Apple Watch devices, refreshes to Apple's HomePod speaker line (a cheaper model is said to be in the works), new AirPods, and various software and service updates. Stay tuned, as we will be covering all of the announcements as they happen throughout the year.
