apple: Why the iPhone may not be Apple’s ‘showstopper’ in 2022 – Times of India

The iPhone is perhaps the most recognised gadget in the world. It is Apple’s ‘flagship’ product which sells in millions and earns billions for the company. Every year without fail the iPhone manages to generate a buzz and excitement that we have become fairly accustomed to and something very few other products manage to do. The Pixel phones and Samsung’s foldable were an exception in 2021. However, as we are about to embark on 2022, the iPhone may not be the showstopper for Apple in 2022. Even in 2021, some might argue that the new MacBook Pros were the most ‘exciting’ Apple product. And 2022 could very well follow the same course.
The iPhone is more about the evolution rather a revolution these days. Many thought that the iPhone 13 series were an incremental upgrade and that Apple didn’t bring anything revolutionary. That’s not true but a case can be made for that argument as well. Simply because we are at that saturation stage in the smartphone life cycle where pushing the envelope is rather difficult. And that’s not just with iPhone but other brands as well. iPhone 14 will have “the best cameras”, “the best display” Apple has ever made — that’s a given but it isn’t expected to make you marvel. Of course, people will still continue to buy the iPhone as always but Apple may have other products that could grab more headlines than its flagship product.

What new products Apple may launch

The smart speaker is a category where Apple was slow to move and Amazon stole a march on it and continues to lead. In 2021, Apple officially discontinued the HomePod and now only has the affordable HomePod mini in its portfolio. Smart speakers with displays have been catching on and perhaps in 2022, we will see Apple make a move in the category. Apple has already improved its FaceTime capabilities with new additions and the cameras on iPad Pro have the Centre Stage feature that could work really well on a smart speaker with a display. A HomePod with a display and camera could be Apple’s game-changer in the smart speaker market in the coming year. Apple needs a heavyweight in the smart speaker and 2022 might very well be the year when we see that happen.

What may be Apple’s ‘one more thing’

Rumours about Apple working on some sort of AR-VR glasses and headset have been rife for a while. Bloomberg’s Mark German who is rather accurate with his inside news about Apple mentioned that the Apple Glasses could arrive in 2022. In typical Apple style, they are supposed to be ‘pricey’ and will have “advanced chips, displays, sensor, and avatar-based features”, according to German. Meta (formerly known as Facebook) already has its Oculus Quest glasses and Apple CEO Tim Cook is a big fan of augmented reality (AR). Apple has hinted many times earlier that it is continuously innovating in AR and the glasses could actually make people sit up and take notice.