iPhone 17 Is Just the Appetizer: A Look at Apple's Upcoming Major Product Launches

iPhone 17 Is Just the Appetizer: A Look at Apple’s Upcoming Major Product Launches

iPhone 17 Is Just the Appetizer: A Look at Apple’s Upcoming Major Product Launches

Apple held its fall product launch event on September 10, unveiling the new iPhone 17 series, which includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air.

The standard version finally features ProMotion technology with high refresh rate support, while the Pro series adopts a completely new body design with upgraded telephoto lenses.

The Air model emphasizes extreme thinness with a body measuring just 5.6mm.

Additionally, Apple introduced the AirPods Pro 3 and three new Apple Watch models. Beyond these announcements, Apple is expected to release several more products over the coming months. Let’s take a look at what’s on the horizon.

iPhone 17 Is Just the Appetizer: A Look at Apple's Upcoming Major Product Launches

iPad Pro

The biggest change for the new iPad Pro will be the upgrade to the M5 chip. This new product is expected to use the N3P process, offering improved power efficiency compared to the M4 chip. It’s anticipated to launch in October.

Vision Pro 2

The new Vision Pro will likely feature primarily hardware iteration upgrades. Since the previous model still uses the M2 chip, the next-generation product is expected to be equipped with the M5 chip, delivering significant performance improvements.

Apart from the chip upgrade, this product isn’t expected to see other design or hardware changes. However, the device may feature a newly designed head strap to make it more suitable for extended wear, enhancing comfort.

Apple TV 4K

The next-generation Apple TV will feature the A17 Pro chip for better performance and may support Apple Intelligence on tvOS. It’s also expected to include Apple’s in-house WiFi and Bluetooth chip—likely the N1 chip previously used in the iPhone 17 series—supporting WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The new Apple TV will support the revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, launching by year’s end.

AirTag 2

Apple released the first-generation AirTag in 2021, four years ago. This year, the product is expected to receive an update. According to leaks, the next-generation AirTag will maintain its previous design while upgrading to a second-generation ultra-wideband chip, providing broader tracking range. It’s expected to launch before year’s end.

HomePod mini 2

The last HomePod mini was released back in 2020, making it another product long overdue for an update. The new model will feature a more powerful chip, likely the S9 or S10, offering higher CPU and GPU performance.

It will also include new WiFi and Bluetooth chips supporting Wi-Fi 6E for faster network speeds and lower latency. Apple may also provide better sound quality through improved audio hardware. Launch is expected before year’s end.

MacBook Pro

Apple released MacBook Pros with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023. The next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to feature M5/M5 Pro/M5 Max chips, though there are currently no rumors of other major changes.

Looking further ahead, by late 2026, the MacBook Pro is expected to receive four major upgrades: OLED display, touchscreen, thinner body, and M6 series chips built on 2nm process technology.

iPhone 17e

In February this year, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, which can be considered a “lite version” of the iPhone 16. In the first half of next year, Apple will update this product line with the iPhone 17e, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED screen that remains at 60Hz, though the notch will transition to a Dynamic Island design.

For core hardware, the processor will be upgraded to the A19 chip (same as iPhone 17) with 8GB of memory, fully supporting Apple Intelligence. However, it’s unclear whether Apple will remove one GPU core as they did with the A18 in the iPhone 16e.

For cameras, it will feature a 12MP front camera and 48MP rear camera combination—no significant upgrades. As a budget model, the iPhone 17e shows minimal improvements over its predecessor and has an obvious gap compared to the more substantially upgraded iPhone 17. Of course, its existence may serve to make the standard version appear more valuable by comparison.

Final Thoughts

Based on current information, from now until mid-next year, Apple should have many new products launching. However, most will be iterative hardware upgrades without particularly noteworthy highlights. Of course, this is all based on leaked information—Apple may still have some “surprises” in store.