Angela Lang/CNET
This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters.
Apple has announced its newest iPhone during a September media event every year since 2012’s iPhone 5. During the 2020 Apple event last month, we got new Apple Watch and iPad models, and a bundled subscription service, but no new iPhone. That shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, as a delay has been rumored for months now, and the conventional wisdom says the iPhone 12 will be announced at an October event.
The iPhone isn’t the only missing-in-action update or new launch we’ve been waiting for. These are some of the things we didn’t see in September, but that might (or might not) show up before the end of the year.
What we didn’t see (yet)
iPhone 12: Everyone knows this is coming, and while it didn’t hit the September announcement window, there’s a good case to be made that the next set of iPhones will be announced on Oct. 13 or 14. The addition of 5G support is virtually a given, while other spec bumps and design changes are more up in the air.
AirTags: This long-rumored alternative to Tile-style trackers remains a phantom product, but if it shows up before the end of the year, it could be a great reasonably priced stocking stuffer. Hints about the product have been found in some iOS code, but that’s about all we know about AirTags for now.
Apple TV: All the TV energy seems to be going toward the Apple TV Plus service, which will now be available in the Apple One subscription bundle. But that doesn’t mean you should forget about the Apple TV hardware box. The current Apple TV set-top box has been around since 2017, which is roughly forever in tech terms. With people stuck at home and streaming more content than ever, an updated box could show up later in 2020 (or not).
Apple-silicon Macs: The first new Macs with Apple’s non-Intel Arm-based chips have already been promised by the end of 2020. That means we still have a few months — I’ve seen Apple products promised by the end of the year show up during the last week of December. This could be either a Mac Mini or an iMac (more likely) or one of the rumored new laptops, like a 14-inch MacBook Pro (less likely).
HomePod: The Apple HomePod is a great-sounding smart speaker, but when it debuted in 2018, it cost a hefty $350. These days you can find it on sale occasionally for closer to $200. We’ve expected a new, smaller, less-expensive model for some time now, but it was a no-show at the September Apple event.
See you at the next Apple Event
There’s every expectation that we’ll be back again in a few weeks to talk about the new iPhone 12 lineup, and maybe some of the other wish list items above. Note also that so far in 2020, Apple has released several big products without a formal event, including the revamped MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the 27-inch iMac and the iPad Pro. That means that even if something doesn’t appear at the expected October event, there’s still a chance it could turn up after that.
Read more: Best ways to sell or trade in your old iPhone for 2020
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Everything announced at Apple’s Event
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