Looking to buy a new Apple device? You might want to hold off. Here's why

2024 was quite a year for Apple, with the company releasing a whole slew of products, updating old favorites such as the iPhone, Apple Watch and Macs, and releasing a brand new product in the form of the Vision Pro, something that looks like it was taken straight from a sci-fi movie.

Also: I recommend this 15-inch MacBook Air to most people

Before we get back to our regularly scheduled programming, let’s peer into the nearest crystal ball — and consult the rumor mill — to make a few predictions about what 2025 might bring us from the Cupertino tech powerhouse.

Future Apple product launches (near and far)

Vision Pro

Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter how high-tech and sci-fi something is; a three and a half thousand dollar price tag is an impossible barrier for most. There had been rumors suggesting that a cheaper unit — with a more modest $2,000 price tag — would land towards the end of this year, but indications now suggest this has been pushed back to 2027.

But the Vision Pro rumors don’t end there. There are whispers that suggest the Vision Pro will be superseded by the Vision Pro 2, a new headset — sorry, Apple calls it a spatial computer — powered by the M4 chip and Apple Intelligence support.

New iPhone SE

There were plenty of rumors to suggest that the iPhone SE 4 would land last year. Now it’s supposedly coming this year. It’s expected to bring an end to Touch ID and finalize the Face ID roll out to the iPhone line, and be powered by the A18 chip, and, obviously, support Apple Intelligence.

AirTag update

The new AirTags are expected to use a new Ultra Wideband chip, bringing improved range and accuracy, and apparently the speaker is going to be more difficult to disable, a countermeasure to prevent tags being used to stalk people. Given how trivial it is to modify AirTags, and how you can even buy them already modified, this will be a welcomed change.

Hypertension detection for Apple Watch

The Apple Watch can do a lot already, uncovering hidden medical conditions such as atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea. Adding the ability to detect high blood pressure would reinforce its place as a personal, wrist-mounted physician.

Now let’s look at Apple tech that you might want to wait on.

The ‘Naughty’ list

Give these Apple devices a hard pass:

• The standard iPad: With the iPad Pro, Air, and Mini all being quite fresh, it’s easy to forget the old-school iPad. The current 10th-generation model was released back in October of 2022 and is up there as one of Apple’s oldest products.  
• iPhone SE: Apple released this handset in March 2022, and the rumors are all over the place, from an update should have landed last year, a new one is coming later this year, to there won’t be another one. We’ll see. The current iPhone SE might be Apple’s cheapest iPhone, but given its age, at this point I’d suggest grabbing a refurbished or secondhand iPhone that’s newer. 
• Mac Studio: The M2-powered Mac Studio is no longer the beast it was, and given that it’s hitting that 18-month-old mark and running on Apple Silicon that’s two generations old, I suggest giving it a miss. 
• Apple TV: Last updated in October 2022, this device is due for a refresh. When? Rumors suggest a 4th-gen Apple TV 4K will be announced during the first half of this year.
• HomePod Mini: Released in October 2020, this is officially Apple’s oldest product. While there’s nothing wrong with it technically, it’s hard to recommend dropping full price for a piece of hardware that’s so old. 

The ‘Nice’ list 

1. Apple iMac

The iMac got a refresh to bring it up to speed with Apple Intelligence. With specs ranging from 8 CPU and GPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage priced at $1,299, all the way up to 10 CPU and GPU cores, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for $1,899, there’s an iMac to suit most workloads and budgets. 

2. Apple Mac Mini

Apple smallest Mac got an upgrade to the M4 and M4 Pro processors. And it’s also the cheapest Mac you can buy, as a Mac Mini with the 10-Core CPU and GPU model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage costing only $599. 

3. Apple iPad Mini

The all-new 2024 iPad Mini replaced the three-year-old model with one powered by an A17 Pro chip that’s Apple Intelligence ready, and comes in a range of colors (blue, purple, starlight, and space grey) and storage capacities (128GB, 256GB, and 512GB) to suit everyone. Prices range from $499 to $799. 

4. Apple iPhone 16

From a Camera Control button, an Action button, and the new A18 chipset, the iPhone 16 has been built from the ground up to handle AI workloads. 

5. Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 for GPS and $499 for cellular. It comes in three colors: jet black, rose gold, and silver aluminum. The new black Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799. 

6. Apple M3 MacBook Air

Apple’s MacBook Air has an M3 chip — more oomph to tackle heavier-duty AI tasks.

Also: Is your iPhone rebooting after being inactive? It’s a feature, not a bug

Along with the updated processor, this MacBook Air can also power two external monitors with the lid closed, making it a great desktop replacement — just add two screens! 

With prices for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air starting at $1,099, and the 15-inch version starting at $200 more, these systems represent some serious processing power for an extremely competitive price (especially when you consider these are Apple laptops).

7. Apple Vision Pro

Apple’s newest product is the company’s foray into mixed-reality spatial computing.

Also: 10 reasons the Apple Vision Pro is secretly brilliant

It’s hard to bet against Apple, but a futuristic set of goggles with a starting price of $3,499 doesn’t feel like the easiest thing to sell. Still, Apple is Apple, and if any company can convince consumers to part with large sums of cash (and developers to create apps for a new platform that could fall flat on its face), it’s Apple.

8. 2nd-gen AirPods Pro (now with USB-C)

The AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) offers a major upgrade over the previous model, giving Apple’s premium buds a massive lead over the competition. Apple has now refreshed the charging case to use USB-C rather than Lightning — great if you have a new iPhone, but yet another cable or dongle to carry if not. Here are the highlights:

• Active Noise Cancellation reduces unwanted background noise.
• Adaptive Transparency lets outside sounds in while reducing loud environmental noise.
• Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places the sound all around you.
• Multiple ear tips are included (XS, S, M, L).
• Touch control lets you swipe to adjust volume, press to direct media playback, answer or end calls, and press and hold to switch between listening modes.
• Sweat- and water-resistant for AirPods Pro and charging case.
• MagSafe Charging Case has a speaker and a lanyard loop.
• USB-C charging.

Also: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) review: Two major upgrades, tamed by one familiar flaw

And now with the release of iOS 18.1, your AirPods Pro earbuds can function as clinical-grade hearing aids, bringing better hearing to tens of millions of people, and disrupting the lucrative hearing aids market.

9. Apple AirTag

Apple’s AirTags are the perfect gift for someone who constantly loses things. You can add them to your luggage, attach them to your bike, your remote, or even your moving boxes — the possibilities are endless. 

Also: How to find out if an AirTag is tracking you

Well-made, robust, and with a replaceable battery, these will make misplaced keys or lost wallet things of the past.