Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, has officially announced that the company will unveil a brand new product today, Wednesday, February 19. The most anticipated item is likely the iPhone SE 4, but there are several other possibilities on the table. Here’s everything you should know.
iPhone SE 4
The iPhone SE 4 has been in the rumor mill for over two years now and is set to bring substantial upgrades to Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone model. This update will feature a redesigned look inspired by the iPhone 14, along with significant internal enhancements and an improved camera system.
- Updated design with a notch and Face ID, eliminating the Home button
- A18 chip paired with 8GB of RAM
- Apple Intelligence integration
- 6.1-inch OLED display
- Face ID replaces Touch ID
- 48MP rear camera
- 12MP front-facing camera
- Charging via USB-C instead of Lightning
As reported by Bloomberg, it is highly likely that the iPhone SE 4 will be the product Apple reveals today. I’m really looking forward to seeing this device come to market, and I believe it could be a major success if Apple positions the price correctly.
Wildcard: M4 MacBook Air
The upcoming M4 MacBook Air is expected to include various upgrades over the M3 model. The most significant enhancement will be the improved performance and energy efficiency provided by the M4 chip, likely leading to an extended battery life as well.
With the M4 chip, the MacBook Air will be able to support up to 32GB of RAM, compared to a maximum of 24GB on the M3 version.
Another noteworthy update: the M4 MacBook Air will support two external monitors even when the lid is open, whereas the M3 can only support this configuration when the lid is closed.
The release of the M4 MacBook Air seems imminent, as stock levels at Apple retail outlets are declining. Whether it will drop this week or later in the spring remains uncertain.
Wildcard: iPad Updates
Apple is planning two updates for its iPad lineup. First up is the iPad 11, a new iteration of its most affordable tablet. This model will be powered by the A17 Pro chip and will feature 8GB of RAM, a significant upgrade from the iPad 10, which has the A14 Bionic chip and 4GB of RAM. These enhancements will allow for Apple Intelligence functionality on Apple’s entry-level iPad.
Additionally, a new version of the iPad Air is in development. This will primarily serve as a basic specs refresh, transitioning from the M2 chip to the M3 chip.
Wildcard: ‘HomePad’ Smart Display
A new product is set to join Apple’s collection this year. As reported by DMN last September, Apple is developing a smart home command center featuring a square display and an A18 chip to support Apple Intelligence functionality.
Bloomberg has also offered in-depth coverage on this device. According to Mark Gurman, it will have a 7-inch display and measure roughly the size of two iPhones placed side by side, with a thick border surrounding the screen.
The design is focused on mounting it on a wall, and it will come in silver and black color variants. Additionally, Bloomberg notes that there will be bases with extra speakers that can be positioned in various locations, such as the kitchen, on a bedside table, or on a desk.
While Apple initially aimed for a March launch for this new smart display, recent reports suggest it may ship later than originally expected.
New Software Betas
Finally, we are still waiting for Apple to roll out the next set of software betas across its platforms. iOS 18.4 is expected to introduce several new features powered by Apple Intelligence, including an enhanced Siri that understands personal context, on-screen awareness, and the ability to execute in-app actions.
- Personal Context Understanding: Thanks to the on-device semantic index enabled by Apple Intelligence, Siri can process emails, messages, photos, calendar events, files, and much more. This allows Siri to answer queries that relate specifically to you. For instance, when you ask, “What was that movie Jamie recommended?” Siri will locate the message from the previous week. Furthermore, while filling out a form and saying, “Add my passport number here,” Siri can retrieve that number from a saved passport photo and insert it accordingly.
- On-screen Awareness: Siri will be equipped to recognize and act upon what appears on your screen. So, if a friend texts you about a coffee shop nearby, you can simply ask, “How long would it take to walk there from home?” and Siri will grasp exactly what you mean.
- In-App Actions: Siri will gain the ability to perform various actions on your behalf in first- and third-party applications. For example, the next time you edit photos, you could say, “Make this photo warmer,” and Siri will adjust it via the Photos app. Siri can also operate across apps, so once you finish editing a photo, you could command, “Add this to my ratatouille recipe note,” and Siri will seamlessly transition to complete that task.
According to Bloomberg, the first beta of iOS 18.4 could be available as soon as this week. Alongside iOS 18.4, we can also expect new releases for iPadOS 18.4, macOS 15.4, tvOS 18.4, and watchOS 11.4.
Wrap Up
This week seems poised to spotlight the new iPhone SE 4. This eagerly awaited addition to Apple’s product range aims to introduce Apple Intelligence at a more accessible price. While some DMN readers eager for the latest hardware may view this announcement as unexciting, it represents a vital market for Apple.
Considering last year’s timeline, we are due for the release of the first iOS 18.4 beta. Whether or not it materializes this week remains to be seen.
My favorite iPhone accessories:
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