For over a decade, Apple has consistently announced all-new hardware product lines, from the iPad in 2010 to the Vision Pro in 2023. But for the first time in 14 years, Apple failed to announce any major new hardware products in 2024, focusing solely on updates and refinements to its existing product lines.
While Apple unveiled a large number of significant hardware refreshes in 2024, such as the redesigned iPad Pro and Mac mini, these were all evolutions of existing categories, not entirely new product lines. The only entirely new announcement of note, Apple Intelligence, was software-based and does not qualify as new hardware. This makes 2024 the first year since 2009 in which Apple did not release a completely new hardware product. Here's a look back at the major new products announced each year from 2010 to 2023:
- 2023: Apple Vision Pro
- 2022: Mac Studio, Studio Display, and Apple Watch Ultra
- 2021: AirTag
- 2020: Apple Silicon, MagSafe for iPhone ecosystem, HomePod mini, and AirPods Max
- 2019: AirPods Pro, Pro Display XDR, and Apple Card
- 2018: iPhone XS Max
- 2017: iMac Pro, HomePod, and iPhone X
- 2016: iPhone SE and AirPods
- 2015: iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and Apple TV HD
- 2014: Apple Watch
- 2013: iPhone 5C and iPad Air
- 2012: iPad mini
- 2011: Thunderbolt Display
- 2010: iPad
2024 stands out for its lack of a new category, focusing instead on enhancing existing devices and introducing new software features.
It's worth noting that many of Apple's product lines have reached a high level of maturity. Instead of creating entirely new categories, Apple is seemingly doubling down on perfecting its existing lineup, as demonstrated by the introduction of OLED display technology to the iPad Pro, the more refined design of the Apple Watch Series 10, or the M4 family of Apple silicon chips.
While Apple Vision Pro was announced in 2023, it did not launch until February 2024, and constitutes a major new "spatial computing" product line for the company. It demanded a whole new OS, accessory ecosystem, retail store space, and more. As a result, is likely that Vision Pro dominated Apple's focus in 2023 and 2024.
Similarly, Apple's pivot toward AI in the form of Apple Intelligence was announced in June 2024. Apple Intelligence seeks to reshape how users interact with their devices, introducing unprecedented levels of personalized automation and generation on Apple devices. Since Apple Intelligence exists solely as software for existing product lines, Apple focused on expanding Apple Intelligence support in 2024, exemplified by the introduction of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and seventh-generation iPad mini, as well as bumping the entire Mac lineup up to 16GB of memory as standard.
Apple's long-rumored, but ill-fated, electric vehicle project, may also have diverted substantial resources before its reported cancellation. This effort, combined with the monumental development demands of Apple Intelligence and the Vision Pro, likely consumed a significant portion of Apple's recent R&D capacity.
Moreover, Apple's 2024 product lineup is still likely feeling the lingering effects of the global slowdown during COVID-19, as most Apple products operate on a development cycle of two to four years. These overlapping factors may explain why 2024 lacked the introduction of an entirely new hardware product line.
Compounding this, the global tech market has seen slowing growth in consumer hardware, with many buyers opting to extend the lifecycle of their devices. It would therefore make sense that Apple has prioritized incremental upgrades such as the Apple Pencil Pro and fourth-generation AirPods, over launching new product categories that require significant consumer adoption and investment.
2025 is rumored to see the introduction of a smart home "Command Center" resembling a HomePod with a 7-inch display, which could constitute an all-new product line amid Apple's expected refocus on the smart home. Beyond this, no totally new hardware product lines are expected this year.
Article Link: Apple Broke a 13-Year Hardware Streak in 2024
