Top Stories: iOS 17.2 Coming Soon, New iPads in Early 2024, and More

[MacRumors]

Apple's final set of major operating system updates for 2023 appears to be right around the corner, with iOS 17.2 and related updates likely coming next week to deliver a number of new features and improvements.

This week also saw rumors about forthcoming updates for the iPad lineup and the MacBook Air, as well as the iPhone 16, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Following over a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 17.2 to the public next week. The software update includes many new features and changes for the iPhone, including a Journal app, spatial video recording on iPhone 15 Pro models, improvements to the Messages and Weather apps, a Favorite Songs playlist in Apple Music, and more.

We've shared a list of 12 new features and changes in iOS 17.2 for those interested in learning more, but there's plenty of additional tweaks and improvements coming in the update as well.

Apple to Launch Two iPad Air and Two OLED iPad Pro Models Early Next Year

2023 is set to become the first calendar year with no new iPads released in the device's history. As a result of this hiatus, the entire iPad lineup is expected to be updated throughout 2024.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple plans to release two new iPad Air models and update the iPad Pro line with OLED displays in March 2024. The iPad mini and entry-level iPad are expected to be updated later in the year.

New M3 MacBook Air Models Expected Around March 2024

In addition to new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M3 chip to launch around March 2024.

Apple already released 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chip options last month. These are Apple's first chips to be manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process for faster performance.

Kuo: iPhone 16 Models to Feature Upgraded Microphone for Improved Siri AI Experience

iPhone 16 models will feature a significantly upgraded microphone with a better signal-to-noise ratio and improved water resistance, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo said the upgraded microphone could indicate that Apple plans to add more generative AI capabilities to Siri as a key selling point of the iPhone 16 models, which are expected to launch in September 2024.

'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

Apple supplier LG Innotek has started development of an under-display camera that could pave the way for an all-screen iPhone in the future, according to a report this week from South Korea's The Elec.

An all-screen iPhone would also require the TrueDepth sensors for Face ID to be moved under the display, and rumors suggest that Apple might achieve this goal starting with the iPhone 17 Pro in 2025.

iOS 17.2 Adds NameDrop-Like Feature for Sharing Boarding Passes, Movie Tickets, and More

Starting with iOS 17.2, there is a new NameDrop-like feature that allows an iPhone user to quickly share boarding passes, movie tickets, and other Wallet app passes with another iPhone user.

iOS 17.2 is currently in beta, and it is expected to be released to the public next week. The update also adds a Journal app, spatial video recording on iPhone 15 Pro models, several improvements to the Messages and Weather apps, a Favorite Songs playlist in Apple Music, and more.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Article Link: Top Stories: iOS 17.2 Coming Soon, New iPads in Early 2024, and More

 

[wood1208]

All good news for future Apple products. 2024/25 release of Apple products like M3 Macbook Air, iPad with WiFi 7 support is good to have feature.

 

[oldtime]

Still happily rocking an iPad 6th gen but will upgrade to the new mini if the jelly scroll issue is fixed.

 

[Realityck]

iOS 17.2 is currently in beta, and it is expected to be released to the public next week

This will likely be released on Monday Dec 11th, if not then Tuesday Dec 12th.

Either way with the last couple of last minute RC updates for MacOS 14.2 that fixed the odd managedappdistributionagent crash and also updated tvOS 17.2 Apple has this release coming very early next week.

 

[shpankey]

The upgraded mic is most welcome!

 

[USB-Adapter]

On-device Siri AI would be great!

 

[macduke]

I wish we could just skip straight to an all screen iPhone. I don't take selfies and I don't FaceTime on my phone, typically on my iPad, Mac, or using my iPhone in conjunction with my Apple TV, which uses the rear camera. So I would take removing it entirely to have it now! Not realistic, but I can wish.

As far as timeline goes, yeah, if they're just starting development of the under display cameras now, then 2025 would be the earliest, barring no significant setbacks. Because EVT would've already been wrapping by now, then DVT in the late winter/early spring, then PVT in the early summer to get it done in time. Not happening next year. The iPhone has a long development cycle, just like the chips and everything else. I'm sure they've already been working on the iPhone 17 for 2025 for a few months now.

From what I've read, it seems like the FaceID only components are further along in development. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple maybe make the Dynamic Island smaller this year or next year, and stretch things out more until removing it entirely. I've seen Android phones that are all display and the camera quality just doesn't seem to be up to par yet. And sometimes the pixels covering it are a bit wonky.

 

[dampfnudel]

Still happily rocking an iPad 6th gen but will upgrade to the new mini if the jelly scroll issue is fixed.

I sold my iPad mini 4 thinking I would replace it with the iPad mini 6 when it was released a few weeks later, but the jelly scroll I noticed at the Apple Store put an end to that. Hopefully the rumors are correct that there won’t be jelly scrolling on the iPad mini 7 in portrait orientation.

 

[The Game 161]

looking forward to OLED ipad pro. certainly be pleasant viewing even better than mini led.

 

[Silver78]

I hope they remove the volume HUD 2.0

The annoying HUD smack middle of screen in safari when watching video in full screen.
“…….” Is in full screen. Swipe down to exit.

Its smack in the middle of the screen for some seconds and often interferes with the middle screen play button of many players in safari.. its been there since 16.2

It seems so idiotic its still there.

 

[Silver78]

I look forward to new ipad mini… got money to spend but not on an almost 3 year old device

 

[Elmo1938]

and what about the iMac27/iMac32?

 

[segfaultdotorg]

A new 17.2" iPad? That seems a little big and cumbersome.

 

[Joshuaorange]

I wish we could just skip straight to an all screen iPhone. I don't take selfies and I don't FaceTime on my phone, typically on my iPad, Mac, or using my iPhone in conjunction with my Apple TV, which uses the rear camera. So I would take removing it entirely to have it now! Not realistic, but I can wish.

As far as timeline goes, yeah, if they're just starting development of the under display cameras now, then 2025 would be the earliest, barring no significant setbacks. Because EVT would've already been wrapping by now, then DVT in the late winter/early spring, then PVT in the early summer to get it done in time. Not happening next year. The iPhone has a long development cycle, just like the chips and everything else. I'm sure they've already been working on the iPhone 17 for 2025 for a few months now.

From what I've read, it seems like the FaceID only components are further along in development. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple maybe make the Dynamic Island smaller this year or next year, and stretch things out more until removing it entirely. I've seen Android phones that are all display and the camera quality just doesn't seem to be up to par yet. And sometimes the pixels covering it are a bit wonky.

I agree. I really dislike losing screen real estate to a rarely used camera.

 

[Reason077]

I don’t really care about new features, but I’d love if they’d fix all the little graphics/animation glitches that seem to plague Notification Centre, Mail, etc in 17.1.

Another huge annoyance with Notification Centre is that the display will sometimes go to sleep right when you’re in the middle of using it (this doesn’t happen if there’s a widget on the Notification Centre, but does often happen if I’m just scrolling through notifications)

And also the Setting App, which is not as atrocious as the abysmal macOS settings app, but still seems to have more weird glitches than it used to…

 

[verity]

The under display camera has been rumored for years. Apple has filed those patents, they have been granted. Must be a hard thing to do, and I'm sure all those companies are working on it.

Latest macrumors that I can quickly find (2020):

Future Apple Watch Could Gain Touch ID and Under-Display Camera

Apple is researching adding Touch ID and an under-display camera to the Apple Watch, according to two newly-published patent applications. The...

www.macrumors.com