What we’d like to see from Apple in 2020 (and even beyond)

It’s almost the end of the year. That means we have another 365 days of Apple products, releases, announcements and surprising to look forward to. And we definitely have ideas about what we want to see from Apple.

But it’s also the end of the decade. And it’s worth looking forward to what Apple can and should accomplish in the next 10 years.

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What we want to see from Apple in 2020

Next year is shaping up to be an exciting one for Apple fans. Here are just a few of the things that we’d like to see from the Cupertino tech giant.

7. An iPhone lineup that makes sense

Sure, it’s looking increasingly likely that we’ll be seeing 5G-compatible iPhones next year. The 2020 lineup is also expected to feature some great updates like OLED across the board and 3D ToF cameras on the higher-end spectrum

But that really goes out the window if the lineup doesn’t make sense. According to the latest rumors, the company is expected to debut four new iPhones next year: one 5.4-inch device, two 6.1-inch devices, and one 6.7-inch device.

There are only two things Apple needs to do. First, it needs to price and market those devices in a way that doesn’t cause too much confusion and overlap. Second, it needs to deliver on many of the rumors that users are excited about.

6. Revamped MacBooks

The results are in. Despite some relatively minor bugs, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is a breath of fresh air for consumers who have been living with butterfly keyboard Macs or who have held off on buying one for the last few years.

Apple has fixed most of the major issues on the MacBook Pro in a way that makes sense. The only thing it needs to do now applies those changes on a broader scale across the MacBook lineup.

To start, a refresh of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with some of the 16 incher’s changes would be a good start. Ditto for the MacBook Air. Luckily, it’s looking increasingly likely that this has been Apple’s plan all along.

5. iPads that are focused

When it comes to the iPad lineup, Apple doesn’t seem to be able to make up its mind. The company has long resisted combining iPads and MacBooks. And yet, it also believes that the iPad is a worthy PC replacement.

Apple needs to pick a direction for its flagship tablets. And while iPadOS was a major step in the PC-replacement direction, there are still quite a few things holding the iPad back from actually being an amazing and capable computer.

True mouse support, for one. Adding some additional ports, or at least one more USB-C port could also be a good move. If it doesn’t want to make the iPad a computer, then it should focus on the things that make an iPad great already.

4. Massive improvements

Siri was revolutionary when it first debuted on the iPhone back in 2011. But in the era of smart speakers and Alexa-compatible everything, there’s an argument that Siri has seriously lagged behind.

Apple needs to make its digital assistant much more capable and powerful to even hope to compete with its competitors. Alexa and Google Assistant are just becoming way too flexible, powerful and prevalent for there to be an alternative.

We have a couple of ideas about how Apple could do this. Opening up the platform for third-party skills and content would be a good start. So would a much more flexible and platform-agnostic Siri system — something like a “SiriOS.”

3. New (and cheaper) media devices

Apple has long been a premium hardware company, but the tides are starting to shift. With substantial releases like Apple TV+ and the continued success of Apple Music, the Cupertino tech giant is slowly becoming a services-focused company.

Like other services/hardware-hybrid firms, Apple needs lower-cost devices to compete. A cheaper HomePod device could rival the Google Home Minis and Echo Dots of the world. The same goes for a potential Apple TV streaming stick akin to a Roku.

Not every media device needs to be low-cost, either. Apple’s AirPods have been incredibly successful. Just think about how well a pair of premium, over-ear ‘StudioPods’ would do.

2. Stable operating system updates

Apple’s iOS 12 release — and its other 2018 OS updates — was great and widely regarded as pretty stable. Then, along came iOS 13, macOS Catalina and Apple’s 2019 stable of objectively buggy releases.

It’s hard to blame Apple for being ambition. And iOS 13 and macOS Catalina certainly contained some much-needed and crowd-pleasing additions. But those updates can’t come at the expense of usability.

We’re not saying that Apple should nix new features in favor of stability improvements. But stable and performant operating systems are an absolute must for the company’s platforms to retain a good reputation.

1. ‘One More Thing’

Many Apple fans waited with bated breath for “one more thing” at the company’s fall keynote this year. That “one more thing” didn’t come. And in 2020, Apple should highly consider making “one more thing” happen.

Hardware releases have gotten so predictable and stagnant over the years. While Apple’s 2019 hardware made great strides, the company would do well by surprising and delighting its customers with something new.

The highly rumored AirTags could be one such surprise. While we don’t expect Apple AR glasses anytime soon, a tease of something on the horizon could help boost Apple’s reputation as an innovative company.

What we think the future looks like for Apple in the next decade!

If you look back on the past decade, Apple accomplished a lot. It became the world’s first $1 trillion company, unveiled a slew of groundbreaking products (Apple Watch, iPad, AirPods), and ushered in a new era of services-based platforms.

But if we look at some of the expectations for Apple in the next few years, the future looks even more exciting than that.

This decade, we may see:

• The debut of the Apple Car. Or, at least, whatever Apple is up to with its secretive Project Titan initiative. With companies like Tesla and self-driving car tech gaining traction, seeing what Apple could do in the space is intriguing.
• Augmented reality glasses. Apple is hard at work developing some type of head-worn AR system — and it could potentially revolutionize the industry.
• More wearables. Consumer electronics are steadily moving toward wearables as a user’s primary devices. In addition to the Apple Watch, we could see the company unveil a slew of other worn smart products.
• Greater services offering. Since Apple’s Services business is growing, we can only hope to see the company expand the number of platforms and services it offers.
• Better existing devices. We’re expecting 5G iPhones with proprietary modems, Macs with Apple ARM chips, and Apple Watches that control a suite of worn health sensors.
• A pro-consumer philosophy. Over the past year, we’ve seen Apple right a lot of wrongs and make quite a few consumer-friendly design decisions. With the end of the Jony Ive era of Apple design, that’s likely to become the norm for the company.

All of this is to say that it’s an incredibly exciting time to be an Apple fan. While there were definitely shaky moments over the past decade, it certainly looks like some of Apple’s best offerings are yet to come.