While most of those products are just new installments to their never-ending stream of, laptops, phones or smartwatches, some behind-the-scenes ventures might manage to break the mold. Those more far-out ideas are obviously kept under pretty tight wraps, so with a healthy dose of speculation (and skepticism)....
Yes, you read correctly. Apple has reportedly been on working on developing vehicle-centric technology. The effort, titled "Project Titan" was apparently started in 2014 and originally focused on creating a full-fledged electric vehicle. Reports suggest that internal struggles derailed those plans, however, and now Apple is apparently shifting their focus to developing self-driving technology. With the number of companies now involved in pursuing self-driving cars, would it really be surprising if Apple joined in on the race?
Apple has long been rumored to be in the process of developing augmented reality glasses that can be synced up with an iPhone. The hardware will reportedly superimpose information from a phone onto the display so wearers can view incomings calls, texts, and other notifications – eventually they might have more experimental applications like helping users see in the dark according to a recent patent. As with any technology included in this list, the ultimate fruition of Apple Glass is pretty dicey, but multiple reports from Bloomberg, citing Apple sources familiar with the project, have suggested that the hardware could arrive in 2023.
While augmented reality hardware may still be several years off, a heftier virtual reality headset that blends both VR and AR may be closer to fruition. Bloomberg reports suggest that the headset, which would challenge Facebook's Oculus, could utilize ultra-high resolution screens that blur the line between reality and the virtual world. According to a report from The Information, the headset could be released in 2022.
Apple just released its first line of MacBooks with its own silicon – the M1 chip. That momentous shift away from using Intel chips will continue to yield more M-series products including a, "half-sized Mac Pro planned to launch by 2022" according to Bloomberg. The new series of chips, expected to be unveiled in 2021, are also reportedly on pace to eclipse the performance of Intel's own processors and the high end PC's they're used in.
According to yet another Bloomberg report, Apple will join a growing list of companies working on satellite base internet. Like Elon Musk's Starlink, the project would utilize a network of satellites (potentially some placed in low Earth orbit) to beam data direct to consumers. The report, which dates back to December last year, says that Apple has plans to release the service in about five years, that is if the satellites ever actually mange to make it off the ground.