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In April, Apple, responding to endless screams from the tech press, introduced a powerful entry-level iPhone. Starting at $ 399, the highly disruptive iPhone SE uses a variant of the company’s high-end mobile processor, the A13. This is significantly more powerful than any mobile system on a chip offered by Android makers, even beating Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 used in devices priced over $ 1,000.
If that weren’t bad news for Android, the iPhone SE’s single-lens main camera produces images of photographic quality comparable to those produced by the main camera on Apple’s more expensive device, the iPhone 11 Pro.
In fact, it is an Android killer. And there’s not much competing Android vendors have been able to do to answer. Why would someone buying a budget phone upgrade throw good money out the window on a much less capable Android at the same or even higher price? The Google Pixel 4A is a decent phone, but better than the iPhone SE at a similar price? It’s hard to make that argument considering how powerful the iPhone SE device is in comparison.
Next week, on September 15, Apple will release updated (and potentially new) products at its “Time Flies” event. We expect new Apple watches and new iPads. The iPhone SE has hurt Google and Android’s market share for sure, but who else can Cupertino interrupt with lower-priced, high-capacity products? And what are the chances of them appearing at the event?
Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch Series 3 is already priced well at $ 199. But do you know what an even better deal would be? A $ 149 Apple Watch SE. This would compete well with various similarly priced Fitbit products. I think I would demolish them.
I anticipate that this device will come in only one size (38mm), made of plastic and rubber (like the CASIO G-Shock devices of yesteryear), with a non-replaceable band.
Plus: wearables and services to help you stay fit and focused while locked out
It would be just Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and it would have a heart sensor, but not an ECG. I would like Apple to introduce blood oxygenation sensors, such as those used in pulse oximeters (which are currently in short supply due to COVID-19). Still, realistically, I see the ones that are available in the more expensive models.
We will likely expect a cheaper Apple Watch next week. Is it possible that we will see one? I’ll put it at about 80%, priced at $ 199 or less.
Apple TV SE
I don’t know about you folks, but I’m sick of streaming boxes that can’t do anything but stream movies and TV. It’s about time Apple did a full update on Apple TV 4K, which currently costs $ 199 and hasn’t been updated in over two years.
Look, Apple TV competitors like Roku are selling devices for as low as $ 30 for their low-end device and $ 99 for their high-end models. Amazon’s high-end Fire TV costs $ 119, and it’s a great device too.
Do not misunderstand. I love my Roku Ultra and my Fire TV device. But do you know what would completely destroy them both? A $ 99 Apple TV with the A13 chip so we can play Apple Arcade games. Pair it with a $ 50 Apple Arcade controller and it’s a done deal.
I don’t even need a 4K version; a 1080p version at that price would be great because I don’t give a damn about 4K content. Let’s face it: if this haven-at-home lifestyle continues indefinitely and content distribution networks remain overwhelmed, we will all have to live with limited bandwidth that won’t accurately reproduce 4K material in most homes.
The Apple TV needs to be updated for a while, so that would put the odds of a replacement at 70% for an appearance in the next two to three months, despite next week’s event.
AirPods SE
Apple already has a lower-cost line of headphones than AirPods and AirPods Pro, with the Beats by Dre line. However, the least expensive product in that line, the Powerbeats, costs $ 149. It is an in-house product designed for a more mobile and outdoor lifestyle. And the least expensive over-ear product is the Beats Solo 3 at $ 199.
The company needs an on-ear product in the $ 99 range, potentially something with entry-level active noise cancellation. (At home, why would you need noise cancellation, for the most part?) This inexpensive product still needs to fit snugly and allow for better ear ventilation, so you don’t sweat, be designed primarily for home use. It should have a microphone on each side to respond to Siri commands and be good enough for casual FaceTime or Zoom use.
Good $ 99 headphones optimized for general content consumption for non-audiophiles would put tons of weird brands out of business from China. Even a company like Anker, which makes some great value products with its SoundCore line, would have trouble competing with the AirPods SE.
We’ll likely see mid- and high-end over-the-ear AirPods (Studio or Studio Pro) in the $ 200 range onwards next week, as Apple looks to add differentiating products from Beats, but a lower-end over-the-counter. AirPods product? I’d put it at 20%.
iPod Arcade
In the “zero development time required to disrupt an industry leader” department, we have Nintendo and its Switch, which has an MSRP of $ 299. However, due to high demand for the device, it has sold for more than $ 499 in some places.
How simple would it be if Apple removed 4G baseband electronics from an iPhone 8, put an A13 on it, and paired it with a “sled” arcade controller similar to the one used on the Nintendo Switch?
Apple could easily price the iPod Arcade, without control of the controller, at $ 200, the current price of the iPod Touch.
Arguably Apple didn’t sell many iPod Touch devices, but the current model is underpowered compared to what is essentially an iPhone SE with Wi-Fi-only capabilities. Apple could price the sled at $ 100 and include a year of Apple Arcade, typically $ 4.99 a month, for free. Of course, the iPod Arcade, being an iOS device, could also run all the applications in the App Store.
Chances of seeing a new iPod next week? Ten percent. Chances of seeing one in the next few months? Maybe 40%.
iCam
With everyone sitting at home and needing to use video conferencing tools for the foreseeable future, many of us are looking for higher quality webcams for use with desktops and Macs.
Frankly, many webcams on the market now integrate poorly with Macs and come with poor software utilities. Only Logitech and Microsoft seem to be shipping high-volume webcam products. And they are in such high demand that it is even difficult to find them in stock now.
Also: CNET: Webcam Reviews
Apple could easily repurpose the same 12MP wide-angle camera sensor that is used for selfies on the iPhone 11. They just need a small clip-on case with USB-C / USB-A connectivity, LED lighting for night use, and a decent microphone. and have it plug-and-play not just with a Mac but potentially with an updated Apple TV. Apple could even put FaceID sensors in a more advanced model.
Apple could charge $ 99 for the base model and $ 199 for the FaceID version. And, yes, Apple could make it work on Windows too. Finally, Apple could add a beefed-up FaceTime to handle corporate video calls and price it as a value-added service.
I think we can agree that this is something that those of us who are fans of Apple products would love to see, but are there chances of seeing one next week? I have to say it doesn’t exist.
AirTags
Evidence for the existence of these small RFID or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices has been found in the source code of versions of iOS dating back to iOS 13, and they can also be found in iOS 14. The idea is similar to that. from Tile, which has had a product on the market for several years and retails for $ 99 for a pack of four. The idea is that you attach them to items that you could potentially lose, such as a purse or your car keys or even a pet. The iOS Find My app is presumably used in conjunction with the Ultra Wide Band (UWB) chip in late-model iPhones, to locate that item.
They have reportedly been in development for at least two years and the inclusion in the iOS code has been around for a while, so I hope the chances of seeing them at the Time Flies event on September 15th are around the 20th. %, with increasing possibilities. highest during an iPhone event in October or November.
iCouch
Speculation about an Apple service package has been going on in the mainstream press for more than a year. It will happen? It is simply a question of when.
The company has already committed to the CBS All Access and Showtime bundle for $ 9.99 a month for Apple TV + subscribers, so it makes perfect sense for Apple to do so with its own services. Everything indicates that it will probably be released together with the iPhone in October or November of this year. But for the event on September 15? I’d put it at 5%, with a much better chance of it showing up alongside Apple TV’s revamped hardware.
Would these lower-cost Apple products completely disrupt competitors at these configurations and price points? Speak up and let me know.
