in? What will happen after looking at Apple?
Editor’s note: This article is from WeChat public account “Love Fan” (ID: Ifanr), author Chen Wenjun.
After the fall event in September, a new round of predictions for new Apple products is coming.
Review this year, Apple restarted the iPad Mini and Air product line updates, and also released a new iPhone for three photos, and vigorously promoted service projects. The most important thing is the AirPods Pro released last month. After this product, Apple’s own headset product line finally entered the “noise reduction era.”
After less than 60 days from the end of 2019, there was a lot of news about Apple’s future new products, including the new MacBook Pro, the new iPad Pro and Apple AR, which came out three years later. glasses.
16-inch, professionally positioned MacBook Pro (expected release: 2019)
Although the news of this product was circulated on the Internet two months ago, with the increasing number of news, this product seems to be on the line and ready to go.
As of November 12th, the web message for the 16-inch MacBook Pro is summarized as follows:
Locate professional production tools, similar to iMac Pro
The screen is larger and the border is narrower
The keyboard is designed with scissors feet instead of butterfly design
Using Intel’s new processor, new graphics card
Join the U1 chip for AirDrop transmission
In general, the screen of the 16-inch MacBook Pro isHowever, it expands from 15 inches to 16 inches, but from the current network exposure renderings, it should be similar in size to the 15-inch model, but because the border of the B-screen portion is narrower, the screen can be expanded without increasing the volume. area.
Image from: Forbes
However, the most important change to the new MacBook Pro compared to the screen is the keyboard returning from the butterfly to the scissor foot design. Although the butterfly keyboard can bring the ultimate slim body to the MacBook family, the problem of easy entry and damage is also a criticism of the MacBook keyboard after 2015.
So Apple may re-use the scissor-foot design on this new product to improve keyboard reliability.
From the current network exposure news, the new MacBook Pro will be targeted at the professional user base, which is a professional product line of iMac Pro and Mac Pro, so both the configuration and the price will be the highest in the series. Starting at 2-3 million.
Apple Watch with fingerprint recognition (expected release: 2020)
Foreign Media PatentlyApple recently exposed a patent filed by Apple in the second quarter of 2018, indicating that Apple may embed a communication antenna and fingerprint recognition sensor in the Apple Watch.
At present, Apple Watch uses a password to authenticate the user. Users need to enter a 4-digit password on the watch screen when unlocking or making a payment.
After joining the fingerprint sensor, the user simply presses the fingerprint on the screen to complete the verification.
From the hardware point of view, it is not impossible for Apple to add screen fingerprints to the watch. After all, password verification has been used with Apple Watch for 5 generations, and the OLED screen of the watch also provides a relatively ideal hardware foundation for the fingerprint module.
In addition, Apple has a tendency to gradually change the watch. It is also a way to make the watch experience closer to the current mobile phone interaction by providing a faster verification method to improve the recognition experience.
From the pace of the Apple Watch product line update, we may be able to use this new feature in next-generation watches.
iPad Pro and glasses for AR / VR (expected launch: 2020-2023)
Since the release of the first generation of iPad Pro, Apple has been making the Pro series products a productivity tool for users with hardware and software.
And now, Apple seems to want the iPad Pro series to take on the task of running AR and VR devices.
The Information recently released a report on Apple AR and VR new products. Informed sources revealed to The Information that Apple is developing a series of new 3D sensing systems designed to provide a hardware foundation for subsequent AR augmented reality functions.
Early”Multi-camera iPad Pro” spread on the Internet
Informed sources said that Apple will launch the iPad Pro with a new sensor module in the first half of 2020. The iPad Pro has three cameras, one of which is a 3D inspection sensor for scanning 3D indoor environments, objects and character.
In addition, people familiar with the matter said that the new sensor will be used in the new iPad Pro, and will be used in the next-generation iPhone with the 5G baseband. In Guo Mingxi’s new iPhone forecast report, we also got the same statement.
In other words, next year’s new iPhone will continue to retain the three-photo aperture configuration.
In the more in-depth part of the interview, people familiar with the matter said that Apple is planning to launch a head-mounted display (internal code N301) that combines AR and VR functions in 2021 or 2022, which is the new iPad Pro. Debuted in 1-2 years.
Function, this headshow combines entertainment and office functions. Users can watch videos and play games with their heads. Of course, they can also be used to open video conferences based on AR technology.
If used in the field of teaching, this head may be used as a virtual classroom tool for students.
Microsoft Hololens 2
In order to advance the development of AR and VR devices, Bloomberg said that about 1,000 engineers who have participated in the company’s gaming system, early iPhone hardware, software and manufacturing participated in AR and VR technology development, which was executed by former Dolby. MiKe Rockwell, vice president and current vice president of Apple.
At the same time, the project’s participants included former NASA engineers, former game developers, and graphics experts.
Informed sources said that the current iPhone and iPad engineering team is ready to prepare for the existing AThe pp program is gradually connected to the operating system codename “rOS” for future head-mounted AR and VR devices.
Apple AR glasses concept map. Image courtesy of iDropNews
Of course, with long-term plans and the use of such huge R&D resources, Apple’s involvement in AR and VR is not limited to a single device, but also AR glasses. Informed sources revealed that Apple originally intended to prepare AR glasses in 2019 for release in 2020.
However, it could be a hardware technical issue, or the software system is not ready yet, and Apple finally decided to postpone it until 2023.
According to a person familiar with the matter, the AR lens, codenamed N421, is a device that is worn around the clock for users. Its glasses are thicker than ordinary glasses because of the battery and a series of sensors.
From the current prototype, this pair of glasses is like a pair of expensive sunglasses with thick frames.
Focals Eye Glasses
In fact, in the past 10 months, there have been media published in the United States a new patented technology for “color-changing lenses”. The glasses can automatically adjust the transparency of the lens through the surrounding light detection.
For example, in a strong light environment, the lens will become dark, and the indoor environment will become transparent. The purpose is also to facilitate the user to see the contents displayed in the lens, and then to display AR and VR images.
Of course, it is quite easy to describe this function, but it involves the development of glasses sensors, lenses, and display content. Obviously, Apple still needs a lot of time and technology to realize the AR glasses function.
In addition to being able to work independently, there is news that AR glasses can be cross-platformed with mobile phones. For example, the map searched in the mobile phone can show the route in the glasses, a bit like the car HUD head display, but this time it was transplanted into the glasses.
In the interview, people familiar with the matter said that “Apple’s AR glasses are expected to replace the iPhone within 10 years,” and Apple’s internal CEO, including Cook, is also actively promoting the development of AR and VR devices.
It seems that in addition to AirPods and Apple Watch, AR glasses will be another communication device close to human organs.
Daily interaction
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