MacRumors

Apple infringed on one of medical technology company Masimo's pulse oximeter patents when it launched Apple Watch models that use light sensors to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood, an International Trade Commission (ITC) judge ruled on Tuesday.

Masimo, which designs pulse oximetry devices, has been embroiled in an ongoing battle with Apple over several health capabilities found in some Apple Watch models, and Masimo has been pushing to have the models banned in the United States.

Medical grade pulse oximetry devices are what Masimo specializes in, and pulse oximetry is a feature that Apple added to the Apple Watch with the Series 6 model. The feature found in the Series 6 and later Apple Watch models uses light to detect the amount of oxygen in the blood, with the feature joining heart rate monitoring and ECG capabilities.

In June 2021, Masimo filed a patent infringement lawsuit with the ITC asking it to halt imports of the Apple Watch Series 6 because of patent infringements related to blood oxygen monitoring.

In Tuesday's ruling, the judge concluded that four other patents at issue were not infringed. The ITC will now consider whether to implement an import ban on Apple Watch models that include the blood oxygen monitoring feature, according to the medical device maker. The final determination is expected to be completed by May 10.

"We are happy that the judge recognized Apple's infringement of Masimo's pulse oximetry technology and took this critical first step toward accountability," said Masimo CEO Joe Kiani in a statement given to MD+DI. "Today's decision should help restore fairness in the market. Apple has similarly infringed on other companies' technologies, and we believe today's ruling exposes Apple as a company that takes other companies' innovations and repackages them."

"We respectfully disagree with today's decision, and look forward to a full review by the Commission," Apple said in a statement reported by Reuters.

Masimo initially sued Apple in January 2020, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets and improperly using Masimo inventions. In the prior filing, Masimo claimed that Apple sneakily poached Masimo employees and used patented Masimo technology when developing the sensors used in the Apple Watch.

Apple plans to release the first MacBook with an OLED display by the end of 2024 at the earliest, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a series of tweets today, Kuo said OLED technology would allow for thinner and lighter MacBook designs.

All existing MacBooks have LCD panels, with the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring mini-LED backlighting and ProMotion. Unlike LCDs with mini-LEDs, OLED displays have self-emitting pixels and do not require backlighting, which would give MacBooks even better contrast ratio and allow for longer battery life.

Kuo did not specify whether the OLED MacBook would be a Pro or Air model. Last month, however, display industry analyst Ross Young said Apple planned to introduce a new 13-inch MacBook Air with an OLED display in 2024. He also expects Apple to release new 11.1-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays next year.

While it appears that Macs and iPads will transition to OLED displays over the next few years, the Apple Watch might start moving away from the technology. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that a new Apple Watch Ultra with a microLED display could be released by the end of 2024. MicroLED technology would offer even higher brightness and improved contrast ratio compared to existing Apple Watch models with OLED displays.

Starting in 2024, Apple plans to use custom displays that it designs in-house for mobile devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch, reports Bloomberg. The shift to its own displays will allow Apple to rely less on display partners that include Samsung and LG.

Apple's transition will begin with the high-end Apple Watch Ultra at the end of 2024, with the device set to adopt microLED display technology. After introducing microLED displays in the Apple Watch, Apple will expand them to the ‌iPhone‌ and other devices. The displays will likely be manufactured by an outside supplier, but designed by Apple.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is making a "sweeping effort" to make more of its own components for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, so that it does not need to work with as many third-party component suppliers. Apple is now creating its own A-series and M-series chips for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and it is also working on modem chips and other wireless chips that will let it end its relationships with suppliers like Qualcomm and Broadcom.

Apple is already testing microLED displays for the Apple Watch, and the technology will bring brighter and more vibrant colors, along with improved viewing angles. Bloomberg says that the displays "make content appear like it's painted on top of the glass."

The company initially planned to swap to microLED displays as early as 2020, but there were technical challenges to overcome. Apple also planned to use microLED for larger displays, but for cost reasons, decided to focus first on the Apple Watch. Apple has spent several billion dollars developing display technology, and the transition is said to be one of Apple's most "critical projects."

Bloomberg warns that the 2024 target date could potentially slip to 2025, or if there continue to be production difficulties, a limited supply of the new devices could be offered to begin with. There will be an Apple Watch refresh in 2023, but with few new features.

Samsung today announced that it will hold its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2023 on Wednesday, February 1, unveiling new flagship smartphones that will directly compete with the iPhone 14, ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max from Apple.

Like Apple, Samsung has a regular release cycle for its smartphones, and new Galaxy models come out in the spring. This year, we're expecting the Galaxy S23 lineup.

Rumors so far suggest that the new S23 models will adopt the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip from Qualcomm, which is the chipset that will support Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Satellite feature. Snapdragon Satellite is similar to Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite ‌iPhone 14‌ function, and Qualcomm is partnering with satellite company Iridium to allow Android users to contact emergency services when WiFi and cellular connections are unavailable.

Notably, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip will be used worldwide, with Samsung no longer opting for separate Exynos chips for devices sold in Europe and other countries. The specific chip that Samsung is using has an overclocked GPU, according to leaked Geekbench benchmarks. Based on those benchmarks, the Snapdragon chip Samsung is using will not be as fast as the A16 in the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ models.

Samsung's high-end S23 Ultra could feature a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, an upgrade from the 108-megapixel version in the S22, with more modest 50-megapixel cameras for the S23 and S23+. Apple's ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ models are equipped with a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera.

As for design, there will be no major changes to the S23 lineup, and the S23 Ultra will look similar to the S22. Display improvements are a possibility, as are updated fingerprint sensors and new color options.

We often pay attention when new Galaxy models come out because it gives us an idea of what Apple's competitors are up to and how the latest Android phones measure up to Apple's iPhones. We'll be sharing Samsung's news on February 1, and will also have some comparison videos pitting Samsung's new smartphones against Apple's flagship lineup.

For those interested in one of Samsung's S23 smartphones, there's already a reservation page available that provides a $50 credit for the pre-order of a single device or a $100 credit when pre-ordering two devices. Samsung's reservation system does not charge automatically, requiring only a name and an email address to reserve devices. Credits will be able to be redeemed when pre-ordering after the devices debut.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

While there are still around five months remaining until Apple unveils iOS 17, we're already able to piece together a few details about the upcoming software update based on Apple's previous announcements and reported information.

Below, we've recapped everything that we have heard about iOS 17 so far. Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 alongside iPadOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 at its annual developers conference WWDC in June, so it's still early, and we'll likely learn about additional features planned over the coming months.

Alternative App Stores

Last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was preparing to allow "alternative app stores" on the iPhone in order to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act. The changes, which the report said are initially planned for Europe only, would allow iPhone users to install apps outside of Apple's App Store.

Gurman said Apple was aiming for the changes to be ready as part of an "update to iOS 17," meaning that the changes could be rolled out in a point update like iOS 17.1 or later. The law will become fully enforceable in March 2024.

Next-Generation CarPlay

At WWDC 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, which will feature support for multiple displays, widgets, and integration with vehicle functions like the instrument cluster, climate controls, and FM radio.

Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, and it's likely that the connected iPhone will require iOS 17 or later. Apple said committed automakers include Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo, and others.

Apple Headset Support

Apple is widely expected to announce its long-awaited AR/VR headset this year, and iOS 17 would likely include support for the device before it launches. Apple could also announce other developer-focused software tools for the headset at WWDC.

Fewer Changes Expected

iOS 17 may have "fewer major changes than originally planned" due to Apple's focus on the "xrOS" operating system for its AR/VR headset, according to Gurman. This could result in iOS 17 having more of a focus on bug fixes and stability improvements, but it's still early, so we haven't heard much about exact features yet.

Apple in 2022 enhanced the Wallet app with a new feature that is designed to allow driver's licenses and state ID cards to be stored in the Wallet app, but states need to implement support for the option, and only a handful have done so as of now.

California has been developing a digital ID for some time now, and the California DMV received permission to start testing mobile driver's licenses and ID cards with a limited number of people back in 2021. The state has not yet confirmed specifically that its mobile ID solution will integrate with the Wallet app function that Apple has introduced, but we may not have long to wait to find out what California has planned.

California governor Gavin Newsom today outlined the 2023/2024 California budget proposal, and as part of his speech, he said that the state is ready to roll out some kind of digital ID solution in "a matter of months," with plans to implement support in a unique way compared to other states.

Know this, in just a matter of months, we're finally going to have those digital wallets, where you can get your driver's license on a digital wallet. And we're going to do it like no other state has done it. There's only a few that have. But there's issues. Ours we think it'll be next level. We're so excited about what the DMV can look like.

Little is known about California's digital identification plans, as the state has not shared details at this time, but the California legislature has been privacy focused. As outlined by The Los Angeles Times last year, digital IDs and corresponding mobile apps are not able to collect or hold any information beyond what's needed to perform stated functions, and all information is limited to what's on a physical driver's license or ID card.

The legislation also specifies that digital IDs be opt-in and that digital ID users cannot be forced to hand over a smartphone to verify ID, nor does using a device for an ID provide consent for law enforcement to search a smartphone.

As of right now, digital driver's licenses and IDs in the Wallet app are supported by Arizona, Maryland, and Colorado.

Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Utah have all committed to allowing residents to add a state ID or driver's license to the wallet app, but timing is not yet clear. Apple has been discussing support with many other states as well as Puerto Rico, but no California-specific announcements have been made.

It is possible that California could eschew the Wallet app and offer driver's licenses through a state-operated app similar to what Florida and Louisiana do, but California has supported other integrations with the iPhone and Apple is based in California, so it is likely the Cupertino company will be able to convince California officials to participate.

In states that do support IDs and driver's licenses in the Wallet app on the ‌iPhone‌, the information can be used in lieu of a physical ID at select airports, including the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

Digital IDs can also be used in select ‌iPhone‌ apps for identity or age verification purposes as of iOS 16, and Apple is also working with retailers and venues to begin accepting digital identification verification.

Brydge in December introduced a new ProDock Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station that's designed for Apple's latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. We picked one up and thought we'd check it out to see if it's worth the $400 asking price.

The ProDock is designed as a vertical dock, meaning it takes up a limited amount of space on a desktop. A MacBook is designed to slot into the dock, functioning in clamshell mode with external displays.

The dock includes an upstream Thunderbolt 4 plug that provides 40Gb/s transfer speeds and 90W power delivery for keeping even Apple's largest MacBook Pro charged up, plus it includes 3x downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-C port, three USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an SD card reader, and a built-in Qi-based wireless charger with included magnets for charging an iPhone at up to 7.5W. It is powered by a 135W power supply that uses DC-in.

Brydge designed the ProDock to be used with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and the 2022 MacBook Air, and it is able to fit any of these machines. Along with a large variety of ports to support anything you might need to connect, the ProDock also offers instant grab and go connectivity so you can slot your MacBook in the dock to get your desktop up and running, and then pull it out when you need a mobile work experience.

At $399, the dock is definitely not cheap, and that's our biggest complaint with it. There are other docks on the market that are more affordable, but the Brydge does have an edge with the design and the number of available ports. What do you think of this dock? Let us know in the comments.

Comcast today added AirPlay support to its Xfinity Stream app, allowing Comcast cable subscribers to use AirPlay to stream content from an iPhone or iPad to an Apple TV or another AirPlay-enabled speaker or set-top box.

Comcast says that Xfinity customers can stream live news and sports, on demand movies and shows, DVR recordings, and more, providing "new ways" for customers to enjoy programming both when at home and at other locations.

The Xfinity Stream app has been available on the ‌Apple TV‌ since mid-2022, but ‌AirPlay‌ support will give Xfinity subscribers a more convenient option for viewing their content on devices they do not own, such as when visiting a friend or staying in a hotel that has an ‌Apple TV‌ or other AirPlay-enabled device.

As TechCrunch points out, this is functionality that the Xfinity app has long been lacking. Comcast competitor Charter has offered ‌AirPlay‌ support in its Spectrum app for several years.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Ventura 13.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming four weeks after the release of the first macOS Ventura 13.2 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Settings.

The ‌macOS Ventura‌ 13.2 update introduces support for Security Keys for the Apple ID, allowing users to verify their identity with physical hardware rather than a digital device code. Security Keys offer additional protection for the ‌Apple ID‌, replacing the current verification codes provided on a secondary device when signing into a new device, signing into iCloud, using the Apple Store, and more.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new betas coming a month after the introduction of the first betas.

Registered developers can download the iOS 16‌.3 and iPadOS 16.3 profiles from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be available over the air.

iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 add support for physical Security Keys that can be used as added protection for an Apple ID. Any FIDO Certified physical security key can be linked to an ‌Apple ID‌ to be used for authentication when logging into a new device or otherwise accessing an ‌Apple ID‌.

Security Keys replace the digital verification codes sent to an Apple device when using an ‌Apple ID‌, and Apple says that the physical key provides strong protection against phishing and unauthorized account access. Note that two physical security keys are required when using this feature as there needs to be a backup in case one is lost. Losing a security key would revoke access to an ‌Apple ID‌, as Apple cannot override the protection.

In addition to Security Keys, the beta also adds more instruction for transferring music from an iPhone over to a HomePod using handoff. No other new features have been discovered at this time.

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 9.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming almost a month after the release of the first watchOS 9.3 beta.

To install the new ‌watchOS 9.3 update, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center.

Once installed, ‌watchOS 9.3 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update. To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it has to be placed on the charger, and it will need to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ it is paired with.

We don't yet know what's included in the watchOS 9.3 update, and no new features were discovered in the first beta. We'll update this article should anything new show up in the second beta.

Apple today highlighted the success of its services in 2022, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, Apple Maps, Apple Pay, Apple Card, Apple Podcasts, iCloud, and others.

One notable statistic shared by Apple is that App Store developers have earned more than $320 billion since 2008. Meanwhile, Apple Fitness+ now has 3,500 workouts and meditations available in its library and Apple Music has over 100 million songs. More highlights are available on the Apple Newsroom website.

The press release includes a letter from Apple's services chief Eddy Cue, who reflected on a "groundbreaking year for entertainment."

2022 was a groundbreaking year for entertainment. At some point over the past year, you probably discovered a new app, a new song, a new TV show or movie, or game. An experience that made you laugh, taught you something new, or helped you see the world in a new way — and moved you to share it with others.

It's remarkable how much great content is at our fingertips; that's a testament to the extraordinary work of creators worldwide. Never before have we enjoyed instant access to more cinematic original series, more engaging films, more global music, more creative apps, more essential journalism, and more immersive games and sports — no matter where you are, across all your favorite devices.

At Apple, we have the privilege of partnering with creators of all kinds, while building products and services that enable even more creativity. Our mission has always been to enrich people's lives and to leave the world better than we found it, and we know that takes more than technical skill. It requires leading with our values in everything we do. We believe that our products and services should be made for everyone. We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, and that our highest obligation to our customers is security. We believe that a culture where everybody belongs can drive innovation, and that we must stand up for the change we want to see in the world.

When we started Apple TV+ a few years ago, we did so to tell stories that reflect our broader humanity. And whether it was CODA winning the Oscar for Best Picture or Ted Lasso winning back-to-back Emmys for Best Comedy, we have seen, in so many ways, the validation of this kind of storytelling and the strong desire for more of it.

And believe me: There's much more to come. Moments to anticipate, enjoy, and reflect upon. Moments that will have us jumping up with excitement or at the edge of our seats, or that make us want to get up and dance. Moments that can create lasting memories and bring us closer to one another.

Last week marked my 34th anniversary at Apple, and I've never been more excited about what's ahead. This new year of Apple services will be our most exciting yet — and we can't wait to share it with you.

The press release comes one day after it was reported that Apple's vice president of services Peter Stern plans to depart the company at the end of January. Stern, a former Time Warner Cable executive, joined Apple in 2016 and was considered to be a candidate to succeed Cue as the company's services chief in the future. Apple has shared a similar press release highlighting its services in January since 2020.

The iPhone 15 Pro models could face a price hike over the iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max, according to recent reports.

According to a rumor from an unverified source on Weibo, Apple will increase the price of this year's ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models to widen the gap with the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus. The extent of the potential price hike is not yet clear. The ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max start at $999 and $1,099, meaning that any price increase would put both high-end iPhone models north of $1,000 for the first time.

The report added that since the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus will gain a number of features currently exclusive to the Pro models, such as Dynamic Island and the 48-megapixel camera, there will be even more need to separate the Pro and non-Pro devices in terms of pricing this year.

Last month, it was reported that Apple is "seriously" concerned about sales of the iPhone 14 Plus, which starts at $899 – just $100 less than the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌. As a result, the company is apparently weighing up different pricing strategies to boost sales of the standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models.

The Weibo post comes from a source without a known track record, so it should be viewed with skepticism at this point in time. Nevertheless, unverified rumors from Weibo occasionally reveal accurate information, such as the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌'s Adaptive True Tone flash and selection of color options.

Despite multiple reports that last year's ‌iPhone 14‌ models would see a price increase of around $100, this did not materialize and the devices continued to cost the same as the corresponding iPhone 13 models. The smaller ‌iPhone‌ "Pro" model or equivalent in the lineup has been priced at $999 since 2017, so it is simply a matter of time before Apple raises prices again.

Amazon today has a few of Apple's 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models at up to $399 off. All of these notebooks are in stock and sold by Amazon, with delivery dates as soon as Tuesday, January 17 for most models.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the 14-inch MacBook Pro (8-Core M1 Pro, 512GB), this model is on sale for $1,599.99, down from $1,999.00. This is a match of the best price we've ever tracked on this version of the 2021 MacBook Pro, and right now it's only available in Space Gray.

Next is the 14-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) for $2,199.00, down from $2,499.00. Amazon only has this sale available in Space Gray, and in comparison to previous deals this one is a solid second-best price.

Moving to the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 512GB), you can get this model for $2,099.99 in Space Gray, down from $2,499.00. This is another second-best price on the 2021 MacBook Pro.

Lastly, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (10-Core M1 Pro, 1TB) is available for $2,299.99, down from $2,699.00. This is the only notebook that's currently available in both Space Gray and Silver today on Amazon.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The first Apple Watch with a microLED display will debut in spring 2025, according to information shared by display analyst Ross Young. Young claims that a microLED Apple Watch will launch in spring 2025, with production on the panels destined for the device set to start at the end of 2024.

Young's timeline is different from the timeline outlined recently by analyst Jeff Pu, who suggested that Apple would introduce an Apple Watch with a microLED display in 2024. The spring 2025 timing from Young is questionable because Apple has long introduced updated Apple Watch models in the fall alongside new iPhones, and there is nothing to suggest the company will move away from that timeline in the next two years.

What could happen, though, is that Apple introduces a microLED Apple Watch in fall 2024, shipping it later in spring 2025 when the panel technology is ready. Alternatively, Young's timeline could be off a bit, with Apple instead planning to debut a microLED Apple Watch in fall 2025, which would make more sense in terms of timing.

Young did not provide details on the size of the display, but the prior report from Pu suggested that it would measure in at 2.1 inches diagonally, indicating that the display is likely to be for a future version of the Apple Watch Ultra. Introduced last September, the current Apple Watch ultra features a 1.92-inch display, larger than the 1.77-inch display of the Series 8. microLED is still an emerging technology that display manufacturers are working to perfect, so it makes sense that this kind of screen would come to Apple's higher-end and more expensive Apple Watch first.

microLED technology features microscopic LEDs that form pixels, offering more accurate color, high contrast ratio for improved HDR and viewing in suboptimal lighting conditions, support for viewing at wider angles, smaller chance of screen burn-in over time compared to technologies like OLED, fast response times and low latency for higher fps support, and reduced energy usage for improved efficiency.

Apple is likely still early in the development of a microLED Apple Watch, and so the timelines could shift over the course of the next year. Young often provides accurate information thanks to his connections in the display industry, but sometimes his timing turns out to be off as Apple's plans evolve. Most importantly, this is additional confirmation that Apple is indeed pursuing microLED for future Apple Watch models.

The iPhone 16 Pro will feature under-display Face ID technology to provide more usable display area, according to The Elec.

The Korean-language report explains that Apple will move the components required for ‌Face ID‌ authentication directly under the ‌iPhone‌'s display in 2024. When not in use, the TrueDepth camera for ‌Face ID‌ will not be visible under the display, which will appear seamlessly contiguous with the surrounding screen area.

The report clarified that the hole in the display for the front-facing camera will remain on the ‌iPhone‌ 16 Pro, but the overall display area and sense of immersion will be improved. It added that the display cutouts will remain the same from the iPhone 14 Pro to the iPhone 15 Pro later this year since the under-display technology is not yet ready.

It also corroborated rumors that all four models in the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup will offer the Dynamic Island, expanding the feature from the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max to the two standard models later in 2023.

Further in the future, the report added that once Apple has implemented under-display ‌Face ID‌ technology, it will move to adopt an underpanel camera (UPC), thereby eliminating all of the display cutouts currently present on the ‌iPhone‌.

This aligns with the roadmap set out by display analyst Ross Young in May 2022. He outlined a cycle where Apple will alternate between the Pro and the non-Pro models each year when introducing revised display cutouts or new under-display technology:

The Pro models will be first to new display innovations of this kind, as first seen last year with the Dynamic Island on the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max, while the iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Plus were left with the same "notch" as the iPhone 13. This also means that each configuration of display cutouts and underpanel technology will persist for a maximum of two generations on each ‌iPhone‌ before the device has total usable display area sometime around 2027.

Later this year, Apple is expected to reintroduce a new full-sized HomePod, a successor to the original smart speaker which was discontinued almost two years ago.

Apple reportedly discontinued the HomePod in March 2021 due to lackluster sales and a lack of features compared to the speakers offered by Amazon and Google. The HomePod lineup remains part of Apple's portfolio thanks to the smaller HomePod mini, which Apple announced in 2020.

The ‌HomePod mini‌, in its smaller form factor and cheaper $99 price point, has been a bigger success than the original HomePod. In 2023, Apple is widely expected to reintroduce the full-sized HomePod to its lineup with several new features. Below, we outline five new features and changes we expect from the upcoming HomePod.

1. Faster Processor

The original HomePod featured an A8 chip, which helped power music playback, Siri, and more. The upcoming HomePod, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, will feature an updated S8 chip from the latest Apple Watch models.

2. U1 Ultra Wideband Chip

The ‌HomePod mini‌ features a U1 Ultra Wideband chip, which detects when other U1-equipped devices, such as the latest iPhone models, are nearby and allows it to quickly hand off the audio to the smart speaker. The upcoming HomePod could feature the U1 Ultra Wideband chip to bring it to parity with the ‌HomePod mini‌.

The U1 Ultra Wideband chip, in the future, could also allow for other experiences, such as close-range data transfer, improved AR experiences, and the ability to track a user's exact location within their home.

3. Larger Backlit Touch Interface

The original HomePod and the ‌HomePod mini‌ feature a backlit touch interface at their top. The interface is small and doesn't show images or text but instead glows different colors to indicate different statuses or when ‌Siri‌ is invoked.

For the upcoming HomePod, Apple is expected to make the touch area even larger, according to a recent report by Gurman. It's unclear if the larger area will allow for richer information or expanded functionality.

4. Cheaper Price

When Apple first announced the HomePod, it was priced at $349, a higher price point than competing smart speakers on the market. Apple eventually dropped the price to $299 in hopes of sparking sales.

Even at $299, users were still put off by its high price and ‌Siri‌'s shortcomings. With the upcoming model, Apple is expected to drop the price even further, according to several reports. For comparison, Amazon's Echo Studio, which has a similar overall footprint compared to the full-sized HomePod, is priced at $199 and has direct integration with several services, including Apple Music, Spotify, Samsung's Smart Things, and more.

5. Faster Software Features

The A8 chip powered the original full-sized HomePod, which provided adequate performance to power different HomePod features, such as spatial awareness, ‌Siri‌, and more. In recent years, however, users have found that the original HomePod struggles with certain tasks, sometimes making it difficult to use certain features.

Thanks to the S8 chip in the upcoming HomePod, users will be able to better use new software features, such as improved ‌Siri‌ capabilities, faster ‌Siri‌ voice recognition for multiple members of a household, and more.