MacRumors

Withings today announced the launch of a new smart scale, the Body Scan, which is designed to track all kinds of health-related metrics. It monitors segmental body composition, weight, heart rate, and vascular age, plus it can assess nerve activity and heart rhythm using a 6-lead ECG.

Body Scan features a tempered glass platform with a retractable handle. It is equipped with four weight sensors and 14 ITP electrodes, along with four stainless steel electrodes in the handle for the ECG and body composition analysis functionality. A built-in battery lasts for a year before needing to be recharged, and health metrics are displayed on a 3.2-inch color LCD screen.

According to Withings, the Body Scan scale is able to provide precise weight measurements in addition to using multi-frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to measure overall body composition, providing readings on whole-body fat, water percentage, visceral fat, muscle mass, bone mass, and extra cellular and intracellular water. It's also able to provide readings for body parts that include the torso, arms, and legs.

The Body Scan is able to track sweat gland activity in the feet and it will offer a daily assessment of small nerve activity, plus it can determine vascular age through cardiovascular measurements to give users an idea of their arterial health. For the ECG function, Body Scan can detect arrhythmias using two electrodes located on each side of the handle and one in the base of the scale.

Withings is pairing the Body Scan's health monitoring features with access to coaching, clinical specialists, and holistic plans to reach health goals through the Withings health and wellness programs, with a three-month free subscription included.

Withings is planning to launch the Body Scan scale in the second half of 2022 following FDA clearance. It will be priced at $299.95.

Accessory maker Targus today announced that its Cypress Hero EcoSmart Backpack with built-in support for Apple's Find My app will be available in spring or summer 2022 for a suggested price of $149.99 in the United States.

The backpack is equipped with a small tracking module that allows the backpack's location to be tracked in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch without needing to use an AirTag. Based on an image shown on the CES website, it appears the backpack will support Precision Finding, which allows users with an iPhone 11 or newer to see the exact distance and direction to the backpack with audible, visual, and haptic feedback. Apple opened up the U1 chip to third-party accessories last year.

Targus said the built-in tracker is "highly integrated" into the backpack, whereas an AirTag could be taken out of the backpack and tossed away if stolen. The backpack comes with a replaceable battery for the tracker that is rechargeable via USB.

If the backpack is separated from its owner but outside of Bluetooth range, there is still a chance that the crowdsourced Find My network can help track it down. If another iPhone user happens to walk by the backpack, for example, their iPhone can detect Bluetooth signals from the backpack and relay the location back to its owner anonymously.

Targus said the backpack has a padded compartment that can hold up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and several other compartments and pockets for additional devices and personal items. The backpack is made with some recycled materials.

This story was originally published in November and has been updated with new information.

Scosche today announced the launch of a number of new products in its MagicMount product lineup, along with other MagSafe-compatible accessories like wireless chargers and speakers.

The MagicMount Pro Charge5 mounts from Scosche are compatible with Apple's MagSafe iPhones, which includes the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. Scosche promises a strong hold, but it's worth noting that these are not using Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ protocol and are limited to 7.5W wireless charging.

There's a 360-degree adjustable head to allow the ‌iPhone‌ to be used in portrait or landscape mode, and all mounts come with a car adapter for charging and a 20W USB-C charging port for when faster charging is needed.

Though designed for ‌MagSafe‌ iPhones, the MagicMount Pro Charge5 mounts can also be used with older iPhones by attaching the included MagicPlate magnet. Scosche's MagicMount Pro Charge5 can be purchased in four options: Window/Dash, Dash/Vent, Telescoping, and Cup Holder, with a launch planned for spring 2022 at a $64.99 price point. There are also less expensive MagicMount Pro ‌MagSafe‌ options at $44.99.

Scosche is also introducing MagSafe-compatible speakers and wireless chargers. The $40 BoomCanMS Portable is a small, Bluetooth-enabled speaker that's designed to adhere to the back of a ‌MagSafe‌ ‌iPhone‌. The ‌MagSafe‌ technology doesn't add anything for sound, but it does keep the speaker from becoming lost and it also doubles as a kickstand.

The larger $130 BoomBottle Magnetic Portable Speaker allows the ‌iPhone‌ to be attached to the top for easy access to streaming music, hands-free calls, and more. Both new speakers are set to launch later in 2022.

For those who already have a ‌MagSafe‌ Charger from Apple, Scosche is introducing the BaseLynx MS, which is designed to integrate with the BaseLynx system for multi-device charging. The BaseLynx MS accommodates a ‌MagSafe‌ Charger and allows for charging in an upright position, and because it's using Apple's own technology, it charges at the full 15W (12W for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 13 mini models).

The BaseLynx MS Wireless Stand for ‌MagSafe‌ Charger is set to launch in spring 2022 for $50.

Oral-B today as part of CES 2022 announced its latest smart toothbrush, the iO10 with iOSense, which builds upon the original iO toothbrush released in 2020.

A key new feature of the iO10 is real-time oral health coaching built directly into the toothbrush's charging base, allowing you to monitor your brushing time, pressure, and coverage without needing to take your iPhone into the bathroom. Your brushing data then syncs to the Oral-B app for greater insights into your brushing habits.

The rechargeable electric toothbrush features seven different cleaning modes for a personalized clean, including Daily Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, Intense, Whiten, Gum Care, and Tongue Clean. A built-in pressure sensor helps keep your gums healthy and protected by displaying a red light when you are brushing too hard and a green light when you are brushing just right, according to Oral-B.

Oral-B did not reveal pricing or a release date for the iO10, but customers can sign up on a waitlist to be notified when the toothbrush becomes available. The previous-generation iO toothbrush retails for around $299.99 in the United States.

Oral-B also unveiled more affordable iO4 and iO5 electric toothbrushes that will each be priced under $100. The toothbrushes will have familiar iO technology, but with fewer cleaning modes and no oral health coaching built into the charging base. Each toothbrush will display a rainbow celebration light after brushing for two minutes, and the iO5 will provide users with real-time brushing tracking and coaching via the Oral-B app.

The iO4 and iO5 will be available in the United States in 2022 in a range of colors, including quite white, matte black, blush pink, icy blue, and lavender. A specific release date was not provided, and there doesn't appear to be a waitlist for these toothbrushes.

Apple briefly became the world's first $3 trillion company today based on market capitalization, which is the total value of all of the company's outstanding shares. The milestone came after Apple's stock price rose over 40% in the last year.

The impressive feat, which Apple achieved when its stock price reached the $182.86 mark during intraday trading, came just over 16 months after Apple became a $2 trillion company and less than three and a half years after Apple reached the $1 trillion mark.

Update: Apple's market cap was slightly below the $3 trillion mark again as of the stock market closing at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Apple has reported strong earnings results since the start of the pandemic, as its products and services have been in high demand as more people work, learn, and connect with others from home. The company's revenue is forecasted to top $118 billion in the current quarter, surpassing its all-time quarterly record of $111.4 billion set a year ago.

In a memo shared with staff when Apple hit the $1 trillion mark in 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the achievement was "not the most important measure of our success," adding that "financial returns are simply the result of Apple's innovation, putting our products and customers first, and always staying true to our values."

"Hitting $3 trillion is another historical moment for Apple as the company continues to prove the doubters wrong with the renaissance of growth story playing out in Cupertino," said analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush, which has a $200 price target for AAPL.

Apple will look to build upon its success in 2022, with a wide range of products rumored to launch, including at least five new Macs, a redesigned iPad Pro with support for wireless charging, a rugged version of the Apple Watch, second-generation AirPods Pro, an AR/VR headset focused on gaming, content consumption, and communications, and more.

Samsung today introduced a number of new features that are coming to its 2022 TV sets, including a new Gaming Hub that will allow Samsung Smart TVs to compete with built-in services like Apple Arcade as well as various consoles.

The Samsung Gaming Hub is a new Tizen-powered "discovery platform" that's meant to allow Samsung TV owners to play console-quality games through integration with streaming services. Samsung is partnering with NVIDIA and Google, and the upcoming service will support GeForce NOW, Stadia, and PC game streaming service Utomik.

Samsung's Hub is designed to offer an extensive library of games, which will be accessible on select 2022 Samsung Smart TV models that have the hardware to support them. Samsung and Apple are not direct competitors in the TV hardware market as Apple does not have its own TV, but the new gaming service has the potential to make Samsung TV software more appealing than set-top box alternatives like the Apple TV. Samsung will also be able to better compete with LG, which said in November that it would integrate streaming game services into its TV sets.

Apple offers the ‌Apple Arcade‌ gaming subscription service on the ‌Apple TV‌ as well as an App Store for playing independent mobile games on the ‌Apple TV‌, with support for third-party controllers from companies like Sony and Microsoft. Apple cannot compete when it comes to console-level gaming, though there have been rumors of an Apple TV with a more powerful processor that focuses more on gaming, but it's not clear if such a product is going to materialize.

Samsung's gaming service will also facilitate easy access to YouTube for game discovery and to watch YouTube streamers playing games, and there are also plans to integrate with additional streaming services.

Along with the Gaming Hub, Samsung's upcoming 2022 TV models also have other notable functionality. There's an integrated NFT Platform app that's designed to allow users to discover, purchase, and trade digital artwork through supported Micro LED, Neo QLED, and The Frame television sets.

NFTs are non-fungible (aka unique) tokens meant to represent digital items, and the format is used to share one-of-a-kind works of art, images, songs, and more. For those into NFTs, Samsung's TV sets will allow them to be purchased and shown off.

Other 2022 Samsung TV features include improved picture and sound quality, additional screen size options up to 110 inches, faster processors, HDR10+ gaming support, watch together integration, smart calibration, and more.

Lighting company Sengled today announced the launch of several new smart lighting products, including Wi-Fi Video-Sync TV Light Strips, Wi-Fi Outdoor String Lights, and the Wi-Fi Portable Lamp.

The WiFi TV Light Strips are designed to extend what's showing on the television set to the wall behind it for a more immersive entertainment experience. The lights are designed to react to content from streaming services, gaming systems, and more, with the colors on different areas of the screen matched to sections of the LED strips.

Sengled's new Wi-Fi Outdoor String Light is designed for outdoor patios, gardens, and similar spaces, offering up 48 feet of bulbs. Each light bulb can be customized to a different color, with millions of color combinations available.

The Wi-Fi Portable Lamp features a rechargeable internal battery and it can be moved to wherever lighting is needed, making it perfect for power outages, outdoor camping, and similar situations. The Portable Lamp offers different color effects, dimming, and options like flickering candlelight.

Later this year, Sengled also intends to introduce a Wi-Fi LED Essential Oil Diffuser Light, a Smart Health Monitoring Light, and Zigbee Window, Door, and Motion sensors. Sengled's Zigbee products are HomeKit-compatible, but the devices outlined in this article do not work with HomeKit.

Sengled's TV Light Strips, Outdoor String Lights, and Wi-Fi Portable Lamp are set to launch in the second quarter of 2022. The TV Light Strips will be priced at $120, the String Lights will be priced starting at $80, and the Wi-Fi Portable Lamp will be priced starting at $60.

Accessory maker Hyper today announced the release of a new turntable dock for the 24-inch iMac featuring a 360-degree swivel mechanism, making it easy to turn the screen towards a customer or coworker in an office or adjust your view on a video call.

The dock, nominated for a CES 2022 Innovation Award, also features a built-in SSD enclosure (M.2 SATA/NVMe) with a simple push-to-release mechanism and support for up to 2TB of storage, along with nine connectivity options, including one HDMI port, SD and microSD card slots, one USB-C port, four USB-A ports, and power in.

Priced at $199.99, the dock is available in a silver and white finish and will be available to order on Hyper's website starting today.

Hyper also announced what it claims is the world's first Thunderbolt 4 hub with an integrated 100-watt GaN power supply. The hub features one Thunderbolt 4 upstream port for connecting to and charging Thunderbolt-equipped computers like Macs, while three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports provide up to 40 Gbps of total bandwidth and support for connecting dual 4K displays at 60Hz or a single 8K display at 30Hz.

"Up to now, Thunderbolt 4 hubs included a large external power brick often larger than the hub itself," said Hyper president Daniel Chin. "By integrating the latest GaN technology into HyperDrive, Hyper has eliminated the large power brick and come up with a single hub and charger device for improved portability and a cleaner workspace aesthetic."

With support for USB-C Power Delivery, the hub also provides up to 96W of pass-through charging to the host computer, which is suitable for the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Pricing and availability for the hub was not disclosed, with customers able to sign up on Hyper's website to be notified when more information is available.

At least one iPhone 15 model launched in 2023 will feature a periscope camera system, allowing for increased optical zoom, according to analyst Jeff Pu.

With a periscope system, light entering the telephoto lens on the back of the iPhone would be reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera's image sensor. The change in direction in which the light travels would allow for Apple to fit a longer telephoto setup inside the iPhone, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness.

Rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, with reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the first to mention the possibility. Kuo initially said that a periscope lens would be an iPhone 14 Pro feature, but it is now looking like we'll have to wait until the iPhone 15 Pro next year.

There are already some Android smartphones with periscope lenses, including Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra and Huawei's P40 Pro+. Both of those devices feature up to 10x optical zoom, and with the addition of a periscope lens, the iPhone 15 Pro could follow suit. In the meantime, iPhone 13 Pro models are limited to 3x optical zoom.

Amazon today has returned the Apple Watch Series 7 to its record low price that we saw over the holidays, dropping the 41mm GPS Green Aluminum model with a Clover Sport Band to $339.00, down from $399.00. This $60 off sale remains the lowest price we've tracked on any model of the Series 7.

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.

At this point, Amazon doesn't have any significant discounts on any other models of the Apple Watch Series 7. For the 41mm GPS Green Aluminum Apple Watch, this version is shipped and sold by Amazon and it's in stock today.

In another sale happening on Amazon this week, you can save $5 on an AirTag one pack. The accessory is available for $24.00, down from $29.00. Shipping estimates have slipped into late January on the AirTag, but you can still order today to lock in the $5 off deal.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Apple is gifting engineers and staffers who worked on the M1 chip a unique t-shirt to commemorate the end of the first year of the Mac's transition to Apple Silicon, according to an image shared on Twitter by an Apple engineer.

Andy Boretto, who works at Apple as a senior software engineer, tweeted an image of a special t-shirt with the ‌M1‌ chip and its accompanying glow, alongside a card from Apple that reads, "Every so often, something comes along that changes everything. Congratulations and thank you for helping make Apple ‌M1‌ possible!"

Boretto noted that December 31, 2021, was the "last day of the year special delivery" and that he is proud to have worked on Apple's transition to Intel and now Apple silicon.

Apple announced its transition to Apple silicon in June 2020 and released ‌M1‌, the first Apple silicon chip, in November of that year. Apple has said the transition will take a total of two years to complete. This past October, the company added progress to its transition by introducing the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, the first high-end chips designed for the Mac.

In 2022, Apple is expected to release a redesigned MacBook Air with M2, a larger Apple silicon iMac, a high-end Mac mini, and a new Mac Pro.

Smart home company Eve Systems today announced the launch of two new HomeKit-enabled products, the Eve Outdoor Cam and the Eve MotionBlinds.

The Eve Outdoor Cam is a floodlight cam that works with HomeKit Secure Video, with 10 days of storage available with an iCloud+ subscription, which is priced starting at $0.99 per month. Thanks to ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌, the Eve Outdoor Cam is privacy focused and access is fully encrypted regardless of whether you're viewing the camera footage locally or remotely using a home hub (the Apple TV or the HomePod).

Eve Outdoor Cam features a matte black metal frame and an opaque white glass for the light component, with IP55 water and dust resistance. It is equipped with a 1080p camera with a 157 degree field of view, and it can be mounted to the wall with a three-axis hinge. Infrared night vision is available, and it supports two-way communication with the built-in microphone and speaker.

Users can receive notifications when motion is detected, and through ‌HomeKit Secure Video‌, the camera can detect people, animals, vehicles, and package deliveries for tailored alerts.

Alongside the Eve Outdoor Cam, Eve is also debuting the Eve MotionBlinds in partnership with window coverings company Coulisse. MotionBlinds are HomeKit-connected roller shades that offer easy setup and Thread connectivity for better responsiveness and reliability than other smart blind solutions.

The MotionBlinds are equipped with a rechargeable battery powered motor, and they support on-device schedules for precise control over positioning throughout the day. Eve says that the MotionBlinds use direct communication without cloud dependency for privacy purposes, with all data stored on the blinds themselves.

In addition to offering smart connectivity, the MotionBlinds also have a manual control feature and are able to be lowered with a simple pull.

The Eve Outdoor Cam will be available on April 5, 2022 from Eve and Amazon. It will be priced at $249.95. The Eve MotionBlinds are available starting today from Coulisse resellers, with details available on the Eve website.

Siri appears to have lost the ability to carry out requests to rate songs played in the Apple Music app in iOS 15 and later, based on user reports and tests conducted by MacRumors.

When listening to a song from your music library on iPhone and iPad, it used to be possible to ask ‌Siri‌ to "rate this song five [or whatever number] stars," and the virtual assistant would do so without fuss.

This ability to rate songs in the ‌Apple Music‌ app with ‌Siri‌ was introduced way back in iOS 8. Listeners usually rely on the function to give songs in their library a rating when they're listening handsfree via CarPlay, exercising while wearing AirPods, or making smart playlists based on ratings.

Yet reports on Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums suggest that the function is not available in iOS 15 or iOS 15.1, and has remained out of action in the latest iOS 15.2 point release, issued in December. Instead of carrying out the request, ‌Siri‌ responds with "I'm Sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that," or some variation thereof.

It's unclear if this is an intended change by Apple, or an intermittent server-side problem that has arisen since the release of iOS 15, but it's worth noting that iOS 15 and iOS 15.2 both made functional changes to ‌Siri‌, in relation to ‌Apple Music‌ interoperability and more generally at the system level.

In iOS 15, Apple made changes to ‌Siri‌ so that some requests are handled without an internet connection, for faster query recognition when doing things like opening apps and setting alarms and timers. Then, in iOS 15.2, the company introduced a new Apple Music Voice Plan that exclusively relies on ‌Siri‌ for music playback and user interaction.

Whether either of these changes are behind ‌Siri‌'s inability to rate songs on request is unknown at this time, but we've reached out to Apple for more information and will pass on any clarifying details if we do hear back.

Verizon and T-Mobile have discontinued their iPad rebate program in partnership with Apple following widespread customer complaints that the program was ineffective, flawed, and rarely worked as intended.

In recent weeks, complaints from customers have emerged across social media regarding Verizon's and T-Mobile's rebate programs. If it worked according to plan, the program would give customers up to a $200 rebate when purchasing a cellular ‌iPad‌ and activating through Verizon and T-Mobile. Unfortunately, customers have faced a subpar experience with the program, often reporting being denied for the rebate for unclear reasons.

The complaints have been amplified by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has in the past criticized the carriers for the ineffectiveness of similar programs for the iPhone 13.

There have been several complaints regarding the ‌iPad‌ program (1, 2, 3). Nevertheless, at the start of December, a Verizon spokesperson told Bloomberg that the ‌iPad‌ rebate program was running "as it should for eligible Verizon customers."

Things have now clearly changed as Apple has scrapped all references of the program with Verizon and T-Mobile from its website, including the purchase pages for its range of iPads.

Verizon and T-Mobile initiated the program following the launch of the updated iPad Pro in April. Still, the program was previously available on all cellular ‌iPad‌ models, including the new iPad mini and baseline ninth-generation ‌iPad‌.

Update: A T-Mobile spokesperson has issued a statement to MacRumors saying that the ‌iPad‌ rebate program in partnership with Apple was a limited time offer that started in April 2021 following the launch of the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌. The spokesperson added T-Mobile is always looking to give its customers the "best deals on devices."

The iPad rebate with Apple was a limited time offer that has been in market since April 2021 and ended December 31. We're always looking for opportunities to give our customers the best deals on devices.

A Verizon spokesperson also confirmed to MacRumors that the offer was set to end on December 31.

Apple sold north of 40 million iPhone 13 models over the holiday period in a record number for the company, despite industry-wide chip shortages, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.

Last year, reports began emerging that demand for ‌iPhone‌ 13 models was slowing ahead of the holidays as delivery estimates for ‌‌iPhone‌ 13‌ models started to improve.

However in a new note to investors, seen by MacRumors, Ives said demand remained strong for the current ‌iPhone‌ cycle going into 2022, with demand outstripping supply be several million units in the December quarter, a positive sign for Apple as supply chain issues begin to resolve themselves in the first half of this year.

Based on our supply chain checks over the last few weeks, we believe demand is outstripping supply for Apple by roughly 12 million units in the December quarter which now will add to the tailwinds for Cupertino in the March and June quarters as the supply chain issues ease in 1H22.

According to Ives, China has been a major source of strength for Apple over the last 12 months and a key region for ‌iPhone‌ sales, particularly in relation to increased market share due to the "multi-year supercycle" afforded by the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 13.

According to Ives, roughly 230 million of 975 million ‌iPhone‌ users worldwide haven't upgraded in the last three and a half years, and the analyst believes Apple's continuing smartphone sales will provide highly influential tailwinds as excitement builds for Apple's much-anticipated mixed reality headset, which is expected to be announced in the summer.

Ives says the "linchpin" to Apple's valuation re-rating remains its services business, taking in the likes of Apple Music, iCloud, Apple TV+, and Apple Fitness+, which Wedbush believes is now worth $1.5 trillion. On that basis, Wedbush predicts that despite reports of supply constraints, Apple's chip shortages are a "transitory issue" and "nothing more than a speed bump" on the way to Apple becoming the first $3 trillion market cap company in 2022.

Apple's rumored new consumer-oriented standalone monitor could appear this year and come in at around the $2,500 price mark, based on comments made by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his first "Power On" newsletter of 2022, Gurman says the new monitor is "destined to be about half the price of the Pro Display XDR," which he's "hoping" launches sometime this year.

Speaking of Macs and iPads, I'm hoping Apple's next external monitor — destined to be about half the price of the Pro Display XDR — launches in the coming year.

Apple is believed to be developing a lower-priced external monitor that would be sold alongside its high-end Pro Display XDR, which costs $4,999 before factoring in the optional $999 stand.

Taking that into consideration, Gurman's wording suggests he's confident the new display will be somewhere around the $2,500 price mark, although he appears to be less bullish about it being released this year.

Gurman first reported on Apple's development of a standalone display in January 2021, and suggested it will be a consumer-oriented successor to Apple's previous Thunderbolt Display, which was introduced in 2011 for $999 and discontinued in 2016.

In the December edition of his newsletter, Gurman used his Q&A section to double down on his belief that Apple is readying the new display, predicting it would be a "hot seller for those looking to add a larger screen to their new MacBook Pro without spending the equivalent of a luxury car down payment on the Pro Display XDR."

In related rumors, Twitter-based leaker @dylandkt last month claimed LG is developing three new standalone displays that may end up being for Apple, including one based on the current 24-inch iMac, one based on the upcoming 27-inch ‌iMac‌, and a 32-inch model that may be a new Pro Display XDR with an Apple silicon chip.

In Gurman's latest newsletter, the well-connected journalist also covered his other expectations for new upcoming Apple products in the year ahead, which we've summarized separately.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated his expectations for new Apple products in 2022, including the iPhone 14 series, a redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 chip, an iPad Pro with wireless charging, and more.

Gurman said at least some iPhone 14 models launching later this year will feature a hole-punch display design, as we've heard from other sources like analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A hole-punch design refers to a display with only a small circular cutout for the front camera, as seen on some Samsung smartphones. This design would result in the notch being removed and the Face ID system would likely be moved under the display.

Apple is planning a redesigned MacBook Air powered by a new M2 chip that will be "marginally faster" than the M1 chip, according to Gurman. He expects the M2 chip to have an 8-core CPU like the M1 chip with a 9-core or 10-core GPU, which would be an upgrade over the 7-core or 8-core GPU options for the current MacBook Air.

Gurman also expects a smaller Apple silicon version of the Mac Pro desktop tower to launch this year with up to a 40-core CPU and 128-core GPU, along with a new Mac mini and a new larger iMac. 2022 should be the year that Apple completes its transition from Intel processors to its own custom-designed chips in Macs, as Apple said the changeover would take around two years to be completed when it first announced its plans in June 2020.

One of Apple's biggest product launches of 2022 would be its long-rumored AR/VR headset, which Gurman said could be announced at WWDC 2022, but he cautioned that the launch timeframe for the product has been pushed back before.

Apple also plans to release a new iPhone SE with 5G, an iPad Pro with wireless charging support, a rugged version of the Apple Watch, and more in 2022, according to Gurman. Subscribe to his Power On newsletter to keep up with his latest thoughts.

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro will feature support for Lossless audio and a charging case that can emit a sound for location tracking purposes, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a note to investors, seen by MacRumors, Kuo explained that the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ will feature new selling points that will lead to strong demand, including support for Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio and a charging case that users can trigger a sound from to highlight its location.

It seems likely that this sound-emitting charging case will integrate into the Find My app, similar to how users can currently emit a sound from their individual AirPods inside the case to help find them. This lines up with alleged leaked photos of the next-generation AirPods Pro, which showed a charging case with speaker holes to emit a sound for location tracking, allowing the earbuds and the case to be located separately.

All of Apple's current AirPods products, including the third-generation AirPods, ‌AirPods Pro‌, and AirPods Max, do not support Lossless audio. This is because AirPods play audio via Bluetooth, limiting them to the AAC codec. Higher quality Apple Lossless Audio Codec files may need to be streamed to AirPods directly to circumvent Bluetooth and enable a Lossless listening experience, but it is possible that Apple could develop an alternative solution.

Kuo also reiterated that the next-generation earbuds will feature a new design and launch in the fourth quarter of 2022, which is slightly later than the third-quarter prediction suggested by other rumors. Kuo still believes that AirPods may support health monitoring features in the future, but did not directly associate this rumor with the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌.