Apple might have launched a fair number of products at its recent launch, but even as the event was coming to a close, some observers kept hoping for one more product. Or even two. The reason? The insane levels of speculation that surrounded the event. Unlike the iPhone launch, which inevitably is about the iPhones (duh) and the Apple Watch, this one was more open-ended which meant that the leak market had a field day speculating about just about everything that could be unveiled. When it was all over, therefore, there was a fair number of “predicted products” that did not make the stage. Of these, the six that were most missed were:
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No new sound of true wireless music
AirPods
All those who had expected Apple to update the earphones that started the whole “true wireless” revolution, had to go back empty-handed, or rather, eared. Notwithstanding endless leaks about better noise canceling, improved battery and even multi-colored cases, the AirPods stayed firmly under wraps. Mind you, we are sure new ones are on the way.
The Pros rule, there’s no room for mini players
The iPad Mini
Apple did introduce two new iPads, but neither of them fit the mold of the iPad mini, the smallest iPad of them all, which for a brief while had been the darling of all those who found the “normal” iPad abnormally large. Many had speculated that the event would see Apple not just bring back the Mini, but maybe even give it a “Pro” makeover, giving it an almost Note-worthy appearance and functionality. Apple, so far, seems to have had other thoughts.
There’s Air in the Book, but the book is in the air
The MacBook
It was supposed to have replaced the MacBook Air when it was first introduced in 2015, and indeed many felt that Apple deliberately sidelined the MacBook Air to promote it. Three years down the line, the MacBook Air has made a triumphant return of sorts, while the MacBook itself has not got an update since mid-2017. No, it was not among most people’s “expected” list of devices but its absence did make us wonder if it had run out of…well, Air. Pun intended.
Smart Speaker stays silent
The HomePod
Its incredibly innovative ad campaign might have scooped up an award, but the smart speaker jury is still out on whether Apple’s attempt at smart home speaker was a success. No one complained about its audio quality, but there murmurs that it tended to make more marks on the floor than on the market shares of Messrs. Google and Amazon. And as Google and Amazon both worked on updating their smart devices, there was a school of thought that felt that Apple would do the same for the HomePod. Some were even hoping for a smaller, smarter variant. Well, it did not. Mind you, we are kind of sure a new one is in the making.
Eye did not see this Pod
The iPod
Remember this one? It seems to have been forever since the world got enthused by an iPod, but that has not made iPod lovers lose faith. If anything, the recent increase in the prices of the iPhones had lead many to hope that Apple would bring back the “iPhone without a phone,” the iPod touch with FaceID, and some were even talking of an iPod Nano with Watch OS – remember how so many had used one of them with a watch strap? However, Apple remained stubbornly silent when it came to Pods, be it of the Home or the “i” type!
Charge in the Air? No
AirPower
It has been more than a year since we had been told about AirPower, Apple’s wireless charger which could simultaneously charge an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods. We had then been told that the device would be coming our way in 2018, and well, many felt that this was pretty much the best chance for Apple to launch and showcase it. It did not happen, alas.