Following its success in 2014, Apple is preparing for another busy year in 2015. Here’s some suggestions of what to expect:
Mac predictions
It’s safe to say the Mac is back, with the platform now among the global top five PC platforms. Apple won’t give up the initiative on the product line; expect increased screen resolutions across its range (5K for all) and a Retina display 12-inch MacBook Air by Q2 2015. You can also anticipate more improvements in Continuity integration between Mac and iOS devices and (inevitably) a new iteratiion of OS X.
iOS predictions
Apple is a mobile company and will aggressively extend the reach of its iOS platform; some of the possibilities include:
- That 12.9-inch iPad everyone seems to be talking about – will it run some OS X apps? Apple’s iPad sales will rebound in 2015 as the company’s dominance of the tablet industry prevails.
- Introduction of the 4.7-in. iPhone 6C range, which will generate a mid-year spike in iOS device sales and cut oxygen from the competition in preparation for the next iteration of its flagship devices in October.
- More movement from Apple and IBM for enterprise users.
- Beats will reveal itself as a 21st century music company, offering streaming and a la carte services and iOS-powered, Siri-controlled headphones to provide music and additional services (travel directions, messaging and more).
- HealthKit, HomeKit and Car Play come of age.
(“Apple’s role in health is Steve’s last great gift to mankind. I believe it all came out of his illness. There has to be a better way to monitor one’s health and automate the interaction with the healthcare system,” analyst Tim Bajarin told Mashable.)
Apple Watch
Apple Watch will crush market expectations with around 30 million sales in 2015. The fitness wearables category will be decimated by the product’s launch, and the watch will later prove to be the first of a series of wearable solutions the company already has planned (including wearable displays that don’t make you look weird). And Apple Pay will become international.
Apple Corp.
Apple will continue its mission to improve working conditions and its environmental report card.
I’m hoping for increased transparency in its supplier responsibility reports and that the company will find big solutions to some of its raw materials challenges. For example, recent claims that Apple uses tins sourced unethically in Indonesia should prompt the company to invest in alternative sources, such as acquiring tin mined in Cornwall. This would be more expensive, but could contribute to preserving and protecting the UNESCO sites, better matching Apple’s track record of preserving historic locations. Apple will also work to improve employee diversity. And I think we can predict a major acquisition in the content and services space.
Warning
I hope these predictions have whet your appetite for Apple in 2015, but be warned – Apple prediction is frequently inaccurate as the predictions I made last year prove:
Accurate
Some predictions proved correct: We did get TouchID in iPads (but not Macs) and mobile payment services through Apple Pay; Apple has previewed its Apple Watch and has managed significant improvements to iCloud while improving display resolution and graphics capability.
Inaccurate
We got no 4K monitor, just a 5K iMac; there was no Apple television or updated Apple TV; Apple’s graphics processors aren’t being designed in-house; and we’re still waiting for ultra-HD movies on iTunes. Oh and there’s no 12.9-inch iPad Pro (yet).
Place your bets any way you wish, but it seems pretty clear there’s no shortage of opportunity and multiple directions Apple can explore in 2015.
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