This is a normal process for tech companies, so knowing ahead of time helps for two reasons: you can avoid buying products that will discontinued, and you will be aware if your own devices are headed for end-of-life. See also: Don’t waste your money on these Apple products: January 2022 edition A good way to predict what will be discontinued in 2022 is to look at what was discontinued in 2021. Here’s a list of 2021’s discontinued tech:
iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro MaxApple Watch Series 6iPhone XRiPad 8th-geniPad mini 5th-gen21.5-inch iMaciMac ProHomePodApple TV 4K 1st-genBeats EP/Solo Pro/Powerbeats 3
Some of these were to be expected to make room for new generations (iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch). It’s logical, but some of the others were interesting – especially the HomePod, 21.5-inch iMac, and the iMac Pro. These point to a shift of priorities at Apple. So, what should we expect Apple to discontinue in 2022? Here are my predictions:
iPhones 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, and 12: These will be superseded by new iPhones in September.Apple Watch Series 7: Will be superseded by a new Apple Watch.iPhone SE: At almost two years old, this is heading towards the end of the line.iPad Air 4th-gen: By September 2022, this will be two years old and ripe for dropping.iMac 27-inch: This will get the M1 Apple Silicon treatment.Mac Pro: This will also get the M1 Apple Silicon treatment.AirPods Pro: Released in October 2019, these have had a good run; I’m expecting an updated version to land this year.iPod touch 7th-gen: Released in May 2019, this thing is now a complete dinosaur. I fully expect Apple to kill the iPod touch once the current one is discontinued, as it’s hard to see it being a viable product now.
As usual, it looks like it’s going to be a big year for Apple updates. Stay tuned.
