Now is the worst time to buy just about anything new from Apple
As fall approaches, so does an expected mega refresh cycle for a lot of Apple's products.
iPhone
The obvious new thing: The iPhone 7. We're about a month away from Apple's new smartphone debut, so unless your current iPhone is totally busted today, you should wait a few more weeks. The iPhone 6S price will drop, or you can get the latest and greatest hardware with the new phone. Either option is worth waiting for.
MacBooks
Then there are MacBooks, which have largely been ignored in recent years. It's been several years since the MacBook Air got a significant update, and many think it never will, now that the new super-thin MacBook is on the scene. But since it'll take a few more years for the pricey, underpowered MacBook to catch up to the Air's performance, the entire MacBook lineup is in an odd place.
Do you get an Air, with its fuzzy display, or sacrifice power (and a few hundred extra bucks) for the sharp screen and gorgeous design of the redesigned MacBook? And what about the MacBook Pro, which hasn't been significantly updated in four years?
My suggestion: Wait a few months for the expected major refresh coming to the MacBook Pro this fall. According to several reports, the new MacBook Pro will have a thin design inspired by the MacBook, plus a new touch screen on the keyboard that can display a variety of function keys and controls depending on the app you're using. It'll be the best of everything: great design and plenty of power. The other two MacBooks today require you to make a big tradeoff in one or the other.
Mac
The 5K iMac is the best desktop computer I've ever used. But the latest version is almost a year old, and could get a spec bump in the fall. There likely won't be a massive update, but last year Apple did improve the color representation on that sharp display. It's worth waiting a couple months to see if Apple adds similar improvements again this year.
Then there's the Mac Pro. (You know, the one that looks like a mini version of a New York City subway trash can.) It's been woefully ignored by Apple for years, and there's little indication that's changing any time soon. Unless you need serious power, you're probably better off with an iMac.
Apple Watch
It's been nearly two years since Apple first introduced the Apple Watch, and almost a year and a half since it first went on sale. I don't recommend the Apple Watch for most people, but now is an especially bad time to buy one.
While rumors around a new version of the Apple Watch have been pretty scarce, there's a decent chance it's coming this fall along with the iPhone 7. Trust me, you won't be missing much by waiting another month or two to see if a new version is coming out.
iPad
The iPad has a long life cycle, so if you bought one within the last four years or so, you don't need to upgrade now. But if your iPad is starting to feel old and clunky, you have a few options.
The iPad Air 2 hasn't been updated in almost two years, and is overdue for a spec bump. Same goes for the iPad Mini. The only iPad worth buying right now is the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, the best iPad Apple has ever made. It launched in March, and probably won't get an update until next spring at the very earliest. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is OK for graphic artists and other niche users, but it's tough to recommend for just about anyone else.
One exception
Out of all the major products Apple makes, the Apple TV is the only one worth buying right now if you want it. It's not even a year old, and unlikely to get an update for a few more years. (It took Apple over three years to go from the third-generation Apple TV to the fourth-generation, after all.) Plus the Apple TV will continue to get better as Apple adds software updates and developers make new apps and streaming services.
Go for it.