Nintendo is working on a smaller, cheaper Switch console for 2019

The Washington Post originally reported that a new version of the Nintendo Switch was coming in 2019, but a more specific rumor recently surfaced on a Japanese site called Nikkei claiming that the new Switch would be smaller and cheaper than the original.

Gutcheck: We’re expecting a lot of console news in 2019 and a new machine’s emergence from the house that Mario built would make sense. Nintendo said it has “nothing to announce” regarding the rumor, but that’s standard for unreleased systems. The E3 video game trade show happens in June so maybe we’ll get some news then.

Samsung is working on a sport-specific smartwatch

Smartwatches from Samsung typically include a rotating dial to let you control various functions, but a rumor spotted by 91Mobile claims there’s a sports-oriented model in the works with fewer moving pieces.

Gutcheck: Fitness is a key use for smartwatches at the moment and it would make total sense in the lineup. The rendering that’s part of the leak also looks incredibly realistic.

Facebook may unify all of its messenger platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp

A New York Times report claims that users across Facebook’s various messenger platforms will be able to communicate freely with one another without having to hop between services. The new system could be in place by late 2019 or early 2020.

Gutcheck: Facebook has made all of its app more similar in recent years by adding somewhat redundant features like Stories and video chat across the breadth of its offerings. To see all those platforms more unified down the road seems extremely likely.

Apple’s next-gen AirPod headphones will have “Hey Siri” functionality

9-to-5 Mac discovered a setup screen in the iOS 12.2 beta that suggests the upcoming AirPod update will include the ability to interact with Siri via the wireless earbuds.

Gutcheck: This seems like a no-brainer. In fact, it’s a little surprising you can’t already do it.

MoviePass is coming back with an unlimited plan

2018 was an insanely chaotic year for MoviePass. The company began its service that allowed users to see unlimited movies in the theater for $10 per month. That quickly became unsustainable, and the plan changed many, many times, which nuked a lot of consumer confidence. Now, however, Variety is reporting that the Unlimited MoviePass tier is making a comeback this year.

Gutcheck: By the time you’ve read this, it wouldn’t be surprising if MoviePass had already changed its offerings. There’s no pricing information set for the unlimited plan, but it will probably happen. Then maybe it will go away again in a couple weeks. Who knows?

Sonos is working on wireless headphones

You probably know about the Sonos wireless speakers and TV soundbars, but a recent Bloomberg report claims the company is looking to branch out into wireless headphones. The report says the phones will be high-end, which shouldn’t come as a surprise when you consider the rest of the company’s offerings.

Gutcheck: With Google, Amazon, and, to a lesser extent, Apple biting into the connected speaker market, it makes sense that Sonos would look to expand its offerings, especially since its stock has lost more than 20 percent of its value since the IPO in August. Sonos makes great stuff, though, so we’d expect the headphones to be excellent.

There could be a new iPod coming

Since the iPhone showed up more than a decade ago, Apple’s iPod has slipped into obscurity. The company still makes a single model—the iPod Touch—which hasn’t gotten a refresh since way back in 2015. Now, however, a Japanese site that keeps tabs on Apple’s supply chain says there might be an upgraded version of the iPod Touch coming some time soon.

Gutcheck: Apple is having a weird moment here in early 2019. The company’s stock price has been on a rollercoaster and one of the big headlines of CES 2019 was that AirPlay—and even iTunes in some cases—will now work with some smart TVs. If Apple is trying to get more people to give it money for services like Apple Music, having another device in the lineup that enables that kind of thing makes sense. It could be a useful product for people who are switching over to Android phones, but still have stuff stuck in the Apple ecosystem.

Sony could be working on a PS4 controller with a touchscreen

The current Sony PS4 controller has a touchpad, but a patent from October 2018suggests the controllers could eventually include a touchscreen display.

Gutcheck: Patents do not always translate into real products, but this one doesn’t seem far-fetched. There are almost no details for an actual retail offering here, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Sony try and steal some of Nintendo’s thunder as the king of controllers with touchscreens on them. The next PlayStation is reportedly coming in 2020, so expect details to crawl out this year.

The next Xbox is called “Scarlet” and is coming in 2020

The Xbox One X was a relatively small update to the Xbox One platform, but reports claim a whole new Xbox console is coming in 2020. Rumors say the new offerings will include several machines, including one without a disc drive that’s download-only games, and a higher-end machine that will offer a beefier gaming experience.

Gutcheck: The 2020 timeline makes sense for Microsoft to start rolling out its new platform. If both Sony and Microsoft release in the same time period, we can expect a good old fashioned console war. Microsoft has been clearly emphasizing its service offerings in addition to its stand-alone games, as well as its game streaming tech that’s aimed at more casual players, so this kind of transition makes sense on the surface.

Google could start offering web searches in China again

Back in 2010, Google pulled its services out of China because it wouldn’t comply with the government’s demand to filter search results. However, Google’s Project Dragonfly is the company’s attempt to see if re-entry into the Chinese market would be possible.

Gutcheck: At the end of 2018, Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, testified in front of Congress and confirmed that the company had upwards of 100 people working on Project Dragonfly at one point. He also said, however, that Google has no current plans to offer a search project in China. Of course, that could change at any time and the research is reportedly still going on.

Apple’s wireless AirPower charger is coming…eventually

Apple announced its own AirPower wireless charger at its iPhone event in 2017. Since then, we’ve heard almost nothing about it.

Gutcheck: Apple missed its shipping estimate with the HomePod in 2017, and it’s still far behind its original estimate on the wireless charging pad that would juice up the iPhones and the Apple Watch. If it really was going to hit stores soon, it sure seems like Apple would have talked about it during the events. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it show up in 2019.

The iPhone will ditch the Lightning port and go totally USB-C

In 2011, Apple introduced the Lightning connector to replace the typical 30-pin connector previously used in iPads, iPods, and iPhones. Now, a report from Digitimes suggests another shift is coming in 2019, this time to USB-C. The new iPad Pro models just made the switch.

Gutcheck: While it was somewhat surprising to see no USB-C ports on the 2018 iPhones, it would be even crazier if they didn’t show up in 2019. The lightning connector seems like it’s on the way out, especially when you consider the new iPad Pros are using USB-C

Samsung has plans for a folding smartphone in early 2019 UPDATED

UPDATE: Samsung confirmed the foldable smartphone that could arrive this year at the Samsung Developers conference in November. A report from the Wall Street Journal claimed that Samsung could release a folding phone as early as the beginning of this year. When expanded, the device would have a 7-inch screen, which makes it roughly the size of a small tablet.

Gutcheck: Looks like Samsung is working on stealing some of the thunder from the upcoming iPhone X and Google Pixel 3 announcements at the end of 2018. Apple is reportedly also rolling around the idea of a folding iPhone, which would compete with Samsung’s redefined flip phone.

2019 will bring new AirPods and a new HomePod from Apple

The AirPod headphones have been a huge success for Apple. The HomePod smart speaker? Not so much. However, many rumors suggest that both products will get a refresh in 2019. Some even say the new AirPods will be higher-end when it comes to sound, and there could be an over-the-ear option as well.

Gutcheck: Apple updated its Beats headphones slightly before the iPhone XS announcement, but the event itself didn’t really cover any high-end audio. The HomePod barely got a nod, other than to point out that it can now work in stereo pairs.

Apple is working on a subscription service for TV, music, and news

Apple already sells content in a variety of ways, including via subscription with services like Apple Music. Now, rumors say that the company might offer a bundle-style plan that involves TV, music, and news as part of one overall package.

Gut check: Apple recently purchased a service called Texture, which lets users subscribe to magazines in a Netflix style model. The company is also sourcing original content from big celebrities like Oprah for its video offerings. As it increases its offerings, it seems likely that Apple wants to bring people into its all-encompassing media plans. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear about this in the Fall when new hardware announcements come and TV season is getting in gear again.

Tesla is working on a Model Y car for 2020 that will fix some of its manufacturing problems

Tesla’s Model 3 has been a real pain for Elon Musk as the company tries to ramp up production to meet the demand and cut down on the 9-month waitlist. The Model Y would introduce even more automation into the production process and help reduce the amount of wiring in the car to churn them out faster.

Gutcheck According to Musk, the Model Y is currently in the prototype phase and will officially debut in March of 2019 if all goes according to plan. It should have a starting price around $50,000.

Twitter is killing the heart-shaped “like” button

Lots of changes are on the horizon for Twitter, including the return of a truly chronological timeline (yay!). If you’re a fan of the “like” button, however, you should click it while you can because reports say it could be going away. A report from the Telegraph claims Twitter’s CEO spoke of the button’s doom at a private event.

Gutcheck: Twitter says it doesn’t have a specific timeline for any changes to the like feature, but it seems as though the change is in the works. It’s possible the change could take effect abruptly, or the company could roll it out selectively on a trial basis.

Apple is working on a VR headset for self-driving cars

A patent application showing a VR system for inside self-driving cars showed up in Apple’s arsenal of intellectual property. It could help entertain passengers (and fight off motion sickness) who would otherwise be bored as a robot drives them around.

Gutcheck: The patent is real, but the product may never arrive.

We saw several iterations of this kind of tech at CES, including options from Audi and Intel. It certainly seems like an arena in which Apple could play if it wants to.

There could be a folding iPhone by 2020

CNBC reported on findings from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The source backs up the claim saying they talked to several manufacturers in China.

Gutcheck: It’s possible, especially since other manufacturers have tried the tech.

Both Lenovo and Samsung have already shown phones that fold or bend in one way or another, so the concept isn’t that far outside the realm of possibility. Of course, Apple is tight-lipped on the subject, but OLED display tech could make it happen. But the fact remains– do we need to fold our phones?