Apple’s marquee events are often in the fall, but the company launches products in the first half of the year as well. Reports have been swirling about an Apple event this spring where the company plans to debut its less headline-grabbing products as well as minor updates to some already existing product lines.
As per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will make its announcements on or around March 8. Apple is unlikely to hold a big whiz-bang event, instead, the company is expected to hold an online -presentation for a very low-key slate of devices.
When will it be?
Apple hasn’t sent out invites yet, so we don’t have an official date for the spring event. However, Apple events are usually held on Tuesdays, and the Spring events tend to land sometime in March. There are two primary dates that are in contention right now. Gurman is putting his money on March 8, while other sources have indicated that later in the month could be in the running.
March 8 seems to be the more likely option, and since invites are sent out a week in advance, we’ll find out for certain on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
The event will be entirely virtual and streamed online at Apple’s website, usually beginning at 10 a.m. PT.
iPhone SE 3
Apple’s iPhone SE is truly a special-edition, non-standard entry into the iPhone line. Since its debut in 2016, it has only been refreshed once with the 2020 model. The iPhone SE 3 (or iPhone SE 2022) is expected to keep the formula of the previous iPhone SE. This means a chassis that’s indistinguishable from an iPhone 8, with Touch ID and no notch. Instead, the company will equip with a more capable camera system as well as add support for 5G by way of the Apple A15 chip that also accompanies the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro-series. Apple is expected to redesign the iPhone SE in a future release to take on the more modern notched style of design, but barring one sketchy report, analysts expect this design to come next year.
Alongside the new iPhone, the company is also expected to drop iOS 15.4 around the same time, a minor update to iOS 15. This update will continue Apple’s efforts to rein in AirTag stalking, as well as a new gender-neutral Siri voice, support for Face ID while wearing a mask, universal control, and more.
A new iPad Air
Apple is expected to debut an update to the iPad Air as well. The company had updated the basic iPad as well as the iPad Mini last year, so an update to the iPad Air was in the cards. Like the iPad update last year, it is expected to be a spec bump with the addition of a new A15 chip and 5G as a result for cellular-capable models.
Japanese news publication Mac Otakara claims the new Air will share similar specifications to the refreshed iPad Mini — this means an improved 12-megapixel ultrawide front camera with support for Center Stage. Like with the iPhone SE, Apple may also drop iPadOS 15.4 at or around the same time.
Mac Mini Pro
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is expected to release a new Mac or two this March with updated Apple Silicon processors (a new M2 chip or M1 Pro and M1 Max chips). While there are few concrete details, a new Mac Mini is in the running for an update. It’s rumored to get the M1 Pro under the hood, which would greatly expand its graphics performance.
This new Mac Mini is also rumored to be thinner than the previous model, have four Thunderbolt ports, a magnetic power connector, and a new “plexiglass”-like top. Whether or not it’ll end up being called the “Mac Mini Pro” is still up in the air.
M2 MacBook Pro
The more curious rumor on the Mac side of things? An M2 MacBook Pro. This would be an update of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, which runs on the M1. This laptop was released in 2020, but it uses the same old chassis from the MacBook Pro of 2016. Interestingly, the rumored update won’t change the chassis, but will instead just replace the M1 with the more powerful M2 chip. That means it’ll still have a Touch Bar, the large bezels, and lack of a notch.
Would Apple interrupt its focus on the M1 Pro and M1 Max to unveil the next generation of its M-series chips? It seems unlikely, especially in such a ho-hum chassis. Apple waited an entire year before it brought out the M1 Pro and M1 Max, and I expect the company to follow this schedule. But rumors say it’s a possibility, so there’s certainly a chance Apple could surprise us.
What’s not coming?
Aside from the iPhone 14, Apple is also expected to debut a selection of other products later in the year. These include a new iPad Pro, a redesigned M2 MacBook Air, the 27-inch iMac, the Mac Pro, a new AirPods Pro, and a refresh to the Apple Watch SE alongside a new ruggedized Apple Watch option. These are rumored to be rolled out from summer through fall, starting with WWDC in June.
The highly anticipated mixed-reality headset is also in the works, though there is some debate as to whether or not it will be announced this year.
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