Apple will have plenty of events in 2021 where it reveals the latest products and services for fans of Macs, iPads, iPhones and more. Here’s what we think you’ll see at the expected spring event.
When is the Apple spring event?
Apple has yet to confirm a spring event will be happening, but noted leaker Jon Prosser tweeted in back in October 2020 that there would be an event on 16 March 2021.
Okay, how about “One More Thing” ?
After this November ARM Mac event, the next Apple Event (currently a digital event) will happen on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 🗓
Event headliner will be AirPods Studio (B515) https://t.co/UxqQr6je1c pic.twitter.com/oCxVhg3owb
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser)
October 16, 2020
While he stated that the AirPods Studio would be the star of the show, this is dampened somewhat by Apple releasing its wireless headphones as the AirPods Max at the end of 2020. Still, Prosser has a good track record overall, so 16 March does still seem like a reasonable assumption at this point.
What can we expect to see at Apple’s March event?
Apple usually has its spring event in March, although it’s not a certainty, as the company has skipped making spring announcements several times in the last few years. When there has been a March event, the company has recently used this to reveal new iPads along with the iPhone SE and various software-based products.
For example, in 2019 Apple hosted an event on 25 March, where it showcased the Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and Apple News+ services.
The previous year brought an update to the entry-level 9.7in iPad, which itself had been introduced two years previously in another March event that also saw the arrival of the original iPhone SE. It’s worth noting that the iPhone SE (2020) also launched in the spring of 2020, but this was via a press release in April rather than a dedicated event in March.
With all this in mind, here’s the latest rumours and thoughts about what might appear if Apple hosts an event in spring 2021.
iPad Pro 2021
This spring could see the arrival of a new iPad Pro, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and sources in the supply chain. There’s no precise date, but all of the rumours seem to suggest Apple updating its premium tablet range in the first quarter of 2021, which would fit with a March event.
To see what the new device might look like, read our guide to the iPad Pro 2021.
iPad mini
There’s a chance that March could be iPad month for Apple, with further rumours suggesting we might see an update to the diminutive mini. The big rumour is that the iPad mini 6 could get a bigger screen, leaving behind the 7.9in design that’s been the same since it was first introduced nearly a decade ago.
Sceptics will point to the fact that Apple usually announces iPad mini updates in autumn, but since the company left four years between the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 (the latter of which was launched in March 2019), we think it safe to assume that the former pattern isn’t set in stone.
10.5in iPad
Rounding off the iPad range is the entry-level model that has traditionally been unveiled at the March events. Many think that Apple could be about to move the current 10.2in iPad into the frame of the recently discontinued iPad Air 3, which would mean and increase in screen-size to 10.5in.
For more details on what could be in store for the cheapest tablet in Apple’s catalogue, read our roundup of the news and rumours around the 10.5in iPad 2021.
New iMac design
There have been argument building for a while about why the iMac needs a new design. Well, it looks like 2021 might be the year when Apple finally addresses the ageing chassis of its all-in-one desktop Mac.
The main aesthetic updates are thought to see the reduction of the large bezels that surround the display, the latter of which will increase from 21.5in to 23in. Of course, the headline feature is sure to be the switch to the Apple M1 processor which arrived on the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini in 2020. With Apple keen to move all its Macs on to the new platform, it seems possible that this could see it appear in spring rather than the more traditional autumn time slot.
For a deeper dive into all you can look forward to when Apple updates the device, read our new iMac 2021 news hub.
Apple TV
It’s been over three years since Apple last updated its set-top box, and that seems far too long when you consider that the company launched its new Apple TV+ subscription service in March 2019. There were plenty of stories circulating that Apple would refresh its streaming device in 2020, but nothing appeared. With that in mind, we think there’s a good chance that we may see a new Apple TV device arrive in March 2021.
There are also suggestions that Apple will launch its heavily rumoured AirTags tracker and new AirPods Pro Lite earbuds, but we think Apple may focus more on updating its core products this time around. Still, hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
Further reading
If you’d like to know more about Apple’s upcoming announcements, read When is the next Apple event? And for specific information about the most important events this year, take a look at our iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 13 news hubs.
