Apple’s first big event of 2022 is happening soon, as the company has confirmed that it will be holding a launch on March 8, where we’re expecting to see all sorts of new products.
This would be Apple’s spring event, and it’s one the company holds every year. We have a good idea of what we might see there too, as leaks and rumors have shed a lot of light on likely announcements.
Below, we’ve listed all the things we think we’ll probably see at the March Apple event. Then below that we’ve included a few others which are less likely to make an appearance.
iPhone SE 3
The iPhone SE 3 could be the star of the show, with multiple rumors suggesting it will land in March or April – making this event the likely place for it. We’ve even heard March 8 suggested as the specific announcement date, so we’re almost certain the iPhone SE 3 will be present.
This phone is expected to support 5G for the first time in the SE range, and to have a powerful A15 Bionic chipset (just like you’ll find in the iPhone 13 range). Beyond that though it’s likely to be very similar to the iPhone SE (2020), with a 4.7-inch screen and a bezel-heavy design.
iPad Air 5
Apple’s mid-range slate will also probably get a new entry at this event, as this too has been heavily rumored to land there.
It could be a similar story to the iPhone SE 3 as well, with the main additions likely being 5G support and an A15 Bionic chipset, giving it more power than its predecessor.
The iPad Air 5 is also rumored to be getting a new front-facing camera though – a 12MP ultra-wide one, for improved video calls.
New Macs
We could see up to three new Macs unveiled at this Apple event, all of which are expected to pack powerful new M2 chipsets.
It’s likely that one of these could be a new MacBook Pro, but we’re less sure what the others will be. One source points to two of the devices being desktop computers, so perhaps some combination of a new Mac Mini, Mac Pro, and iMac, but a new MacBook Air is possible too. In short, this could be a big event for Mac fans.
iOS 15.4
As well as new hardware we could also see new software, in the form of iOS 15.4. This is already in beta, with the finished release expected to land any time now, so the March event would be an ideal launch venue. That said, while the timing lines up, no leaks have specifically said it will land there.
Whenever iOS 15.4 does land, you can look forward to full support for Face ID while wearing a mask, the launch of Apple’s Universal Control feature, a whole bunch of new emoji, anti-stalking measures for AirTag, and a variety of other features and improvements.
Apple Glasses
Peek performance. March 8th. See you there. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/cEKMq7BuBhMarch 2, 2022
Okay, saying we expect to see these is really pushing it – we’re actually not at all sure whether we will or not, and until very recently we’d have been surprised to see them.
But in a teaser for the event, Greg Joswiak (Apple’s SVP of marketing) posted a short video that appears to show an augmented reality Apple logo – one which could perhaps be seen from the perspective of someone wearing Apple’s long-rumored AR glasses.
It’s a stretch, but it’s not outside the realms of possibility that March 8 could be our first official look at Apple Glasses.
5 things we don’t expect to see
Below we’ve listed things that we don’t expect to see. That said, it’s not impossible that some of these things could turn up, and we haven’t included things that there was never any hope of landing at this event, such as the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8.
iPad Pro 2022
We actually might see the iPad Pro (2022) at this event, and of the things on this section of the list it’s the one we’re least sure we won’t see.
The timing more or less lines up in fact, as the iPad Pro (2021) was unveiled last April, so only around a month later in the year. The main reason we’re not expecting the iPad Pro (2022) is simply because no rumors have suggested we will see it.
Whenever it lands, the iPad Pro (2022) might include MagSafe and wireless charging if leaks are to be believed, with the 11-inch model joining the 12.9-inch one in getting a Mini LED screen (where only the larger model currently has a Mini LED display).
AirPods Max 2
While the original AirPods Max launched back in December 2020, there’s no sign of the AirPods Max 2, with reports suggesting they aren’t even in development yet. So while there’s an outside chance that Apple has kept them really quiet and is ready to unveil them, it’s more likely that they won’t arrive until late 2022 or beyond.
AirPods Pro 2
The AirPods Pro released years ago, so we could be due an AirPods Pro 2, but leaks suggest these won’t land until late 2022, so a launch on March 8 is very unlikely. Leaks aren’t always right, so you never know, but we’d be surprised.
When these do arrive, they’re rumored to have a new design with the ear stems removed, along with improved sound quality of course.
iPad mini (2022)
The iPad mini (2021) only landed back in September, so the earliest we’d expect to see the iPad mini (2022) is in September of this year.
We have some idea of the possible specs though, with a leak pointing to an 8.3-inch 120Hz screen and a starting size of 128GB – which is double the current model’s starting storage. The chipset will reportedly be the same though, but with a slightly higher clock speed.
iPad (2022)
This is another device that we saw the current model of – the iPad 10.2 (2021) – back in September, so it wouldn’t make much sense to see a new one this soon.
We also haven’t heard much about the iPad (2022), other than that visually it might be very similar to the current slate.