Apple has officially announced its much-rumored spring event, and it’s coming uncharacteristically early this year. On March 8, Apple will reveal what promises to be some pretty exciting new product announcements.
Contents
- How to watch Apple’s Peek Performance event online
- What to expect at Apple’s Peek Performance event
- The 5G iPhone SE
- A new 5G iPad
- The M2 Chip
In true Apple fashion, we won’t know anything for sure until the company’s executives take the stage, but the rumor mill is abuzz with numerous possibilities. These include a new low-cost, 5G-capable iPhone SE, at least one new iPad model, and the likely debut of Apple’s next-generation M2 chip in an entry-level MacBook Pro.
How to watch Apple’s Peek Performance event online
Peek performance. March 8th. See you there. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/cEKMq7BuBh
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) March 2, 2022
We’ll naturally have all the breaking news on Apple’s product announcements, but Apple will also be broadcasting the entire event live for those who want to tune in and see the announcements as they happen.
In fact, Apple normally provides several ways to watch its events. This includes the company’s own Apple Special Events page and its YouTube channel, where it has already posted teasers for the event. Those watching on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV can also tune in via Apple’s TV app. This last option naturally offers the best viewing experience, since it’s Apple’s own service.
What to expect at Apple’s Peek Performance event
As we noted earlier, there are never any guarantees with Apple events, as the company plays its product announcements very close to the vest.
However, it’s also safe to say that it wouldn’t be holding an event unless it had some pretty big things in the works. After all, it could just as easily announce new products via press release, as its done in the past with everything from the AirPods Max to the last 27-inch iMac, released in the summer of 2020.
Not everything warrants stage time, so Apple only holds an event when it has either one colossal product announcement — like its fall iPhone events — or a combination of medium-sized announcements that add up to something bigger.
For this event, we’re expecting the latter to happen, with a potpourri of interesting new products that will set the tone for the year ahead, as well as fill in some of the gaps that remain in Apple’s product lineup. We have a full breakdown of what we’re expecting, but here are some highlights.
The 5G iPhone SE
The most-rumored of these is a new 5G-capable version of the iPhone SE. This would be a direct next-generation update to the 2020 iPhone SE, with the main focus being a new A-series CPU — likely the same A15 found in the iPhone 13 lineup — and 5G support.
By all reports, little else is expected to change with this year’s iPhone SE, which is said to retain the same physical design as the 2020 model, including the 4.7-inch screen and front Touch ID home button. Still, the addition of 5G alone, not to mention Apple’s most powerful mobile processor to date, would allow the iPhone SE to retain its lead as one of the most affordable midtier smartphones you can buy.
A new 5G iPad
Apple’s other plans are a bit murkier. The consensus is that we’ll see at least one iPad make its debut next week, which would most likely be a fifth-generation iPad Air. The iPad Air 4 has been on the market for 18 months, making it the oldest of any current iPad model. With a 5G-capable iPad mini released last fall with an A15 chip, Apple’s full-sized midrange tablet is starting to look a little long in the tooth.
So, it’s fair to say that we can expect a 5G-capable update to the iPad Air that also brings the same A15 chip. This would once again make it the larger equivalent of the iPad mini, in the same way both tablets were on par when Apple launched the new midtier lineup three years ago. They’ve been leapfrogging each other over the past couple of years, but we’re guessing that’s more about Apple’s limited resources and supply chain constraints than any desire on its part to put one ahead of the other.
The M2 Chip
It’s a safe bet that it plans to unveil its next-generation M2 Apple Silicon. Whether that emerges in the form of a new Mac Mini, Macbook Pro, or Macbook Air is uncertain. Signs seem to point to a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, which we only began hearing rumors of over the past few weeks. These kicked into high gear after supply chain sources reported that Apple’s manufacturing partners in China had worked through the Lunar New Year to keep churning out new MacBook Pro computers.
Whether we’ll see any of those is an open question. Apple has kept its plans secret, so be sure to tune in on March 8 and find out for yourself!