Everything We Expect to See From the Apple Event on March 8
Apple is ready to carry its first occasion of 2022 on Tuesday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple’s spring occasions usually aren’t as thrilling because the September and October occasions, but it surely’s good to have new units on the horizon within the new yr.
For the 2022 spring occasion, we’re anticipating a refreshed model of the iPhone SE, a brand new iPad Air, and not less than one new Apple silicon Mac. We have rounded up every little thing that we would see on the March 8 occasion under.
The 2022 iPhone SE goes to look similar to the 2020 iPhone SE, with no design modifications anticipated. Apple’s present iPhone SE is modeled after the iPhone 8, that includes thick high and backside bezels, a Contact ID House button, and a 4.7-inch LCD show.
The iPhone SE is and can proceed to be the one iPhone that Apple provides with Contact ID as an alternative of Face ID, and will probably be the one iPhone launched in 2022 with an older LCD show as Apple has transitioned to OLED for the flagship lineup.
Wi-fi charging shall be supported, however we’re not anticipating MagSafe, nor are there more likely to be notable modifications to battery life. The present iPhone SE is out there in black, white, and crimson, and we’re more likely to see related colour choices.
With no design modifications on the horizon, the updates to the iPhone SE are all inner. We’re anticipating a quicker chip, and the iPhone SE might get the identical A15 chip that is within the iPhone 13 for a drastic improve in efficiency. Storage is rumored to start out at 64GB, with Apple providing 64, 128, and 256GB choices.
The opposite main new function coming to the iPhone SE is 5G connectivity, which is able to put the iPhone SE on par with the flagship iPhones in the case of connection velocity. Apple’s iPhone SE would be the most cost-effective 5G iPhone, and it’s anticipated to be priced at $399.
The one different rumor we have heard concerning the iPhone SE is a potential up to date digital camera, so it might get the newest Huge digital camera from the iPhone 13.
There is a new model of the iPad Air within the works, however just like the iPhone SE, there aren’t any design modifications anticipated. The following-generation iPad Air will proceed to appear like the present iPad Air, although there is a risk we might see new colour choices. Proper now, the iPad Air is available in area grey, silver, rose gold, inexperienced, and blue.
Rumors counsel that a lot of the iPad Air replace will give attention to bringing the machine consistent with the sixth-generation iPad mini launched final fall, so it’s anticipated to get an up to date A15 chip, which Apple added to the iPad mini after introducing it within the iPhone 13 fashions.
Apple downclocked the A15 chip within the iPad mini, so it runs at 2.9GHz as an alternative of three.2GHz because it does within the iPhone, but it surely’s not clear if the identical clock velocity shall be used for the iPad Air. Both approach, the A15 shall be an enchancment over the A14 chip within the present mannequin.
For mobile iPad Air fashions, Apple will add 5G connectivity, so the up to date units will work with quicker 5G networks. The chip within the iPad mini is restricted to sub-6GHz 5G networks reasonably than the quickest mmWave 5G networks, so it is potential we might see this similar limitation within the iPad Air.
Sub-6GHz 5G is the extra broadly obtainable model of 5G that may be present in city, suburban, and rural areas throughout the US and different nations, whereas mmWave 5G is extra restricted in availability and in vary.
AT&T and Verizon have just lately expanded their 5G networks with C-band spectrum that improves the supply of mmWave networks within the U.S., so it is potential Apple will take this under consideration when updating the iPad Air.
The iPad Air will function principally inner modifications, but it surely might get the identical up to date 12-megapixel Extremely Huge entrance digital camera that may work with Middle Stage, a function first launched within the iPad Professional and the iPad mini 6.
Middle Stage is a FaceTime function designed to maintain you in focus and completely framed while you’re on a FaceTime video name. The wide-angle front-facing digital camera reveals extra of the room that you just’re in, whereas the processor contained in the iPad works to maintain you entrance and heart at the same time as you progress round. If a couple of particular person is within the name, the digital camera may also zoom out to maintain everybody in view.
The rear digital camera is anticipated to proceed to function a single-lens setup, although a quad-LED True Tone flash could possibly be added. As for different options, it would proceed to make use of a USB-C port, and we’re not anticipating notable modifications to battery life.
Pricing on the iPad Air is more likely to keep the identical, so the brand new mannequin could possibly be priced beginning at $599 for 64GB storage.
Apple in 2020 up to date the lower-end Mac mini with an M1 chip, and now it is the higher-end Mac mini’s flip for an replace. Rumors counsel the brand new machine shall be outfitted with Apple’s M1 Professional and M1 Max chips, with Apple eliminating Intel chips from the Mac mini lineup.
The M1 Professional and M1 Max chips function a 10-core CPU with eight high-power cores and two high-efficiency cores, although there’s additionally an 8-core model used within the 14-inch MacBook Professional.
As for GPU efficiency, the M1 Professional chip includes a 16-core GPU (14-cores within the base mannequin 14-inch MacBook Professional), whereas the M1 Max includes a 32-core GPU. There’s additionally a decrease tier 24-core possibility obtainable as a construct to order possibility. These similar chips could come to the Mac mini.
The M1 Professional chip helps as much as 32GB RAM and the M1 Max helps as much as 64GB, so the brand new Mac mini will proceed to supply help for as much as 64GB RAM. The M1 model of the Mac mini is restricted to 16GB RAM.
Rumors counsel the Mac mini goes to get a brand new look, maybe with a smaller casing measurement that has a plexiglass-like high and a two-tone colour scheme. If Apple is introducing a brand new colour scheme, the Mac mini might doubtlessly are available in colours aside from area grey or silver, much like the 24-inch iMac, however up to date colours are simply hypothesis at this level.
Apple’s new Mac mini is claimed to be outfitted with 4 Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, and an HDMI port, together with the identical magnetic charging cable used for the 24-inch iMac.
A couple of rumors have urged that Apple will introduce an up to date model of the 13-inch MacBook Professional on the spring occasion, but it surely’s not clear if that is correct because the machine will probably use an up to date M2 chip, however different Macs which might be additionally going to undertake the M2 chip, just like the refreshed MacBook Air, aren’t launching till later within the yr.
It is questionable that Apple would introduce the M2 chip within the 13-inch MacBook Professional at this time limit, but it surely’s not out of the realm of risk.
If there’s a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Professional coming, it isn’t going to get a significant design refresh. It should appear like the prior-generation model, although there’s combined data on the Contact Bar. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has mentioned that Apple will take away the Contact Bar from the 13-inch MacBook Professional, whereas different leaked data has urged it would keep.
As an entry stage machine, the up to date 13-inch MacBook Professional won’t embrace a mini-LED show, neither is it anticipated to help 120Hz ProMotion refresh charges.
The M2 chip that Apple has within the works is anticipated to have the identical 8-core CPU because the M1, however there shall be velocity and effectivity enhancements because it could possibly be constructed on a smaller node.
As for GPU enhancements, it would have extra GPU cores. 9 and 10-core GPU choices are anticipated to be obtainable, up from the 7 and 8-core GPU choices obtainable within the unique M1. The M2 won’t be as highly effective because the M1 Professional and the M1 Max, which shall be succeeded by the M2 Professional and M2 Max.
New iPhone Case Colours
New iPhone case colours have been leaked on Twitter on the finish of February, and it is probably these instances are going to be launched following the March occasion. New colours embrace a light-weight blue, a darker inexperienced blue, an orange shade, and a yellow.
It is also probably we’ll see these similar colours obtainable for iPad instances and maybe Apple Watch bands. Apple will not give attention to these new instances on stage, however we’ll see them added to the web retailer after the occasion.
Apple has been beta testing iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS Monterey 12.3 since late January, and now the updates are practically able to launch. The software program could not come out on March 8, however Apple will probably present us with launch date data and launch candidates might additionally come following the occasion.
iOS 15.4 is a big replace that brings help for utilizing Face ID whereas sporting a masks when you have an iPhone 12 or newer, plus it introduces new emoji characters, lays the groundwork for Faucet to Pay, provides a Siri voice, and improves the anti-stalking performance of AirTags.
macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 add the lengthy awaited Common Management function that is designed to permit a number of Macs and iPads to be managed with a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard. We have a full information with all the new options coming in iOS 15.4 for individuals who are interested in what’s included.
Occasion Protection
Apple will reside stream the March 8 occasion on the Apple Occasions web site, YouTube, and within the Apple TV app on the Apple TV and different platforms.
For these unable to observe a reside stream, MacRumors will present reside protection each right here on MacRumors.com and thru our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.