Apple's Launch Event - What to Expect?

The next big Apple event could be on the horizon. And while Apple is yet to make an official announcement just yet, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that it’s likely to occur on March 8. If he’s right, we are counting just days before we see Apple take the stage with an array of new products. From a budget-friendly iPhone to a colourful new MacBook Air, there is plenty to look forward to coming March. Based on leaks and rumours, here are some of the things you can expect from Apple’s spring event.

Where will Apple hold its event?

Due to the health crisis rampaging across the world, Apple hasn’t held a live event in the past two years. Likewise, this year’s event will likely be an online launch rather than an in-person one. You can therefore attend it from anywhere. How can you watch the Apple event, you ask? You have several options. You can either watch it on Apple’s events page. Here you can also watch keynotes from previous events. You can also watch on Apple’s YouTube channel. And once it’s over, the keynote will be availed on Apple TV and the Apple Podcast app. 

What we will see at the next Apple event?

We expect Apple’s spring event to include the launch of the iPhone SE 3 as well as a new iPad Air and Macbook Air. Let’s take a look at what the rumour mill has to say about these devices. 

iPhone SE

This year’s iPhone SE will be the third iteration of Apple’s budget-conscious line. The iPhone SE 2020 featured a class-leading processor, Apple has historically outfitted the iPhone SE with the same chipset as its main flagship line. Therefore, we can expect the iPhone SE 3 to sport a much more powerful A15 Bionic chip. This will generally translate to solid buttery-smooth performance. It is also rumoured that the phone will look like the current model as the company may opt to maintain the iPhone 8 chassis. It will thus continue to offer a home button with Touch ID and thick bezels. 5G capabilities are to be expected. 

MacBook Air

MacBook Air 2022 is expected to feature the biggest design update since 2010 for Macbook Air. Based on leaks, it will do away with the tapered wedge-shaped design in favour of a flat-edged design. This will give it a more MacBook Pro-like design. It is also tipped that it will sport slimmer bezels. The MacBook Air could adopt a mini-LED display, first introduced with the MacBook Pro. Apple is rumoured to be working on an M2 chip, which should be more powerful than the M1. Well, not as powerful as the M1 Max and M1 Pro chips, of course. But it should get the job done. 

Check out the 13-inch Macbook Air Vs Macbook Pro to know which is better for you.

iPad Air 5

The iPad Air 4 introduced a design overhaul to the range alongside a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, generous processing power and more. That said, can the iPad Air 5 outdo its older sibling? We sure hope so. Generally, rumours suggest that the iPad could come with an upgraded 3nm chipset. Some reports hint that it could ship with a 10.9-inch OLED screen. That means we can expect the display to be rich in colour and feature deep blacks. However, others believe that an OLED display is unlikely, and Apple will stick to LCD instead. The iPad Air 4 is only available in two storage options: 64GB and 256GB. It would be nice if the iPad Air 5 would at least start at 128GB storage as this would cater well to the majority. You should buy iPad Air if you are looking for a premium, lightweight flagship iPad.

Mac Mini (2022)

Apple didn’t release a Mac Mini in 2021, but this year could be different. The Mac Mini could offer a new design with a significantly thinner form factor than its predecessor. Whether it will feature an M1 Pro or M1 Max chip is still up for debate. But some reports suggest neither and instead indicated that it could feature an M2 chip just like the next MacBook Air 2022 M2. We could see more ports, including a 110GB Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0 port, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and more. 

MacBook Pro (2022)

Recent rumours also favour the announcement of a MacBook Pro in March. It is rumoured to include an all-new and powerful M2 chip. It could also come with some design improvements. Perhaps a flatter lid with thinner bezels around the display. If Apple decides to stick to the original design, the MacBook Pro chip will feature a Touch Bar. It will neither have a watch or ProMotion display technology. 

Be sure to check out Macbook Pro M1 vs Macbook Pro M2.

Apple typically holds up to four events each year. So aside from the March event, we can expect the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) event in June and a fall in event or two. At all these events, the company will unveil their latest range of products. During the WWDC event, Apple is expected to announce software updates for the iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac. It will then use the fall events to launch the iPhone 14, new Macs, and Apple Watch upgrades. That said, we can’t wait to see what the tech giant has in store for us this year.