Could there be an Apple event this year? There is increasing evidence that new products are on the way, ranging from new AirPods to a new iPad Pro and more. The event would almost certainly be virtual due to the ongoing pandemic, but there are many precedents for a March event – that being said, one date is almost certainly ruled out.
March 16 event?
Over the past week, March 16 has gained traction on social media as a possible date for an Apple event. However, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg tweeted that Apple will not be holding an event on March 16 – and that AirTags will not be announced on that day.
Notably, Gurman’s tweet did not rule out the possibility of an Apple event in March or the announcement in March. It simply said that Apple was not going to hold an event specifically on March 16th.
Apple Spring Event History
Some Apple events take place almost every year, including WWDC in June and the annual iPhone event in the fall. Most years, it’s also reasonable to expect a second fall event to be focused on the Mac. Last year, for example, we had three Apple events in three months: iPad and Apple Watch in September, iPhone 12 in October, and Apple Silicon Mac in November.
Spring events are harder to predict. Apple did not hold a spring meeting in 2020 due to the launch of the COVID-19 pandemic, but did launch a new iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard and MacBook Air in March via press releases, followed by the second generation iPhone SE via ‘ a press release in April.
In 2019, Apple hosted a Spring Event dedicated solely to its Services segment, with details about Apple News +, Apple Card, Apple TV + and Apple Arcade. In March 2018, Apple invited everyone to Chicago, where they announced a new education-oriented iPad.
If Apple were to hold a March event in 2021, we would expect it to be virtual because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There is an argument to be made that virtual events are easier to put together by Apple than personal events, which is more confident in the possibility of a virtual event this spring.
Here are some potential candidates for an Apple Spring Event, should it occur.
New iPad Pro and iPad mini
One of the top rumors is that Apple will release a new iPad Pro with mini-LED display technology during the first quarter of 2021. The expectation is that the mini-LED wallpaper will first come to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, eventually followed by the 11-inch iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro series of 2021 is expected to be virtually identical to the 2020 model in terms of design. So the biggest change is probably the shift in display technology, plus a new disc that is likely to be based on the A14 inside for even better performance.
Apple is apparently also working on a new iPad mini that will be released in March. The new iPad mini is said to have an 8.4-inch screen with smaller edges. Unfortunately, it will not feature a design overhaul similar to the iPad Air 4 and iPad Pro, but Apple keeps the top and bottom edges, the home button and Touch ID.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in 2019, bringing a faster A12 Bionic processor as well as other improvements.
Finally, there are rumors that Apple is developing a new cheap iPad, but we do not expect it to be released until later this year.
iPhone SE 3
Macotakara reported that Apple will also release a new third-generation iPhone SE in April. Details here are completely unclear, but a release in April will take place exactly a year after the 4.7-inch iPhone SE was released in 2020.
Rumor has it that Apple is working on a larger version of the iPhone SE, probably with a 5.5-inch screen and a design similar to the iPhone 8 Plus. Whether this will come to fruition in March 2021 remains to be seen.
AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2
Following the launch of AirPods Max in December, Apple reportedly has updates on the way for the rest of its Air21 series in 2021.
The new second-generation AirPods Pro is reportedly on its way in April. AirPods Pro 2 may have a ‘more compact’ design that removes the stem that currently protrudes below the AirPods Pro.
Bloomberg warned, however, that such design changes are not guaranteed. Apple is said to have faced challenges in removing the AirPods Pro strain, but also includes features such as transparency mode, the H1 chip and noise suppression.
Apple also has rumors that they are developing new entry-level AirPods with a shorter stem and replaceable earbuds. It will serve as a replacement for the standard AirPods Apple sells today. Pricing information is unclear, but at least one report has suggested that AirPods 3 will cost about 20% less than AirPods Pro, indicating a price point of $ 199.
Reports of a new Apple TV have been circulating for a while now, as the current series is really starting to show its age compared to competing devices. Recent reports have suggested that a new Apple TV will be launched in 2021, but the details are unclear.
Similarly, there have been rumors about AirTags for two years at this point. Apple’s article tracking accessories are expected to be released this year. Whether the new AirTags or Apple TV will materialize this spring remains to be seen, but Jon Prosser recently tweeted that the accessory is on schedule for March.
The Apple Silicon transition continues
Apple has admitted that it will take about two years to switch the entire Mac range to Apple Silicon chips. As such, we expect new Apple Silicon Macs to be announced during 2021.
That being said, we do not currently expect new Apple Silicon Mac hardware to be released during the spring of 2021. Rumors are currently circulating that we can expect a new iMac series, as well as new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. year, but they are likely to come in the second half of the year.
Apple Spring Event Wrap Up
Whether Apple will hold a March event this year or not remains to be seen. Again, if such an event does materialize, we expect it to be completely virtual as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are plenty of new products that can reportedly fill a 60-minute opportunity, Apple has proven that it’s also good to announce new hardware via press releases.
What do you think? Will Apple hold a March event this year to announce its new iPad hardware, new AirPods and more? Let us know in the comments!
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