Apple lines up launches for spring event
New iPhones, iPads and Macs all in the works
Spring is a good time to look out for new Apple products, and the last few years have seen a plethora of special events and glitzy device launches around this time of year. If the rumours are accurate, 2022 will be no different, with multiple sources alleging we will see a showy event in March or April. But what exactly might be announced? As it turns out, quite a lot. Rumours have alleged Apple is going to bring forth a slew of devices across its product line-ups, including iPhones, iPads and Macs.
Let’s start with iPhones. Apple normally launches its new iPhones in the autumn, but often holds one back for the spring: the iPhone SE. Numerous reliable sources have claimed this phone will get updated to its third generation at Apple’s spring event. For the most part, its design will stay the same, with the familiar 4.7-inch LCD screen and Home button, although Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said there could be a larger ‘iPhone SE Plus’ on the way as well. What seems more certain is that the iPhone SE will get 5G connectivity, though.
The iPad Air is also expected to step into the limelight, but how exactly it might be upgraded was far from certain at the time of writing. Past rumours have suggested its LCD panel would be swapped out for an OLED screen, but subsequent reports have quashed that idea, as apparently Apple is having trouble getting things ready in time. On the plus side, that LCD display should keep the
price down. Other than that, an A15 Bionic chip, 5G, a dual-lens camera and four stereo speakers are all decent bets.
Springtime Mac launches
Some of the juiciest details – and some of the deepest intrigues – surround the two Macs that Apple might be bringing to the stage at its spring event. Both are upgrades on popular models that have been a long time coming.
We’ll start with the Mac mini. Apple’s pint-sized computer currently has two versions, one powered by Apple silicon and another containing an Intel chip. We’ve been waiting for Apple to launch a new high-end Mac mini ever since the M1 version came out in 2020, and it seems the time is finally upon us.
According to leakers Jon Prosser and Dylandkt on Twitter, as well as reporter Mark Gurman, we can expect high-end chips on the inside, most likely the M1 Pro and M1 Max. That should bring better performance across the board.
There might also be a new design, with Prosser saying it could come with a slimmed down chassis topped with a plexiglass-like surface. Prosser also states Apple has been experimenting with different colour options, but these might not make it into the final product.
The other Mac we might see at the event is a new iMac Pro. Details have begun to crystallise in recent months, with several leakers and reporters stating it could have a 27-inch miniLED display, an M1 Max chip (or even dual M1 Max chips), and iMac Pro branding that would help it stand apart from the colourful, consumerfocused 24-inch iMac.
However, we’ve also seen claims that the iMac Pro could be delayed, with display industry expert Ross Young arguing that the launch date “looks more like summer.” Young added that panel shipments could begin in June, with a potential product launch in August or September.
Either way, Apple’s spring event for 2022 looks to be packed with new products and upgrades.
What’s in store? A new iPhone SE, iPad Air, Mac mini and iMac Pro?