Apple could announce several products on March 23, and though the technology giant has not officially sent out invites, it normally does so a week before the actual product announcements take place. Looking at our calculations, the invites could be sent out today, but even if that does not happen, here is a look at what we could see this month.
Keep in mind that a lot of these products are highly anticipated, while others, not so much. One reminder though; we believe Apple’s March 23 event will comprise of nothing but press releases, so do not be disappointed if no physical or virtual presentations take place. Apple is just taking extra precautions, which it should, given the global situation.
AirTags
Though it will be part of Apple’s product line, AirTags are not expected to be a major product launch. If you have heard of Tile, AirTags are considered to be its competitor and can be used as an all-purpose finder for locating various items like keys and bags. According to previous info, AirTags will take advantage of ultrawide-band technology for location tracking purposes.
Apple could use the same U1 chip found in the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 series. If you are curious on how the AirTags will look, previously leaked renders show the Tile-like competitors will sport a circular form factor, with the size of these trackers possibly being larger than a bottle cap. Unfortunately, pricing is an area that was not discussed in previous rumors, but we will not be surprised if these start from $99.
12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini-LED
We are really excited about this, as the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be the first from Apple to sport a mini-LED screen. The display upgrade is said to be Apple’s consistent transition from LCD to mini-LED. Rumors have spoken about an 11-inch iPad Pro but claim that this version will not sport a mini-LED, but LCD instead. Having a mini-LED on a product like this will be a welcome addition for creative professionals as it drastically improves color accuracy, contrast, and peak brightness for when you are doing color-sensitive work. By extension, it will be excellent for viewing rich color content.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro will also be a beast in the specifications department, assuming these end up true. The upcoming flagship slate could feature an A14X Bionic, which is just another variant of the M1 running in the latest Macs. In case you are wondering, the M1 can effortlessly beat a 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring an 8-core Intel Core i9 chip. Looking at these results, we should not expect anything less from the iPad Pro.
There is also a possibility that the new tablet line supports 5G connectivity, with Apple possibly relying on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 5G modem, the same chip found in the iPhone 12 family. In terms of design, renders show that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro might not look all that different from the 2020 iPad Pro, which is not a deal-breaker because the majority of the customers will give preference to how the slate performs rather than how it looks.
Apple TV 6
The Apple TV 6 has been a part of the rumor mill extensively, and apparently, the new model was supposed to arrive last year. One can only guess why Apple took its sweet time, especially when one tipster said that it could be shipped any time in 2020. It is possible Apple was doing a little hardware tweaking here and there, but we guess that the wait will be worth it. Why do you ask? Well, that is because it is expected to be the most powerful Apple TV the company has ever shipped.
According to previous rumors, the Apple TV 6 would feature an A12X Bionic, the same silicon featured in the 2018 iPad Pro line, making it a compact powerhouse. However, a separate rumor claims an A14 Bionic will be fueling it, with the machine arriving in Q4, 2021 instead of March. Developers may also have been sent an Apple TV prototype touting A14X Bionic-like performance to test out graphically demanding games, just to see how it would run.
This rumor can generate momentum regarding Apple’s plans to bring gaming titles rivaling that of the ‘Breath of the Wild’ and the Apple TV 6 would have no problem running these at respectable framerates. Apple may also provide a dedicated gaming controller with the package, along with an improved cooling solution for the Apple TV to allow the performance cores to run at the highest possible frequency without running into thermal constraints.
This is one product we are thoroughly excited to see so fingers crossed.
AirPods 3
The AirPods 3 will succeed the second-generation model, and for the first time, Apple could introduce a redesign to its non-pro wireless earbuds. These are expected to feature a smaller stem like the AirPods Pro, according to leaked images and renders. However, it is not clear if these will sport replaceable eartips, but rumors have consistently clamored over the lack of Active Noise Cancellation on the AirPods 3, supposedly so Apple can stamp a cheaper price tag on these.
Unfortunately, the last update from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that mass production of these wireless earbuds would start from Q3, 2021. What this means is that the AirPods 3 could release much later, so our gut is not 100 percent confident that we will see these during the announcements.
Apple Silicon iMac
Apple is not putting the brakes on custom silicon development because more powerful chips are expected to fuel the next iMac. According to a tipster, the Apple Silicon iMac could be unveiled at any time, but it is not necessarily going to be announced at the March 23 event. One rumor claims that we will not see the new ‘all in one’ in March, and there is a possibility that Apple delays it to October. Assuming that is true, we will be disappointed, but Apple is probably making sure that the hardware and software work like they should.
There are other things to look forward to from the Apple Silicon iMac. For one thing, we will finally witness a grand redesign, where the iMac sports an iPad Pro-like aesthetic, such as slimmer bezels and flatter edges. Apple is also said to be developing a powerful chipset for this machine, but so far, there are two reports regarding that development process. Either the company is working on the M2, making it the direct successor to the M1 if we are taking model names into consideration, or the A14T. We believe whatever name Apple chooses, it will be made using TSMC’s 5nm node.
If we are lucky, Apple’s March 23 will be a jam-packed one, with your favorite product arriving in the form of a press release. If you believe there is something else that could be announced on the aforementioned date, let us know down in the comments, and also, remember to take part in our poll below.
The post Apple’s March 23 Event – Here Is What to Expect by Omar Sohail appeared first on Wccftech.
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