The drums are getting louder. Rumors have been circulating for months that Apple Inc. (AAPL) was planning a special event for sometime in March. Now we have a firmer idea of the date — 9to5Mac and other sites are reporting that it’s March 15 — and the products to be revealed are also coming into sharper focus.
Source: Apple
Here’s what we’re currently expecting to see at that Apple event.
Apple March Event: iPhone 5se
Wait, wasn’t Apple supposedly taking the wraps off a new 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone 6c or possibly the iPhone 7c?
Well, the leaks keep coming and it is pretty much a lock — or at least as close as one can get to a lock when predicting what’s going to go down at an Apple event — that the company is indeed announcing a new, low-cost, 4-inch iPhone.
It does seem as though it is going to be largely based on iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s hardware and follow the newer iPhone design trend of rounded edges and curved glass.
However, the smart money is currently on Apple calling this latest smartphone the iPhone 5se (as in special edition).
If so, the move makes sense. It makes the point that it’s an upgrade from the iPhone 5s it would be replacing as Apple’s “affordable” smartphone, but by keeping 6 or 7 out of the name, the iPhone 5se is not likely to entice customers to choose it over Apple’s more expensive flagship models.
Apple March Event: iPad Air 3
Apple is also expected to show off the latest version of its flagship consumer tablet, the iPad Air 3. The tablet shown on stage at the Apple event is expected to be roughly the same size as the current iPad Air 2, but a fraction of an inch thicker and wider. Considering Apple hasn’t upgraded this tablet since fall 2014, it’s long overdue for a refresh.
An iPad that gets a little larger — even if it is a minuscule amount that no-one is likely to notice– seems contrary to Apple’s relentless determination to make its devices thinner with each generation. However, that extra space would be required to add a few features the iPad Air 3 is rumored to be borrowing from the iPad Pro: four speakers and a Smart Connector, along with an LED flash.
Despite its age, the iPad Air 2 is still a solid tablet, so besides the usual processor upgrade, these features might help to convince those holdouts who refuse to replace their “good enough” iPads to finally shell out for a new one.
Four speakers would significantly improve audio playback on the device, the LED flash would make indoor photo results much better (yes, there are people who use tablets to take photos) and the Smart Connector would open up a new world of docked accessories like the iPad Pro’s Smart keyboard case.
Apple March Event: Apple Watch Bands
No Apple Watch 2 at the March Apple event?
The idea of the Apple Watch 2 being unveiled in March seemed logical, as that would put Apple’s smartwatch on the kind of annual update cycle the iPhone has been on. However, the rumor mill has begun strongly tilting toward Apple waiting until the fall to release the new hardware.
Instead, the company is now expected to show off a few new Apple Watch bands and possibly demo watchOS 2.2 at the Apple event.
This one is still tough to call, though. Everyone seemed fairly satisfied that new bands and some new software tricks would be the extent of things, but then a few days ago, retailers like Target Corporation (TGT) started cutting Apple Watch prices by $100.
That’s the sort of thing that typically happens when you’re trying to clear out old stock before new models arrive. So stay tuned on that one…
Availability of the new gear announced at the March Apple event is being pegged for March 18, so once it’s announced, you shouldn’t have to wait long to get your hands on it.
Apple, of course, is notoriously secretive about product launches, so all of these rumors — including the date — remain just that … rumors.
But where there’s smoke there’s fire, and the odds of an Apple event in March are high enough that I’ve already blocked off March 15 on my calendar.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
