The things Apple could announce next week, ranked by how likely it is

On March 8, Apple will be streaming its first product reveal event since October. While the reveal probably won’t be as bombastic as last year’s massive fall events, there’s a real possibility that more (and more exciting) products will be introduced next week than some of the previous spring events.

The company is only halfway through the Apple Silicon transition, the iPhone SE is due for a facelift, mixed reality headsets are rumored and one of the iPad models is a long one. Not all of these things are slam dunks, but you can bet there will be at least one or two on display next week.

Here’s a quick rundown of what we’re expecting or what the wider Internet conversation around Apple is buzzing about, arranged in categories from what we think is most likely to least likely.

The big picture

Before we get into individual products, let’s take a look at some bigger expectations for this season’s event. First, Apple has often held four events, each around the same time of year, and each has usually had a different focus. So from that we can probably derive some basic expectations about this particular event. (Although Apple could always surprise us by shaking up its cadence.)

These are the events we’ve mostly seen lately:

• March or April: Apple usually introduces its second-tier devices at this event, and it sometimes focuses on services like TV or fitness here as well. In other words, it’s usually the B event. “Second-tier devices” can mean lower-end or non-flagship products, such as the relatively affordable iPhone SE or the non-pro Macs, or it can mean the iPad.
• June-: Apple is holding its developer conference right now, and this is when we learn about major new operating system releases. Sometimes Apple introduces hardware that is closely tied to major new APIs that are part of those operating system updates, and it’s also when Apple occasionally introduces specialized hardware aimed at a professional audience. Occasionally, a joker is also thrown into this event.
• September: This is the most predictable event and usually the most important of the year for consumers interested in new products. Apple always announces new flagship iPhone and Apple Watch models in September. Sometimes September is dedicated to just those devices, but sometimes it’s used for more products, like regular Macs or iPads.
• October: There is sometimes a wild card event in October. It’s often aimed at flagship Mac or iPad models that are too big to wait until spring, but could also distract from iPhone fanfare if they debuted at last month’s event.

And something worth mentioning for next week: Apple has chosen the slogan “Peek performance”.

While Apple sometimes has hidden meaning in event slogans, don’t fall into the trap of reading too much into them. That said, let’s get ambitious and fall on the brink of that trap: this slogan could mean Apple will introduce performance products that won’t debut right away. For example, Apple may announce the M2 chip but won’t ship products containing the chip a month or more after the event, so the event will be a preview of upcoming achievements.

Almost certainly

iPhone SE

By far the most reported rumor, from the most sources and with the most detail, is the release of a new iPhone SE. Apple’s cheapest smartphone was last updated in 2020, when it adopted an iPhone 8-esque design, but featured more modern internals than that 2017 handset.

Without its camera (which is significantly inferior to the iPhone 13’s camera), the SE could well be the best iPhone for most users. Unfortunately, most of the early reports and leaks we’ve seen have said little about the cameras. But here’s what we’ve heard from all the usual suspects in Apple’s cosmos of rumors and leaks:

• 5G capability
• An LCD screen
• Similar design to the 2020 model
• A faster processor

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman said in one of his recent newsletters that he could see Apple lower the price of the iPhone SE to $199 to compete in global markets with cheap Android phones. While we agree that a price cut would be a good move and that a $199 SE would sell like hotcakes, Gurman didn’t take that as something a source had told him. So any SE priced at the time is just speculation for now.

Below: The iPhone SE from our 2020 review.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in an investor note that Apple might introduce a larger version of the iPhone SE in addition to one similar to its current size. Whether you call this new hypothetical device an iPhone SE Plus, iPhone SE Max, or something else, it could offer not only more screen real estate, but better battery life and perhaps even improved cameras. (We’re only speculating on those points, though.)

The iPhone accounts for the lion’s share of Apple’s revenue, so expect the phone to play a prominent role when it’s announced.

iOS 15.4

We’re already deep into the betas for iOS 15.4, a major update that will bring some significant new features to iPhones and iPads. Add to that the high probability that Apple will be announcing a new iPhone at the event, and you can bet that iOS 15.4 won’t be out too long after March 8.

iOS 15.4 adds new emoji, the ability to unlock Face ID iPhones while wearing a face mask, and the long-delayed Universal Control feature. It will likely be the last major feature update before iOS 16.