Every year, Apple hosts a handful of product launch events to announce new devices, and 2022 is shaping up to be no different. According to Bloomberg, the company’s first such event will be “on or near” March 8, which tracks—Apple usually announces new devices in the spring, and its events tend to be on Tuesdays. March 8 is not technically spring, but it’s spring enough, and it’s also a Tuesday.
So what’s in store March 8 or some other date adjacent to that one? Rumor has it Apple plans to announce an updated version of its popular iPhone SE (the cheapest iPhone available to buy) with 5G connectivity. An overhauled iPad Air is also reportedly on deck, as is a new Mac.
The iPhone SE launch would be particularly interesting. Apple hasn’t updated the $399 SE, which is the only iPhone in the lineup with Touch ID, in two years. According to Bloomberg, Apple is adding 5G, a faster processor, and a better camera to the phone but retaining its dated design (which some prefer to the iPhones with nearly edge-to-edge displays and facial recognition).
Apple’s middle-of-the-road iPad Air is also expected get a spec bump with a 5G modem and a faster processor. The $599 Air was last updated in fall 2020 with an iPad Pro-like redesign, and when I reviewed it at the time, I said it was the best iPad for most people. That remains true, though the Pro has since gotten a big display boost and the iPad Mini’s recent redesign makes it more compelling for folks who want a tablet that’s not trying to be a laptop replacement.
