Rumors had suggested for a while that there would be an Apple event planned for this spring, but a new report now tells us that we'll likely see company leaders take the stage at or near March 8 to announce an apparent 5G-enabled iPhone SE 3.
This report comes to us from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman has been a longtime tech and Apple reporter and has largely reliable. According to Apple Track, a website that tracks the reliability of Apple reporters and leakers, Gurman stands at No. 2 with an 85.5% accuracy rating out of hundreds of reports.
Right now, rumors suggest that the iPhone SE 3 will offer 5G speeds and Apple's A15 Bionic chip for around $400. As for design, it might not look as slick as the iPhone 13, and may instead copy the iPhone 8's design with upgraded internals. Although, Chinese site MyDrivers claims that it may use the iPhone XR's body instead. This is all still speculative, meaning we'll have to wait and see.
Along with the iPhone SE 3, Gurman claims that the iPad Air 5 would also be shown off. Gurman reports that iOS 15.4 would see a March release as well.
Unsurprisingly, Gurman's sources have told him that this event would remain a virtual one, just as the past few Apple events since the start of the pandemic. But at least we know with fair confidence that the production quality will be excellent.
Along with the iPhone SE 3 and iPad Air 5, Gurman claims that 2022 will "introduce its biggest crop of new devices ever in a single year." Gurman did not go on to state what other products we may see as the year progresses, but rumors do suggest that a new high-end Mac mini and iMac Pro, both with Apple silicon, are on the table. A new Mac Pro desktop may also be in the works.
Again, these are based on rumors, so there's always a chance things could get pushed back or moved around, as is the case with manufacturing electronics during a supply-crunched pandemic.
Of course, 2022 will likely see the debut of the iPhone 14 line, as Apple releases a new iPhone every year. And the Apple Watch 8 will likely debut this fall as well. There have also been rumors swirling that 2022 may be the year that we finally see the release of the Apple VR/AR headset, but Gurman now claims that it'll more likely be a 2023 release.
