Apple’s March 8 iPhone event: What to expect
Apple (AAPL) is scheduled to host its first product event of 2022 on Tuesday, March 8, and the company is expected to launch a slew of new devices, including its first low-cost iPhone with 5G connectivity. We could even see a new Mac running on Apple’s excellent M1 chip.
The big show will, once again, be held remotely from Apple’s campus in Cupertino, which means I’m not getting any free bagels. But it should still offer some interesting new devices.
Here’s what to expect from Apple’s presentation.
A 5G iPhone SE
Apple’s iPhone SE is the company’s entry-level iPhone. The current version starts at just $399 and features an A13 chip, 4.7-inch display, single camera lens on the back, and the company’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor. For comparison, the iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 and has Apple’s latest generation A15 processor, a 5.4-inch display, double camera setup, and Face ID facial recognition sensor.
The new iPhone SE, according to Bloomberg’s Apple soothsayer Mark German, is expected to feature the same look and feel as the current SE, meaning if you’re a fan of the old-school iPhone design without the edge-to-edge screen of Apple’s current iPhones, you’re in luck. That could also mean the new phone carries last generation’s Touch ID, which is a boon for folks who don’t like Apple’s Face ID.
Inside, the iPhone will get a new processor and around back there should be a new camera.
But the biggest advancement for the SE will be its 5G antenna. That would make the iPhone SE Apple’s least expensive iPhone with 5G and ensure that the company’s entire lineup of new phones is 5G capable.
The iPhone is still the most important product in Apple’s product catalog. The phone brought in $71.6 billion of the company’s $123.9 billion in total revenue for Q1.
And while the company would likely rather sell its higher end iPhones like the 13 Pro, SE sales still mean new or returning users who can sign up for Apple services and buy iPhone accessories like AirPods.
A new iPad Air and Mac
In addition to the new iPhone SE, Apple is expected to launch a new iPad Air, also with 5G capabilities and a new processor, and a new Mac running on a version of Apple’s M1 processor. Apple last updated the iPad Air in 2020, so it’ll be good to see the slate get a bit more horsepower. The Air is also one of the last iPads to get 5G connectivity, which means you’ll be able to stream 4K movies on the go, and download your music in a flash.
The iPad is one of the few Apple products heavily impacted by the global chip shortage. In Q1, the segment generated $7.2 billion in revenue, down from Q1 2021, when it generated $8.4 billion. Part of the problem had to do with Apple cannibalizing processors destined for the iPad and dropping them into the all-important iPhone.
And with the chip shortage expected to last into 2023, and perhaps longer given the crisis in Ukraine and its impact on neon gas used to create chips, there’s no guarantee iPad sales won’t be stung again.
Then there’s the new Mac Apple is set to launch. While not much is known about this model, Apple has been slowly replacing its Intel-powered Macs with Macs running on its own M1 processors. The change has improved not only performance on the company’s computers, but battery life, as well.
So naturally, we’re expecting Apple to roll out a new M2 version of its chips at some point in 2022. Apple is also said to introduce its first augmented/virtual reality headset later this year. And, of course, you can expect a new iPhone lineup, more Apple Watches, and even more Macs.
And Yahoo Finance will be there to cover them all.
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Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
