It’s Monday. Usually, I wouldn’t be much excited for a Monday, but constantly realizing that Apple is set to host an event tomorrow gets me stirred.
The event is titled “Spring Loaded” and while that and the event invitation graphic has evoked speculation, I wouldn’t read too much into it. Nevertheless, we’ve seen enough leaks and rumors so far pertaining to the event that it’s pretty much transparent at this point as to what we’ll be seeing then.
That said, here’s what you can expect Apple to reveal at the event, what you can kind of expect, and what you absolutely shouldn’t.
Highly expected: New iPad Pro models, a refreshed iPad Mini, and an upgraded low-cost iPad
It was clear from the beginning that Apple would conduct an event sometime between March and April to reveal new iPad Pros purely based on past events from the company.
While there was some confusion back in March regarding the exact date of the event fueled by leakers, Apple’s own Siri accidentally revealed the date of the event after all. The same day, Apple sent out invitations for the “Spring Loaded” event confirming the slip-up.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple is expected to release two new iPad Pros. One would be the 11-inch iPad Pro which will only benefit from a processor upgrade set to bring it on par with the latest M1 Macs in terms of performance.
Another would be the 12.9-inch iPad Pro which is expected to be the highlight of the event since it’s rumored to sport the new Mini-LED display technology that will see a major improvement over traditional LED displays. It will also undergo the same processor upgrade as the 11-inch iPad Pro.
The existence of a refreshed iPad mini and an upgraded entry-level iPad wasn’t on the board up until recently, when Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives sent out a letter to clients claiming so.
Based on rumors so far, the iPad mini will only improve its internals while its exterior is slated to remain pretty much the same, if not bloat up a bit.
Highly expected: AirTags
Apple’s tile-like trackers AirTags have been the topic of discussion for an unusually long time. Tuesday maybe when Apple finally puts rest to rumors.
According to a recent hint from leaker l0vetodream, Apple will announce its AirTags at the event tomorrow. Other sources that agree include hit-and-miss leaker Jon Prosser who has also hinted at the launch.
Other than that, the fact that Apple recently made significant improvements within its Find My app including introducing support for third-party accessories is a big indicator that it’s time for Apple to launch AirTags now.
Highly Expected: iPhone spring cases
Based on various last-moment rumors, Apple is expected to also introduce new silicone cases for the iPhone 12 lineup at its “Spring Loaded” event as a part of its Spring lineup. The Spring lineup usually brings fresh, new colors that are appealing to the eye. This year, leaks accompanied by pictures indicate that the new colors will include Pistachio, Capri Blue, Cantaloupe, and Amethyst.
Highly expected: iOS 14.5
iOS 14.5 is currently undergoing an unusually long beta stage—so far, it’s at the eighth beta. That said, speculation suggests Apple was waiting until the event to announce this important update as it brings new industry-upending privacy features including App Tracking Transparency Prompts and App Privacy Nutrition labels in the App Store alongside a new “Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch” feature among others.
Somewhat expected: New iMac
Apple’s transition to its own custom-silicon is a hit. Since Apple said it will take two years to completely transition all its Macs to Apple Silicon, the next update that will push the transition further is likely to be a new iMac.
That said, we’ve already heard multiple rumors about the device. It’s expected to sport a refreshed design similar to the flat-edged design of the iPad Pro. Moreover, it’s expected to come with a variant of Apple’s M-series chips.
As to the assurance that the iMac may launch at the event, leaker l0vetodream recently hinted at its role in Tuesday’s Apple event by tweeting a photo of the old, colorful G3 iMac lineup. That tweet corroborated a previous rumor by Jon Prosser that stated the iMac will launch in an array of new colors similar to the 2020 iPad Air 4.
Adding fuel to the rumors is the fact that supply for the current 21.5-inch iMac is dwindling at Apple stores indicating that Apple might discontinue them when it releases the new iMac just as the company did with the early-2020 MacBook Air and the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Despite that, rumors for a new iMac prior to the event announcement were coarse, suggesting otherwise.
All of this means that if Apple releases an iMac tomorrow, it’s going to be a surprise for a lot of people.
Not expected: AirPods 3
Apple’s AirPods 3 have been pretty extensively leaked. They’re expected to borrow AirPods Pro’s design with shorter stems and a wider casing.
However, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who has a fairly accurate track record, Apple moved the production of AirTags to the second half of 2021. This information was also reported by supply-chain publication DigiTimes and echoed by leaker l0vetodream.
Not expected: Updated Apple TV
An Apple TV refresh is long overdue. And while a new Apple TV 4K with an upgraded processor, more storage, and a new remote is rumored; there have been no indications Apple will launch it at the event tomorrow.
Although, recently, Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on an updated Apple TV system that will also feature a HomePod speaker and a FaceTime camera attached to it. But that is still in the initial stages of development at Apple which means there’s a chance that it never sees the light of the day.
How to watch tomorrow’s Apple event
Since tomorrow’s event is online-only due to limitations induced by the coronavirus pandemic, you can head over to the Events page on Apple’s website to watch the event. Users who would prefer an alternative can also watch Apple’s live stream on YouTube.
Usually, Apple’s live stream on YouTube is a couple of seconds ahead of that on Apple’s website. Interestingly, even Apple directed its TikTok ad promoting the event to the YouTube live stream as opposed to Apple’s own website.
Moreover, YouTube is much more convenient because of its wide availability.
However, Apple will also stream the event within its Events app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
The live stream will begin at 10 a.m. PT on Tuesday, April 20th which is tomorrow. And as always, we’ll be extensively covering the event. So stay tuned!
