Bloomberg Reporter Mark Gourmet is usually a reliable source for rumors about Apple, so we hear him say that the company is heading to March 8 for a spring event to showcase a new cheap iPhone SE with 5G, as well as an updated iPad Air which adds a new processor and 5G for models equipped with cellular.
Rumors of an update for the iPhone SE have been circulating since before the launch of the iPhone 13 and now Bloomberg says we should expect to see a faster chip and improved cameras in a body that is similar to the existing model with a 4.7-inch screen. The current iPhone SE was introduced in 2020 and is priced at $ 399 now as it was on launch day, so the A15 CPU and 5G could make it a much better value. There is no word on the fate of Touch ID, but without a design update, this seems unlikely to change.
For iPhones and iPads that use Face ID, Gourmet hears we should expect a new version of iOS with user-friendly mask support for facial recognition in March. Software updates can also add new emojis and the long-awaited Universal Control feature, which connects a single keyboard and mouse setting to work on multiple Macs and iPads.
Speaking of Mac, a new model with custom CPU technology from Apple may arrive in March, although it is not scheduled for the same event. Later in 2022, we can probably look forward to “new iMac and Mac Pro desktops, a redesigned MacBook Air, an updated low-end MacBook Pro, three Apple Watches, four iPhone 14s and new AirPods.” Just don’t wait for the opportunity to buy Apple’s mixed reality AR / VR headphones – it’s unlikely to arrive until 2023 at the earliest.