Apple March event: iPhone SE 2022, iPad Air 5 with M1, Mac Studio and everything announced

And we're kicking off! The Cupertino tech giant's virtual event is rumored to finally give us the low-down on its next-generation iPhone SE (2022) and fifth-gen iPad Air. However, we may also see one new Mac model. The invitation doesn't offer too many clues as to what will be revealed with "Peek performance," but this could suggest bringing an M1 Pro or M1 Max chip to another Mac. Better yet, it could mean the introduction of Apple's M2 chips.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is sure to give us all the deets. 

Apple's first product launch event of the year is expected to bring the debut of its new third-generation iPhone SE model, and there are a few notable updates to look forward to.

Apple's low-budget smartphone is looking to finally make the leap to 5G connectivity, and it may get a significant boost in processing power with an A14 or A15 Bionic. The new model is also set to feature the same 4.7-inch display found in the current model and iPhone 8. We're hoping the new SE model will be identically priced with its predecessor, as it may leave room for a $199 iPhone SE (2020).

There have been plenty of hot takes on how the iPhone SE 3 will turn out, including a model with a similar design to the iPhone X. Recently, MacRumors spotted a rumor on Korean blog Naver, stating that the next-gen iPhone SE model will feature support for MagSafe, a Ceramic Shield, along with better battery life. We'd gladly welcome all these features, but we won't know until it's shown off.

For more, we've got you covered on all the latest iPhone SE 2022 rumors. 

Apple's iPad Air (2020) is deemed the best tablet for most people, and for very good reason. This is why we're excited to see what the fifth-generation iPad Air has in store, even though it's not expected to be a major update.

Taking cues from the revamped Apple iPad mini 6, the iPad Air 5 is expected to be equipped with a speedy A15 Bionic, 5G support, and a 12MP ultra-wide front camera with the iPad Pro's Centre Stage feature. However, expect it to look very similar to the hugely popular iPad Air (2020).

Apparently, the iPad Air 5 is now tipped to boast an M1 chip with 5G, similar to the significant upgrade the iPad Pro 2021 received. This comes from sources speaking to 9to5Mac, stating that Apple has now opted to bring its popular, powerful chip to one of the most popular tablets on the market. This may bump up the price when compared to the previous generation (priced from $599), but it may lose out on the iPad Pro's ProMotion display with XDR tech.

If Apple does announce the iPad Air 5, we'll be excited to see if it's a game-changer. .

As previously reported, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we may even see Apple preview a next-generation external display named the Apple Studio Display. He stated, "I'm told Apple completed work on it months ago, and the device was due to launch soon after last year's MacBook Pro." Gurman doesn't elaborate on this so we're left to wonder why it didn't make an appearance alongside or shortly after the MacBook Pro 14.

It's been three years since the Apple Pro Display XDR was launched, so it would be a good time for a refresh for the 32-inch 6K display that focused on high-end content creators who require exact color calibration — and who can afford the $4,999 (standard glass) to $5,999 (Nano-textured glass) price. 9to5Mac recently revealed alleged leaked specs for this monitor, which included a 7K resolution, an A13 Bionic chip, and either a 32-inch or 36-inch panel.  

The event is called "Peek performance" after all, and it may very well be related to this display. 

If you head to the Apple Store, you'll find that it's currently undergoing maintenance of sorts ahead of the Apple event. It's a clear indication we're about to see some new Apple products populate the page once it returns.

Apple often does this before a big launch to make sure no products leak before they are unveiled. Expect the company's official store to go back to normal once the event is over. Oh, and you might expect the new iPhone SE and iPad Air 5 on there, too. 

Is Apple gearing up to announce a brand new Mac Studio? According to sources speaking with 9to5Mac, we may see the new product be revealed at the Apple March event, but it may arrive during the annual WWDC event in June instead.

According to the report, the Mac Studio is expected to be based on the popular Mac mini, except far more powerful. The device could be powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips introduced in last year's MacBook Pro 14, as we've previously heard about. However, the Mac Studio, known by the codename “J375,” will reportedly have two versions. One with the M1 Max chip and the other with an even more powerful chip than the M1 Max. A possible variation of the rumored M2 chips, perhaps?

The new product may not be announced during the event, but it's expected to release this year, along with what Mark Gurman believes will be the "widest array" of devices in 2022. 

With just over four hours to go, the hype is already kicking off for the Apple March event. Try out the #AppleEvent hashflag over on Twitter and you'll find it shows off a neat Apple animation when you like a tweet on the iOS Twitter app. Go on, give it a go. 

More details about the new iPad Air 5 dropped from Korean blog Naver, as a post from account yeux1122 states the next-gen iPad Air will come with an M1 chip and 8GB of RAM, along with a starting storage of 128GB. What's more, it will be priced from $599 — the same starting price as the previous iPad Air (2020).

According to MacRumors, the account previously predicted the launch of the latest iPad mini 6, albeit getting the mini tablet's 8.3-inch display size wrong (the account stated 8.7-inches).

Will the account hit the nail on the head? Just four hours to go. 

We're just over two hours away from all of Apple's surprises, which may not be so surprising if the recent rumors ring true. For those interested in the new iPhone SE 3 (which is apparently 40% of iPhone users, according to a survey by SellCell via MacRumors), you may want to know why the iPhone SE (2020) is still one of the best iPhones.  

Just a few hours before the Apple March event, Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted to celebrate International Women's Day, which falls on Tuesday, March 8 (that's today!). Since it falls on the same day, Apple's event is likely to give a shout-out to "the women who are charting the course for a more equitable future."  

Just under two hours to go. 

With rumors swirling about a new M1 series Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro, will there be room for the announcement of the hotly anticipated M2 chips? As Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently claimed, Apple has been testing M2 Macs, which means we may not see the M2 chips until later this year. He suggests it would be "odd" for the M2 chips to be announced alongside powerful M1 Pro or M1 Max Mac models.

This also means we may not see a new 13-inch MacBook Pro show up at the event if the spotlight is on other Mac models. However, the MacBook Pro may get an M1 Pro and M1 Max update instead, much like its MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 siblings.

Only Apple knows what's in the pipeline, but we're only just over an hour away. At least many still believe we'll see a new iPhone and iPad Air at the event. 

Just under an hour to go! If you're looking for a spot to watch everything announced, Apple has a livestream set up on its official YouTube (check it out above), and you can catch it on Apple's official website or the Apple TV app.

You can also click on "Set Reminder" to get two alerts about the event: one thirty minutes before the broadcast and another one when the stream begins.

We'll be providing constant updates throughout the event, so stay tuned. 

Just 30 minutes to go. The Apple event is expected to last around 60 to 90 minutes, but the company could throw in a surprise announcement. Apple's WWDC 2021 event lasted around two hours, so get the popcorn out.

Oh, and don't worry about that refresh button, this live blog will do it all for you. 

As we're inching closer to the event, it's time to cast your votes on what you're most excited to see at today's Apple Event! Looking for a new budget iPhone SE? A fresh iPad Air? Would a M2 MacBook suit your fancy? Let us know below!

We're in the 10-minute window!

And the last-minute results are in. An M2 MacBook Pro takes the cake. We're hoping it shows up, but if it doesn't, that doesn't mean it won't arrive sometime in 2022.

Only a minute to go, and we're getting some groovy vibes with a nice Apple animation before it all kicks off. 

Here. We. Go.

Good morning, Tim Cook. 

We're starting with Apple TV+, talking about Apple's original TV shows and movies such as Ted Lasso, Swan Song, The Tragedy of Macbeth, CODA, and more.

We're getting a sneak peek (get it?) at all the upcoming shows and movies coming to the streaming service. We're seeing Spirited with Will Farrell, and animated movie called Lucky, Argyle with Henry Cavil, Cha Cha Real Smooth, along with a list of famous actors starring in each of the movies. 

Now there's an Apple TV+ special announcement. We're getting Friday night baseball, which will show two games that will only show on Apple TV+. 

Now Cook is talking about all things iPhone. We're seeing a recap of the iPhone 13 and all of its features, including its different colors.

We're getting a fancy green iPhone 13! Cook states its a Alpine Green for iPhone Pro and a bold green for the standard iPhone models. 

The A15 Bionic chip is coming to the new iPhone SE model! This has been largely rumored for a while, but now we know it comes with the same chip as the iPhone 13. Happy days for budget smartphone fans. 

It's 1.8 times faster than the iPhone 8, which is great news for anyone looking for a budget upgrade. The iPhone SE will come in the usual three colors.

The new iPhone SE will also come with the same glass as the iPhone 13, which is the toughest glass Apple has at the moment. We're also getting better battery life, along with 5G connectivity. All the rumors have hit the nail on the head. 

We're also seeing the latest camera specs in the iPhone SE, including Smart HDR4 and a boost in video quality. Apple also states it will no longer include a plastic wrap in packaging, all to help the environment.

It states at $429, and will be available on March 18. That's slightly pricier than the previous gen ($399), but not by much.

We're now talking about iPad, with Cook focusing in on the iPad Air. We think a new iPad Air is about to be announced. 

Low and behold, the new iPad Air has been announced. We're seeing a bunch of new color models, too.

The M1 chip is coming to to the iPad Air, with up to 60% faster performance than previous generations. These specs will be exactly the same as the iPad pro with M1, and we're excited to see it come to an even more affordable price. 

Another big update is the 12MP ultra-wide front-facing camera, which means it supports Centre Stage. Plus, the new iPad Air will have 5G connectivity, along with an increased performance of the USB-C port. As for accessories, the new iPad Air will be compatible with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil stylus. 

The new iPad Air has components that are 100% recycled as well. The new iPad Air will come in Pink, Purple, Starlight, Black, and a new Blue color.

It will be priced from $599 from 64GB of storage in both Wi-Fi and 5G connectivity, and you can begin ordering this Friday, and will be available on March 18. 

We're now on to Mac models.

Apple Silicon is getting one more chip to the M1 family, called M1 Ultra! Yeah, it sounds like a monster alright. 

M1 Ultra is based on Apple's other monster chip, the M1 Max. Basically, it's two M1 Max chips combined together thanks to "Ultra fusion." It boasts 2.5TB/s of interprocessor bandwidth, which is wild. It has 114 billion transistors, and has 800GB/s bandwidth memory along with 128GB of unified memory. You can also expect a 20-core CPU and a 64-core GPU, and is nearly eight times faster than the original M1 chip. 

M1 Ultra is clearly a game changing chip for professionals, and macOS will scale with M1 Ultra. You can also expect industry-leading security. iPhone and iPad apps will also work on the M1 Ultra Macs. 

We just heard the Apple Studio, which means those Mac Studio rumors may ring true. 

Hello, Mac Studio.

Sorry, Mac Studio and Mac Studio Display. Both will complement one another. 

It's 7.7 inches in length and 3.7 inches in height, which is designed to fit on most desk setups.

The aluminum base also a high tech cooling system, all so it stay quiet while under pressure. There are four Thunderbolt 4 ports, 10GB Ethernet port, a HDMI port, a audio jack (!), and two USB-A ports.

On the front, there are two USB-C ports, and with M1 Ultra, these ports are Thunderbolt 4 ports. You can link up to a 4K TV and four other display. 

Max Studio is 2.5 faster than the 27-inch iMac, with a GPU performance boost of 3.4 times faster than the iMac. But with M1 Ultra, its 3.8 times faster, and 90% faster than the Mac Pro. As for GPU, its 4.5 times faster than the iMac, and 80% faster than the Mac Pro.

It has a maximum 48GB of video memory, and with M1 Ultra, expect that 128GB of unified memory. Phew. 

Wow, Mac Studio is a beast. But there's also the Mac Studio Display.

It's in a class of its own, apparently. With the design, it has narrow bezels, and a slim profile like the iMac. There's an adjustable arm option along with the standard tilt option, which is incredibly handy.

The Studio Display boasts a 27-inch display with 14.7 million pixels, making it 5K retina display. Also expect True Tone and anti-reflective coating.

12MP ultra-wide camera at the front, including Center Stage. There's also a six-speaker sound system, and is claimed to offer a clear surround sound experience with Spatial Audio. 

In terms of I/O, there's three USB-C ports along with a Thunderbolt port (presumable Thunderbolt 4, but not stated). You can also connect three other displays to the Studio Display, and charge the MacBook Pro 14 with the ports.

There's also two color options available, along with new Magic Keyboard options. 

M1 Max Mac Studio will be priced from $1,999, while the M1 Ultra Mac Studio from $3,999. The Studio Display is $1,599.

You can order both products today, and will be available on March 18. 

And now we're finishing up. What a show, eh? We can't wait to get our hands on Apple's new products, so be sure to stay tuned to Laptop Mag for all the big Apple reviews. 

So, here's a quick summary of what the Apple event delivered:

We didn't see any M2 chips, nor did we see a new MacBook Pro reveal, which many rumors suggested. Still, we're amped about the reveal of a new iPhone SE model, iPad Air with M1, the crazy-powerful M1 Ultra, along with the Mac Studio and Mac Studio Display.