What can we expect to see at the Apple conference today?

Apple is scheduled to hold its first event for the year 2022 on Tuesday evening, March 8 at eight in the evening Cairo time, and this conference is often of less importance than the September and October conferences, where some devices and updates are also revealed. Here's a list of everything we can expect from Apple at this conference.

iPhone SE with 5G technology

The new iPhone SE is expected to look exactly like the 2020 iPhone SE, and there are no design changes expected, and it will remain similar to the iPhone 8, featuring thick top and bottom bezels, a Touch ID Home button, and a 4.7-inch LCD screen.

Thus, the iPhone SE will remain the only iPhone offered by Apple this year with a Touch ID fingerprint instead of Face ID, and it will also come with an old LCD screen instead of OLED.

It is expected to support wireless charging, but we don't expect MagSafe, and there are not likely to be noticeable changes to battery life. In addition to black, white and red, we'll likely see new color options.

With no design changes, the updates to the iPhone SE will be mostly internal, and we expect a faster processor, it may be an A15 processor like the one in the iPhone 13. It is rumored that the storage space will start from 64 GB, then 128 and 256 GB.

Another major feature coming to the iPhone SE is 5G technology, which will put it on par with the leading iPhones when it comes to connection speed, and it is expected to be priced at $399, and it is rumored that it will come with an updated camera.

iPad Air XNUMXth generation

It is also expected to announce a new version of the iPad Air, but like this year's iPhone SE, there are no expected changes in the design, but it will be like its predecessor, but there may be new colors, in addition to the current gray, silver, rose gold, green and blue.

Naturally, there will be updates to the processor, so it is expected that it will receive an advanced A15 processor, such as the iPad mini that Apple released after the iPhone 13.

Apple has lowered the speed of the A15 processor in the iPad mini, so it works at 2.9 GHz instead of 3.2 GHz as it is in the iPhone.

For cellular iPad Air models, Apple will add "widely available" Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity instead of the faster mmWave 5G but more limited in terms of availability and range, meaning it will be like the current iPad mini.

iPad Air will get the same 12MP ultra-wide front camera that will feature Center Stage, a feature first introduced on the iPad Pro and iPad 6 mini.

Center Stage is a FaceTime feature designed to keep you perfectly focused and framing when you're on a FaceTime video call. The wide-angle front camera shows you more space, while the processor inside the iPad keeps you front and center even when you're on the go. If there is more than one person on the call, the camera will also zoom out to keep everyone in view.

It is expected that the rear camera will come with a single lens, and the addition of a True Tone quad-LED flash. Continuing to adopt the USB-C port, we don't expect noticeable changes in battery life.

Prices on the iPad Air will likely remain the same, so the new model could start at $599 for 64GB of storage.

Mac mini

In 2020, Apple updated the low-end Mac mini with the M1 processor, and now it's the turn of the top-of-the-line Mac Mini. Rumors suggest that the new device will come with M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, with Intel processors excluded from the new lineup.

The ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ processors feature a 10-core CPU with eight high-power cores and two high-efficiency cores, although there is an octa-core version used in the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

For GPU performance, the ‌M1 Pro‌ features a 16-core GPU (14 cores on the base model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro), while the ‌M1 Max‌ features a 32-core GPU. There is also a less than 24 core option available. These same processors may come to your Mac mini.

The ‌M1 Pro‌ processor supports up to 32GB of RAM and the ‌M1 Max‌‌ supports up to 64GB, so the new Mac mini will continue to support 64GB of RAM. The ‌M1‌ version of the Mac mini is limited to 16GB of RAM.

Rumors suggest that the Mac mini will get a new look, perhaps coming in a smaller size that has a plexiglass-like surface and a two-tone color scheme. It may come in new colors other than the current space gray or silver, similar to the 24-inch iMac, but the updated colors are just speculation.

The new Mac mini is said to come with four Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, and an HDMI port, along with the same magnetic charging cable used in the 24-inch iMac‌.

MacBook Pro 13 inch

Some rumors have indicated that Apple will introduce an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro that might come with an updated M2 processor, but that's unlikely, at least for now.

There won't be much change in the design, it will look like the previous generation version, although there is mixed information on the Touch Bar. Bloomberg's Mark Gorman said Apple would remove the Touch Bar, while other leaked information suggested it would stay.

As an entry-level device, it will not have a mini-LED display, nor is it expected to support ProMotion 120Hz refresh rates.

The ‌M2‌ chip is expected to have the same eight-core CPU as the M1, but there will be improvements in speed and efficiency.

As for the GPU improvements, it will have additional cores, and 9 and 10-core options are expected to be available, starting with the 7- and 8-core options available in the original M1‌. And the ‌M2‌ won't be as powerful as the M1 Pro‌ and M1 Max, which will be succeeded by the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max.

New colors for iPhone cases

New colors for the iPhone case were leaked on Twitter at the end of February, and these cases are likely to be released after the March event, and the new colors include light blue, dark green, blue, orange and yellow.

We'll also likely see these same colors available for iPad cases and possibly Apple Watch straps. Apple won't be focusing on these new cases at the conference, but we'll see them added to the online store after.

iOS 15.4 Update Release Date

After rounds of beta releases over the past days, the updates are almost ready to be released. It may not be released in sync with the conference, but it's possible that Apple will provide us with information on the launch date.

iOS 15.4 is a huge update that brings support for using ‌Face ID‌ while wearing a mask if you have an iPhone 12 or later, plus it introduces new emojis, lays the foundation for Tap to Pay, adds new sounds for Siri, and improves stalking functions for AirTags.

Speaking of updates, there will be information on other updates such as macOS Monterey‌ 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, which bring the much-anticipated Universal Control feature that is designed to allow you to control multiple Macs and iPads with a single mouse or control panel and keyboard.

Conference coverage

Apple will broadcast the March 8 conference live on the Apple Events website, YouTube, and in the Apple TV app and other platforms.

For those who are unable to watch the live broadcast, iPhone Islam will provide detailed coverage of everything from the conference right after it ends.

Source:

macrumors