Apple's virtual "Peek Performance" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see new iPhone SE and iPad Air models, as well as at least one new Mac model.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across its platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the keynote unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
As with Apple's events throughout 2020 and 2021, today's media event kicking off at 10:00 am Pacific Time will be entirely online and likely a pre-recorded stream from Apple Park. Still, some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event as it's being broadcast are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until the event has ended and is available for on-demand viewing so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple's recent virtual events have been made available to view almost immediately following the conclusion of the broadcasts, and we expect similar timing for today's event.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events as they occur refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread.
Last-minute rumors leading up to Apple's "Peek Performance" event have cast doubt on long-running expectations that Apple will reveal a new or updated MacBook model with an M2 chip on Tuesday.
Last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was preparing to launch at least one new Mac at its March 8 event, and at the time Gurman speculated that it would likely be a high-end Mac mini and/or a refreshed low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro.
That was before we heard of the "Mac Studio" rumors, which appeared only over the last few days. 9to5Mac on Friday reported that Apple is working on a "Mac Studio" device that seems to be a cross between a Mac Pro and a Mac mini.
Fast forward to Monday, and YouTuber Luke Miani shared renders of a new Mac allegedly called the "Mac Studio," which he said will be introduced on March 8. Gurman has also since confirmed that a "Mac Studio" machine that is a "smaller Mac Pro/more powerful Mac mini" is "ready to go" and could launch at the spring event.
With a redesigned MacBook Air not expected until later in the year, that leaves a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro with a new M2 chip as the other obvious potential reveal during Apple's event. However, Miani has said he doesn't expect any Mac notebooks to be introduced at all at Tuesday's event, and Gurman has also since poured cold water on the likelihood that an M2-powered Mac will be announced alongside an M1-series "Mac Studio," suggesting it would be an "odd" thing for Apple to do.
Another note: I think it will be odd for the M2 to be announced alongside an M1-series Mac mini/Mac Studio/Small Mac Pro — so maybe we should look for that as part of the May-June cycle. On the other hand, Apple is testing M2 Macs (8 CPU/10 GPU cores) against App Store apps now.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 7, 2022
While hints of the M2 Apple silicon chip have been spotted by a developer in the latest macOS Monterey 12.3 beta, confirming that it features an 8-core CPU and upgraded 10-core GPU, that doesn't necessarily mean that an M2-powered MacBook is coming in the spring. As such, it may be wise to temper expectations that a new Mac notebook is about to be announced by Apple in the coming hours.
As for other products that could appear at the event, Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone 13 color, the next-generation version of the iPhone SE, and a revamped iPad Air. Apple is also said to be unveiling a new standalone display, which could be called "Studio Display."
There could also be some news on Apple's services, as well as dates for the public release of iOS and iPadOS 15.4, alongside macOS Monterey 12.3, which enables Universal Control.
The event tagline, "Peek performance," has also prompted suggestions that Apple may offer a peek at a future product, but that remains purely speculative.
MacRumors will have in-depth coverage of Apple's event, which kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, including a live blog on our website and tweets via @MacRumorsLive on Twitter. For a full rundown of everything we expect to see, be sure to check out our guide.
Firefox 98 for iOS devices introduces a new customizable mobile experience in the form of an adjustable search bar that can be set at the bottom or the top of the iPhone's display.
This brings the mobile Firefox browser in line with Safari, which gained an option to move the search bar to the top or the bottom with iOS 15. Apple in iOS 15 tweaked the design of Safari and initially made a change that put the search bar permanently at the bottom of the app, but it was unpopular and ultimately walked back, with iPhone and iPad users now able to choose their preferred orientation.
Firefox 98 also introduces new mobile wallpapers inspired by Disney+ movie "Turning Red," with the wallpaper available through a partnership with Disney.
This year's lower-end iPhone 14 models will have a display with the same bezel thickness as the iPhone 13 series, according to an unverified but increasingly plausible source coming out of Asia.
Apple is expected to release lower-end 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max models that continue to have a notch this year. According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, these models will share the same bezel size as last year's iPhone 13, a claim that runs counter to recent chatter on social media that Apple may be aiming for thinner bezels on all its next-generation smartphones this year.
Apple has worked to reduce the size of the display bezels on a variety of its recent products, including the Apple Watch Series 7, the iPad mini 6, and the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. That has naturally led to speculation that the iPhone 14, due in the fall, could be next.
In 2020, Apple did in fact trim the bezels around the Super Retina XDR displays in all of its iPhone 12 models, resulting in a slightly more expansive screen-to-body ratio compared to the iPhone 11. However, last year's iPhone 13 stuck with the same bezel size as the iPhone 12.
If today's rumor is accurate, Apple will once again keep the same bezel size on at least the lower-end iPhone 14 models and will instead focus on replacing the notch on the Pro and Pro Max models with a pill-shaped cutout and hole punch for the Face ID sensors and camera.
The edges look very thin
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) March 7, 2022
The Naver blog is the same source of some last-minute rumors about the iPad Air 5 and iPhone SE, and could well be the source of rumors about a "Mac Studio" machine and separate display, all of which we could see later today at Apple's "Peek Performance" event, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Apple's online storefront has gone down ahead of its "Peek Performance" virtual event taking place later today, where a handful of new products are expected to be announced.
Apple is expected to announce the next-generation version of the iPhone SE, a revamped iPad Air, and at least one Mac with an Apple silicon chip, which could be the rumored "Mac Studio" machine. Apple is also said to be unveiling a new standalone display, which could be called "Studio Display."
There could also be some news on Apple's service's front, as well as dates for the public release of iOS and iPadOS 15.4, alongside macOS Monterey 12.3, which enables Universal Control.
The event tagline, "Peek performance," has also prompted suggestions that Apple may offer a peek at a future product, but that remains purely speculative.
MacRumors will have in-depth coverage of Apple's event, which kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, including a live blog on our website and tweets via @MacRumorsLive on Twitter. For a full rundown of everything we expect to see, be sure to check out our guide.
The fifth-generation iPad Air will feature a range of significantly upgraded internals, according to an unverified but increasingly plausible report coming out of Asia.
According to a post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, the fifth-generation iPad Air will feature the M1 chip. As a result, the iPad Air is also destined to be paired with 8GB of memory, the post claims.
The new iPad Air is also rumored to start with 128GB of storage, up from the 64GB base storage currently available with the fourth-generation iPad Air. The fifth-generation iPad Air will purportedly start at $599, the same starting price as the current model, despite offering double the amount of base storage.
The account previously said that Apple was planning to launch a new iPad mini model with an 8.7-inch display and a chassis that has an increased width and reduced height compared to the fifth-generation iPad mini in the second half of 2021. While the display size claim was inaccurate, with the sixth-generation iPad mini actually featuring an 8.3-inch display, the chassis rumor and launch timeframe proved to be correct.
Previous rumors about the iPad Air have suggested that it will be very similar to the iPad mini, featuring the A15 Bionic chip and 5G connectivity. Adding the M1 to the iPad Air would make it very similar to the more expensive, top-of-the-line iPad Pro, and if Apple does opt to do so, ProMotion display technology (with mini-LED in the 12.9-inch model) and the LiDAR camera would become the main differences between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro lines.
The M1 chip features a 8-core CPU and a 7 to 8-core GPU, and comparatively, the A15 chip has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, so the M1 does offer some performance improvements over the A-series chips.
Yesterday, 9to5Mac exclusively reported that the fifth-generation iPad Air will feature the M1 chip, but it is not clear if that is independently-sourced information or simply derived from this Naver blog post.
The new iPad Air is expected to be announced at Apple's "Peek Performance" event, which will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time today, so we don't have long before we learn exactly what chip Apple is adding to the iPad Air. We'll have coverage here at MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Ahead of Tuesday's "Peek Performance" Apple event, a last-minute rumor claims that the third-generation iPhone SE expected to be unveiled will feature MagSafe, Ceramic Shield, and "significantly" better battery life.
According to a machine-translated post from the account "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, the third-generation iPhone SE will feature Apple's Ceramic Shield technology on the front cover glass. As Apple describes it, Ceramic Shield is a "dual‑ion exchange process" that introduces nano-ceramic crystals directly into the glass, offering improved resistance to drops. Ceramic Shield first appeared on the iPhone 12 in 2020.
Also, according to the post, the third-generation iPhone SE will feature MagSafe, a feature that was previously not expected to make its way to Apple's most affordable iPhone. MagSafe allows users to snap on different accessories, such as a wallet, and can be used to charge the device.
Regarding performance, the new iPhone SE will feature the A15 Bionic chip, according to most reports. Today's rumor adds further information to the specs of the device, stating that it will feature 4GB of RAM, an increase from the current 3GB in the iPhone SE.
The new iPhone SE will be gaining 5G connectivity, and given its small size, some customers may be wary about battery life. It's worth noting, however, that the A15 chip is Apple's latest chip, and the new chip offers higher efficiency than the A13 Bionic in the current iPhone SE. The account "yeux1122" claims that the battery life improvements will be "significant."
Apple's "Peek Performance" event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 8. We'll have coverage here at MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account. For a quick and updated refresher of everything we expect during the event, see our guide.
Apple could unveil a new "Mac Studio" machine and a new display that runs iOS at the March 8 event, according to a last minute confirmation from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a tweet, Gurman says that the Mac Studio and a "new monitor running iOS are "ready to go" and will likely be debuting tomorrow.
Earlier today, YouTuber Luke Miani shared renders of what he claims is the "Mac Studio," showing off a machine that features a design like a thick Mac mini. The "Mac Studio" features the same square-shaped design as the current Mac mini, but it measures in at four inches tall and it has a new thermal design to mitigate heat.
Miani said that the "Mac Studio" would "unequivocally" be announced during the spring event, and now it appears Gurman is backing that up.
Am told the Mac Studio (smaller Mac Pro/more powerful Mac mini) plus the new monitor running iOS are “ready to go” - so I believe they should arrive tomorrow. https://t.co/MvrGwTfGmy
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 7, 2022
We first heard the name "Mac Studio" last week from 9to5Mac, with the site describing it as a sort of Mac mini and Mac Pro hybrid device. Prior rumors have pointed toward both a high-end Mac mini and a smaller Mac Pro that are in development, and it appears that these rumors may have been talking about the same Mac Studio device.
The hybrid Mac Studio could replace the high-end Mac mini and it could be sold as a smaller alternative to the Mac Pro. It is not expected to be as powerful as the Mac Pro, but it is expected to use Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, along with an option for a more powerful version of the M1 Max.
To go along with the Mac Studio, Apple is rumored to have a "Studio Display" ready to go. Miani said that the Studio Display will feature a 27-inch size with slightly larger bezels than the Pro Display XDR, and now Gurman suggests that it will "run iOS," indicating a built-in A-series chip.
We've previously heard rumors about some kind of display with an A-series chip inside, though it was thought that such a display would be a Pro Display XDR successor. Instead, the monitor coming tomorrow is expected to be more affordable than the $5k Pro Display XDR, but no pricing information is available.
Apple's full plans for the Mac Studio and potential Studio Display will become clear tomorrow morning, with the "Peek Performance" event set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
The updated iPad Air that Apple is expected to unveil at tomorrow's "Peek Performance" event could include the same M1 chip that's featured in the 2021 iPad Pro, according to information shared by 9to5Mac. Last year's iPad Pro was the first iPad to get Apple's M-series chip, and adding the M1 to the iPad Air would put iPad Air performance on par with the current iPad Pro models and the 2020 MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
All prior rumors about the iPad Air have suggested that it will be similar to the iPad mini, featuring the same A15 chip along with 5G connectivity. Adding the M1 to the iPad Air would make it very similar to the more expensive top-of-the-line iPad Pro, and if Apple does opt to do so, ProMotion display technology (with mini-LED in the 12.9-inch model) and the LiDAR camera would be the main differences between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro lines.
The M1 chip features a 8-core CPU and a 7 to 8-core GPU, and comparatively, the A15 chip has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, so the M1 does offer some speed improvements over the A-series chips.
Apple's "Peek Performance" event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow, so we don't have much more time before we learn exactly what chip Apple is adding to the iPad Air. We'll have coverage here at MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Apple is planning to replace the notch in some of the iPhone 14 models that are launching this year, with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max set to gain a design that features a pill-shaped cutout that will house the Face ID elements and a second hole for the selfie camera.
We've heard this rumor multiple times before, but display analyst Ross Young today reiterated his expectations for the iPhone 14 lineup and provided some color on what's coming in the future.
The pill-shaped Face ID cutout + camera cutout combination is going to be about the same width as the notch, according to Young, but it will "certainly save some pixels above the holes."
After implementing the new design in the iPhone 14 Pro models, Young believes that Apple will expand it to the entire iPhone 15 lineup in 2023, bringing the updated look to even the lower-cost iPhone 15 options.
Young says that there's a chance the pill and holes could get smaller in 2023 than they are in 2022, freeing up more display space. Citing leaks on Chinese social network Weibo, Young speculates that the camera cutout in the iPhone 14 could measure in at 5.631mm, which leaves room to shrink it down next year.
Apple does have plans to eventually replace Face ID with under panel Face ID that would not necessitate a pill-shaped cutout for the hardware, but this technology is not expected to be ready for the 2023 iPhone launch.
However, we have heard from a few sources that under panel Face ID won't likely meet the timing for 2023 mass production. Part of this could potentially be related to coordination between the display and sensor teams. Of course, at least two of their suppliers would also have to be qualified to produce it in mass production. Companies we talked to did not expect it to launch in 2023.
Young also has information about the iPhone display roadmap from 2024 to 2027, but it requires a subscription to DSCC Weekly Review, Young's publication that is aimed at those who follow display-related stocks and is thus quite pricey.
Google today announced that updates made to the Chrome browser have improved performance on Apple's Macs, with Google Chrome earning a score over 300 on the Speedometer benchmark that evaluates the responsiveness of a browser.
In a post on the Chromium blog, Google explains the technological improvements that have been introduced over the past months to make Chrome the "fastest possible browser." Google says that in the M99 release of Chrome, which is the newest version, it was able to "substantially" increase browser speeds across all major platforms.
Building on many performance changes over the last year, we enabled ThinLTO in M99, a build optimization technique that prioritizes code focused on browser speed. The result? An additional across-the-board speed bump that makes Chrome 7 percent faster than Safari.
Since Chrome launched for M1 Macs in late 2020, optimizations have made the browser 43 percent faster in 15 months. According to Google, Chrome is now 15 percent faster than Safari when it comes to graphics performance, and the company says it will continue to invest in innovative features that "push the performance of Chrome."
Apple and Comcast today announced that Apple TV+ will be available across Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, and XClass TV on all eligible devices starting today and in the coming days.
As part of the expansion of TV+ across Comcast services, Apple will be offering Xfinity customers access to the "first seasons of many of its most popular shows, as well as the blockbuster Apple Original film “Greyhound" for free, without any sign up required.
Customers who are not currently subscribed to Apple TV+ will be able to receive a three-month free trial of the streaming platform when they sign up on their Xfinity device by April 25.
Apple TV+'s expansion to Comcast services was teased by the company's CEO in October. "Our work with Comcast lights up that experience for tens of millions of new devices, and we are thrilled that so many Comcast customers have a compelling way to enjoy their new favorite shows on Apple TV+," said Peter Stern, Apple's vice president of services.
Apple may release a new 30W power adapter with a new form factor design in 2022, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet today.
Kuo said the power adapter will utilize gallium nitride or "GaN" technology, which allows for smaller, lighter, and more power efficient chargers than silicon-based chargers. The new 30W adapter would likely be a smaller and lighter version of Apple's existing 30W USB-C power adapter that is included with the latest MacBook Air.
Apple may release its next GaN charger in 2022, which supports about 30W and has a new form factor design.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 7, 2022
Many third-party brands like Anker and Belkin have introduced GaN-based chargers over the last few years for use with Apple products.
Apple's long-awaited consumer-level display, reportedly set to be called the "Studio Display," will launch tomorrow during Apple's "Peek Performance" event, according to a new rumor from YouTuber Luke Miani.
In a video showcasing renders alleged to be the upcoming "Mac Studio," Miani also shares renders of the "Studio Display." According to the YouTuber who has an unverified track record when it comes to sharing Apple's plans, the display will measure 27-inches in size with slightly larger bezels than the Pro Display XDR and no rear pattern. The renders show a design similar to Apple's 24-inch iMac, but with a black front bezel and without any visible external ports, although one port would be required for connecting to a computer.
Yesterday, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects Apple to release a consumer-level display in a 27-inch size without mini-LED this year, and if today's rumor turns out to be true, it'll launch as soon as tomorrow. Today's rumor sheds no light on the potential price of the display, but a price tag around $1,000 seems reasonable given its rumored specifications.
Apple's event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 8. In addition to being streamed on YouTube, the event can also be watched through the events webpage and in the Apple TV app. If you're unable to watch, you can tune in to MacRumors on the site or through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account. For a detailed rundown of everything we expect, see our guide.
Apple plans to introduce a new green color option for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini at its "Peek Performance" event tomorrow, according to Luke Miani, host of a tech channel on YouTube. This would be similar to Apple announcing a purple color option for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini at its April 2021 event last year.
Miani said Apple also plans to introduce a purple color option for the iPad Air, as is already available for the iPad mini. A new iPad Air as a whole is expected, with key new features rumored to include an A15 chip, an upgraded 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support, 5G for cellular models, and Quad-LED True Tone flash.
Mockups of what the new colors could look like were shared by concept artist Ian Zelbo, and more details are available in an AppleTrack blog post.
Apple's virtual "Peek Performance" event takes place on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a video stream to be available on Apple's website and YouTube. MacRumors will have full coverage of the event as it unfolds, with other rumored announcements including a new iPhone SE, a so-called "Mac Studio" desktop computer, a new external display, and more.
Renders alleged to be the "Mac Studio," described as a hybrid between a Mac Pro and Mac mini, have surfaced online just a day before Apple holds its "Peek Performance" event, where at least one new Mac is expected to be announced.
The renders were shared by YouTuber Luke Miani, and shows a design similar to the Mac mini, with a very similar footprint but approximately four-inches tall compared to the Mac mini at 1.4 inches.
The Mac Studio, according to the renders, will feature an LED light on the front and a thermal design on the bottom for heat. The renders do not include details on the types of ports on the Mac Studio, although Miani says in an accompanying post on AppleTrack it will feature a "wide array of IO" with more USB-C ports than the current M1 Mac mini, which only includes two ports.
Other specifications, including what chips the machine will run, are also not included in the newly leaked information, but Miani says Apple will "unequivocally" announce the Mac Studio during its event tomorrow.
Last week, 9to5Mac reported on the existence of the "Mac Studio," describing it as a hybrid between Apple's highest-end Mac, the Mac Pro, and the Mac mini. The publication believes the "Mac Studio" will be the smaller Mac Pro previously reported by Bloomberg'sMark Gurman. There are reportedly two different versions of the Mac Studio in development, one with the M1 Pro chip, and another with an even more powerful Apple silicon processor.
Apple is likely to announce at least one new Mac during its event on Tuesday, March 8. Rumors have suggested a new high-end Mac mini and updated 13-inch MacBook Pro are the most likely, but Apple is also working on a redesigned MacBook Air and a new iMac. For his part, Miani says he does not expect any Mac notebooks to be introduced at tomorrow's event.
For a full rundown of everything we expect Apple to announce tomorrow, be sure to check out our guide.
Of the survey respondents that plan to buy the iPhone SE, 24 percent plan to use it as their main device, while 16 percent plan to give the device as a gift or use it as a secondary device. While most iPhone SE 3 buyers plan to use the device themselves, 10.9 percent plan to buy the device for a child, 10.2 percent plan to buy it for their partner or spouse, and 7.8 percent plan to buy it for a family member such as a parent or grandparent.
Most customers are planning to buy the third-generation iPhone SE because of its price point, but 15.2 percent are mainly attracted to 5G connectivity, 11.3 percent prefer its compact form factor, and 6.7 percent prefer the Home Button with Touch ID.
Most users upgrading to the iPhone SE will be upgrading from the iPhone 11, accounting for 11.5 percent of models that users intend to part ways with once the new iPhone SE launches. Beyond the iPhone 11, 6.8 percent are planning to upgrade from the iPhone XR and 6.7 percent are planning to upgrade from the iPhone 12, but there is widespread appetite to switch to the iPhone SE across multiple iPhone generations, from the iPhone 6 through to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Of the users who are not planning to buy the new iPhone SE, 66.2 percent said that they are still happy with their current iPhone model, 9.3 percent are waiting for the iPhone 14 lineup to launch, 4.1 percent say that the device is too small, and three percent say that it is not premium enough.
The independent survey asked 2,549 adult iPhone owners in the United States about their thoughts on the third-generation iPhone SE. For a more detailed breakdown, see SellCell's full survey breakdown.
