MacRumors

Apple is set to hold its first event of 2022 on Tuesday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple's spring events sometimes aren't as exciting as the September and October events, but it's nice to have new devices on the horizon in the new year.

For the 2022 spring event, we're expecting a refreshed version of the iPhone SE, a new iPad Air, a possible Apple-branded display, and at least one new Apple silicon Mac, which could be a whole new Mac mini/Mac Pro hybrid called the Mac Studio. We've rounded up everything that we might see at the March 8 event below, including last minute rumors.

iPhone SE 5G

The 2022 ‌iPhone SE‌ is going to look just like the 2020 ‌iPhone SE‌, with no design changes expected. Apple's current ‌iPhone SE‌ is modeled after the iPhone 8, featuring thick top and bottom bezels, a Touch ID Home button, and a 4.7-inch LCD display.

The ‌iPhone SE‌ is and will continue to be the only ‌iPhone‌ that Apple offers with ‌Touch ID‌ instead of Face ID, and it will be the only ‌iPhone‌ released in 2022 with an older LCD display as Apple has transitioned to OLED for the flagship lineup.

Wireless charging will be supported, but we're not expecting MagSafe, nor are there likely to be notable changes to battery life. The current ‌iPhone SE‌ is available in black, white, and red, and we are likely to see similar color options.

With no design changes on the horizon, the updates to the ‌iPhone SE‌ are all internal. We're expecting a faster chip, and the ‌iPhone SE‌ could get the same A15 chip that's in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 for a drastic increase in performance. Storage is rumored to start at 64GB, with Apple offering 64, 128, and 256GB options.

The other major new feature coming to the ‌iPhone SE‌ is 5G connectivity, which will put the ‌iPhone SE‌ on par with the flagship iPhones when it comes to connection speed. Apple's ‌iPhone SE‌ will be the cheapest 5G iPhone, and it is expected to be priced at $399.

The only other rumor we've heard about the ‌iPhone SE‌ is a possible updated camera, so it could get the latest Wide camera from the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

iPad Air

There's a new version of the ‌iPad Air‌ in the works, but like the ‌iPhone SE‌, there are no design changes expected. The next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ will continue to look like the current ‌iPad Air‌, though there's a possibility we could see new color options. Right now, the ‌iPad Air‌ comes in space gray, silver, rose gold, green, and blue. Purple has been floated as one of the possible new colorways for the ‌iPad Air‌.

Rumors suggest that much of the ‌iPad Air‌ update will focus on bringing the device in line with the sixth-generation iPad mini released last fall, so could get an updated A15 chip, which Apple added to the ‌iPad mini‌ after introducing it in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models. There is, however, a rumor suggesting that Apple will add the M1 chip that's been used in the iPad Pro to the ‌iPad Air‌, putting performance on par with Apple's higher-end tablets.

For cellular ‌iPad Air‌ models, Apple will add 5G connectivity, so the updated devices will work with faster 5G networks. The chip in the ‌iPad mini‌ is limited to sub-6GHz 5G networks rather than the fastest mmWave 5G networks, so it's possible we could see this same limitation in the ‌‌iPad Air‌‌.

Sub-6GHz 5G is the more widely available version of 5G that can be found in urban, suburban, and rural areas across the United States and other countries, while mmWave 5G is more limited in availability and in range.

AT&T and Verizon have recently expanded their 5G networks with C-band spectrum that improves the availability of mmWave networks in the U.S., so it's possible Apple will take this into account when updating the ‌‌iPad Air‌‌.

The ‌iPad Air‌ will feature mostly internal changes, but it could get the same updated 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front camera that will work with Center Stage, a feature first introduced in the ‌‌iPad Pro‌‌ and the ‌‌iPad mini‌‌ 6.

Center Stage is a FaceTime feature designed to keep you in focus and perfectly framed when you're on a ‌‌FaceTime‌‌ video call. The wide-angle front-facing camera shows more of the room that you're in, while the processor inside the iPad works to keep you front and center even as you move around. If more than one person is in the call, the camera will also zoom out to keep everyone in view.

The rear camera is expected to continue to feature a single-lens setup, though a quad-LED True Tone flash could be added. As for other features, it will continue to use a USB-C port, and we're not expecting notable changes to battery life.

Pricing on the ‌iPad Air‌ is likely to stay the same, so the new model could be priced starting at $599 for 64GB storage.

Mac Studio

YouTuber Luke Miani shared renders of a new Mac allegedly called the "‌Mac Studio‌," which he says will be introduced at the spring event. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also 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.

According to Miani, the "‌Mac Studio‌" will be around four inches tall (the ‌Mac mini‌ is 1.4 inches tall), and it will have a new thermal design for heat dissipation along with more USB-C ports. Prior rumors have suggested that Apple is working on both a smaller version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ and a high-end version of the ‌Mac mini‌, and those rumors may all be related to the new ‌Mac Studio‌. The updated Mac will be equipped with Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and perhaps a chip that's even more powerful than the ‌M1 Max‌.

The ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ chips feature a 10-core CPU with eight high-power cores and two high-efficiency cores, though there is also an 8-core version used in the 14-inch MacBook Pro. As for GPU performance, the ‌‌M1 Pro‌‌ chip features a 16-core GPU (14-cores in the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro), while the ‌‌M1 Max‌‌ features a 32-core GPU. The ‌‌M1 Pro‌‌ chip supports up to 32GB RAM and the ‌‌M1 Max‌‌ supports up to 64GB, so the ‌Mac Studio‌‌ will continue to offer support for up to 64GB RAM.

Early rumors suggested the high-end ‌Mac mini‌ would get a new look, perhaps with a smaller casing size that has a plexiglass-like top and a two-tone color scheme, but rumors about the ‌Mac Studio‌ suggest it will have a cube-shaped body that's much thicker than the current ‌Mac mini‌.

Studio Display

Apple completed work on one of the external displays that it is working on "months ago" and originally planned to launch it after the 2021 MacBook Pros, so there is a chance that we could see it at the spring Apple event.

Apple is working on a Pro Display XDR successor and a more affordable consumer-oriented display, and it's this latter model that has a chance of being introduced tomorrow.

YouTuber Luke Miani, who does not have an established track record for accurately predicting Apple's plans, has said that the new 27-inch consumer display will be called the "Studio Display" and that it is launching at the event alongside a "‌Mac Studio‌" machine.

Miani shared renders of the alleged display, which looks similar to the Pro Display XDR with slim bezels and a slim footprint. Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ has also said that the display is ready to launch, and that there is an A-series chip inside.

13-Inch MacBook Pro

A few rumors have suggested that Apple will introduce an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro at the spring event, but it's not clear if that's accurate as the machine will likely use an updated M2 chip, but other Macs that are also going to adopt the ‌M2‌ chip, like the refreshed MacBook Air, aren't launching until later in the year.

It's questionable that Apple would introduce the ‌M2‌ chip in the 13-inch MacBook Pro at this point in time, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

If there is a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro coming, it's not going to get a major design refresh. It will look like the prior-generation version, though there is mixed information on the Touch Bar. Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ has said that Apple will remove the Touch Bar from the 13-inch MacBook Pro, while other leaked information has suggested it will stay.

As an entry level machine, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro will not include a mini-LED display, nor is it expected to support 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates.

The ‌M2‌ chip that Apple has in the works is expected to have the same 8-core CPU as the ‌M1‌, but there will be speed and efficiency improvements as it could be built on a smaller node. As for GPU improvements, it will have additional GPU cores. 9 and 10-core GPU options are expected to be available, up from the 7 and 8-core GPU options available in the original ‌‌M1‌‌. The ‌‌M2‌‌ will not be as powerful as the ‌M1 Pro‌ and the ‌M1 Max‌, which will be succeeded by the ‌‌M2‌‌ Pro and ‌‌M2‌‌ Max.

Hints of the M2 Apple silicon chip have been spotted by a developer in the latest macOS Monterey 12.3 beta, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's coming in the spring. The chip has been confirmed to feature an 8-core CPU and upgraded 10-core GPU.

One last minute rumor claims there will be no notebook computers at all, so we may not be seeing the new MacBook Pro.

Green iPhone 13

Last year, Apple added a purple ‌iPhone‌ 12 to the ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, and this year, rumors suggest we could potentially see a green color introduced. This same rumor also suggests the ‌iPad Air‌ will be available in a new purple color.

New iPhone Case Colors

New ‌iPhone‌ case colors were leaked on Twitter at the end of February, and it's likely these cases are going to be released following the March event. New colors include a light blue, a darker green blue, an orange shade, and a yellow.

It's also likely we'll see these same colors available for ‌iPad‌ cases and perhaps Apple Watch bands. Apple won't focus on these new cases on stage, but we'll see them added to the online store after the event.

iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS Monterey 12.3 Release Dates

Apple has been beta testing iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS Monterey 12.3 since late January, and now the updates are nearly ready to launch. The software may not come out on March 8, but Apple will likely provide us with launch date information and release candidates could also come following the event.

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 newer, plus it introduces new emoji characters, lays the groundwork for Tap to Pay, adds a Siri voice, and improves the anti-stalking functionality of AirTags.

macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 add the long awaited Universal Control feature that's designed to allow multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard. We have a full guide with all of the new features coming in iOS 15.4 for those who are curious about what's included.

Event Coverage

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

For those unable to watch a live stream, MacRumors will provide live coverage both here on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Apple is making it easier for customers to donate to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine through UNICEF by adding a banner on top of its website that directs users to an iTunes page that allows them to donate up to $200 using their Apple ID payment method.

Apple says that all donations made through the iTunes portal will go directly to UNICEF USA and its ongoing efforts in Ukraine to support families impacted by the war. Apple has already announced several steps it is taking in response to the situation in Ukraine, including ceasing sales operations in Russia and the removal of several Russian state-sponsored news outlets from the App Store.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook in a letter to staff this week, obtained by MacRumors, also said that Apple would match employee donations to eligible organizations aiding in Ukraine at a rate of 2:1, retroactive for donations made since February 25. Cook has publicly said Apple will donate to efforts in Ukraine, and Apple has said it is "deeply concerned" about the ongoing conflict.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple is working on a "Mac Studio" device that seems to be a cross between a Mac Pro and a Mac mini, according to a report from 9to5Mac that cites an unspecified source with knowledge of Apple's plans.

The device is "in addition" to the rumored ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Pro‌, but primarily based on the ‌Mac mini‌. It will feature "much more powerful hardware" and there are two versions in development. One machine will use the same M1 Max chip introduced in the 2021 MacBook Pro models, while the other will use an Apple silicon chip that's more powerful than the ‌M1 Max‌.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously described a new version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ that will feature a smaller chassis to be sold alongside the larger-sized ‌Mac Pro‌, and it sounds like the "‌Mac Studio‌" could be this smaller-sized ‌Mac Pro‌.

Gurman has previously said that the smaller ‌Mac Pro‌ would have up to 40 CPU cores and up to 128 GPU cores.

The ‌Mac Studio‌ is known internally by the codename J375, and 9to5Mac says that while the naming could potentially change, it is aimed at professional users and will be sold alongside a 7K "Apple Studio Display" that Apple also has in the works.

There's no word on when the ‌Mac Studio‌ might see a launch, but prior rumors have suggested that it could be introduced sometime around WWDC before launching in the fall.

Apple is working on a new "Apple Studio Display" with a 7K resolution, according to 9to5Mac's Filipe Espósito, who cites sources familiar with the matter. The display is also expected to feature a dedicated Apple silicon chip.

The report claims it is unclear whether the display will be a replacement for the Pro Display XDR or a new addition to Apple's standalone display lineup. Additional details are still unknown, including the size of the display and a release timeframe.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to report that Apple was working on at least one new external display, but he said that display would have a lower price with reduced brightness and contrast ratio. By the sounds of it, the new 7K model would be slotted above the Pro Display XDR in the lineup, so it is possible that Apple plans to offer displays at several price points as it did with its Cinema Display lineup in the 2000s.

Apple released the Pro Display XDR in December 2019 for $4,999, with an optional $999 stand. The 32-inch display features a 6K resolution with peak brightness of 1,600 nits for HDR content, 10-bit depth for 1.073 billion colors, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

Woot today has Apple's AirPods 3 in new condition for $144.99, down from $179.00. This sale will last for another twelve days, but it could end sooner if stock runs out.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This is a second-best price on the AirPods 3, coming in about $5 over the all-time low price that we saw over the holidays. This makes Woot's sale one of the best discounts we've tracked yet in 2022.

This deal is applied automatically and does not require any coupon code, and the AirPods 3 come with a one year Apple Manufacturer Limited Warranty. This is a brand new model of the AirPods 3.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Apple has set an April 11 deadline for corporate employees in the U.S. to return to offices like Apple Park, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple is planning for a hybrid in-office and at-home work schedule going forward. The report states that Apple employees will be required to work from the office at least one day per week by April 11, at least two days per week by May 2, and at least three days per week by May 23. Those three days would be Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with most employees having the option to work remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays.

"For many of you, I know that returning to the office represents a long-awaited milestone and a positive sign that we can engage more fully with the colleagues who play such an important role in our lives," said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a memo to employees obtained by Bloomberg. "For others, it may also be an unsettling change."

Apple originally aimed for employees to return to the office in February, but the plans were delayed indefinitely due to rising COVID-19 cases. With reported cases having since declined in the U.S., Apple is once again attempting a return to in-person work.

Apple's corporate employees have largely been working from home since the start of the pandemic. Apple executives have routinely made it clear that employees would eventually need to return to the office once it is safer to do so, despite some employees objecting.

"For all that we've been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other," Cook said in a June 2021 memo to employees. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

Apple's decision comes just a few days after Google said that its employees would need to return to offices starting April 4.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Amazon today has a large collection of Apple's official iPhone 13 cases at notable low prices, including select colors of Clear, Silicone, and Leather Cases available from as low as $26.00. These accessories fit the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

All of the cases listed below are in stock and available to ship from Amazon today. If you visit the Apple storefront on Amazon, you can also find discounts on cases for previous generation iPhone models and other accessories.

iPhone 13

• Clear - $37.49, down from $49.00
• Silicone - $26.00, down from $49.00
• Leather - $39.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 13 mini

• Clear - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Leather - $52.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 13 Pro

• Clear - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Silicone - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Leather - $47.99, down from $59.00

iPhone 13 Pro Max

• Silicone - $39.99, down from $49.00
• Leather - $47.99, down from $59.00

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared six "predictions" for the third-generation iPhone SE, providing several new insights into details about the device.

Repeating information from previous rumors, Kuo claims that the third-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ will feature the same design as the current model, the A15 Bionic chip, and 5G connectivity, but there are several new details.

Kuo expects the ‌iPhone SE‌ to add a new 256GB storage option in addition to the existing 64GB and 128GB options, and clarifies that the ‌iPhone SE‌'s 5G capabilities will include both mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity, which was not previously known. The mention of the A15 Bionic chip also seems to dispel uncertainty around rumors that suggested the next-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ could get the A14 Bionic instead.

In addition, the tweet confirms that the ‌iPhone SE‌ will continue to feature the same White, Black, and Red color options offered with the current model, with no new colors available. It may also be worth noting that camera upgrades are noticeably absent from Kuo's expectations.

Kuo added that mass production for the new ‌iPhone SE‌ begins this month and that Apple is expecting to ship 25 to 30 million units this year.

‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌ is an analyst for TF International Securities and often reveals accurate insights into Apple's plans. Kuo normally shares his information in official notes to investors and has never shared information of this kind on Twitter before.

Apple is widely expected to unveil the third-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ at its "Peek Performance" event on March 8. The company seemingly filed new iPhone SE models in regulatory databases in January, indicating that the launch of the device is imminent.

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Update: MacRumors was initially unable to verify that the @mingchikuo account belonged to ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌, but we had no reason to doubt its authenticity beyond the unprecedented nature of a tweet of this kind. Kuo subsequently confirmed to MacRumors that he is the owner of the account.

Update March 4: Disney has officially announced that it will be introducing an ad-supported Disney+ subscription starting in the U.S. in late 2022 and expanding internationally in 2023. Pricing has yet to be announced.

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Disney is considering launching a cheaper, ad-supported version of the Disney+ streaming service in the United States, reports The Information.

A more affordable subscription tier could boost subscriber growth, which The Information says has started to slow. Disney had more than 118 million subscribers in November, at the two year mark after the service launched, and it is now at over 130 million subscribers. Disney expects to have 230 to 260 million paid subscribers by 2024.

Other entertainment companies like Discovery, NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia, and Paramount have launched ad-supported subscription tiers to offer content at multiple price points. Right now, Disney+ is priced at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, and an ad-based tier would be cheaper than that.

Discovery+ and Paramount+ offer ad-supported tiers priced at $4.99, so Disney could potentially do something similar, allowing it to boost revenue to offset programming costs. Disney plans to spend at least $8 billion per year on Disney+ by 2024, and the company has so far been adding high-profile new content on a regular basis.

If Disney+ offers an ad-supported tier, it would make Apple TV+ and Netflix two of the only services not to offer a cheaper streaming option. Right now, ‌Apple TV‌+ is priced competitively even with ad-based services at $4.99 per month, but Apple does not have the wealth of content that other streaming services are able to offer.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Disney+. When you click a link and purchase a subscription, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Verizon today announced that it is ahead of schedule with its rollout of 5G Ultra Wideband technology, and that the faster speed 5G will cover 175 million people by the end of the year.

Both Verizon and AT&T were able to expand their 5G networks in January with the deployment of C-Band 5G spectrum. Verizon pledged to bring 5G Ultra Wideband connectivity to 1,700 cities in January, covering over 100 million people. Verizon says that its accelerated goal of reaching 175 million people at the end of 2022 has been made possible by "the incredible pace of deployment achieved by Verizon's network engineering team."

5G Ultra Wideband from Verizon is up to 10x faster than LTE speeds and can hit speeds of more than a gigabit per second.

Verizon today also announced a new "+play" feature for subscribers, offering a "direct-to-consumer platform" to allow users to discover, purchase, and manage their favorite subscriptions in one place, similar to Apple TV Channels. Verizon customers will have access to exclusive deals through partnerships with Disney+, Netflix, Peloton, and others. +play is set to launch later this year.

Samsung in February introduced its latest high-end flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22 Ultra. We picked up one of the new Samsung devices, and thought we'd compare it to Apple's top-of-the-line smartphone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, to see how the two premium phones compare to one another when it comes to camera quality.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is equipped with four total cameras this year, including a 108-megapixel wide angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 10x optical zoom, and a 10-megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom.

Comparatively, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max has a 12-megapixel Wide lens, a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and a 12-megapixel Telephoto lens that supports 3x optical zoom. On paper, Samsung certainly wins out when it comes to raw specifications, especially in the optical zoom department.

In practice, though, both smartphones take incredible pictures and from photo to photo, it can be hard to pick a favorite as you can see in the photos from our video and from this article. Note that all of the photos we're showing were captured in RAW, and are straight out of the camera using the default settings of the smartphone, no edits involved.

You'll mainly see differences in color temperature, depending on the scene. The Galaxy S22 Ultra tends to have a cooler tone, while the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max is warmer. The S22 Ultra also tends to elevate highlights, and while it can sometimes appear sharper, some may find the images to be a bit too washed out because of it.

In some situations, the ‌iPhone‌ offers up more natural lighting for skin tones than the S22 Ultra, but the contrast that the ‌iPhone‌ uses can make dark areas darker, causing images to lose out on a touch of detail. The ‌iPhone‌ images tend to be more vibrant and can be more aesthetically pleasing, but it does really vary based on subject matter.

In Portrait Mode, there's a lot of similarity. Samsung has improved the edge detection and bokeh of its portrait photos, and both the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max and the S22 Ultra take great images. The ‌iPhone‌ is of course more vibrant, and in some images, it's a little sharper. Unfortunately, Samsung is still not great at skin tones and the S22 Ultra does not do as well at preserving skin texture.

When it comes to telephoto capabilities, the 10x optical zoom, the 30x digital zoom, and the 100x digital zoom offered by the S22 Ultra are leagues ahead of the ‌iPhone‌ with its 3x optical zoom and 15x digital zoom. 100x zoom is fun to see how close you can get, but even at 30x, you can get some fairly usable photos out of the S22 Ultra.

As for video recording, the ‌iPhone‌ has the edge because it supports Dolby Atmos and ProRes for higher-quality video for those who need it, but for everyday videos, both are more than adequate. Cinematic Mode is better than Samsung's Live Portrait video option because Samsung restricts the feature to faces only, and the ‌iPhone‌ also wins out when it comes to stabilization. The Galaxy S22 Ultra does support 8K video unlike the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max, but the lack of good stabilization affects the quality.

It's unlikely that most people are picking their smartphone based on the camera capabilities alone, and ecosystem plays a huge role. Someone who owns multiple Apple devices probably isn't going to go out and buy an S22 Ultra, nor is a regular Samsung owner likely to swap out of that ecosystem for an ‌iPhone‌.

In day to day use, these smartphones are incredibly similar and really both take gorgeous, high-quality photos that rival those you can get with high-end point and shoot cameras, especially when lighting is good. What ‌iPhone‌ users can glean from the S22 Ultra is what we might see Apple do in the future. Will Apple rival that 10x optical zoom lens? Rumors say yes, because there's a periscope lens with greater zoom capabilities in the works, and Apple is always working to boost camera technology.

What did you think of the photos in the video? Make sure to give it a watch to see all of the comparisons, and then let us know whether you prefer the Galaxy S22 Ultra or the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max.

Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, March 8, under the tagline "Peek Performance," where it is expected to announce a new iPhone SE, iPad Air, and at least one new Mac.

Apple is thought to have a busy year of product announcements in store for 2022, including multiple new Macs, at least three new Apple Watches, new iPhones, and more. Next week's event is the first of the year, but it'll only check off a few rumored product announcements from the list for 2022. To help set expectations ahead of the event, we've compiled a list of products Apple is unlikely to announce during its event tomorrow, but rather later on in the year or in 2023.

Larger Apple Silicon iMac

Apple is expected to announce at least one new Mac at its event next week, but that's unlikely to be a larger Apple silicon iMac. Apple last updated the ‌iMac‌ with the 24-inch design powered by the M1 chip.

The other ‌iMac‌ in the lineup, the 27-inch ‌iMac‌, continues to feature an almost 10-year old design, but Apple is rumored to be working on a new model expected to launch sometime in the summer. The larger Apple silicon ‌iMac‌ is rumored to be powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, features a mini-LED, ProMotion display, and a design similar to the 24-inch desktop.

Second-Generation AirPods Pro

The second-generation AirPods Pro will launch this year if rumors pan out, but it won't be at the upcoming event on Tuesday, March 8. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ have not been updated since 2019 when they first launched, other than the addition of a MagSafe case last October. The second generation of Apple's high-end earphones is expected to feature a new, more compact design, support for Lossless audio, a new charging case, and possibly some health-tracking features.

Apple's AR/VR Headset

Apple's rumored AR/VR headset launch might be the biggest announcement from the company this year, but it'll have to wait a little longer to take place. While Apple has been working on the headset for a considerable amount of time, rumors suggest this event won't be the time we'll hear about it.

Apple was initially planning an unveil for the headset in June, around WWDC, but recent reports of development issues have cast doubt on such a timeline, suggesting a launch in 2023 could be more likely.

iPhone 14 and New Apple Watches

Apple always releases its flagship iPhones and Apple Watches in the fall, sometime around September or October. Don't expect to hear about the iPhone 14 or the Apple Watch Series 8 next week; instead, expect updates to the low-end ‌‌iPhone SE‌ but no Apple Watch announcements.

Conclusion

On the surface, Apple's event next week seems subdued, but it'll still likely include some discussion about the company's services and could offer some dates on the public release of iOS and iPadOS 15.4, alongside macOS Monterey 12.3, which enables Universal Control. Apple's second event of the year is likely to be the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but no details have so far been shared about it.

Apple is planning to drop its mask requirements for retail and corporate employees in the United States due to a decline in Covid-19 cases and a relaxation of local mandates, reports Bloomberg.

For vaccinated corporate employees, masks are now optional in regions where local indoor mask mandates have ended. Retail staff in a small number of locations have also been informed that masks will become optional starting on Friday, and as more regions do away with mask mandates, Apple will make masks optional at additional locations.

Though masks are optional for customers and employees in many locations, Apple is still recommending mask usage and providing masks upon request.

Apple in February stopped requiring customers to wear masks in many Apple Store locations across the United States in accordance with changes in local guidelines, and it reintroduced in-person Today at Apple classes this morning.

At the current time, Apple has not yet informed corporate employees of when they might be required to return to the office, but with mask mandates dropping and Google bringing workers back in April, we could hear an update from Apple in the near future.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Amazon's all-time low discount on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 16-core GPU, 1TB SSD) has returned this week, dropping the price of the notebook to $2,249.99 with on-page coupon, down from $2,499.00. This sale is only available in Silver, and you won't see the sale price until you reach the checkout screen due to the automatic on-page coupon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

With the coupon, this deal takes a total of $249 off the original price of this 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro. To date this is the best discount that we've ever tracked on this model, and only Amazon is reaching this low of a price at this time.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Apple today announced that it is resuming in-person "Today at Apple" sessions at Apple Stores across the United States.

Starting on March 7, Apple will resume the in-person sessions in time to celebrate Women's History Month. Apple invites music fans and creators of all skill levels to their local Apple Store to explore remixing music in GarageBand, using music by Lady Gaga.

During the free 30-minute session, participants will experiment with Live Loops, Remix FX, and more, to create a unique version of Lady Gaga's song "Free Woman." Participants can register now at apple.co/remix-lady-gaga.

Due to the global health crisis, Apple suspended in-person Today at Apple sessions and began offering a version of them on YouTube, going on to upload videos on drawing yourself as a "Peanuts" character in the Pages app using an ‌iPad‌ and ‌Apple Pencil‌, shooting and editing "otherworldly" photos with Night Mode, creating looped videos in the Clips app, shooting portrait photos, and taking expressive pet portraits.

Apple backtracked on a decision in August 2021 to continue the in-person sessions in the United States, but resumed in-person Today at Apple sessions in Europe in September 2021. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple was planning to resume the in-person sessions imminently, while also dropping mask mandates depending on local guidelines.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Today we're tracking a discount on Apple's 2020 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air, available for $539.00, down from $599.00. This sale is available in Space Gray, Green, and Sky Blue. All models are in stock and shipped directly from Amazon.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Overall, this is a second-best deal on the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air, and we've only seen a return to record low prices once in the past few months. With that discount being so rare, today's offer from Amazon is still a solid deal on the tablet.

For those shopping for the iPad Air, remember that we are expecting to see an update to the lineup during next week's "Peek Performance" event, but those brand new models won't see discounts for a while.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Apple is purportedly ramping up mini-LED chip production and bringing more manufacturers into its supply chain to meet demand for new devices in 2022, DigiTimes reports.

Apple has expanded its use of mini-LED technology over the past three years and currently offers three devices that feature mini-LED displays: The Pro Display XDR, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the high-end MacBook Pro. The company is expected to have several new devices with mini-LED displays in the pipeline for launch this year, including the 11-inch iPad Pro, 27-inch iMac Pro, redesigned MacBook Air, and potentially even new external displays.

Taiwan's Epistar is currently Apple's main supplier of mini-LED chips, but the company's growing number of devices with mini-LED displays has reportedly forced it to seek additional suppliers. Citing industry sources, DigiTimes claims that China's Sanan Optoelectronics is significantly undercutting the prices of Apple's current suppliers and has now been granted certification to supply the company with chips for mini-LED backlit displays.

Apple's demand for mini-LED display technology is "expected to significantly increase in 2022," according to ‌DigiTimes‌, likely due to the continued success of the high-end MacBook Pro Models as well as the launch of new devices. To meet Apple's growing demand, Epistar is expanding its production facilities in China to ramp up production starting in the second quarter of 2022, and Sanan Optoelectronics could begin shipments around the same time.

Mini-LED display technology, which Apple brands as "Liquid Retina XDR" displays, can offer deeper, darker blacks, with better overall contrast, although, unlike OLED displays, they can suffer from a phenomenon called "blooming." ‌Mini-LED‌ displays can also show brighter, richer colors and offer additional benefits such as thinner designs, better power efficiency, and less risk of burn-in or degradation.