What to expect from Apple's "Peek Performance" event on 8 March
Rumours suggest MacBook processor upgrades, a refreshed Mac Mini, and a new iPhone could be coming
Apple is gearing up to host its first virtual event of 2022 on Tuesday, and speculation suggests a new MacBook Air and Mac Mini could be unveiled.
The event, titled "Peek Performance", will start at 6pm UK time, and might also feature updates to the iPad Air and iPhone SE.
We've rounded up everything we can expect from Apple's virtual broadcast this week, and will bring you all of the news from the event as it happens.
Apple Studio Display
The "Peek Performance" slogan appears to be a reference to a new external display, according to Bloomberg's 'Power On' newsletter, which claims that Apple completed development on a new monitor "months ago". The desktop display is expected to arrive as an "Apple Studio Display" complete with a 7K resolution, replacing the current 6K Pro Display XDR.
Maci Mini and iMac
A new monitor seems like a safe bet for Tuesday's event, as it's also being reported that an update to the Mac Mini is on its way - a device that was originally rumoured to arrive late last year. The 2022 Mac Mini could feature the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors that are currently only available in the latest MacBook Pro models, or even Apple's next-generation M2 chip.
There is currently a 24-inch iMac with the M1 processor, but the larger 27-inch version is still an Intel-based machine, so there's potential for a new iMac upgrade this week too.
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
The MacBook Air, which has a design that dates back to 2018, could be a prime candidate for an upgrade this week. The 2020 model was one of the first to feature the M1 chip, and its rumoured that it could also be the first to feature Apple's new M2 processor - which is due to debut any day now. Rumours suggest the 2022 MacBook Air will also boast a better webcam and improved screen, which could feature a notch to house FaceID components.
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It is less likely that the company would unveil a new 13-in MacBook Pro. However, reports suggest that a new MacBook Pro could launch this week, noting that while it isn't likely to feature much of a design overhaul, it could also pack the next-gen M2 processor. The next 13-inch MacBook might also ditch the TouchBar as it has done with the larger MacBook Pro models.
iPad Air (2022)
A new iPad is also reportedly in the works, and while this isn't expected to feature a major design overhaul either, it's heavily rumoured that new colour options will be made available. Apple's imminent iPad unveiling will likely focus on bringing the iPad Air in line with the sixth-gen iPad Mini that was released in September that featured the A15 chip. The cellular version, however, could also be 5G enabled.
iPhone SE (2022)
5G connectivity could also be coming to the iPhone SE, according to rumours. While the 2020 model has a similar design to the iPhone 8, the 2022 iPhone SE model might arrive with a design more akin to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, complete with squared-off edhes. That means it could look similar to the iPhone Mini, just with significantly fewer specs.
Bobby Hellard is ITPro's Reviews Editor and has worked on CloudPro and ChannelPro since 2018. In his time at ITPro, Bobby has covered stories for all the major technology companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, and regularly attends industry-leading events such as AWS Re:Invent and Google Cloud Next.
Bobby mainly covers hardware reviews, but you will also recognize him as the face of many of our video reviews of laptops and smartphones.