Apple Keynote: iPhone SE 5G, iPad Air…everything expected from the March 8, 2022 conference

Apple’s first keynote of 2022 will take place on March 8, 2022. During the conference, Tim Cook, CEO of the Californian brand, will present new products: the iPhone SE 5G, the iPad Air and several Macs. We take stock of the novelties expected by the informants.

After weeks of speculation, Apple has finally announced the date of the first keynote of the year. As expected, the Silicon Valley giant will present a series of new products from Tuesday, March 8, 2022. The conference will begin at 7 p.m. Paris time.

The iPhone SE 5G, the 3rd generation of compact and affordable iPhone

As part of this spring keynote, Apple will first lift the veil on the third generation iPhone SE. The main novelty of the smartphone lies in its 5G compatibility. This is the first model in the range to support 5G networks.

Unsurprisingly, the iPhone SE 5G should offer improved performance over its predecessors. To ensure high-flying power, Apple would rely on the SoC A15 Bionic, the same chipset that already powers the iPhone 13. Engraved in 5nm+ by TSMC, the chip is one of the most powerful processors on the mobile phone market.

For the first time, Apple would offer 256 GB of internal storage on the iPhone SE 5G, compared to just 128 GB on previous editions. These are the only changes to this entry-level iPhone, which should use the same recipe as past generations.

Moreover, the brand should recycle the same design as the previous iterations. There would therefore be an LCD screen surrounded by wide borders and a TouchID fingerprint reader housed in the home button. This old-school design is based on that of the iPhone 8. It is expected that Apple will offer this iPhone SE 5G at the same price than the iPhone SE 2020, or 489 euros.

The iPad Air 2022

Apple would also take advantage of the event to announce a new tablet, iPad Air 2022 or iPad Air 5. As is the case with the iPhone SE 5G, the Cupertino giant would simply take over the design of the previous model, the iPad Air 2020.

On the design side, we would therefore find a 12.9-inch screen surrounded by thin borders. To save space around the touch screen, Apple would again relegate the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the ignition button on the edge.

The new features of the iPad Air would be directly inspired by last year’s iPad mini 5G. Thus, the iPad Air 5G would be compatible with 5G thanks to theintegration of the A15 Bionic chipset, like that of the iPhone SE. On the camera, Apple would add a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle photo sensor which benefits from the Centered Frame option (which keeps the user’s face in the center of the screen during a video call), inaugurated last spring on the iPad Pro. We should find there the possibility of using an Apple Pencil stylus.

Mac mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro and iMac

According to the information available, Apple would also start the year by unveiling new computers. It would be a trio of machines consisting of a Mac mini, a 13-inch MacBook Pro and an iMac.

The Mac mini would this time be powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipset. These chips, developed by Apple Silicon teams on the basis of an ARM architecture, are already present in MacBook Pro 2021. They make it possible to increase the autonomy of computers by reducing energy consumption. Except surprise, Apple would have reviewed the design of the case by adding, in particular, a magnetic port.

For its part, the 13-inch MacBook Pro would be powered by a new processor, the Apple M2. Moreover, information on the design of the computer is sorely lacking. It’s unclear whether Apple will offer a look close to the latest MacBooks and earlier models.

At last, the iMac would be called “Mac Studio”. Based on the Mac mini, this box would be aimed at professional users and equipped with a power chip, like the hypothetical Apple M2. To accompany this Mac, Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new 27-inch external display. The screen would replace the Pro Display XDR of 2019.

A first glimpse of Apple Glass?

Some rumors also suggest that Apple could offer a first glimpse of Apple Glass, the augmented and virtual reality headset. In anticipation of the launch of the accessory, scheduled for the end of the year, the Californian group would have planned to tease the uses and advantages of the hybrid helmet.

In any case, this is what some specialized media think after seeing the teaser published by an Apple executive. This video, entirely in augmented reality, allows us to hope for a “one more thing” at the end of the keynote. See you on March 8 to find out if the rumors hit the nail on the head.