- Apple is reportedly planning to host a hardware reveal event on March 16th to announce new iPad models and its AirTags Bluetooth trackers.
- Apple’s new iPad Pro model is rumored to be the first to feature a mini-LED display, while the next iPad mini is said to have much smaller bezels.
- Apple might also take the opportunity to expand support for the Apple Card.
Apple ended 2020 with a bang, revealing four new iPhone models and its homegrown M1 computer processor within weeks of each other. The company has been rather quiet since then, but if history is any guide, there is a chance that the next big hardware reveal event could be around the corner. In fact, as Taiwan’s Economic Daily News (via Cult of Mac) pointed out on Friday, the evidence of a March event has been mounting in recent weeks.
The report from Economic Daily News specifically cites two tweets. The first is from @FrontTron, claiming that Apple will stream an event on March 16th to announce new iPad Pro and iPad mini models, AirTags Bluetooth trackers, and expanded support for the Apple Card. The second tweet from @LeaksApplePro was published on the same day, and points to the same March 16th date for Apple’s next event, but without any additional details.
Previous rumors and reports have suggested that the iPad Pro would be the headliner of a spring event. Although it is unlikely that the iPad Pro is in line for a full redesign in 2021, multiple sources have suggested that the next 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be the first to utilize mini-LED display technology, which is said to offer improved contrast, better control of black levels, and increased power efficiency when compared to LCD screens.
As for the new iPad mini, @xleaks7 shared a series of renders based on leaked CAD drawings back in January which unveil a tablet with the same design as its predecessor, but with much smaller bezels to accommodate its significantly larger display. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said nearly a year ago that Apple would launch an iPad mini with a screen measuring between 8.5-9 inches, which would be a noteworthy jump over the current 7.9-inch display.
Finally, Apple’s AirTags have been popping up in rumors for months on end, but all signs point to the accessory finally making its debut in the coming weeks. Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser has a rather impressive track record when it comes to Apple leaks, but AirTags have repeatedly eluded him. That said, he announced on Twitter just last week that “AirTags are still on for March” and that he hasn’t heard of any additional delays. If Apple is indeed planning to host a reveal event on March 16th, we should hear official word on it early next month.
