Apple has officially confirmed its long-awaited event in the spring of 2021. This year, Apple is organizing a virtual event on April 20 and teasing it with the slogan “Spring Loaded”. The event could include a new iPad Pro, AirTags and more.
Read on as we complete everything Apple could announce during its April 20 special event.
Last minute rumors
Updated: April 19, 2021
We are officially less than 24 hours away from Apple’s special “Spring Loaded” event and there have been some rumors at the last minute about what could be announced.
Over the weekend, reliable Twitter source L0vetodream cryptically suggested that Apple could unveil the long-awaited iMac redesigned during Tuesday’s event. In addition to a completely new design and Apple Silicon inside, the new iMac is rumored to come in a new range of colors similar to iPad Air.
Another breaking news report from Vox Media indicated that Apple could unveil a new Podcasts + subscription service on Tuesday. This has been rumored for some time, but Apple has only dealt with a small collection of original podcasts so far. Now it looks like Tuesday could be when he takes things to the next level.
Finally, analysts at Wedbush now expect Apple to introduce new versions of the entry-level iPad, as well as the iPad mini along with the iPad Pro. Analysts also predicted that the new iPad Pro models will have a “modest” price increase compared to their predecessors.
Apple’s history of spring events
Some Apple events are almost guaranteed to take place each year, including WWDC in June and the annual iPhone event in the fall. Most years, it’s also reasonable to expect a second Mac-focused fall event. Last year, for example, we had three Apple events in three months: iPad and Apple Watch in September, iPhone 12 in October, and Apple Silicon Mac in November.
Spring events are harder to predict. Apple did not host a spring event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but announced a new iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard and MacBook Air in press releases in March, followed by the second-generation iPhone SE via a press release. press in April.
In 2019, Apple organized a spring event dedicated exclusively to its service segment, with details about Apple News +, Apple Card, Apple TV + and Apple Arcade. In March 2018, Apple invited everyone to Chicago, where it announced a new iPad focused on education.
Apple April 2021 Event details
This year, Apple’s spring event will take place on April 20, at 10 am PT / 1 PM ET. Due to the ongoing pandemic COVID-19, this event will be completely virtual and will be broadcast directly from Apple Park.
Apple teases the April event with the slogan “Spring Loaded.” The invitation is full of color, but it doesn’t provide much clue as to what Apple might announce during the event.
We expect the event to be a beautifully filmed, pre-recorded video with Apple CEO Tim Cook and other Apple executives. You’ll be able to stream the event via the Apple website, YouTube, and the Apple TV app on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Video presentation
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iPad Pro
One of the main rumors is that Apple will launch a new iPad Pro with mini-LED display technology in the first half of 2021. The expectation is that the mini-LED backlight will come first on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, followed by the the latest 11-inch iPad Pro
The mini-LED is a new form of backlighting that is used for LCD screens. It includes many of the same benefits as OLED, but can often provide increased brightness, improved energy efficiency, and a lower risk of burns. This is why Apple intends to use it in its larger screen devices rather than OLEDs. The mini-LED is also expected to come to the MacBook Pro range later this year.
The programming of the iPad Pro (2021) is expected to be practically identical to the 2020 model in terms of design. So the biggest change will probably be the change in display technology, plus a new chip probably based on the A14 from the inside for even better performance.
9to5Mac recently found evidence in the iOS and iPadOS code of the new A14X processor that is likely to be used in the iPad Pro. This chip seems to be based on the M1 processor that Apple uses in its first Apple Silicon Mac mini, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
The most recent, Bloomberg reported that the new iPad Pro will have Thunderbolt connectivity for the first time. This would open the door to additional accessories such as external displays, storage and more. Current iPad Pro models are limited to USB-C accessories only, so opening the door to the Thunderbolt ecosystem would be a major change.
But while the new iPad Pro will be announced at the April event next week, it is rumored that Apple will be facing production issues, especially with the new 12.9-inch model. This means that availability may be limited at first, so the new iPad Pro may be hard to find for a while. The report even mentioned that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro could “be delivered later and available in limited quantities for starters.”
Read more about iPad Pro (2021) in our complete guide right here.
iPad mini
Apple is also working on a new iPad mini that could be launched this year. It is said that the new iPad mini will have an 8.4-inch display with smaller frames. Unfortunately, it will not have a design review similar to the iPad Air 4 and iPad Pro, Apple instead keeping the upper and lower frames, the start button and Touch ID.
Apple last updated the iPad mini in 2019, bringing a faster A12 Bionic processor, as well as other improvements. The 2021 update of the iPad mini is also expected to bring an increase in performance, probably with the Apple A13 or even A14 processor inside.
Finally, it is rumored that Apple will develop a new low-cost iPad, but we do not expect it to be released by the end of this year.
The AirTags have been rumored for almost exactly two years, and we could finally get closer to launching the article tracking accessories. AirTags is expected to be Apple’s competitor to the incredibly popular followers of Tile items that are currently available on the market.
In June 2019, 9to5Mac reported on iOS 13 assets that referred to a “Tag1.1” product type. Since then, 9to5Mac they discovered evidence of the name “AirTags” and the references even appeared in a video published by Apple itself.
Apple also recently announced that the Find My network now accepts third-party accessories, including a Chipolo item tracker, VanMoof electric bikes and a pair of Belkin headphones. Apple may have wanted to make this announcement before revealing its long-awaited AirTags.
AirTags will be small physical tags that you can attach to any product, such as backpacks, keys and wallets. You’ll then be able to locate these items through the Find My Apple Devices app. AirTags will be able to use hundreds of millions of iPhones in kind to help you stay connected and touch the U1 chip for precise location details.
Although it seems almost certain that the new iPad Pro models will be announced during the Apple event in April, we are less sure of AirTags at the moment.
Read more about AirTags in our complete guide right here.
Apple TV
Similar to AirTags, an update to Apple TV has also been rumored for several years now. Recent reports have suggested that a new Apple TV is still on track in 2021, but the details are unclear.
9to5Mac recently found evidence that the new Apple TV could add support for 120Hz display technology. Bloomberg also reported that the updated Apple TV will include a new remote control that supports the Find Me app.
Read more about Apple TV in our complete guide right here.
New Macs?
Apple has acknowledged that it will take about two years for the entire Mac line to switch to Apple Silicon chips. As such, we expect the new Apple Silicon Macs to be announced in 2021. Rumors currently indicate that we can expect a new iMac range, as well as new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros in this year.
While the new MacBook Pro models are not expected to be released until the second half of 2021, the redesigned iMacs could come sooner than that. Apple has stopped selling a handful of 21.5-inch iMac models and also recently discontinued the iMac Pro without a clear replacement.
So, the new iMacs could certainly be announced during the Apple event in April, but Apple could also save them for WWDC in June. We will have to wait and find out for sure.
Closing of the Apple April event
The safest announcement of Apple’s April 20 event is the new iPad Pro line. Again, the new iPad Pro models will have an A14X processor inside, Thunderbolt connectivity and a 12.9-inch mini-LED.
Other potential announcements at the April event include AirTags, new iMacs and an updated Apple TV, but the jury still doesn’t know what products will actually materialize during the event, compared to which they will be saved for later.
But Apple has shown that it doesn’t need to completely wrap its virtual events. For example, in September last year, Apple hosted a virtual event focused on the Apple Watch and updates for iPad Air and iPad entry-level. Apple may feel a new iPad Pro and another product is enough for the April 20 event.
Apple will also announce the release date of iOS 14.5 during the event and could spend stage time focusing on highlighting new features – especially in terms of privacy and transparency of the tracking application.
What do you think Apple has planned for its April 20 event? What are you most excited to see? Tell us in the comments and make sure you stay up to date 9to5Mac for more coverage of Apple’s April announcement.
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