Apple’s first event of the year will take place on April 20th. It is becoming apparent that there will be several new products – most notably a new iPad Pro. And what else?

Every year Apple organizes a spring event to usher in the new product year. The first product announcements of the Apple year have so far not been associated with a major event, such as the launch of the new iPhones. Last year, for example, the new iPad Pro models and the accompanying Magic Keyboard were only “revealed” with a press release. This year, Apple’s spring is going differently than usual. Because the manufacturer has invited to a real event on April 20th, which, like the last events, will be held virtually due to the corona. But what does Apple have in store?

iPad Pro: The 2021 12.9-inch model could be equipped with mini-LED Appear on the display. (Image: Apple)

April should, among other things, produce a new generation of the iPad Pro, which was last updated in March 2020. Visually, the 2021 model may not differ from the current variant – innovations in terms of the display and the processors are to be expected.

According to rumors, Apple should at least install a mini LED display in the large 12.9-inch model of the Pro tablet. Screen technology brings many advantages of OLED displays, including low-power local dimming and a large color space. The well-known OLED disadvantages such as burn-in should not exist, however. In addition, mini LED displays could enable lighter and thinner components and higher contrast. However, the availability of the mini LED version could be limited due to delivery bottlenecks or it could be delayed on the market by days or weeks, they say.

Furthermore, the new iPad Pro generation should optionally receive a 5G modem in order to adapt them to the wireless standards of the iPhone 12 series to match. An A14X-Bionic-Chip is used as the processor. It is said to be a higher-performance variant of the A14 bionic chip that is installed in the iPhone 12 models and the iPad Air 4. Apple took a similar approach with the previous iPad Pros. In addition, the new Pro models should get a Thunderbolt connection.

• New iPad Pro with A14X- Chip and Thunderbolt expected in April
• iPad Pro: Next generation should come with a mini LED display

The iPad Mini was last updated in 2019 – a new model is expected in 2021. (Image: Apple)

In addition to the Pro models, Apple could show a new edition of its iPad Mini, which was last updated in 2019. It was first forecast by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in May 2020. With the update, the smallest iPad should get a larger display and could grow from a 7.9-inch to an 8.4-inch diagonal. With regard to the design, no major changes should be expected with the upcoming iPad Mini like the iPad Air 4. It keeps the Touch ID button under the screen and the Lightning connector, it says.

• New iPad Mini with 9 inch and 10.8 inch iPad in progress

This is how the Apple Airtags should look like. (Image: John Prosser)

If you believe Prosser, Apple should have more products ready for a launch. Among other things, the Gagdet trackers Airtags, which have been expected for years, are a candidate for the spring event. The airtags, which are no larger than a two-euro piece, should be able to be attached to cases or key fobs using the appropriate accessories. It was last expected to be presented in November 2020. Ultimately, the focus was on the new Macs with the in-house chips.

Updated info from a reliable source

Products that are ready: AirTags, iPad Pro, AirPods, Apple TV

Take that however you’d like …

– Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) March 8, 2021

In addition to the iPads and Airtags, a new generation of Airpods is also ready to come onto the market. The third edition of the earplugs should be optically and in terms of their construction more based on the current Pro models, but still offer no active noise suppression. Thanks to the silicone ear pieces, they should sit better and more firmly in the ears than the previous Airpods.

The presumably first photo of the Airpods 3. We should soon find out whether it is real. (Photo: 52audio.com)

Nice pic.twitter.com/2PJdCd2hEn

– LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro) March 10, 2021

Also the Apple could reissue the Pro version with active noise cancellation in the first half of the year. According to reports, they are set to become more compact and completely lose their stem, which could tend to resemble Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro. It is questionable whether the new Airpods will be shown in April.

• Airpods with a major redesign in next year – Pro model without stem

A new generation of Apple TVs has been planned for months ion be ready. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Prosser is convinced that Apple’s new edition of the Apple TV set-top box is ready. Like the Airtags, the TV box has been expected to be presented for months. Accordingly, it is uncertain whether Apple will present the product in the first or second half of 2021.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman also assumes that the new set-top box will have a stronger gaming focus than the last generation – presumably to strengthen the Apple Arcade platform . There is also talk of a new remote control and a more powerful processor and 120 Hertz support.

• Apple TV: New model of the set-top box probably with 120 Hertz and gaming focus

Images

1 of 4

New iMacs could still be in the running, possibly with new Apple silicon chips and a new design. The all-in-one computers, appealing as they are, have not received a visual makeover for eight (!) Years. Visually, the new all-in-one desktop computers could be based on the design of the Pro-XDR display and thus become a bit more angular, it is rumored. The display diagonals should increase from 21.5 and 27 to 23 or 24 inches and possibly 32 inches without becoming larger, which should be achieved by reducing the massive display bezels of the previous models.

That Apple is preparing a refresh is indicated by the discontinuation of the sale of a handful of 21.5-inch -iMac models. The new iMacs could well be announced during Apple’s April event, but Apple could also reserve them for WWDC 2021 in June.

• Fully retro: New iMacs are said to come in colorful, “Mac Pro Mini” as cubes
• Apple discontinues further iMac models – new models in sight

As the last possible product for the spring event, rumors are circulating about a new edition of the iPhone SE (2020). The Japanese blog Macotakara recently reported on such a product. However, the article did not provide any details about the equipment.

Apple’s iPhone SE in the iPhone 8 Plus design could appear as a 5.5-inch version this year. (Image: Apple)

Whether Apple wants to renew its inexpensive SE model once a year is definitely questionable. After all, the group let four years pass between the first and second generation. It would be conceivable, however, to imagine a larger version with a 5.5-inch screen, which Apple has been working on for a long time.

As a rule, the announcements during the spring event are relatively manageable. We do not assume that Apple will introduce all of these products. However, at least the Airpods and possibly new iMacs with a major redesign should be shown in the coming months. If the Airpods do not make it into the first Apple event of the year, we will expect a release by May at the latest.

More on the topic: Macbooks, iMacs with redesign and more: What Apple could imagine in the first half of 2021

You might also be interested in