Apple schedules long-rumored March event: bring on the new hardware

The first few months of the new year are no fun for Apple fans: Android and Windows enthusiasts get to check out all sorts of new gear at CES and MWC, while everybody goes gaga over Samsung’s latest flagships. But this year, maybe more than most, there’s been hope of some big Apple news in the spring: for months now, we’ve been hearing rumors about a new four-inch iPhone, and now it finally seems ready to launch. Better still, it could be joined by new iPad hardware, bringing Apple Pencil support to a more traditionally sized tablet. But when could we actually hope to see these new devices launch? Sources late last month suggested Apple was eying a March 21 date, slightly pushed back from earlier March 15 rumors. Now that’s picking up official confirmation, as Apple sends out invites for just such a March 21 event.


As you can see from the invite up top, Apple’s offering to help “loop” us in – but what kind of tease is that? Well, this event is taking place at Apple’s Cupertino campus, with its 1 Infinite Loop street address. If we’re looking even harder, we suppose it could be a longshot hint at the rumored new bands for the Apple Watch – a reference to the existing Milanese Loop style.

But loops or no loops, we’re still expecting that four-inch iPhone SE (5se?), a new 9.7-inch iPad (that may pick up iPad Pro branding), and some sort of new Apple Watch hardware – even if that’s just new bands.

With just a week and change to go until March 21, we’ll be finding out for sure in no time at all.