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Apple Event on March 4: Here's What to Expect

Apple on Monday invited selected journalists and content creators to a "special Apple Experience" on Wednesday, March 4 in New York, London, and Shanghai.


At an Apple Experience, attendees are typically given the opportunity to try out Apple's latest hardware or software. Following the launch of Apple Creator Studio last month, for example, some content creators attended an Apple Experience in Los Angeles to go hands on with the new subscription-based bundle of apps and features.

The upcoming Apple Experience will likely not be as significant as a traditional Apple Event, but there is a good chance that new hardware will be announced, as well-known journalists such as Joanna Stern were invited this time around.

It seems likely that Apple will show off a new lower-cost MacBook at these gatherings. The invite graphic for the upcoming Apple Experience includes a colorful Apple logo with yellow, green, and blue discs, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple has tested those three colors and pink for the MacBook with an iPhone chip.

In our view, the second-most likely possibility is an iPhone 17e. The spec-bumped successor to the iPhone 16e is expected to have four key upgrades, including MagSafe, an A19 chip, a C1X modem for faster 5G, and an N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7.

Other fitting possibilities include an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip, and a MacBook Air with an M5 chip.

We are also still waiting for quite a few smart home products, including an updated Apple TV, an updated HomePod mini, and an all-new Apple home hub, but it is unclear if any of those devices will be unveiled alongside this Apple Experience, especially given that there is still no sign of the more personalized version of Siri.

Finally, the wait continues for high-end products, like MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, an updated Mac Studio, and a new Studio Display. While nothing has been ruled out at this point, the colorful nature of this Apple Experience graphic suggests that Apple will be focused on some more colorful, lower-end products with mass appeal.

In New York, the Apple Experience begins on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. The gatherings in London and Shanghai will kick off simultaneously, although it will be later in the day in those cities due to time zone differences. Given it is not a traditional Apple Event, we do not expect Apple to provide a YouTube live stream.

Instead, we expect a new product or two to be announced in a press release or two on the Apple Newsroom website, and those who attend the Apple Experience in one of the three cities will be able to share hands-on photos and impressions.
Tag: Event

This article, "Apple Event on March 4: Here's What to Expect" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Event Set for March 4, Updated Hardware Expected

Apple has scheduled an event for Wednesday, March 4, and it’s a good bet that updated hardware will be unveiled. Somewhat unusually, Apple has scheduled the event for three different locations around the world; New York, London, and Shanghai. Usually Apple just hosts events at their Cupertino Apple Park location, so making this a global ... Read More
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iPhone 17: Last Minute Rumor Recap Ahead of Tomorrow's Apple Event

It's almost time for the September 9 Apple event, and last minute rumors have been trickling in. For a quick catch up, we've recapped the new information that we've heard over the last few days.


Battery


Alleged battery capacities for the iPhone 17 models were spotted in a Chinese regulatory database, and in the past, this database has provided accurate battery information.

  • iPhone 17 - 3,692 mAh

  • iPhone 17 Air - 3,149 mAh

  • iPhone 17 Pro - 4,252 mAh

  • iPhone 17 Pro Max - 5,088 mAh


It's worth noting that in some countries like China, there will be models with a SIM tray. ‌iPhone 17‌ models that have a SIM tray will have slightly smaller battery capacities, and the battery capacities above are for the non-SIM models that will be sold in countries like the United States.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to be the first iPhone that has a battery over 5,000 mAh, and it could have the longest ever battery life that we've seen in an ‌iPhone‌. There's also going to be an impressive year-over-year battery increase for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌.

It doesn't look like the ‌iPhone 17‌ will offer much of an improvement over the iPhone 16, and of course, the iPhone 17 Air has the lowest capacity of the bunch. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the other models in terms of real-world battery life, because Apple may be using a denser silicone-anode battery that provides more energy in a smaller package.

SIM Trays


There have been multiple rumors suggesting that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ won't have the space for a SIM tray, which would prevent it from launching in China. iPhones sold in China are required to have a physical SIM tray, and carriers in the country do not support eSIM technology for smartphones.

The recent battery database leak mentions a variant of the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ with a SIM tray, so it looks like information suggesting that the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ won't be available in China could be inaccurate.

It would be surprising for Apple not to offer its flagship ultra thin device in China where it's likely to sell well.

Apple phased out SIM trays in the U.S. with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 launch. In most other countries aside from China, iPhones include both a SIM tray and an eSIM, but that could change this year. Rumors suggest that SIM-free iPhones will expand to more countries.

Thicker iPhone 17 Pro Max


The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max is going to measure in at 8.725mm thick, making it thicker than the 8.25mm iPhone 16 Pro Max. The extra space could allow for a larger battery and rumored camera features like an adjustable aperture. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max will be about five percent thicker than the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max, and most people probably won't notice the increase.

A thicker chassis and a bigger battery typically means a higher weight, but Apple is transitioning to aluminum instead of titanium and replacing some of the glass at the back with aluminum, so overall weight could be the same or lower.

iPhone 17 Lanyard


We've seen leaked ‌iPhone 17‌ cases that have a spot where a lanyard can connect, and an image of the accessory surfaced over the weekend.


The image features a long crossbody strap in bright orange color that might match the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. Both ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are expected to come in an orange shade along with dark blue, black, and white.

The strap has a flexible metal core and uses magnetic attachment points to connect to the ‌iPhone‌ case.

iPhone 17 Pro Design


Last Friday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman clarified ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and Pro Max design rumors. The two smartphones are expected to be made from aluminum, but with a new cutout area on the bottom two thirds of the device. The cutout will be made from glass, and it will enable wireless charging.


This updated design has been rumored for months now, but it's useful to get some clarification on the half-aluminum half-glass rumors.

Sketchy Dynamic Island Rumors


On Friday, a leaker who claims to work for a company making ‌iPhone‌ screen protectors said the iPhone 17 Dynamic Island is 1.5cm, down from 2cm in the ‌iPhone 16‌ models.

There have been some mixed rumors of changes to the Dynamic Island over the ‌iPhone 17‌ rumor cycle, but reliable sources have suggested the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is the same. A change to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is possible, but unlikely, and this rumor is on the sketchier side.

Most screen protectors do not include cutouts for the ‌Dynamic Island‌, and it's not clear if that information would have been included with CAD renders sourced by accessory makers ahead of the ‌iPhone 17‌'s launch.

AirPods Pro 3


In a somewhat confusing last minute AirPods Pro 3 rumor, a reliable leaker said that Apple plans to release two versions of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. There will be a standard version and a higher-end variant with an infrared camera for gesture controls, but we might not hear about the higher-end model until next year.

Apple Watch SE 3 and Ultra 3 Confirmed


Last year there were rumors that Apple would refresh the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Ultra, but that didn't happen. We're hearing the same rumors about new models this year, and it looks like they're actually coming.

A leaker with an established track record confirmed that Apple is planning to introduce Apple Watch Series 11, ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3, and Apple Watch Ultra models tomorrow, all with an S11 chip that uses the same architecture as the current S10 chip.

Read More


For a more detailed overview on what to expect from the Apple event, make sure to check out our dedicated guide that walks through everything Apple might announce.

How to Watch


Apple's "Awe Dropping" event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 9. Apple will livestream the event on its website on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app on supported devices.


For those unable to watch the livestream, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account. We'll also do a much deeper dive into all the announcements after the event.
This article, "iPhone 17: Last Minute Rumor Recap Ahead of Tomorrow's Apple Event" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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