Apple on Tuesday sent out invitations to the media for an event on March 8, where it’s expected to announce a new low-cost iPhone model.
The event, with the tagline “Peek Performance,” will be streamed digitally on YouTube and Apple’s website. Apple’s launch events have been virtual since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
The launch event is Apple’s first since October 2021, when it revealed new MacBook Pro laptops. Last year, Apple held a spring event in April with new high-end iPads and the iMac computer.
Apple could announce a new low-cost iPhone with 5G support and a fingerprint reader, as well as a mid-range iPad, according to media and analyst reports.
Apple currently offers a low-cost iPhone called the iPhone SE, which was introduced in the spring of 2020, and retails for $399. It’s the most recent iPhone model with Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
The new iPad is expected to be an updated version of the iPad Air, according to Bloomberg. That device was last updated in October 2020 and currently retails for $599.
Apple could also release iOS 15.4, the latest version of the iPhone software, with several new features including the option to use facial recognition to unlock the device while wearing a mask, and the ability to accept contactless credit card payments without additional hardware.
Apple’s spring device launches are less important to the company than its traditional fall launches, which reveal pricier and more profitable high-end iPhone models ahead of the holiday shopping season. Apple also holds an annual developer conference in June called WWDC, where it sometimes releases new hardware.
