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Apple’s Peek Performance event: rumors, news, and announcements

If the seasons are starting to change, it must be time for another Apple event. Of course, it isn’t the fall when a new generation of iPhones comes bearing down on us, but there may be some surprises in store.

Apple recently sent out invites for its “Peek Performance” event, scheduled for Tuesday, March 8th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. While internet sleuths have tried to discern any hidden meanings baked into the invite graphic or the use of the word “peek,” it’s most certain that one of the announcements for this event will be an iterative update of the budget-friendly iPhone SE, now with 5G compatibility. On the iPad front, we may see an updated iPad Air to replace the model that debuted in 2020 with a refreshed design — also now with 5G in tow.

Beyond that, things get a little murkier. There have been rumors of a new, higher-end Mac Mini for a little while now. While the existing M1 Mac Mini is still a formidable little machine, nobody is going to say no to more power. But will it get the upgrade to the existing M1 Pro CPU that came in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, or is it already time for the debut of an M2 processor?

That’s just hardware, though. There’s bound to be some software showcase of new features and probably a little chest-thumping about privacy.

Whatever gets announced, you can count on The Verge to be watching, live blogging, and covering all the news right here as new products and features are unveiled.

  • Allison Johnson

    Mar 8, 2022

    Allison Johnson

    Apple iPhone SE gains 5G, A15 processor, and a higher $429 price tag

    Apple’s small phone now comes with 5G.
    Apple’s small phone now comes with 5G.
    Image: Apple

    Apple’s iPhone SE is the small, low-cost phone that’s so good it makes us question the entire concept of $1,000 phones, and it’s getting a refresh for 2022. This third-generation SE updates 2020’s model by adding sub-6GHz 5G, along with the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 series.

    The 2022 iPhone SE keeps its small form factor and 4.7-inch screen, along with some chunky bezels that are straight out of 2017. It’s priced at $429 for the base 64GB model, a bump over the previous model’s MSRP of $399. The SE sticks with just one 12-megapixel f/1.8 camera on the rear panel, but it gains some software-based photography improvements, thanks to the newer processor. Deep Fusion and HDR 4 are now included, which offer better handling of high-contrast scenes and noise reduction, and they are both included on the iPhone 13.

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  • Mar 8, 2022

    Dan Seifert, Nilay Patel and 1 more

    Apple ‘Peek Performance’ Spring 2022 event live blog

    “peek performance”
    Image: Apple

    The time has come for Apple’s first product announcement event of 2022. Though the company has been characteristically tight-lipped about what we can expect to see at this event, the rumor mill has indicated that we’ll at least get a refreshed iPhone SE, a new iPad Air, and maybe even a Mac or two.

    Last-minute rumors leading up to the event even claimed that Apple will finally introduce a standalone display to accompany its pro-level Pro Display XDR monitor — something that many Apple fans have been wanting for a long time.

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  • Jasmine Hicks

    Mar 8, 2022

    Jasmine Hicks

    How to watch Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ event

    After much anticipation and rumors, Apple officially announced that it is holding its first event of 2022 on Tuesday, March 8th. The presented tagline for the upcoming event is “Peek Performance,” a supposed play on words for a sneak peek. We’ll likely get a peek (sorry) at a new iPhone SE with 5G and possibly a new iPad Air or Mac Mini.

    The event will be streamed live on Tuesday, March 8th, 2022 at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. As with Apple’s prior streamed events, it will likely be a pre-recorded presentation, with a flashy introduction and various set dressings for the executives hyping up the new products.

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  • Umar Shakir

    Mar 8, 2022

    Umar Shakir

    What to expect from Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ March event

    “peek performance”
    Image: Apple

    Apple is poised for its first livestream event of 2022 on Tuesday, March 8th at 1PM ET. The company sent out press invitation emails for the event titled “Peek Performance,” with rumors strongly suggesting Apple will announce a new third-generation iPhone SE with 5G.

    The iPad Air might also get a new spec bump update at the event, with upgrades to both 5G and an A15 Bionic processor, similar to last year’s iPad Mini. Another rumor suggests an Apple Silicon “M2” upgrade alongside a redesigned MacBook Air might be coming. New Macs, including a more powerful Mac Mini / less powerful Mac Pro (possibly named the “Mac Studio”) with an M1 Pro / M1 Max processor update, could also be announced alongside a last-minute rumor that suggests the launch of a new monitor called the “Studio Display.”

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  • Chaim Gartenberg

    Mar 7, 2022

    Chaim Gartenberg

    The 5G iPhone SE will be for carriers, not customers

    Apple’s iPhone SE

    Apple is widely expected to release a new iPhone SE model this week, the company’s third — and its quickest update yet for its cheapest line of smartphones.

    Apple’s release cycle for the SE line is accelerating: the original iPhone SE was released in 2016 as an entry-level option for the iPhone lineup, priced at just $399 — compared to the $649 iPhone 6s model that preceded it a few months before. The second-generation model followed four years later, in 2020.

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  • Sheena Vasani

    Mar 2, 2022

    Sheena Vasani

    Apple officially announces March 8th event

    Apple will be holding its next event online on March 8th, the company announced today with an invite featuring the “peek performance” tagline, and multicolored Apple logo that could hint at the colors of new devices.

    The company didn’t disclose further details about what the virtual event will entail, beyond the timing set for 1PM ET / 10AM PT.

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