Apple has already confirmed its ‘Spring forward’ media event on March 9th, and while the focal point is almost certain to be the Apple Watch, there are plenty other announcements and roll-outs in the offing as well. Here, we take a run through what may or may not be unveiled in little over a week’s time.
Apple Watch Details
With Apple Watch, it’s not so much a will they, won’t they as a they definitely will, but unlike usual keynote events, the guesswork isn’t in trying to predict the product itself. After September’s showcasing alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the company’s inaugural smartwatch is very much en route to market, and on March 9th, we’re merely hoping that Apple can nail down some of the key details.
For example, we have a rough idea about the application UX, and that many things will be processed through the Apple Watch companion app for iOS, but with shipping set to commence from next month, Apple is likely to get down to the nitty gritty in describing functionality in much more detail.
We should also, with any luck, hear of pricing and general availability, and if the Cupertino company has its house properly in order, a decent selection of accessories and peripherals may also be announced at the event.
New iOS update
iOS 8.2 and iOS 8.3 are both in beta at the moment, but it’s the former we’re concentrating on specifically. Having reached its fifth and reportedly final beta, iOS 8.2 is significant in that it includes the Apple Watch companion app, and while it may be launched in the run-up to March 9th, it could also arrive on the day alongside some spoken-word release notes.
Should iOS 8.2 already have made its way to the end user by then, iOS 8.3 could also be released as a public beta, as opposed to the current, dev-only beta status.
New OS X Update with Photos app
We’ve seen glimpses of OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 through betas, and the main attraction is the revamped Photos app, which will lay to rest iPhoto and Aperture in one fell swoop. Apple could use the Yerba Buena gathering as a platform for the desktop software’s release, and with enhanced emoji support also a part of the package, it’s shaping up as quite a noteworthy bump.
12-inch MacBook Air
The thinner, lighter 12-inch MacBook Air has been rumored for a while, and while we’ve seen some very plausible leaks, the notebook continues to elude us. We could be just days from being put out of our misery, though, and while it’s not going to upstage the Apple Watch, it’ll add a nice dimension to proceedings if it is launched next week.
There could, of course, be further surprises – Apple is, after all, famous for pulling a rabbit out of a hat despite being tracked through every minute of every day – and whatever the Mac maker does have in store, we’ll have everything covered right here!
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