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                    Apple Event Scheduled for 20 April 2021

   Josh Centers

   Apple has announced a [1]virtual event on 20 April 2021 at 10 AM PDT.
   You can [2]add it to your calendar with a click. In email invitations
   sent to journalists, Apple called it Spring Loaded, so our best
   tongue-in-cheek guess is that Apple thinks it has finally built a
   better mousetrap.

   Intrepid Apple fans learned of the event before it was announced. By
   saying 'Apple event' to Siri, the virtual assistant would cheerily tell
   you about the event. Also amusing is the fact that it takes place on
   4/20'[3]make your own jokes.

   What will Apple announce? We have a few ideas:
     * iPad Pro: Apple announced last year's models of the iPad Pro in
       March (see '[4]Hell Freezes Over: Apple's New iPad Pro Supports
       Trackpads,' 18 March 2020), so it's overdue for an update,
       particularly given how the iPad Air offers most of the features of
       the iPad Pro at a notably lower price. Apple updated the iPad and
       iPad Air in September, so while updates are possible, they seem
       less likely (see '[5]Apple Redesigns iPad Air, Updates Base-Model
       iPad,' 15 September 2020).
     * More Apple silicon Macs: With Apple dropping the iMac Pro (see
       '[6]Apple Discontinues the iMac Pro,' 8 March 2021) and
       [7]discontinuing some models of the 21.5-inch iMac, it seems like
       we'll see a new M-series iMac sooner rather than later. With a
       faster M-series chip with more onboard RAM, Apple could also
       replace higher-end Intel versions of the MacBook Pro and Mac mini
       with Apple silicon versions.We may see more Apple silicon-powered
       Macs at the event. The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini were
       converted to the M1 chip last year, so we're eagerly awaiting
       announcements about the rest of the lineup.
     * AirTags: Rumors have swirled for years about an Apple-branded item
       tracker, dubbed AirTags. With Apple inviting third-party products
       into the Find My system, it feels like the 'now or never' moment
       for AirTags (see '[8]Apple Opens 'Find My' Crowdsourcing to
       Third-Party Accessories (For Real This Time!),' 7 April 2021).
     * Third-generation iPhone SE: Apple rolled out the second-generation
       iPhone SE in April of last year, so it could due for an update (see
       '[9]Large Size of Apple's New Low-Cost iPhone SE Disappoints,' 15
       April 2020). Despite our disappointment with the large size, it
       seems to be a hit, while the iPhone 12 mini has [10]reportedly sold
       poorly. Of course, the original iPhone SE went years before being
       replaced, so Apple may leave the second-generation iPhone SE as is.

   That's all just speculation, of course, and we'll know for sure in a
   few days! You can find out with us what Apple has up its sleeve by
   joining the #events channel of our [11]SlackBITS group. To join the
   group, go to [12]slackbits.herokuapp.com, enter your email address, and
   agree to the [13]code of conduct. You'll receive an invitation in email
   right away.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.apple.com/apple-events/
   2. https://www.apple.com/v/apple-events/home/p/built/assets/event.ics
   3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(cannabis_culture)
   4. https://tidbits.com/2020/03/18/hell-freezes-over-apple-ships-an-ipad-pro-with-an-optional-trackpad/
   5. https://tidbits.com/2020/09/15/apple-redesigns-ipad-air-updates-base-model-ipad/
   6. https://tidbits.com/2021/03/08/apple-discontinues-the-imac-pro/
   7. https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/20/512gb-1tb-ssd-imac-21-discontinued/
   8. https://tidbits.com/2021/04/07/apple-opens-find-my-crowdsourcing-to-third-party-accessories-for-real-this-time/
   9. https://tidbits.com/2020/04/15/large-size-of-apples-new-low-cost-iphone-se-disappoints/
  10. https://www.makeuseof.com/iphone-12-mini-sales-dissapoint/
  11. https://slackbits.slack.com/
  12. https://slackbits.herokuapp.com/
  13. https://tidbits.com/about/code-of-conduct/

   Hidden links:
  14. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2021/04/Apple-Event-April-2021.jpg
  15. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2021/04/Siri-Apple-event.jpg

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