Top Stories: Apple Event in March With iPhone 9, iPad Pro With 3D Sensing, and More?

With a number of products apparently just about ready to launch, we're starting to hear our first specific rumors about the possibility of an Apple media event near the end of next month, although continued impacts from the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic are leading to some uncertainty about Apple's plans.


Other news and rumors this week included more mentions of "AirPods Pro Lite" earphones, "AirTags" item trackers, the "CarKey" NFC functionality appearing in iOS 13.4 betas, and some of our first rumors about iOS 14.

Read on for all the details, and make sure to watch our video covering some of these stories and more.

Apple Event Rumored for March 31: iPhone 9, iPad Pro With 3D Sensing, More?

Apple often holds its first media event of the year in March, and that trend might continue in 2020.

apple event logo city
A report this week claimed that Apple is aiming to host a special event on Tuesday, March 31, with rumors suggesting that the company may introduce a new lower-cost "iPhone 9" and refreshed iPad Pro models sporting a triple-lens rear camera system with 3D sensing.

Keep in mind that Apple's plans may change due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China. Apple already announced that it does not expect to meet its revenue guidance that it provided for the March quarter due to the outbreak.

'AirPods Pro Lite' Production Reportedly Delayed Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

A report from hit-or-miss Taiwanese publication DigiTimes this week claimed that Apple suppliers have delayed production of so-called "AirPods Pro Lite" until at least the end of the second quarter of 2020 due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China.

AirPods Pro 2
The publication describes the "AirPods Pro Lite" as an "entry-level version" of the existing AirPods Pro, but no features or specifications have been outlined.

All in all, details are slim right now. "AirPods Pro Lite" is somewhat of an oxymoron, as "Pro Lite" just sounds like regular AirPods, but it has been speculated that perhaps Apple will release a less expensive version of the AirPods Pro with the same design and sound quality but without noise cancellation.

Supply Chain to Ramp Up for Apple's Item Tracking Tags in Second to Third Quarter of 2020

Shanghai-based Universal Scientific Industrial will begin supplying the system-in-package for Apple's rumored Ultra Wideband item tracking tags in the second to third quarter of 2020, with shipments to reach tens of millions of units by the end of the year, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple item tag
Last month, Kuo said the Ultra Wideband tag would be one of Apple's major new hardware products in the first half of 2020, but he has yet to provide a more specific release date for the accessory.

MacRumors uncovered evidence of Apple working on item trackers in iOS 13 code last year, including an unreleased "Items" tab in the Find My app and a potential "AirTag" name for the tags, which would attach to everyday belongings like keys and backpacks for tracking purposes. Ultra Wideband support would allow for more precise location accuracy than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth LE.

Apple's Upcoming 'CarKey' Feature Will Let You Send Digital Keys Using Messages App

As discovered in the first beta of iOS 13.4, Apple is working on a new "CarKey" feature that will allow an iPhone or an Apple Watch to unlock, lock, and start NFC-compatible vehicles.

bmw digital key
Now, in the second beta of iOS 13.4, MacRumors has discovered that "CarKeys" will be able to be sent to people using the Messages app.

It appears that Apple will be partnering with vehicle manufacturers for "CarKey," indicating that it may be a factory installed option like CarPlay. It remains unclear when Apple plans to announce this feature.

We've also put together a roundup of everything else added in the second beta of iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4.

iOS 14 May Allow Users to Set Third-Party Web Browser and Mail Apps as Default

Apple is considering allowing iPhone and iPad users to set third-party mail and browser apps as defaults instead of its own Safari and Mail apps starting in iOS 14, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

2018ipadprohomescreen
The report adds that Apple is working to allow third-party music services like Spotify and Pandora to be streamed directly on the HomePod with Siri in a future software update, as is possible with Apple Music. Spotify currently can only be streamed on the HomePod via AirPlay.

Latest Foldable Smartphones Experiencing Failures and Durability Issues

Foldable smartphones are the latest device trend, with companies such as Motorola and Samsung having released new foldable smartphones over the course of the last few weeks.

motorolarazr1
The first foldable smartphone from Samsung, the Galaxy Fold, had major durability issues that caused its launch to be delayed. Samsung's newest foldable device, the Galaxy Z Flip, seems to be faring a bit better so far, but there are still some complaints about its build quality and problems with the display. The same is true of Motorola's latest smartphone, the RAZR.

On our YouTube channel this week, we shared our impressions of the Galaxy Z Flip and its durability after 48 hours of usage.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon Prime Day is currently in its second day, and this year the event will last for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon....

Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
70 months ago

cmaier, if you read this: can't you take things with a "liter" touch?
I’m happy to play along, but I don’t get what this has to do with a metric unit of capacity :cool:
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yoms Avatar
70 months ago
Tim, if you read this: get rid of the guy in charge of your products naming. "Pro" followed by "Lite", seriously dude?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brian Riccio Avatar
70 months ago
Best part of these articles is there is never any follow up later on to see how far Ming Chi's head is up his ass when it comes to this click bait crap you goofs spew.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AZREOSpecialist Avatar
70 months ago
The problem with Apple is its almost singular focus on mobile with almost no strategy for desktop. I couldn't care less about mobile nonsense designed to drain money from our pockets and keep us addicted to notifications. I want Apple to make the Mac great again.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
70 months ago

I hope it comes with 9 Plus!
I prefer plus models than max *shrugs*
There will be neither.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
70 months ago

The problem with Apple is its almost singular focus on mobile with almost no strategy for desktop. I couldn't care less about mobile nonsense designed to drain money from our pockets and keep us addicted to notifications. I want Apple to make the Mac great again.
Agree with your first and third sentences.

Your second sentence is a bit silly though.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)