Top Stories: Spring Apple Event Rumors, Apple Opposes Sideloading, and More

As we roll into the latter half of January, we're starting to hear more about a potential spring Apple event, which is likely to take place in March or April. There are a number of potential announcements on deck, so an event would be a good opportunity for Apple to get them all out there.

top stories 2022jan22
We've also been going back and forth on some iPhone 14 rumors, and we've taken a look at a number of rumored Apple products that are a bit further down the road. Read on below for details on all of these stories and more!

New iPad Air, Macs, and iPhone SE With 5G Likely to Be Announced at Apple Event This Spring

Apple plans to a hold a spring event to announce a new iPhone SE with 5G support and other hardware, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The event will likely take place in March or April, he said.


In addition to a new iPhone SE, other products rumored to be announced at the event include a fifth-generation iPad Air with similar features as the new iPad mini, a redesigned 27-inch iMac with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and a high-end Mac mini with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

Earlier this week, Apple filed several unreleased iPhone and iPad model numbers in a regulatory database. These filings are likely for new iPhone SE and iPad Air models at a minimum.

Apple Says Option to Stay on iOS 14 With Security Updates Was Always Meant to Be Temporary

When iOS 15 was released in September, Apple gave users an option to stay on iOS 14 and continue to receive security updates, but as MacRumors reported last week, this is no longer an option.

iOS 14 vs 15 feature
Apple has since informed Ars Technica that the option to stay on iOS 14 and receive security updates was always meant to be temporary. Users now must update to iOS 15 to continue to receive security updates.

U.S. Senate Panel Approves Antitrust Bill That Would Allow Sideloading

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week approved the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which means it will now move on to the Senate floor for a vote, and there could be big implications for Apple.

iOS App Store General Feature Sqaure Complement
The bill would require major changes to the App Store if passed in its current incarnation. For example, it would allow sideloading of apps outside of the App Store on the iPhone and iPad. In a letter this week, Apple warned that sideloading will subject customers to "malware, ransomware, and scams."

ProMotion Display Now Expected to Remain Exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro Models

iPhone 13 Pro models feature ProMotion, which allows for the display to have a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother content and scrolling. The refresh rate can also go as low as 10Hz to preserve battery life depending on the type of content on the screen.

iphone 14 pro 120hz promotion blue
While it was rumored that ProMotion might expand to all iPhone 14 models, display industry consultant Ross Young this week claimed the feature will remain exclusive to the Pro models.

Six Rumored Apple Products You're Unlikely to See This Year

Much has been said about what consumers could see from Apple in 2022, but the company is also working on a handful of rumored products that aren't expected to be unveiled for at least another 12 months, and in some cases a lot longer.

Unlikely Products 2022 Feature
With that in mind, we've put together a list of six rumored Apple products that are unlikely to launch this year, including a hybrid Apple TV/HomePod device.

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 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple Glass

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:21 am PDT by
Google made waves yesterday by showcasing a set of lightweight smart glasses featuring deep Gemini integration and an optional in-lens display. The demo has reignited interest in Apple's own smart glasses project, which has been the subject of rumors for nearly a decade. Here's a recap of where things stand. Current Development Status Apple is actively working on new chips specifically...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
WWDC 2025 Banner

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 20, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16,...
macOS 16 visionOS Inspired Feature 1

macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

Tuesday May 20, 2025 7:31 am PDT by
The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented event, is less than three weeks away. We haven't heard a great deal about macOS 16 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 9 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next major update to Apple's Mac operating system. macOS 16 Name? Every year ...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...

Top Rated Comments

Sciomar Avatar
44 months ago
Looking forward to the new iPad Pro, I may finally upgrade from my 10.5.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
44 months ago

I'm really hoping for the M2 Macbook in April/March... It looks like later though, unfortunately.
I agree, it seems like MacBook Air may be released in the Fall of this year.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
44 months ago

I don't think Apple will release an iPad Pro M2 before the MacBook Air M2, and this is not supposed to happen in the next months.
That would seem to make the next iPad Pro a 2023 model with the speculation concerning it using OLED displays.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
44 months ago

crossing fingers for a stand alone display, especially if a new mac mini is announced. ?

and hopefully it will be reasonably priced? the rumor of $2,500 - $3,000 is too rich for me
It's only $2500 - $3000 if you get it with their special display stand.

It's $1500 - $2000 without it. ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
di1in Avatar
44 months ago
I’m really looking forward to the new iPad Pro coming out in March, as I need an upgrade as soon as possible for my iPad Air 2 from 2014.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lovehateapple Avatar
44 months ago
crossing fingers for a stand alone display, especially if a new mac mini is announced. ?

and hopefully it will be reasonably priced? the rumor of $2,500 - $3,000 is too rich for me
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)