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

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...

Top Rated Comments

Sciomar Avatar
51 months ago
Looking forward to the new iPad Pro, I may finally upgrade from my 10.5.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
51 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
51 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
51 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
51 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
51 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)