Apple in March: Are a 15-inch MacBook Air and a yellow iPhone 14 on the way?
At the start of the year, we thought March might be one of the most significant months in Apple’s history. Persistent rumors claimed that Apple would unveil its long-awaited mixed reality headset, “Apple Reality Pro,” at a spring event, with a release scheduled toward the end of the year.
Now, it appears as though the announcement has been pushed back to WWDC in June (or even later), which brings into question the entire point of having a spring event in the first place. There’s not a lot of other stuff to announce–a rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is still said to be coming this spring, but everything else is further out.
So we expect a rather tame March this year. The 15-inch MacBook Air might get a direct-to-web release (April is a possibility as well), the next round of OS updates will probably exit beta, and several new and returning Apple TV+ shows will launch, along with the usual weekly Apple Arcade games.
New hardware
With all recent rumors pointing to a WWDC (or later) announcement of the Apple Reality Pro, we’re not sure if we’re going to get an Apple event in March as was once rumored. However, there are a couple of possible hardware announcements that could arrive:
15-inch MacBook Air: The latest rumors say we’re on the cusp of an all-new MacBook. A 15-inch MacBook Air, to be precise, with an M2 chip (and potentially an M2 Pro option). Outside of the larger display size we don’t know what to expect from it, but it’s a pretty safe bet to expect it to be the same as the 13.6-inch Air, only expanded to the size of a 15.5-inch display. Apparently, mass production of the displays is underway, which could be announced in March (likely with a glossy site update and not a live event), with a release in early April.
Yellow iPhone 14: According to Mac Takara, Apple will soon unveil its new spring iPhone 14 color: yellow. It could arrive as early as this week on Apple’s web site.
AirPods Max: Apple’s high-end headphones have been low in stock for months, and it’s been more than two years since the original model landed. Several improvements could be on the way, including USB-C, Adaptive Transparency, better noise cancellation, and new colors.
Mac Pro: Apple is expected to launch a new Mac Pro with Apple silicon inside, but the latest rumors suggest it won’t arrive until WWDC.
Mac Studio: Apple’s high-end desktop is due to get an M2 upgrade, but the latest rumors suggest Apple might hold off until the M3.
Apps and software updates
As we enter March, Apple has iOS 16.4 and macOS 13.3 betas out to the public, bringing some new emojis, web push notifications, and some small tweaks to apps like Podcasts and Apple Music. We’ve only gotten one beta, but the testing period will probably end in March with the full release of those operating system updates landing on devices. Depending on the timing, we might see the start of the iOS 16.5 and macOS 13.4 betas as well.
iOS 16.4: New emojis, web push notifications, a new Wallet widget, and the return of the Home architecture upgrade that was pulled from iOS 16.2.
tvOS 16.4: The companion to iOS 16.4, where the Home architecture upgrade is the biggest change.
iPadOS 16.4: Everything new in iOS 16.4 comes to your iPad, too.
macOS 13.3: New emojis, fixes for several iWork suite issues, and fixes for virtualization software, iCloud, Task Manager, and more.
Services
Apple TV+
Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in TK. If you want to know what’s coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content.
The Problem with Jon Stewart: The second half of season 2 returns after a short hiatus. March 3
Ted Lasso (season 3): Launching on a new Wednesday schedule, the third and possibly final season of Apple TV+’s biggest show starts this month. March 15
Extrapolations: An 8-episode limited series anthology about climate change. It follows a group of interconnected human tales to show how every aspect of our world is going to be changing in the near future. March 17
My Kind of Country: A music competition series that Apple describes as having a “fresh, new documentary sensibility.” The hybrid series will break down cultural and musical barriers in country music, inviting innovative musicians to unleash their authentic voices and take center stage.” March 17
Servant: The finale of one of the original Apple TV+ shows airs as the M. Night Shyamalan thriller wraps up its four-season run. March 17
The Big Door Prize: Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name, “The Big Door Prize” tells the story of a small town that is forever changed when a mysterious machine appears in the general store, promising to reveal each resident’s true life potential. March 27
Tetris: A feature film based on the unbelievable true story about how one of the most popular and famous games of all time was discovered licensed, and distributed out of the Cold War-era Soviet Union. March 31
Apple Arcade
Apple releases new games to Apple Arcade on Fridays, but not every Friday is marked by a new game or significant update. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Some games are released with no forewarning, but you’ll often see several projects listed in the Coming Soon section.
Kimono Cats: An easy-to-play game for all ages where your cat and a companion walk through a Japanese festival playing minigames. March 3
Osmos+: The unique cell absorption game from 2009 will be updated and released on Apple Arcade. March 17
Clue: The Classic Mystery Game+: It’s the Clue board game, come to life on your iPhone. March 24
Human: Fall Flat+: A goofy physics platformer played solo or with up to 4 player online. March 31