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Apple's 2021 Event Plans: New Products and Software Coming in 2021

Macrumors, Wednesday September 22, 2021 4:34 PM PDT by Juli Clover

In an average year, Apple holds three to four events. There's usually a spring event in March, the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, a September event that's focused on iPhone and Apple Watch, and sometimes an October event if there are iPads or Macs expected in the fall.

In this guide, we're keeping track of all of the Apple events that are on the horizon and what we're expecting to see at each one, so make sure to check back in regularly.

April Event

Apple held an event in April 2021 and introduced AirTags, new iMac models, an updated Apple TV 4K, and refreshed versions of the 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

June Event - WWDC

Apple held the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, debuting  iOS 15 , iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, tvOS 15, and  macOS 12 Monterey . Details on everything new in these software updates can be found in our dedicated roundups.

No new hardware was introduced at WWDC, with Apple instead focusing on the new software updates that were released in the fall.

September 14 event

Apple held its annual iPhone-centric event on Tuesday, September 14. At the  "California Streaming" event , Apple unveiled the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, all of which launched on September 24.

Apple also introduced the iPad mini 6 and the ninth-generation iPad, also with a September 24 release date.

The Apple Watch Series 7 was introduced at the September event, but due to supply constraints caused by manufacturing issues, it has been delayed until later in the fall.

Upcoming October/November Event

Apple often holds a second fall event after its September event, sometimes focused on iPads or Macs. These events have taken place in October and November in the past, so we could see a late fall event this year as well for products that don't come out at the September event. The MacBook Pro is expected this fall, and it's a such a significant update that it's likely to have its own event separate from the iPhone event at some point between September and October.

MacBook Pro

Apple is working on 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that are expected in the third quarter of 2021. The new machines will feature the most significant design overhaul to the MacBook Pro line that we've seen since 2016, introducing a flat-edged design. The new MacBook Pros will charge over MagSafe, will have more ports, and will have physical function keys instead of a Touch Bar. It will use upgraded M1X Apple silicon chips with a 10-core CPU that features eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores, along with 16-core or 32-core GPU options and support for up to 64GB RAM.

Mac mini

Apple  is developing  a high-end version of the Mac mini, which will feature additional ports and a more powerful Apple silicon chip. It will include an improved version of the M1 chip with a 10-core CPU that has eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores, plus 16-core or 32-core GPU options. The Apple silicon chip will support up to 64GB RAM and four Thunderbolt ports, and since it is expected to be the same chip as the MacBook Pro, the new Mac mini could come out in the fall.

AirPods 3

Apple is working on a new version of the AirPods, which will look similar to the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Cancellation, allowing Apple to sell them at a lower price point. There were multiple rumors suggesting the AirPods 3 would launch in the first half of 2021, but that information was inaccurate and it now appears AirPods are launching in the third quarter. Mass production is set to begin in August, which means we could see a September launch alongside new iPhones.

Products With Unknown Release Dates

There are several other products rumored to be in the works for 2021 and 2022, but we don't know exactly when these updates are coming.

· AirPods Pro  - Apple is working on a new version of the AirPods Pro with a more compact design and a new wireless chip. The design is said to eliminate the short stem that sticks out from the bottom, resulting in a more rounded shape closer in design to competing wire-free earbuds from Google and Samsung.

· MacBook Air  - Apple  is developing  a thinner and lighter version of the MacBook Air that will have thinner bezels than the current model. The machine will feature MagSafe charging technology and a pair of USB 4 ports for connecting external devices. It will include an faster version of the M1 chip with the same number of computing cores as the M1 (eight). The new Apple silicon chip will support better graphics with nine or 10 GPU cores instead of the seven or eight in the current M1 MacBook Air.The new MacBook Air could come out in the second half of 2021 at the earliest, but Apple might choose to hold it until 2022.

· AR/VR Headset  - Apple is working on augmented/virtual reality headset that could come at some in 2022 or 2023. The headset is said to feature a dedicated display, built-in processor, and an "rOS" or reality operating system. Input will be via touch panels, voice activation, and head gestures, and it's said to have a high price point at around $2,000. Current rumors suggest a launch at the end of 2022.

· Mac Pro  - Apple is designing two versions of the Mac Pro, both of which feature a redesigned chassis that's smaller in size. The new Mac Pro models  will feature  high-end Apple silicon chip options with 20 or 40 computing cores, made up of 6 high-performance or 32 high-performance cores and four or eight high-efficiency cores. These upgraded chips are also expected to include 64 or 128 core GPUs.

· Larger iMac  - Apple is still developing a larger version of the iMac with more powerful Apple silicon chips, but  paused work  on the larger version to launch the 24-inch iMac model. There is no word on when the larger variant of the iMac might launch, but it is expected to include much more powerful Apple silicon chips.

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2021 Product Refreshes and Announcements

We have a list of all the products that Apple has released so far in 2021.

· April 2021 -  M1 iPad Pro

· April 2021 -  M1 iMac

· April 2021 - AirTag

· April 2021 -  Apple TV 4K

· April 2021 -  Podcast subscriptions

· May 2021 - Apple Music Lossless and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos

· June 2021 -  macOS 12 Monterey (Announced)

· July 2021 - MagSafe Battery Pack

· September 2021 -  iPhone 13 models

· September 2021 -  iPhone 13 Pro models

· September 2021 -  iPad mini 6

· September 2021 -  Ninth-generation iPad

· September 2021 -  Apple Watch Series 7 (Announced)

· September 2021 -  iOS 15

· September 2021 - iPadOS 15

· September 2021 - watchOS 8

· September 2021 - tvOS 15

2020 Product Refreshes and Announcements

This list of all of the products that Apple introduced in 2020 is useful for predicting some of the dates when we might see 2021 devices.

· March 2020 -  iPad Pro

· March 2020 -  Magic Keyboard

· March 2020 -  MacBook Air

· March 2020 -  Mac mini

· March 2020 - Powerbeats

· April 2020 -  iPhone SE

· May 2020 -  13-inch MacBook Pro

· June 2020 -  Apple Silicon chip plans

· June 2020 -  iOS 14

· June 2020 -  macOS Big Sur

· June 2020 - iPadOS 14

· June 2020 - watchOS 7

· June 2020 - tvOS 14

· August 2020 -  27-inch iMac

· September 2020 -  Apple Watch Series 6

· September 2020 -  Apple Watch SE

· September 2020 -  iPad Air

· September 2020 -  Eighth-Generation iPad

· October 2020 -  iPhone 12 and 12 mini

· October 2020 -  iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max

· October 2020 - HomePod mini

· October 2020 - MagSafe

· November 2020 -  M1 MacBook Air

· November 2020 -  M1 MacBook Pro

· November 2020 -  M1 Mac mini

· November 2020 -  macOS Big Sur

· December 2020 - AirPods Max

· December 2020 -  Apple Fitness+