Apple Announces a ‘Special Apple Experience’ on March 4
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With multiple Apple products expected to launch any day now, Apple has just given us a date to circle on the calendar. Today, the company sent out press invites to select members of the media to attend a “special Apple Experience” in one of three cities around the world: New York, London, and Shanghai.
Apple notably steers clear of the word “event” in this invite, which suggests a lower-key boutique briefing rather than the more typical launch events we see live-streamed from Apple Park. There’s a good chance the public won’t be invited to this one at all — virtually or otherwise.
It’s not uncommon for Apple to hold these press briefings, and it’s long had an office set up in New York City precisely for this purpose. Some had anticipated that Apple would use this to show off the Gemini-powered Siri — and the word “Experience” feels like it could be a subtle nod to that, although recent reports that it’s running behind schedule throw some cold water on that notion. Apple has insisted that the new Siri is still coming in 2026 in a rather oblique statement that doesn’t expressly deny the rumors of its delay.
Apple has plenty of physical products in the pipeline. The A19-powered iPhone 17e is widely expected to be just around the corner, along with an iPad 12 and even a $699 MacBook, both expected to be powered by variations on the A18 chip.
Apple may choose to unveil these together on March 4 and give the press some hands-on time, but we’ve also seen reliable reports saying the iPhone 17e was slated to debut this week on February 19. A Thursday unveiling would be rare, but it’s also exactly one year after the iPhone 16e was announced, so it does add a bit of synergy to the mix.
Still, the iPhone 17e is also a bit of an outlier compared to the new iPad and MacBook that are coming. Those both have a stronger place in education and enterprise. The MacBook would also carve out an entirely new category, reviving a third tier in the lineup that’s been vacant since the 12-inch model was retired nearly a decade ago.
Of course, those aren’t the only products Apple has coming. We’re also expecting new MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a new M4 iPad Air, and a refreshed Studio Display. There’s also the next-gen Apple TV and HomePod mini, both of which feel overdue at this point, as many sources expected these to arrive last fall.
Then there’s Apple’s so-called “HomePad,” which could lend itself well to a boutique event where press could get hands-on without Apple having to suffer the dog-and-pony show of a big public event. However, Siri has been pegged as the main reason that device has been taking so long, and it’s likely sitting on the back burner until Apple can get its voice assistant smartened up for the iPhone. The fact that we haven’t heard too much about this device in recent weeks suggests it’s more likely to arrive later in the year.
So, get your bingo cards ready. Apple’s “experience” could involve some or all of the above, and at this point we’re left making only educated guesses as to what might come. Some like to try and read into Apple’s invite artwork — and this one certainly has a colorful glass aesthetic that could hint at new products like the MacBook — but those are also often red herrings. The real guesswork is based primarily on what types of things the company is likely to slip out via newsroom announcements versus what it feels a need to show off — but only to members of the media, rather than to the world at large from a virtual stage at Apple Park.
