What to Expect From Apple's 'Let Us Loop You In' Media Event

Apple's 'Let Us Loop You In' media event kicks-off Monday March 21st at 1pm ET / 10am PT. The company is expected to reveal some new hardware and announce plenty of software updates for its current product lineup.

HARDWARE
iPhone SE
Apple is expected to unveil a 4-inch iPhone SE on Monday. The iPhone SE is rumored to look very similar to an iPhone 5s, but come with hardware that rivals the iPhone 6. It may feature slightly rounded edges and a "slightly curved" display. It's also predicted to pack a 12MP camera, an A9/M9 chip for "Hey Siri", NFC for Apple Pay, 802.11ac Wi-FI, Bluetooth 4.2, Live Photos support, and a slightly larger 1642 mAh battery. The iPhone SE will reportedly not feature 3D Touch, a feature that will likely remain an iPhone 6s exclusive.

The iPhone SE is expected to be available in the same colors as the iPhone 6s -- Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold in 16GB or 32GB variants. Pricing remains unknown, but the device will likely range anywhere from $400-$500 (off contract).


9.7-inch iPad Pro
Apple is looking to rejuvenate its iPad lineup with a new iPad Pro. The new 9.7-inch iPad will feature many of the same features as the current iPad Pro, but maintain the same size of the current iPad Air 2. The device is believed to feature an A9X processor, four speakers, a Smart Connector, and support for the Apple Pencil. The display is also rumored to include brightness and anti-glare improvements over the iPad Air 2. An upgraded 12-megapixel camera is expected as well.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is said to start at $599 for a 32GB Wi-FI only model. Apple will likely continue to sell the iPad Air 2 at $499.

Apple Watch Bands
There will probably be no announcement of an 'Apple Watch 2' on Monday, but Apple is expected to announce some new Apple Watch Bands. We're anticipating new colors of Apple Watch Sports bands and a new Space Black Milanese Loop. Rumors also suggest Apple has been working on a new nylon Apple Watch Band, but it remains unclear if that will be announced at the event.

SOFTWARE UPDATES
iOS 9.3
Apple will likely show off iOS 9.3 at its event on Monday ahead of its imminent release. iOS 9.3 brings numerous new features including....
● Night Shift: Night Shift uses your iOS device’s clock and geolocation to determine when it’s sunset in your location. Then it automatically shifts the colors in your display to the warmer end of the spectrum, making it easier on your eyes. In the morning, it returns the display to its regular settings. ● Secure Notes: Now you can secure the notes that contain your most personal data with a password or fingerprint. You can also sort notes by date created, date modified, or alphabetically.
● More Personalized News: The articles in For You are now better tailored to your particular interests.
● Improved Health Dashboard: Categories such as Weight, Workouts, and Sleep have a new slider menu that reveals great apps you can easily add to your Health dashboard. The Health app also now displays your move, exercise, and stand data, as well as your goals, from Apple Watch.
● CarPlay Updates: CarPlay adds New and For You from Apple Music — with songs, artists, and albums handpicked by experts, plus selections based on your preferences. A nearby feature in Maps lets you find gas, parking, restaurants, coffee, and more with a tap.
● Education Updates: Shared iPad, Classroom App, Apple School Manager, Managed Apple IDs, and more.


watchOS 2.2
In conjunction with iOS 9.3, watchOS 2.2 supports pairing multiple watches to your iPhone. The firmware also brings an improved Maps app with Nearby and shortcuts for navigating home and to work.

OS X 10.11.4
While just a minor update, OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 will be released soon. It brings secure notes, live photos to messages, and other stability/performance improvements.

tvOS 9.2
Apple will likely talk about how its new Apple TV is doing and introduce tvOS 9.2 which brings various new features including:
● Bluetooth Keyboard support
● Folders support for grouping apps on Home screen
● MapKit support
● Siri support for US Spanish (in US only) and French Canadian
(in Canada only)
● Siri support for UK English, Australian English and US English available across the UK,
Australian and US Storefronts when English is set as the system language
● Updated App Switcher UI
● Voice dictation for usernames and passwords

There have been rumors that Apple could introduce some improvements to iTunes and of course it's just about time for Apple to update its MacBooks. Unfortunately, it's been a while since we've heard reports of any Skylake upgrades. We'll be covering the event with a live blog so make sure to tune in tomorrow!

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