Apple Announces April 20 Special Event, Here's What New Products We Expect To See

As usual, the event will start at 1 pm EST, and you can expect to hear from Apple CEO Tim Cook, Craig Federighi, and other Apple executives as they wax poetic about the next generation of "magical" products that will be available to consumers. Speaking of new products, here's a rundown of what could be announced next week.

Fifth-Generation iPad Pros Might Adopt Mini-LED Display Tech

The fourth-generation iPad Family launched back in early 2020, so it's about time for an update. This time around, the A12Z Bionic SoC is reportedly being tossed in favor of an A14X Bionic that shares more in common with the incredibly powerful M1 used in Apple's most recent Macs.

The iPad Pro will continue to be available in 11- and 12.9-inch form factors, but it is the latter that will be the most exciting offering. According to reports, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will adopt mini-LED technology for its display to improve contrast ratio, picture quality, and overall power efficiency. There are also rumors of Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, and cellular models will likely adopt the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G modem found in the current iPhone 12 family of smartphones.

There are also reports that the standard iPad and iPad mini could also see redesigns and new SoCs to improve performance and efficiency.

New Macs Could Include iMacs And MacBook Pros

It has long been rumored that the iMac would be the next member of the Mac family to adopt Apple Silicon, and if recent reports are accurate, we could see all-new models debut at next week's event. It's rumored that the new iMac will be available in both 24-inch and 31.5-inch display sizes with much smaller bezels (the current iMac is notorious for its unsightly "chin"). A new, more powerful M1(X) processor is allegedly on deck with a 12-core CPU and a 16-core GPU. It's also reported that Apple will inject some color into the lineup (just like the original iMac) with Space Gray, Green, Sky Blue, and Rose Gold colors mimicking what's available with the current-generation iPad Air.

Another possibility is that Apple could launch new MacBook Pros, including a completely redesigned 14-inch model that would sit above the current entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro would also use the M1X SoC and be available with more RAM (up to 32GB) and four Thunderbolt 4 ports (up from 2). Expect to see thinner bezels around the display to give the notebook a more "modern" appearance. There are also rumors that a MagSafe power connector could return along with an HDMI port and a microSD reader.

Where Art Thou AirTags?

Apple AirTags have been rumored for months and were allegedly supposed to launch last year before being delayed. They are supposed to work like Tile trackers, allowing you to attach them to just about anything and use the Find My app to locate them. AirTags reputedly use Ultra-Wideband technology which is found on iPhone 11 and newer devices.

Stay tuned to HotHardware as we'll be covering all the leaks leading up to next week, along with the event itself. For the Apple fans out there, which [rumored] product are you most excited about for release? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

iMac render courtesy svetapple.sk