Updated 04/21/21: Apple’s ‘Spring Loaded’ event is now over, and we expect the next event to be WWDC on June 7. Read about everything Apple announced at the ‘Spring Loaded’ event.
Apple doesn’t often participate in big industry-wide events like CES or E3. The most valuable company in the world holds its own events, thank you very much. Several times a year, Apple invites the press and industry professionals out to a theater to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these “Special Events,” and streams them online to its millions of fans.
There’s also WWDC, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, a multi-day event in the middle of the year focused on sessions for developers, helping them make the most out of the latest Apple tools and products. It kicks off with a big keynote that serves to announce new products (typically the latest versions of iOS and macOS, as well as a few hardware products).
Here’s a list of the events we expect Apple to hold in the remainder of 2021, and what we expect the company to announce at each one. We’ll update this list throughout the year as we get a clearer picture of when Apple will take the stage and what it will announce.
WWDC: June 7
Apple has announced that WWDC 21 will be held from June 7-11. It will once again be held in an “all-digital” format and will be free to all developers. The keynote will likely be held at 10 a.m. PT on Monday, June 7.
WWDC always focuses primarily on the new version of Apple’s operating systems: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. As a developer-focused event, detailing the upcoming changes and new features for these is critical to allowing developers time to get their software ready for a fall release.
Apple often showcases new hardware as well, especially new Macs (which developers are always keen on). In 2019, WWDC introduced the new Mac Pro and ProDisplay XDR. In 2020 there were no new specific products announced, but Apple did detail its Apple silicon transition.
It seems likely that we’ll hear about new Mac products using Apple silicon at this event. The company already introduced the new 24-inch iMac in April, but it may have a larger model in the works as well. New MacBooks could include a redesigned MacBook Pro with thinner bezels and flat edges. We’re still holding out hope for a new standard iPad and iPad mini, too.
iPhones and Apple Watch (September)
Apple almost always unveils the new iPhones and Apple Watch (or Watches—Apple released two in 2020) during an event around the second week of September. These are huge products, and the event rarely leaves room for anything else.
In 2020, thanks to the pandemic, this event was virtual and about a month later than usual. It’s unclear yet whether this year will be similar.
We have a summary of the latest iPhone 13 rumors, which you should always take with a grain of salt.
October surprise
Apple sometimes hosts an event in October to round out the year with a few last-minute product releases. These are often new iPads or Macs, but there’s no reason Apple couldn’t announce something like AR glasses at its own event later in the year.
In 2020, the “October” event was virtual and delayed a month, just as the “September” event was. It introduced the wonderful M1-based Macs. It’s too early to know whether Apple will have an event in October this year, and if so, whether it will be live or virtual.
Developer-only events
Throughout the year, Apple holds online virtual developer events meant to help developers make the best use of Apple’s products, software, and ecosystem. Examples from early in the year include “Building Great Widget Experiences,” “Bring Your iPad App to Mac,” and “Building Great App Clip Experiences.”
Apple doesn’t announce products (hardware nor software) at these events, and there’s no need to focus on them if you’re not a registered Apple developer producing software for Apple products. It’s always interesting to see what areas Apple feels it needs to bolster, however. In this case, it seems the company doesn’t see as much use of Widgets, App Clips, and Catalyst as it would like.
Awards and honors
Apple has given out app awards for years, but 2019 was the first time there was an actual ceremony for such. The Best of 2019 app awards were held at small event in New York, with mostly the nominated developers and some press in attendance. It was not streamed online.
Also for the first time in 2019, Apple held an awards ceremony for Apple Music. There was a live-streamed performance by Artist of the Year Billie Elish as part of it, the event as a whole was kept mostly to the music industry.
In 2020, these events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Awards were still given, but there was no event. This year, Apple will certainly honor app developers and musicians with awards, but it’s too early to know if there will be an event around it or not.
