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 (or a computer screen) to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these “Special Events,” and streams them online to its millions of fans.
Even in years like 2020 and 2021, nothing stops Apple from creating and launching new products at a series of events. In 2021 there were four such events: a spring event on 20 April, WWDC on 7 June, the iPhone launch event on 14 September, and a Mac launch on 18 October. In 2020 we even had an additional event in November.
So far in 2022 Apple has held one event – the Peak Performance spring Apple Event on 8 March at which it launched a new iPhone SE, iPad Air, the Mac Studio and Studio Display. The first keynote of 2022 is history, and now we have a date for the second.
WWDC will be Apple’s next major event. The Worldwide Developers Conference will be held from June 6-10 and it will kick off with a keynote.
Read on to find out what events and new product launches Apple might have in store for the rest of 2022.
When is Apple’s next event?
- WWDC 2022 will kick off with a keynote on Monday 6 June at 10am PT.
What happens at an Apple Keynote?
Apple used to hold live events at which the company would unveil its latest products and plans during a keynote address in front of a large crowd.
Following the pandemic Apple doesn’t tend to invite people to events, but it makes no less of an impact by inviting everyone to join it in an online broadcast.
For WWDC in 2022 there will be a limited audience of students and developers at Apple’s Theater, but we assume everything will still be broadcast in the same format it has been for the past couple of years – rather than being filmed in front of the audience.
Apple usually holds four such events a year, but some years there will be no spring event and other years Apple will skip the October event. Based on previous years, you can expect Apple’s year to look something like this:
- March/April (often includes iPads)
- June (WWDC – mostly software, sometimes high-end/pro hardware)
- September (iPhones and Apple Watches)
- October (iPads and consumer-focused Macs)
What time will the next Apple event start?
Apple’s events usually start at 10am at Apple’s HQ in California, which is 6pm UK time.
Here’s what that translates to in the countries where most of our readers live:
- US: at 10am (PST/PDT), 11am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1pm (EST/EDT)
- Canada: as above, and 2pm (AST/ADT)
- UK: at 6pm (GMT/BST)
- Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST)
- India: at 10.30pm (IST)
- Australia: next day at 1am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30am (ACST/ACDT), 3am (AEST/AEDT)
- New Zealand: next day at 5am (NZST/NZDT)
Apple events usually last between one and two hours.
WWDC 2022 event
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- Monday 6 June 2022
The date for the WWDC 2022 keynote is no surprise – it is what we forecast based on the usual timing for WWDC. With the exception of 2020 the conference has been held in the first week of June, with one or two exceptions. Here are the dates at which WWDC has kicked off in previous years. The event is a week long and the keynote is always on the Monday.
In 2022 WWDC will run from Monday 6 June to Friday 10 June.
What will Apple launch at the WWDC event?
Apple always reveals its new operating systems at WWDC. This year, that means: iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16.
New hardware sometimes makes an appearance at WWDC as well, and it’s usually the stuff that developers care most about: “Pro” model Macs. New MacBook Pro models were just announced in late 2021, but the Mac Pro desktop could make an appearance, as could a new Mac mini (a favorite product among developers).
The following new products could launch at WWDC 2022, including:
- A new iMac Pro. Apple has discontinued the 27in iMac model (at least for now) but there are plenty of rumours that a new iMac Pro is coming. Many will be hoping for an iMac Pro with M1 Ultra at WWDC.
- Apple will undoubtedly have its work cut out upgrading the Mac Pro – assuming that it keeps it in the line up. The Mac Pro needs to be customisable and upgradable if it is to meet the demands of the market it is designed for. Plus it should trump the already impressive Mac Studio with M1 Ultra. We can’t wait to see what Apple has up its sleeve with the Mac Pro in 2022.
- The release of the Mac Studio makes the future of the remaining Intel Mac mini uncertain, but is still possible that Apple will replace the Intel version of the Mac mini with a Mac mini powered by the M1 Pro or M1 Max. It not, an M2 Mac mini is expected by the end of the year.
- There are also lots of rumours indicating that a new-look MacBook Air with M2 chip is in the works at Apple. We could see this alongside a new 13in MacBook Pro with M2.
September 2022 iPhone event
- Tuesday 13 or Wednesday 14 September 2022 – predicted.
Who knows what autumn 2022 could bring, but Apple has launched a new iPhone in the September of practically every year in the past decade, so a new iPhone seems almost certain for September.
2020 was an exception to that rule – with the iPhone launch in October, but the company still held a September event. Apple clearly likes to hold September events.
On that basis, if you want to pencil in a potential date for an iPhone launch – or at least a September event – based on the dates Apple has held previous September events took place on we predict Tuesday 13 or Wednesday 14 September 2022.
- 2021: Tuesday 14 September
- 2020: Tuesday 15 September (Not an iPhone event)
- 2019: Tuesday 10 September
- 2018: Wednesday 12 September
- 2017: Tuesday 12 September
- 2016: Wednesday 7 September
- 2015: Wednesday 9 September
- 2014: Tuesday 9 September
- 2013: Tuesday 10 September
- 2012: Wednesday 12 September
What will Apple launch at the September 2022 event?
- The iPhone 14 seems like a safe bet. In 2022 the line up is expected to consist of two medium size iPhones and two large iPhones. There will not be a mini iPhone in 2022, apparently.
- Apple Watch 8 is also likely to launch. Maybe in 2022 we will see the Apple Watch redesign that was rumoured for 2021, but never appeared. Read: Why Apple Watch 7 didn’t match the leaks: Prosser’s conspiracy theory.
- Apple launched new AirPods in October 2021, but there are new AirPods Pro coming in 2022, according to rumours. The iPhone event seems most likely.
October 2022 Mac event
- Tuesday 12 October 2022 – predicted
In 2020 October saw Apple unveil the iPhone 12. It was an unusual year though and normally the iPhone would have made its premiere in September. October is usually the month when Apple announces new Macs and new iPads.
Wondering what date to pencil in for 2022? The October events of the past have (or haven’t) taken place on the following dates, so we anticipate an event on Tuesday 12 or Wednesday 13 October.
- 2021: Monday 18 October
- 2020: Tuesday 13 October
- 2019: no event
- 2018: Tuesday 30 October
- 2017: no event
- 2016: Thursday 27 October
- 2015: no event
- 2014: Thursday 16 October
- 2013: Tuesday 22 October
- 2012: Tuesday 23 October
- 2011: Tuesday 4 October
What will Apple launch in October 2022?
- November 2022 will mark exactly two years since the arrival of the first M1 Mac, and as Apple said that it would complete its transition of Macs from Intel to its own silicon within two years. We hope that Apple will have launched M-series chips in all its Macs, but if it hasn’t by this point you can be sure to see them at this autumn event.
- We could also see the iPad Pro gain an M2 chip at this event, although we expect to see that in Macs first. Read about the 2022 iPad Pro.
Spring 2023 event
We don’t know when Apple will hold its first event of 2023, but here’s when the last ten spring events have happened:
- 2022: Tuesday 8 March (virtual event)
- 2021: Tuesday 20 April (virtual event)
- 2020: no March event due to COVID-19 lockdown, but iPhone SE launched on 24 April 2020
- 2019: Monday 25 March
- 2018: Tuesday 27 March
- 2017: no March event
- 2016: Monday 21 March
- 2015: Monday 9 March
- 2014: no March event
- 2013: no March event
- 2012: Wednesday 7 March
- 2011:Wednesday 2 March
- 2010: Thursday 8 April (there was also a January event that year)
WWDC 2023 event
It’s a safe bet that WWDC23 will happen at the beginning of June 2023. Here’s when the last ten WWDC events have happened:
- WWDC 2022: 6-10 June
- WWDC 2021: 7-11 June
- WWDC 2020: 22-26 June
- WWDC 2019: 3-7 June
- WWDC 2018: 4-8 June
- WWDC 2017: 5-9 June
- WWDC 2016: 13-17 June
- WWDC 2015: 8-12 June
- WWDC 2014: 2-6 June
- WWDC 2013: 10-14 June
- WWDC 2012: 11-15 June
