Apple has invited members of the tech press to a "special Apple experience" scheduled for March 4, signalling a potential shift from its traditional single-keynote format for product launches. According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company is planning a "three-day flurry of announcements" leading up to the event.
The announcements are expected to be made online, culminating in the March 4 experience, which will consist of three separate in-person events in New York, London, and Shanghai. At these locations, journalists will reportedly be offered hands-on time with the newly announced products.
New Format for Product Reveals
Industry analyst John Gruber of Daring Fireball has speculated that the core of the March 4 event could be "a hands-on thing with in-person demos," aligning with Gurman's reporting. This approach marks a departure from Apple's standard practice of unveiling all new products during a single, streamed presentation.
Apple is expected to announce at least five new products during this period. A key anticipated reveal is a new low-cost MacBook. Other products reportedly under consideration for announcement include the rumoured iPhone 17e, an iPad Air equipped with an M4 chip, a new entry-level iPad model, and upgraded versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Uncertain Spring Launch Schedule
While Gurman confirmed that all these products are due for release in the spring, he expressed less certainty about which specific devices would be unveiled during the upcoming multi-day announcement window. The strategy suggests Apple may be staggering its reveals to maintain media momentum and consumer interest over several days.
The move comes as the company seeks to refresh several key product lines ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), typically held in June. The hands-on sessions in major global cities are designed to generate extensive media coverage and first impressions from influential tech reviewers.
Apple has not provided official details on the specific products to be announced or the full schedule for the "three-day flurry." The company's invitation simply states the date for the "special Apple experience," leaving the tech industry anticipating a series of coordinated online and in-person reveals.