Apple’s Monday, March 9 event will likely be almost entirely centered on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch is such a big deal for the company — it’s Apple’s first new product line since it introduced the iPad back in 2010 — that it’s unlikely to make any other big announcements, instead using the time to answer the many lingering questions about Apple’s first wearable.
Still, that doesn’t mean CEO Tim Cook won’t resist the chance to show us One More Thing.
What else could Apple announce at Monday’s Apple Watch event? We could see the much-rumored and long-awaited Retina MacBook Air, which would put an ultra-high resolution display in Apple’s entry-level lightweight laptop.
Apple has yet to say it’s working on such a machine, but the rumor mill is running hot these days: The Wall Street Journalreported last week that Apple suppliers have already started producing a MacBook Air with a “higher-resolution display” that clocks in at 12 inches, sitting neatly between the 11- and 13-inch Air models currently available.
Still, the Journal’s story indicated that 12-inch Air won’t ship until the second quarter of the year. That means Apple could announce the laptop at its next Worldwide Developers Conference, an annual event, typically in early June, which Apple often uses to make product announcements. Delaying the 12-inch Air’s introduction would make sense if Apple doesn’t want to pull attention away from the Apple Watch, sure to be the star of Monday’s show.
Other possibilities? The Apple TV is due for a refresh, but there haven’t been many indications Apple is set to make any kind of announcement here. We could also see minor improvements to other Apple hardware, like the MacBook Pro and 11- and 13-inch MacBook Air models. Those looking for a bigger iPad, meanwhile, will probably come away disappointed for now.
11 Amazing Features of the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is the company's' first entirely new product category since the original iPad. It's a huge gamble for Apple and a test of the still-nascent wearable market.Stephen Lam—Reuters/CorbisThe Watch is the most customizable and varied product Apple has likely ever launched. It'll come in three editions made of different metals and be available with multiple snap-in wrist bands. Prices start at $349.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesThe Watch has a touch interface that can sense the difference between a light touch and hard press. But it also has a "digital crown" that allows users to quickly scroll through lists without obscuring the screen.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesThe Watch must be paired with an iPhone for many of its functions. The device piggybacks on the phone's data and GPS connections to pipe in directions or incoming voice calls and text messages, for instance.Stephen Lam—ReutersThe Watch, like Apple's other iDevices, will have various independent apps. Examples include a Tesla app that shows the status of your electric car when it's charging and a Starwood app that lets the Watch act as your room key.Stephen Lam—ReutersApple's fitness app, one of the device's main selling points, tracks runs, walks and bike rides.Stephen Lam—ReutersThe Watch also can track your heart rate (while resting, while active) throughout the day thanks to these light sensors on the back.Koichi Mitsui—AFLO/CorbisIt also has Apple Pay, the company's digital payments platform. Swipe the Watch in front of a compatible kiosk and it will make an automatic online payment.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesCEO Tim Cook has said the Watch will last about a day before it needs to be recharged. So far, battery life has been the biggest downside of most wearables. The Watch recharges through the magnetic system shown here.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesThe Watch will come with many customizable bands that slip on and click in place at the top and bottom of the device's body.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesIt also comes in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm, to fit on different size wrists.Monica Davey—EPAHigher-end models of the watch could cost several thousands of dollars.Stephen Lam—ReutersApple is significantly expanding it's product reach.Justin Sullivan—Getty ImagesAnd there's one more thing...David Paul Morris—Bloomberg/Getty ImagesIt tells the time.Marcio Jose Sanchez—AP
