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Everything You Need to Know About Apple’s March 21 Event

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 18, 2016, 2:50 PM ET

Apple’s next big press event kicks off on Monday, exciting the company’s fans and industry lovers, alike.

To help folks find out more about Apple’s event, what it has planned, and why it’s such a highly anticipated show, Fortune has compiled the following FAQ detailing the key players, the possible announcements, and how they can find out what Apple announces. Read on to find out everything there is to know about Apple’s March 21 event.

What: Apple’s (AAPL) March 21 show, called “Let us loop you in,” is the company’s first major press event of the year. Apple typically holds a few events each year, but it keeps timing close to the vest. This year, Apple is expected to hold a software-focused keynote address at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, as well as an iPhone 7-focused event sometime in the late summer or early fall. But as with anything Apple-related, those dates are only rumored and could change at any time.

Where: Apple will be holding its next media event on March 21 at its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. If history is our guide, the attendees will include the press along with a slew of Apple employees cheering on their executives.

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For those not lucky enough to attend, Apple will be streaming its event live over the Internet using its own HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. Because it employs its own streaming technology, Apple is limiting to which devices the event is streamed. Apple has said that the livestream will only be accessible on Macs via the Safari browser and running OS X 10.8.5 or later, as well as iPads, iPhones, and iPods running iOS 7 or later. Apple TV owners will also be able to watch the event. As for PC owners? Microsoft has limited their access to Windows 10 PCs running the Microsoft Edge browser.

Anyone else, including Android users and those running third-party browsers, are out of luck.

When: Apple’s event will kick off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Monday, March 21. Again, if history is our guide, the show will likely last at least an hour—though it could stretch to two hours, depending on how many announcements Apple makes.

For more about Apple, watch:

Who: Apple has followed a formula for its events in recent years that it seems unlikely to break this time around. Expect Apple CEO Tim Cook to hit the stage first and talk about his company’s accomplishments. He might show off some statistics, and given his company’s recent issues with the FBI, Cook could have some remarks on privacy and encryption.

Typically, Cook leaves the product announcements to his executive team. If the rumors are true with some new hardware and software launching, that means there’s a good chance that Cook will hand the mic over to Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, who typically announces hardware, as well as Apple’s software engineering chief Craig Federighi. Other Apple executives, including Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Internet software and services, and chief design officer Jonathan Ive, will also likely be in attendance.

Why: Apple holds special events each year to showcase new products as well as capture media attention. The move has long been a way for Apple to outshine its competitors and build consumer excitement for its products.

This time around, Apple, which is notoriously secretive and has not said exactly what it will announce at the event, is expected to unveil new watchbands for its popular wearable Apple Watch. In addition, rumors abound that the company will showcase a new, 4-inch iPhone to be known as the iPhone SE, iPhone 5SE, or iPhone 6c. Apple could also introduce a new iPad Pro featuring a 9.7-inch screen to match the display size in its iPad Air 2. There have even been some hints that Apple could trot out some new Macs, though those rumors have lost some of their muster of late.

Read more: Apple Confirms Its ‘Let Us Loop You In’ March 21 Event

On the software side, Apple could roll out a new version of its mobile operating system, iOS, known as iOS 9.3. If the iOS 9.3 beta currently available to developers is any indication, that operating system would launch with better security in its Notes app, as well as a Night Shift feature, which makes looking at an iOS device a bit easier on the eyes at night. We might also see some tiny updates to Apple’s OS X and tvOS, which runs on the last-generation Apple TV that hit store shelves last year.

One more thing: Will there be something the rumor mill missed? Will Apple have one last surprise we didn’t see coming? Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was a master at saving the best for last and showcasing something secretive that analysts and pundits hadn’t expected. Over the last few years, Apple’s secrecy cred has diminished, due in large part to supply chain leaks. But it can still muster one or two surprises every now and then.

So, while it’s possible the “Let us loop you in” event will be standard fare and live up to what all the rumors are saying, there’s also a chance Cook and company could surprise us.

Ultimately, we’ll find out on March 21, so be sure to check back here on Fortune to see every last announcement from Apple’s show.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
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