Apple Peek Performance launch: new iPhone SE, Mac mini and MacBook Pro at March 9 event

An upgraded budget iPhone, new MacBook Pro and a souped-up Mac mini desktop are among devices Apple could drop early on March 9.

Apple has announced a launch event for March 9 entitled "Peek Performance".

An upgraded budget iPhone is among devices Apple is tipped to launch early on March 9.

A new MacBook Pro and a souped up Mac mini desktop are among other devices that may launch at the “Peek Performance” event, to be streamed from Apple Park early in the day AEDT.

The event was announced on Thursday.

The third iteration of the budget iPhone SE range may continue to be modelled on the iPhone 8 with old fashioned Touch ID and a home button.

Unlike later designs, the iPhone SE doesn’t offer an edge-to-edge display, rather a 4.7-inch screen with a fair sized bezel and no face recognition.

However, something more modern may be in the wings. According to the Apple focused news site 9to5Mac, the latest rumour is that the iPhone SE 3 may adopt features from the iPhone XR such as Face ID, although it says this is unlikely to happen.

Some updates are likely such as a faster chip: the A15 Bionic instead of the current A13 Bionic, and full blown 5G connectivity also available on current models. Hopefully Apple wouldn’t compromise the most basic of functions on an iPhone – connectivity – to save dollars.

Rival publication MacRumours also tips one new Mac, a more powerful Mac mini desktop and a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

An earlier version of Apple’s budget iPhone SE which is small in size but big on features, such as portrait mode and HDR photography.

In Australia the existing second version of the budget iPhone SE costs from $679, comes with 64, 128 or 256GB of storage and has a 4.7-inch IPS screen. The cheapest iPhone 13 – the mini, starts at more than $400 more which is why the SE is regarded as relatively cheap.

The SE 2 can shoot 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, has 3x digital zoom, slow motion support at up to 240 frames per second with a 12 megapixel wide camera at rear and a 7 megapixel snapper at front. You should at least get that with an upgraded model.

Given that Apple is discontinuing the iPhone mini range with the iPhone 13 mini the last in line, and given it has a 5.4-inch display, Apple might increase the SE display size from 4.7 inches to 5.4 inches. The company has concluded that 4.7 inches isn’t a goer in the market. But this is speculation too.

A Mac mini desktop with a faster chip has been on the cards since last year. The current Mac mini with an M1 chip has proved a success. It manages a combination of speed and yet at $1099 for the base model, is one of Apple’s most affordable desktop workhorses. One with an M1 Pro or newer chip, and more connections could be popular up-market given more people now work from home where a desktop makes some sense. But we’d expect a price increase.

The Apple Mac mini desktop computer with an M1 chip was a success. A faster model may be announced at the March 2022 event.

Apple might also release a new generation M2 chip at this event and make it available on a MacBook Pro model. We’d expect more M2 devices throughout 2022.

Another tip is that Apple will release a more powerful iPad Air that is 5G capable and has a faster A15 chip and a higher resolution FaceTime camera.

Foad Fadaghi, managing director of technology analyst firm Telsyte, said a budget conscious Apple user might be tempted by the improved features that a new iPhone SE offers. “If they bring Face ID or 5G it might represent good value for a budget conscious consumer, but it is difficult to say whether it (a new budget phone) will bring over any Android customers.”

Mr Fadaghi said there was pent up demand for a Mac mini desktop with an M1 Pro or M2 chip. Reverting to a desktop might be attractive now to many Mac users.

“If you look at the sale of peripherals such as monitors and keyboards, the conditions are ripe for a Mac mini type product whether it be for professional or semi-professional use.”