Siri, you beautiful, dumb disaster bot. In what appears to be a goof, the voice assistant has leaked that the next Apple event will be next week on April 20.
If you ask Siri “When is the next Apple event?”, it will respond by saying “The special event is on Tuesday, April 20, at Apple Park in Cupertino, CA. You can get all the details on Apple.com.” The link then takes you to the Apple Event page — which is still stuck on the last event where it launched the first M1 MacBooks. This alleged blunder was first spotted by MacRumors, but Gizmodo independently verified it on both an iPhone 12 Pro Max and on an Apple HomePod.
Look, if you’ve been paying attention to recent Apple rumours, you knew a spring event was coming. Initially, leakers believed the event would be held on March 16, then March 23, but clearly, neither came to pass. Apple tends to announce its events about a week out, so Siri’s timing is spot-on and lends more credibility that it’s the real deal. We’re likely to see an official announcement once the sun’s up on the Pacific coast.
Despite the date, Apple almost definitely doesn’t want us to blaze it. What’s more likely are new iPads and the long-awaited, much-rumoured AirTags. A recent Bloomberg report hints that we’re probably looking at a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini LED display. Also on deck could be an 11-inch iPad Pro. Citing unnamed Apple sources, Bloomberg says the new iPad Pros will have an updated processor that’s “on par” with the M1 chip and improved cameras. Beyond the iPad Pros, it’s possible Apple will also refresh other models — though it’s unclear whether that announcement will happen at the April 20 event. However, it’s also possible that even if Apple announces these iPads, component shortages and MiniLED supply chain issues could mean a delayed launch.
Meanwhile, there’s also been strong evidence lately that the AirTags are finally upon us. Along with a steady stream of leaks, Apple recently launched a new Find My Certification app for developers, and a few days later, officially announced the Find My network had been expanded to third-party gadgets. There’s an outside chance we could see a new Apple TV as well. Not only has the streaming box not been updated in several years, but also the tvOS 14.5 beta hinted that significant changes are coming to the Apple TV remote.
In any case, we won’t have to wait long to find out. Unless, you know, Siri somehow botched this too.