Good news: there is a yellow iPhone 14. Bad news: This probably means that Apple has given up on the idea of a spring Apple event in 2023.
We had suspected it for a while, in fact. Apple originally planned to focus on its long-awaited AR headset at this year’s spring event, but the latest round of delay rumors means that’s unlikely to happen. (I say “latest,” but that’s not quite true: Even more reported delays mean the headset might not appear until the fall.) In the absence of the headliner, there was still a strong possibility that Apple would cancel the event entirely.
The launch of a new iPhone color, however, elevates the no-event theory from “strong possibility” to “virtual certainty.” The last two spring events have seen similar announcements: the iPhone 13 Pro Alpine Green was unveiled at the Peek Performance event in March 2022, while the purple iPhone 12 debuted at the Spring Loaded event. in April 2021. If Apple was still planning to hold an event in the spring of 2023, it would be cert ainly
After all, spring events don’t happen every year. Sure, there was one last year and the year before, but not in 2020 (although the onset of the Covid pandemic may have upended Apple’s plans for an event that showcased the iPhone SE, 4th generation iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard). There were spring events in 2018 and 2019, but not in 2017. We get used to routines, but that doesn’t mean they are set in stone. And logistical hassles aside, hosting an event when you have nothing upsetting to say is likely to dampen your audience’s interest the next time you send out invites.
Mind you, there’s a wildcard that could make this whole theory moot. It is believed that Apple has something quite interesting up its sleeve which could arrive as soon as April. The “surprise” this spring, if you can use that term for a product that has been leaked so widely, is the arrival of the 15-inch MacBook Air and the anticipated arrival of the M3 chip, which was expected in late 2023 or early 2024 but could likely appear in April.
Just as the announcement of the yellow iPhone means there probably won’t be a spring event, maybe the lack of a spring event means the MacBook Air isn’t coming yet. Or it’s just a bigger model and isn’t as exciting as we’d hope. Or Apple is laughing at us.
But assuming our math is correct, you’ll probably want to start watching WWDC for your next patch. See you in June, everyone.
