Apple is set to unveil a new round of products on Monday, but there's an unusual twist — the event comes the day before the company is due to face off with the government in a California court.
Although analysts don’t think there will be any groundbreaking products in this round of reveals, there are still plenty of updated items that techies and iJunkies have been looking forward to.
“This cycle will be about the small, medium, and large. Giving options to what people prefer,” said Frank Gillett, analyst with Forrester Research. Think more cropped versions of the current staples, he said.
First up is the rumored iPhone SE, which is expected to be smaller than the iPhone 6.
“It will be a basic cut and paste of the 6S, but into a 4-inch design,” said Gillett. The change makes sense for those who were patiently waiting for an alternative size and something a little less pricey, he said.
But that's not the only shrunken item on the menu. Apple is expected to introduce an updated iPad Pro that will be smaller than the current model.
“Another copy and paste from big to a mid-size version,” said Gillett.
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It may be a good time for a change for iPad 2 users who’ve been looking for an update. The new iPad Pro is expected to measure in at 9.7 inches.
But most Apple product launches are surrounded by a swirl of rumors around new devices or cool operating system changes — not a looming court showdown that involves a terrorism investigation wrapped in serious concerns about Internet Age privacy and security.
Since the days of Steve Jobs, the tech giant has liked to be in control of its message. This week promises to be a busy one for the company.
“Apple is strategic, and having this launch the day before court seems intentional,” says Jason Morris, executive vice president of tech PR firm InkHouse.
But others said they're just two events that happened to coincidence in another week of doing business for one of the most valuable and recognizable brands on the planet.
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“The product launch is about devices, and Apple will keep it device-centric,” said Ramon Llamas, a tech analyst for IDC.
“It’s a pretty small event for Apple, in a smaller venue with less people and industry insiders. If they really wanted to use this as platform to talk about security or send some message, it’s pretty low budget,” said Gene Munster, managing director and research analyst at Piper Jaffray.