What we're not getting at Apple's March 8 event

If Apple's "Peek Performance" event tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8, were food, it wouldn't be a full course dinner or even an appetizer. But it would still be an excellent plate of hors d'oeuvres able to fill each of our appetites after the long, bleak winter. In other words, though it's always lovely when Apple holds an event because it means more goodies to explore, like spring events of the past, don't expect tomorrow's big show to feature the next iPhone flagship or cutting-edge MacBook Pro. Instead, we're likely to see next-generation versions of the iPhone SE, iPad Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro.

What will we see in 2022 from Apple this year but not tomorrow? Lots of fantastic products, no doubt.

Unlikely. Really, unlikely

The following Apple products have zero chance of being announced at tomorrow's event.

The next great iPhone won't get announced until September or October. When it does arrive, the iPhone 14 series will likely be missing a "mini" version, a model Apple's expected to retire following ho-hum sales of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini. The iPhone 14 models that remain could come without a camera bump and camera notch but offer a titanium version for the first time.

Perhaps the most anticipated new product of 2022 is the next-generation MacBook Air. Like last year's 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air is expected to see a significant design change that includes multiple color choices. The MacBook Air is consistently Apple's best Mac, and I would assume this will continue with this year's model. With that being said, watch for the 2022 MacBook Air reveal to happen at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple's expected to replace the current Intel-based 27-inch iMac sometime this year. The product, which may restore the iMac "Pro" name, however, isn't likely to be announced this spring. Instead, it could be announced in June or the fall.

Cupertino elected not to introduce a new Apple Watch SE in 2021. Although it's entirely possible we'll see a next-generation model announced tomorrow, that's more likely to happen in the fall. What we will see tomorrow is a brand new lineup of official Apple Watch bands for spring. Expect lots of light colors and a smaller band lineup overall than Apple announced last fall. It's the way it always happens. Updates to the Apple Watch band lineup will show up here.

Stranger things have happened

If Apple does surprise and announces something unexpected, it would probably be one or more of the following.

Here's where things get a little bit interesting. We know Apple plans on announcing and releasing an AR/VR headset before the end of the year. And yet, all signs point to a fall announcement since there's no indication the product is ready to ship. Apple could, however, still give us a sneak "peek" tomorrow and state the headset won't arrive until late in the year. It used similar strategies when it announced the first Apple Watch and current Mac Pro.

If an Apple AR/VR headset is announced on Tuesday, it will be the biggest tech news of the day.

Apple's current-generation iPad Pro was announced last April, suggesting a successor or two could be announced tomorrow. However, this is unlikely unless Apple pulls a surprise. Instead, we might not see a new iPad Pro until this fall, so stay tuned. The next-generation iPad Pro is likely to bring mini-LED to the 11-inch model for the first time.

Streaming has forever upended the traditional television season, which started in the fall and ended in the spring. Despite this, I still don't expect Apple to reveal a new set-top box until fall at the earliest. What that new product looks like remains to be seen, although we have ideas.

In announcing the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro tomorrow, Apple could also reveal the "M2" system-on-a-chip. If that's the case, it could also show a slightly updated version of last year's 24-inch iMac, one that includes the M2.

There's been no indication Apple is planning on revealing new AirPods this spring. When an update does arrive, it will be the next-generation AirPods Pro. These should look a lot like the 2021 Beats Studio Buds. Beyond this, Apple could use tomorrow's event to announce a new color or two for the AirPods Max, although that's highly unlikely.

What do you want to see?

It will be nice to see Tim Cook and other members of the Apple team announce new products tomorrow, and we can't wait to cover all the news. As a reminder, the event begins at 10 a.m. PDT and is available to stream from the Apple website and through Apple TV.

In the meantime, let us know what products you'd like to see tomorrow. Use the comments below.