Apple event – as it happened: New iPhone, iPad and ‘monster’ Mac chip unveiled at ‘Peek Performance’ event

(Getty Images)

Apple has hosted its first event of the year, unveiling a whole host of new products.

The company unveiled a brand new iPhone SE, an updated iPad Air, as well as a new Mac Studio and Display that features its latest “monster” M1 Ultra chip.

There was no announcements surrounding the Mac Pro, which Apple said was “for another day”.

All the latest products featured significant improvements in terms of specs, with both the iPhone SE and iPad Air featuring 5G capabilities.

The ‘Peek Performance’ event was live streamed on Apple’s website, which you can view at the top of our live coverage below.

Key points

• Russia blocked from streaming
• M1 Ultra is ‘monster’ chip
• Apple Mac Studio is ‘breakthrough in personal computing'
• Everything announced at Apple event

[8 March 2022 17:51 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Apple event live stream

[8 March 2022 12:04 · Andrew Griffin]

Hello and welcome...

... to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s Apple event.

[8 March 2022 12:07 · Andrew Griffin]

Apple Store goes down ahead of event

As is traditional, Apple has taken its online store down ahead of the event.

It doesn’t give any indication what products are coming, but it does indicate that products of some kind are on their way. The store goes down to allow it to be updated, so there must be something new.

(It isn’t always a sure thing that those will be real physical products. At its event in March 2019, Apple didn’t announce any new products – instead revealing a host of updates to services.)

[8 March 2022 12:10 · Andrew Griffin]

Russia unable to stream event

Apple has taken a number of steps to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including cutting of sales of its products in the country. (Some have argued they were a bit belated, and also that selling products in Russia at all as an international company is difficult anyway given the fluctuations in the ruble.)

One of them is that they are seemingly freezing Russian people out from watching this event. Viewers in the country are unable to access the YouTube live stream, and journalists from the country have reportedly been left off the invitations.

[8 March 2022 16:38 · Andrew Griffin]

What time is the event and how to watch it?

Here’s everything you need to know about following along tonight.

[8 March 2022 17:29 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Apple boss Tim Cook tweets

Tim Cook is yet to post his customary pre-event tweet, though he was up early tweeting about International Women’s Day.

“This #InternationalWomensDay we celebrate the women who are charting the course for a more equitable future, and recognize the rising generation of change-makers who follow in their path,” the Apple boss tweeted.

[8 March 2022 17:45 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

T-Minus 15 minutes

Not long to go now.

We’ll have the live stream at the top of this feed as soon as it’s live.

[8 March 2022 18:01 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Apple event live stream is here

Apple’s live stream is up and running (pinned to the top of this blog) with some funky holding music and graphics. Neon Apple symbols, soundtracked by Feels like I’m Flying by Yeek.

[8 March 2022 18:02 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Apple event is underway

Apple boss Tim Cook is here, and we’re starting with Apple TV.

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[8 March 2022 18:06 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

New Apple Original Films on their way

A video montage takes a look back at past successes for Apple TV+, and a look forward at upcoming shows and films.

The big news here is the announcement of Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+. They have the exclusive rights to two games every Friday.