Apple sent out invitations to its first big event of the year on Thursday. With the tagline “Let us loop you in,” the iPhone maker invited members of the press to its Cupertino campus on March 21.
The event will likely include the unveiling of a new iPhone, which rumors say will be called the iPhone SE and will look like a lot like the iPhone 5S. However, it won’t be replacing the iPhone 6S or 6S Plus. Instead, it will appeal to users who favor a smaller device, but the internal components will be at least on par with those found in the iPhone 6, according to reports.
The event may also let Apple show off an update to the iPad lineup, with a smaller iPad Pro reportedly in the works. While iPad sales have been struggling, the updated model supposedly replaces the iPad Air with something that works with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.
But the more surprising part of the invitation is the date. Apple is scheduled to head to court the next day, on March 22, to argue that it shouldn’t be forced to write software that would let the FBI crack an encrypted iPhone. The March 21 event could give Apple a chance to tell its side of the story more fully than it has in the press and on Capitol Hill.
Apple is not only fighting the FBI in that case, but is also risking a blow to its public image. While it recently gained the support of many of America’s largest tech companies, it still faces criticism for its refusal to help unlock a terrorist’s device. An impassioned argument at what will likely be one of the most-watched tech events of the year so far will help Apple convince people it is in the right.
