We’re still at least two months away from Apple’s first event of 2022, but the show is already beginning to take shape. Consomac (translation) has uncovered a set of new filings with the Eurasian Economic Commission that appears to reveal 11 new iPadOS 15 and three iOS 15 models.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what devices these model numbers pertain to, but it’s almost certainly the iPhone SE and iPad Air, which were rumored this week to launch in the first half of 2022. However, with 14 models numbers listed, it’s likely that the filing includes more than just these two products.
For example, Apple filed five unreleased iPad numbers in July 2019, but some of them didn’t make an appearance until the following year:
A2068: 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation), released March 2020
A2197: iPad (7th generation), released September 2019
A2198: iPad (7th generation), released September 2019
A2228: 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation), released March 2020
A2230: 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation), released March 2020
The current iPhone SE uses three model numbers while the iPad Air uses four. That leaves 10 model numbers unaccounted for in the filing. The iPad numbers could pertain to the iPad Pro, which is rumored to release later this year. It’s also possible that a surprise smart home hub device running iPadOS 15, though that’s something of a longshot.
We’ll know soon enough what the numbers mean, but it seems likely the spring event will focus on non-Mac devices. While Apple has several Macs on the way in 2022, including a new 27-inch iMac, redesigned MacBook Air, and next-generation Mac Pro, but rumors suggest they will arrive at WWDC in June or later. Along with a new iPhone SE and iPad Air, Apple could also launch a new version of AirPods Pro.
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He’s still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.