Apple Rumors: New iPad And iPod, Streaming Services, Accessories Coming In 2019?

The coming weeks are expected to be monumental for tech giant Apple (AAPL). There is already a planned event for late March to spotlight some new and upgraded services to go along with possible hardware releases that could drive loyal consumers into a frenzy.

But what exactly is Apple rumored to be unveiling and releasing for the spring?

Subscription Services

There is speculation that the planned event for the end of March will involve the unveiling of the new Apple TV and Apple News services. Both would be joining Apple Music as Apple’s latest subscription service for content.

The new Apple TV will challenge services like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix by bringing its own original content to the board. Apple News will act as a one-stop shop for news content.

iPad and iPod

In the hardware department, the big releases could be a new iPad and iPad Mini, with the main focus being on the new iPads. In October, Apple released the iPad Pros, offering 11 and 12-inch options and a less rounded body design. Forbes speculates that the new iPad could offer a 10.5-inch option, which had previously been the smallest size available for iPad Pro.

Perhaps the most surprising move is that Apple could keep the headphone jack. Apple appeared to be shifting from headphone inputs, especially since the last few iPhones didn’t feature it. The most recent iPad Pros went that route and removed the headphone jack to fall in line with design. But if this rumor is true, then the headphone jack on the standard iPad won’t be going anywhere.

It's also worth noting that, aside from new iPads, there have also been rumors abound that a new iPod could be on the way. A recent leak referred to an iPod9, though not much else is known at this point.

Accessories

Two possible items could be "must haves" for Apple enthusiasts. One would be the updated Apple AirPods. The new AirPods would offer better health-tracking features than the original without having to change the general design. It’s also believed that the new AirPods will allow for much faster charging, which would is considered a major perk for many tech consumers.

The coming weeks could finally see the release of the AirPower charging mat. The mat, originally unveiled in 2017, is meant to be a wireless charging pad that could charge multiple devices at a time, specifically the iPhone, Watch, and AirPods. However, it’s believed that the charge pad has been subject to problems like overheating, which probably explains its delay. It's possible that 2019 could be the year Apple users won’t need multiple chargers for multiple devices.