On March 7 Apple is hosting a press event. The invitation makes it pretty clear that the event will be about the iPad 3. I will not rehash the rumors about retina display etc. since they are already all over the internet, but I will make some other predictions/guesses/wishes.¹

According to sources (as well as Apple Store stock counters), the current Apple TV is becoming increasingly sparse at stores around the country, with most locations reporting no availability at all right now. More tellingly, at all of the stores where the device is out of stock, availability is listed as starting on or after March 7th²

So it’s very possible that the Apple TV will get some sort of update at the event.³ To this, add the following news from last week:

CHIPMAKER Intel is finally set to launch its Xeon E5 chips next week with server and workstation vendors keen to show it isn’t going to be a paper launch and that chips are already in the channel.⁴

As far as I know, this is the most likely chip to be used in the next generation Mac Pro and the very reason why the Pro hasn’t been updated for a long, long time. ”Next week” coincides well with the March 7 event, so maybe the Mac Pro will actually get some keynote time.

One of the features advertised for OS X Mountain Lion is AirPlay. What if the event reveals something new about this were you will be able to stream both ways between Macs, Apple TVs and iPads? Or maybe some other form of integration between the pro apps and Mac Pro and the Apple TV. I would very much like the ability to stream from my computer to my iPad, as well as the other way around.

Actually showing a new Mac Pro at the event would be a great move since I know a lot of people is beginning to doubt Apple’s devotion to the pro market, in part because the Mac Pro never gets any updates or press event time and in part because of the ”consumerification” of Final Cut (X). I think and hope that this is not the case. It’s very possible that Job’s Apple was ready to axe the Mac Pro, but that Cook’s Apple has other priorities. The pro market may not be as lucrative as the consumer market, but my gut feeling is that having the pros on your side is great marketing to bring more consumers in.