What does Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ event name mean?

Asking the dictionary for clarity

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WithApple’sMarch event now confirmedand rumored to feature a newiPhone SE 3, a newiPad Air, and possibly a newM1 Mac, fans are already trying to find clues in the invite that was sent out on Tuesday, March 2.

This is nothing new. For years, Apple has sent out invites that have suggested what the events may show off. Last year hinted towards ‘Hyperspeed’, which turned out to be the newM1 Pro and M1 MaxMacBook Pro laptops.

Going way back to 2012, when invites were sent out for the iPhone 5 event, a shadow of a number 5 was as subtle as a sledgehammer that a new iPhone was on its way.

But since the March invite was sent out, many are wondering why Apple chose the word ‘Peek’ instead of ‘Peak’ in the invite when it alluded to ‘Peek performance’.

While it’s extremely unlikely that it’s a typo for a company like Apple, the word gives its customers an idea as to what March 8 could entail.

Is there a difference in Peak and Peek with Apple?

The Oxford Dictionarydefines’Peak' as:

Reach the highest point, either of a specified value or at a specified time.

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In other words, it’s the absolute highest that something could reach, either in how fast a machine can go, like anM1 chipfrom Apple, or how a5Gchip could reach new highs for an iPhone SE model, as that’s a line that has yet to see the benefits of 5G.

But it’s when you look at ‘Peek’in the Dictionarythat things become interesting:

To look or glance quickly or furtively, especially through a small opening or from a concealed location; peep; peer.

To me, this signals that we’re going to see something else that goes beyond the rumors, and reminds me of a time back in 2006, when Steven Jobs was on stage.

We’ve been here before

Apple’s co-founder wason stage in 2006, showcasing games for the iPod Video, a new iPod nano line, and iTunes offering movies as well as TV shows.

But there was One More Thing, an aspect that Jobs was known to do from time to time at events. These would showcase an update to an existing product, or something completely out of the blue. This time, it was a sneak peek at theApple TV, first called iTV.

Jobs would demo the media box in his own way that’s become iconic now, communicating the benefits to everyone, but making it clear that it was a preview of what was to come.

It was rare that this happened, as Apple likes to announce products that are almost ready to go, even in 2006. But the company had stated since that event that Apple TV was a hobby, it was a testing ground.

In 2022, we’re about to see another sneak peek, which makes me suspect we’re going to see a new Mac, possibly a Mac Pro. This may be a product that’s going to launch towards the end of the year with an Apple Silicon chip that’s not quite ready for now.

Peak and peek can mean the same for Apple - it could offer a sneakpeekof its highest-performing Mac, and thepeakof the M1 chip, but it’s simply not ready to be sold for now.

I’ve enjoyed using myM1 Pro MacBook Prosince October, but there’s some Apple users I know of who want a Mac that’s not constrained by being on a battery - they want pure power with no compromise. There are plenty of wallets ready to splurge on a Mac with Apple Silicon that’s powered only by a cable, not a battery.

However, despite the references to ‘peek’, I don’t see a augmented reality headset appearing next week, as some people are hoping for, mainly due to the fact that a new category for Apple doesn’t fit a March event.

That’s an idea that’s been backed up by respected analyst Mark Gurman, who believes it’s more to do with a sneak peek at the new hardware than anything  like the newApple Glasses.

A new category needs its own space, and for something for its developers to take in and see how it fits for their apps, which is why I believe that there’s more chance of it appearing atWWDCthis year.

We don’t have long to wait for this, but if you’re hoping to see a headset, this year’s WWDC, once it’s official, could be your best bet to see the Apple wearable.

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

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