Apple Store down as iPad update rumors swirl - CNET

screen-shot-2019-03-18-at-09-56-21 — Apple will be right back, but what will it bring?
Apple/Screenshot by CNET

The Apple Store went down early Monday, which typically precedes the arrival of new hardware.

It comes a week ahead of Apple's March 25 event, but that's expected to focus on the company's Netflix-like streaming service or its news service.

We got a hint that Apple would reveal iPad and iMac updates ahead of the event from a Saturday tweet by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, as previously reported by 9to5Mac.

If Apple was to be planning, say, new iPad and iMac announcements for this week, it would make a real statement about how much it wants to focus its March 25th event on its news and video services.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 16, 2019

"If Apple was to be planning, say, new iPad and iMac announcements for this week, it would make a real statement about how much it wants to focus its March 25th event on its news and video services," he wrote.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Back in December, we heard rumors that Apple would launch a pair of lower-priced iPad models -- a 7.9-inch model and another that's more than 10 inches -- in 2019.

First published at 2:27 a.m. PT.
Updated at 3:00 a.m. PT: Adds more details.