Apple’s March 21 event comes a day before iPhone court hearing

(THE WALL STREET JOURNAL) Applesent out invitations for a media event to be held March 21, a day before a federal-courthearing in the company’s fight with the U.S. government over a locked iPhone.

The gathering will be held at 1 p.m. ET at Apple’s Cupertino, Calif., campus. While the bulk of its presentations occur later in theyear, starting with the June showcase at theWorldwide Developer Conference, it has held spring events for new products or updates, including the Apple Watch, Macbook and iPad.

The tagline for the March 21 invitationsays “let us loop you in.” (There will be no shortage of people speculating what that means. One early contender: It’s just a play on on Apple’s campus address is One Infinite Loop. Less likely: hyperloop.)

Appleis expected to show a new4-inch iPhone and revamped iPads, according to people familiar with the matter. While the larger-sized phones Apple introduced with the iPhone 6sold like gangbusters,people who found the iPhone 5 linea comfortable fit had hoped Apple would keep around an updated smaller phone.

With the court hearing the next day, Apple could also use the occasion to addressits continuing fight with the Federal Bureau of Investigation over unlocking an iPhone that belonged to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Company executives have had no problem talking publicly about the fight.