Apple made it official Tuesday, sending out invitations for a September 12 press event, where it is widely expected to roll out this year’s updates for its iPhone and Apple Watch lines.
It’s a rite of fall—and one of the first signals that the holiday shopping season is about to get underway. And, as always, it’s one that’s rife with speculation.
The press event for the iPhone 15 will be held at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino and streamed on Apple’s website. If you’re prepping your bingo card on what will and won’t be announced, here’s what the company is expected to unveil.
WHAT IPHONE PRODUCTS WILL APPLE ANNOUNCE?
Apple, as usual, hasn’t made any official statements about what it’s planning to show. The consensus among sites that cover the company: There could be four new versions of the latest iPhone—iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max (which some believe might be called the Ultra). Many believe screen sizes will be the same for each model, also that the mute switch will become a solid-state button (which doesn’t physically move, but uses touch sensors instead).
It’s a safe bet that there will be processor and camera upgrades, new phone colors too. The easy money is on green, yellow, and pink, with dark red for the Pro and Pro Max models.
It’s widely expected that the Pro Max will see the most substantial updates, with a new chipset and rumored periscope camera, with greater optical zoom capabilities. There’s also speculation that it will feature titanium edges rather than stainless steel, which has been the default for the past several years. That could mean the Pro and Pro Max also have higher prices this time around. Typically, those have started at $999 and $1,099, respectively.
WHAT APPLE WATCH PRODUCTS WILL APPLE INTRODUCE?
Many expect the Apple Watch Series 9 to be highlighted at the event. That will likely be an iterative update from last year’s Series 8, with improved performance and perhaps a better battery life, but not a lot of big new features. Big changes will likely be reserved for what some believe will be a special 10th-anniversary watch called “Apple Watch X,” which could possibly include a sharper display and a new sensor system for blood-pressure monitoring.
WILL THE LIGHTNING CABLE BE REPLACED?
It’s highly likely. While Apple has held on to its proprietary charging cable for years as other gadgets transitioned to USB-C, it will likely make the switch this time around. You can thank the EU for that. Late last year, the governmental organization approved a common charger law, requiring electronic devices to support USB-C charging.
That’s great news for consumers as it means they’ll only need one charging cable with them, assuming this change occurs.
WILL THERE BE NEW AIRPODS?
While AirPods traditionally refresh in the fall, there hasn’t been a lot of chatter about a major new model. What you might see, though, is a new USB-C charging case for the earbuds, again to bring the company into compliance with EU rules.
WILL APPLE OFFER MORE DETAILS ON THE VISION PRO HEADSET?
Apple announced earlier this year that its XR device won’t launch until next year. As such, it’s unlikely that the company will offer any substantive new information about the headset at its September event. Doing so would only distract from the products that are about to go on sale in the next few weeks.
WHEN WILL THE NEW APPLE PRODUCTS GO ON SALE?
You’ll likely be able to preorder the iPhone 15 and new Apple Watches within a few days of the event, probably by September 15. If Apple keeps to its usual timeline of releasing products about a week-and-a-half after they’re introduced, you’ll start seeing them in stores on Friday, September 22.
WILL THERE BE ANOTHER APPLE EVENT THIS YEAR?
Nothing has been announced, of course, but there are already rumors that the company may have another showcase in October, highlighting the iMac and laptop devices.
