Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers a keynote address during WWDC22 at Apple Park on June 6, 2022 in Cupertino, California. Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the annual WWDC22 developer conference.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
Apple will hold a launch event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California on September 7. The company is expected to announce new iPhone models, as it has done every September since 2012.
Apple has been using pre-recorded videos for its launch events since early 2020, thanks in part to Covid restrictions, and this will be the first iPhone launch with an in-person component since 2019. Apple will be streaming the launch event online on its website and YouTube in addition to inviting some media outlets. on her campus.
Apple’s hype-filled fall launches are a signature event for Apple. They typically attract millions of simultaneous viewers on YouTube. Capturing attention from around the world, they set the stage for a holiday marketing blitz during the last three months of the year, when Apple’s sales are at their peak.
This year’s event has the tagline “far away,” which could refer to features such as night sky photography.
Last year, Apple released new iPhones and Apple Watches at a September event, followed by an October launch of iPads and Macs.
Here’s what Apple is likely to launch next Wednesday, based on reports.
iPhone 14: four new models
Customers look at the iPhone13 smartphones at Apple’s flagship store in Shanghai, China.
Xing Yun | Future publication | Getty Images
Apple is expected to release four new iPhone models. If Apple’s current naming convention holds up, they’ll be called the iPhone 14.
This year, Apple is likely to discontinue the “mini” model with a 4.7-inch screen, according to reports. Instead, Apple could offer two sizes, one with a 6.1-inch screen and one with a 6.7-inch screen, each in a standard model and a more expensive “Pro” model.
The Pro models are expected to receive more upgrades, according to reports from Bloomberg News, TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and other analysts and Apple watchers.
Since 2017, iPhones have had a space at the top of the phone’s screen with space for Apple’s FaceID system, which contains several sensors and a camera. The Pro models could ditch Apple’s “notch” that houses the FaceID camera for a sleeker, more streamlined “pill” or “cutout” approach with a smaller space to be left empty, leaving room for an even bigger screen.
The Pro models are also expected to get upgraded A16 processors and cameras. The camera bump is expected to get bigger.
Apple could release an always-on screen for displaying notifications, like some Android phones have used for years. Beta iPhone software released in the summer suggested that Apple may be planning a similar feature due to new widgets that display weather and battery life.
One of the biggest questions is how Apple will price its iPhones in a period of inflation around the world and macroeconomic uncertainty in some regions. Other consumer electronics, such as Sony’s Playstation 5, have seen price cuts.
Apple’s least expensive iPhone 13 model is the $699 iPhone 13 Mini, which is expected to be discontinued. That would make Apple’s flagship device, which is currently the iPhone 13, the least expensive new model at $829, if the price doesn’t change. Some analysts also expect Apple to increase the price of its Pro models.
Apple usually lowers the price of older models when it releases new models, giving more price-sensitive consumers an option.
Apple Watch
Customers try Apple Watch devices at the Apple Marunouchi store on September 7, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan.
Tomohiro Ohsumi | Getty Images
Apple is likely to show the eighth major new version of its watch next week. Last year, the Apple Watch Series 7 got a slightly larger screen, but the redesign didn’t significantly change the look and feel of the device, which has remained largely the same since 2014.
Expect more evolution this year as well. Apple is considering a body temperature sensor in the new devices, according to the Wall Street Journal, which could help track fertility and sleep. Other sleep tracking features may include the ability to detect advanced sleep patterns or apnea.
But Apple Watch Series 8’s biggest announcement could be a new “Pro” model with a larger screen and a more durable finish. Apple has previously released Apple Watches with expensive case materials such as gold, ceramic and titanium, and the new “Pro” model described by Bloomberg and Kuo could be one of the first high-end Apple Watches to get extra features over its lesser expensive siblings.
Also likely: a new updated version of the Apple Watch SE, the $329 entry-level model.
iOS 16
Editing an iMessage in iOS 16
Todd Haselton | CNBC
iPhone owners who don’t plan to buy new equipment this fall will still get an annual update to the iPhone’s software, iOS 16, which was announced in June and tested over the summer.
The software has a number of new features that users will immediately notice. The biggest banner feature is the ability to customize the iPhone’s lock screen with widgets that can display weather forecasts, calendar appointments, and other information at a glance. Users can also change the font for the clock on the lock screen for the first time.
iOS 16 also lets you undo or edit iMessage text messages, as long as you catch them within a few minutes of sending them.
iOS 16 also introduces short-term loans from Apple, called Apple Pay Later. This feature allows users to buy things online with Apple Pay but pay for the item in four installments without paying any interest.
A nice feature in iOS 16 is that if a user has both an iPhone and a Mac laptop or desktop, they can use the iPhone as a very high-definition web camera.
After the event: iPads, Macs
Apple’s September Event Invitation.
Apple
Apple is unlikely to release new iPads next week because their software isn’t ready yet. Earlier this month, Apple told TechCrunch that iPadOS, the iPad software, will ship after iOS this fall, suggesting a staggered release.
Apple’s statement was brief, and the company doesn’t like to talk about unannounced products. But in general, it likes to release new hardware along with new software, so the statement clearly suggested that new iPads would come at a later launch date than iPhones.
IPadOS and iOS are very similar, but this year iPadOS is getting a feature called Stage Manager that allows users to multitask more efficiently, but was also panned by early testers. Improved iPads may include more powerful processors closer to laptop processors, smoother displays, and better integration with accessories.
Apple also unusually teased a new “Mac Pro” in the spring. The Mac Pro is currently a $5,000 tower with an Intel processor.
Apple wants to move the entire Mac line-up from Intel to its own M-series processors, but a pricey niche product doesn’t sit well with Apple’s mass-market iPhones and Apple Watches. Instead, new Macs could be announced at a separate event later this year, as happened last year.
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