Apple’s next product launch event will take place on September 7th, the company announced in an invitation sent out to journalists this week. According to The Verge, Apple is expected to share details on upcoming iPhones and Apple Watches at the event.
The invite, which has the tagline “Far out,” is for an in-person event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s Cupertino campus, which would be the company’s first big product launch event to take place in the theater since the start of the pandemic. (Apple hosted an in-person event for this year’s WWDC keynote, but it took place outdoors.) The company will also be streaming the September 7th event online.
The iPhone 14 lineup will likely be the main attraction. As The Verge reports, Apple is rumored to introduce four models: a 6.1-inch iPhone 14; a new 6.7-inch iPhone 14 (possibly with the “Plus” or “Max” tag); a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro; and a 6.7 iPhone 14 Pro Max. Yes, that means Apple likely won’t be releasing a new Mini phone, much to the disappointment of the dozens of us in the iPhone Mini fan club.
The biggest upgrades could come to the Pro line. Perhaps the biggest change is the rumored axing of the infamous notch in favor of a hole-punch selfie camera and a pill-shaped cutout for Face ID. Apple is also expected to be adding an always-on mode for the display that will be exclusive to the Pro phones — perhaps it will let you see iOS 16’s new lock screen widgets even when you click the screen off. And for the first time, Apple might make its next A-series chip a Pro-only option. As for cameras, the primary camera on the Pros is expected to get a major boost to a 48-megapixel sensor, and all four iPhone 14 models are rumored to have an autofocus-enabled front-facing camera.
The intriguing “Far out” tagline could be teasing a few other improvements. Maybe updates to the telephoto camera on its iPhones? Or the long-rumored satellite connectivity of some kind? And a short video tweeted by Apple’s SVP of marketing Greg Joswiak really leans into the stars motif, which could suggest the addition of an astrophotography feature.
Three new Apple Watches may debut at the event as well. The Apple Watch Series 8 is rumored to look like the Series 7 but add a body temperature sensor. A revised Apple Watch SE is reportedly in the works with a faster chip but the same body as the current model. And the new high-end watch is reportedly one targeted toward extreme sports athletes and may have a bigger screen and longer battery life.
According to The Verge, Apple is also rumored to be working on new AirPods Pro and iPads, and Apple has already said that a new Mac Pro is in the hopper, too, so there’s always the possibility those could be revealed at this upcoming event.
—
Photo Credit: NYC Russ / Shutterstock.com