It's been a long summer, good and bad. It's now September, and FINALLY, it's about time we get our hands on all-new iPhones and Apple Watches and kick off the best four months on the Apple calendar. So here's one final look at what to expect this week at Cupertino's big event.
When is the event and what to expect
Apple's highly-anticipated fall event kicks off at 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 7. Once again, this will be a pre-recorded event from the Apple Park campus streamed to the world on the Apple website, through Apple TV, and via Twitter. As a result, you can expect a beautifully produced, tight event packed with a few "wow" moments and detailed product introductions.
As it did at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple invited select media members to Cupertino to watch the event and get their hands on the new products after they are announced.
Wednesday's event should primarily focus on iPhone and Apple Watch, although you can never count Apple out for making a surprise announcement. Last year, Apple somewhat surprised many by unveiling the newest iPad mini alongside its new phones and watches. This year to fill the void, we could see new AirPods debut, or perhaps Apple will tease its long-rumored (but still not released) VR product.
Regardless, don't be surprised if Wednesday's event clocks in at less than 90 minutes.
All about iPhone 14 — and iPhone 14 Plus
In recent months, there have been plenty of clues to suggest this year's iPhone lineup won't move the ball all that much in terms of new features or designs. You can read all the specifics about the iPhone 14 lineup on our official rumors page.
Concerning what's anticipated for Apple's new handsets, here's what I'm most excited to learn more about:
- Instead of an iPhone mini, Apple's likely to reveal a lower-cost 6.7-inch iPhone model this year. This iPhone 14 Plus should join the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-Inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. It will be interesting to see how Apple sells the regular iPhone 14 lineup from the Pro line. In particular, I can't wait to see whether the iPhone 14 Plus gets a bit more air time than the other models.
- Once again, Apple's likely to spend a great deal of time showing off the Pro lineup's newest camera features and all-new A16 chip. For the latter, this will be the first time Apple's newest chip will be a Pro-model exclusive.
- Selling the price hike. Those Pro features will cost extra this year, as Apple's likely to raise prices on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max by up to $100 versus the iPhone 13 Pro series.
- In recent years, Apple has used new colors to sell its products. The regular iPhone 14 models are expected to offer the most color choices, with at least one new color arriving on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. What will those colors be?
- Finally, we're about to see the end of the iPhone camera notch. Instead, the iPhone 14 models are expected to feature pill-shaped and small circular holes. Is the change going to be all that important beyond the cool factor of having an iPhone without a notch? Perhaps not.
Apple Watch: rugged for the first time
There could be three new Apple Watch models announced on Wednesday. In addition to a traditional Apple Watch Series 8, a second-generation Apple Watch SE could be in the offering. We are also likely to see the first rugged or profession-graded Apple Watch.
Many in the media will probably focus on the latter's higher price tag, which could exceed $1,000. However, don't forget the first Apple Watch Edition models cost up to $17,000, and the yearly Hermes models have always exceeded $1,000. The devilish details on this model will come down to the case materials, display size, weight, and whether there are large and small model options.
Other big questions looking for answers:
- What are this year's newest Apple Watch colors?
- Are there any design changes between Series 8 and Series 7?
- Will the rugged Apple Watch support older Watch bands? And if they don't, what will the new bands look like?
- Will we see more watch faces than the ones already announced in watchOS 8?
- Finally, will anyone at Apple wish the Apple Watch Series 3 well as it FINALLY enters retirement after a too-long four years on the market?
Onto October
If you aren't interested in new iPhones or Apple Watches, you're in luck, as Apple's likely to hold a second press event in the coming weeks. The October event will almost certainly launch new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. These will join the recently released 2022 MacBook Air. In addition, a next-generation iPad is also anticipated.
New AirPods, HomePods, and maybe a new Apple TV could also be announced at the second event.
See you on Wednesday
We at iMore can't wait to provide coverage of Apple's iPhone 14 event next week. Come back often and see what develops. Until then, have a terrific weekend!
— Bryan
