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The biggest day on the tech world’s fall calendar is fast approaching: Apple’s iPhone 16 event will take place on September 9th at 1pm ET. We’ll be live blogging the news, and you can watch it live on the company’s website or on YouTube. The biggest news from the event will almost certainly be about the upcoming lineup of iPhone 16 devices. The event is also expected to prelude to the announcement of a new Apple Watch or two.
Beyond that, rumors are circulating about a refresh of the standard AirPod earbuds, but until Tim Cook takes to the (virtual) stage, it’s all just speculation. So let’s take a look at the most likely leaks and rumors ahead of the event.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro
Whatever happens, these new devices will likely be the center of attention at Apple’s iPhone 16 event, which is good news for anyone considering upgrading. The bad news? Most of the leaks and rumors suggest this will be another event. Years of Iterative ImprovementSo, don’t expect any game-changing new hardware features.
The event is likely to see the launch of four new models, similar to Apple’s launch last year. According to industry analyst Mark Gurman, the new smartphones will reportedly be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. This is the exact same naming convention as last year’s iPhone 15 launch, so rumors that Apple would adopt the “iPhone Ultra” moniker appear to have been greatly exaggerated.
Even if Apple doesn’t use the Ultra moniker, the Pro models are likely to have slightly larger screens, which is always nice (for people who like bigger phones). The regular Pro is expected to grow from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, while the Pro Max is expected to grow from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. Finally, as always, there may be a new color or two. Bloomberg Gurman suggests that Apple is ready to discontinue the blue model and bring back the rose gold model.
On the hardware side, look out for a new chipset that leverages the company’s recent AI push, also known as Apple Intelligence. Additionally, the upgraded A18 chip will be an iterative improvement in terms of specifications. As per usual, the Pro and Pro Max are likely to feature more powerful chips than the standard models. The base amount of RAM here appears to be 8GB to handle the aforementioned AI tasks.
There are also rumors that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will have an action button. Introduced last year For iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This multi-purpose button is a direct replacement for the mute switch by default, but can be tweaked to control a variety of things. Use the action button to change your ringtone settings, turn on the flashlight, launch the camera, and more.
There’s also talk of another new button, this one on the right side of the phone, which controls the camera functions. Operate like a DSLR buttonA light press will reportedly activate autofocus, while a firm press will capture a photo. Consumers may also be able to swipe along the button to zoom in and out while taking a photo or video. This camera button will reportedly only be available on the Pro and Pro Max, which makes sense as higher-end models typically offer a more robust camera experience.
So while new iPhones always have better camera specs, we don’t know exactly what they’ll be this time. But it’s been reported that the iPhone 16’s camera module could be redesigned. Apple is ditching the square shape and going for a more compact design. Go verticalThis might only be true for the base iPhone 16 model and maybe the Plus, as the Pro and Pro Max phones tend to be more photo and video-heavy.
Thanks to the recent WWDC event, we already know what’s coming on the software side, and judging by past years’ examples, iOS 18 should be released within the week following the event. The software update will bring a more customizable Control Center and Home screen, and it will finally bring RCS support to iPhones.
As for Apple Intelligence, you’ll have to wait a little longer: it was announced as part of iOS 18 but has been delayed until iOS 18.1. That’s not a huge deal, since the OS refresh is scheduled for October, but it does mean that early iPhone 16 adopters won’t be able to tinker with the AI ​​right away.
Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3
Since 2016, iPhone events have also featured detailed descriptions of the latest Apple Watch, and this year is no exception. In fact, this is a big year for the Apple Watch, as the gadget’s 10th anniversary approaches. Are there any conflicting rumors? The next model will be called the Apple Watch Series 10 or Series X.
Regardless of what it ends up being called, Apple’s next standard smartwatch will reportedly have a larger screen, closer to the Ultra model, and the company is ditching the 41mm form factor. Introducing the 49mm design.
Rumor has it that Apple has completely redesigned the band system, adding a new connector, which should make it easier to adjust the straps, but it also has a downside: the change may cause all your old bands to stop working.
Of course, there will be new chips powering these watches, but details are scarce. It’s been suggested that these chips are designed to support Apple’s recent foray into AI, but that integration will likely come at a later date. For now, Apple Intelligence will be tied to iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
The event is likely to see the unveiling of two watches, codenamed N217 and N218, one of which could be the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Bloomberg The company says the high-end smartwatch won’t get a major design change this time around — it’ll likely be an iterative refresh.
On the software side, Apple appears to have run into some issues while developing its long-awaited health tracking tool. Since health monitoring is one of the main features of the Apple Watch, the company We are working on developing new sensors It can detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea, but that technology probably won’t make it into this year’s smartwatches. Apple has also been working on a blood glucose sensor for nearly a decade, so maybe it’ll finally make an appearance in the Series X.
Finally, Apple is likely to introduce a new version of its lower-cost Watch SE, which is overdue for an update as it was last updated in 2022. There are also reports that Apple will replace the aluminum exterior with a hard plastic shell, which should help bring the cost down even further. Currently, the Apple Watch SE is $250, while Samsung’s cheapest wearable is the $200 Galaxy Watch FE. Apple may want to compete closer to that price point.
Airpods 4
Apple is reportedly preparing Two new variations of the standard earphonesThe AirPods 4 could come in both an entry-level model and a mid-range version, essentially replacing the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3.
The big news here is that both versions of the AirPods 4 will likely move to a USB-C case to keep up with the iPhone and the second-generation AirPods Pro. The cheaper of the two upcoming models will reportedly lack wireless charging, while the mid-tier version will reportedly support the technology, which makes sense as this is the same strategy Apple has adopted with previous generations.
Both versions should have a similar design, but the mid-range model is likely to support active noise cancellation like the Pro model. Speaking of which, the event won’t see a refresh of Apple’s high-end Pro earphones. There’s also some mystery surrounding the company’s over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. It’s been a full four years since these premium headphones hit stores (and they still use a Lightning port for charging), so a refresh was long overdue.
Surprises and Software
While there aren’t many “one last thing” announcements at iPhone events, there is one piece of hardware that could be a surprise. Apple is preparing a major redesign Analysts suggest this could be the company’s smallest desktop computer ever, roughly the same size as its Apple TV streaming box.
Reports say the next Mac Mini will come in two versions, one with the standard M4 chip and one with the more powerful M4 Pro chip. The base model is rumored to start shipping from suppliers sometime this month, so it’s possible that Apple could get a few minutes to play with the computer at its iPhone event. Don’t get your hopes up too much, though: this is an iPhone and smartwatch event, where a tiny desktop might feel out of place. It’s also entirely possible that Apple could hold a Mac-only event later this year, as it did last fall.
Beyond that, there are a number of other software updates due to be released, including iOS 18, which we’ve covered extensively in the past, and iPadOS 18. For smartwatches, watchOS 11 is also due to be released this fall. Apple has already revealed details about the three operating systems at WWDC, but the upcoming iPhone event would be a good time to announce official release dates.
Updated August 26, 2024, 12:14pm: This story has been updated to include the date and time of the event.
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