Not all who surprise are lust. A few of us might be forming an orderly queue within the holding room at One Apple Park Approach on Tuesday morning. At 10 AM PT on September 12, Tim Cook dinner and co. might be again at it, showcasing the newest gear forward of the large vacation push.
There are two issues we are able to confidently inform you may be on show on the large Apple occasion: the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Sequence 9. There are some issues on this world you possibly can actually set your smartwatch to. There have been rumors galore, after all. For one factor, a number of members of the AirPods household are beginning to get lengthy within the tooth.
Macs are a perpetual chance as effectively. I believe I additionally converse for many of us after I say that it could be good to get somewhat extra face time with the Imaginative and prescient Professional headset that stole the present at WWDC, again in June.
What follows is a mixture of what we all know, what we expect we all know and what we’re straight up wildly speculating about.
iPhone 15
Picture Credit: STR / NurPhoto / Getty Photos
The clear marquee announcement this day out. What’s maybe most fascinating in regards to the iPhone 15 is that Apple had its hand compelled right here. It’s not like anybody within the large glass spaceship was champing on the bit to undertake USB-C (or Thunderbolt 3 or no matter you need to name it). You possibly can thank EU regulators for that one. Final yr, the European Parliament voted to standardize ports throughout units.
Now, technically, these regulators gave producers till the top of 2024 to implement the tech throughout units, however all indicators level to Apple pulling off the Band-Help for the iPhone 15. Amongst different issues, extra regional governing our bodies are poised to observe the EU’s lead right here for shopper advocacy and e-waste associated causes.
Final September marked the tenth anniversary of Apple forcing the Lightning connector to be a factor. The factor about Lightning, nevertheless, is that it’s unhealthy and I hate it. My colleagues hate it. Family and friends hate it. My rabbit likes it, however she’ll fortunately chew by any cable, no matter what’s on both finish. Level is, it’s unhealthy and has all the time been unhealthy.
An fascinating caveat right here is the report that the upper USB 3.2 information velocity might be reserved for the professional fashions, with the usual iPhone 15 caught at USB 2.0 (nonetheless a typical spec in Android land).
Wi-fi charging, in the meantime, is claimed to be bumped as much as 35W throughout the board. It appears the iPhone might be one of many first telephones to undertake the Qi2 commonplace, which mixes wi-fi charging with magnets — one thing Apple has been doing for a minute. Provided that Apple is likely one of the 344 firms within the Wi-fi Energy Consortium (and the entire Qi2 iPhone equipment introduced at IFA), this seems like a protected wager.
In the meantime, the Dynamic Island — launched on the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max — must be trickling all the way down to the cheaper fashions as effectively.
One other fascinating addition is the rumored iPhone 15 Extremely, which might exchange the Professional Max and undertake Apple’s latest naming conference. That handset is claimed to sport a 6.7-inch show with a 120 Hz refresh fee, slimmed down bezels and the brand new “Motion” button, which replaces the lengthy commonplace Mute. The brand new button — which is adopted from the Apple Watch Extremely — would additionally grace the iPhone 15 Professional. It’s stated to supply numerous completely different customizable shortcuts to issues just like the digicam, accessibility choices, flashlight and the precise Shortcuts app (if you wish to get artistic).
Apple Watch Sequence 9
Picture Credit: Brian Heater
Talking of the Apple Watch. The rumor mill has really been fairly silent right here. That might effectively be a sign that it is a relative down yr for the wearable. It may be attributable to the truth that subsequent yr is the large 1-0, so Apple could wait till subsequent yr to drag out all of the stops. It’s additionally seemingly ready for subsequent yr for a brand new Apple Watch SE.
That stated, a brand new Apple Watch Extremely does seem like within the playing cards for subsequent week. Each the Extremely 2 and Sequence 9 are more likely to get new processors and colours. There’s additionally been speak of Apple eyeing 3D printing for case design, after adopting the method for components of the Imaginative and prescient Professional. I do suppose there’s nonetheless a giant query of scale when involves one thing as mass market because the Apple Watch, nevertheless.
AirPods
Picture Credit: Brian Heater
The time feels proper for some new AirPods. That stated, 2024 appears a likelier timeline for the headphones to get the H2 chip remedy. Nonetheless, promoting a stand-alone USB-C charging case could also be within the playing cards. And hey, talking of overdue, it’s been slightly below three years since we obtained the AirPods Max. Whereas we’re at it, I wouldn’t be mad at a brand new HomePod mini.
Every part else
Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner pronounces main updates to iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS at Apple’s Worldwide Builders Convention at Apple Park. Picture Credit: Brooks Kraft/Apple Inc.
A greater have a look at the Imaginative and prescient Professional appears virtually sure. Content material stays a giant query mark, so this could possibly be a yr of demos, seeing as how the “spatial computing” headset hits the market early subsequent yr. We obtained nearly nothing in the way in which of video games. Now that the SDK and Unity’s growth platform have been out on the planet for a minute, that looks as if a definite chance.
Extra specifics on the iOS/macOS/iPadOS/watchOS launch dates would make sense. Macs, nevertheless, appear like a bit extra of an extended shot this day out, and the M3 is way extra more likely to arrive in 2024.
The Apple Occasion kicks off at 10 AM PT on September 12. We’ll be there bringing it to you reside.
