Apple (AAPL) will host its annual iPhone event on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Unlike in 2020 and 2021, when the company hosted virtual events, this year’s show will take place in person at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters.
The event, which Apple announced with a “Far Out” tagline, is expected to feature four new iPhones, new Apple Watches, and, potentially, updated AirPods Pro. Apple is reportedly making changes to the iPhone lineup to ensure that its Pro models stick out and roll out a ruggedized version of the Apple Watch.
We’ll be covering the event live as it unfolds Wednesday, so be sure to tune into Yahoo Finance for all of the latest information. For now, here’s what we’re expecting Apple to show off next week.
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro
Apple has traditionally rolled out each of its new iPhones with its latest chips while defining its Pro devices with a triple-lens display. But the company is altering how it differentiates its products this year.
Instead of rolling out a mini version of the iPhone, as the company has done so previously, Apple is simply offering standard-sized iPhones and larger Max devices. According to MacRumors, the pint-sized iPhone mini, which Apple first started rolling out with the iPhone 12 and continued to offer with the iPhone 13, wasn’t much of a volume seller.
So the company is retiring the 5.6-inch mini, and instead launching the iPhone 14 with either a 6.1-inch display or a 6.7-inch display.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will get 6.1-inch screens, while the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 13 Pro Max will get larger 6.7-inch panels, according to Bloomberg. The change in naming conventions means there will be a handful of updates to how Apple outfits its newest smartphones.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will reportedly hit the market with the A15 chip found in the iPhone 13 line. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, meanwhile, will get Apple’s next-generation A16 chip, according to analyst Ming Chi-Kuo.
The standard iPhone and iPhone Max should still pack plenty of power to run all the apps and games you can throw at them, but it seems Apple is attempting to better differentiate its Pro phones from its non-Pro devices.
The Pro models will ditch the Face ID and camera notch, replacing it with a small pill-shaped cutout, in addition to a second circular cutout featuring the Face ID technology and one holding the front camera.
Apple will give the Pro iPhones always-on displays that provide users with app notifications without having to turn on the entire screen. Android phones have had this capability for years.
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are also said to come with new 48-megapixel camera sensors, versus the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max’s 12-megapixel sensors. Of course, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will also get a triple camera lens setup with wide-angle, ultra-wide angle, and telephoto lenses. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will get wide-angle and ultra-wide angle lenses.
New Apple Watches
As has been the case in previous years, Apple is expected to use its iPhone event to launch new versions of its Apple Watch. Likely called the Apple Watch Series 8, the new smartwatch should get a new processor and improved battery life. Apple could even add a temperature sensor to the watch, making it a more accurate health device.
In addition, Apple is also said to be working on a ruggedized version of the Apple Watch, according to Bloomberg. The new watch will be marketed to extreme sports enthusiasts, and people like me who consider getting up from the couch to grab another White Claw extreme enough to warrant a special watch.
Apple could also debut a new version of its Apple Watch SE, which traditionally serves as a middle ground between the standard watches and entry-level Apple Watch Series 3. Speaking of which, the Series 3 is getting rather long in the tooth at this point, so expect Apple to name a more recent version of the Apple Watch its new entry-level option.
We could also see a new set of AirPods Pro at the event, though there’s no guarantee. Don’t expect to see anything about a new iPad or Mac, though. Apple tends to save updates to those devices for a secondary event during October.
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Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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