Apple iPhone event preview September 14, 2022

Apple is holding a launch event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Wednesday where it will unveil its latest hardware products, including the new iPhone 14.

Apple has been using pre-recorded videos for its launch events since early 2020 thanks in part to Covid restrictions, and this will be the first iPhone launch with a live component since 2019. Apple is streaming the launch event on its website, and YouTube next door invites some media to its campus.

Apple’s heavily touted fall launch event is a signature Apple event. They often attract millions of concurrent viewers on YouTube. They drew attention from around the world and set the stage for a flashy holiday marketing campaign during the last three months of the year, when Apple’s sales are at their peak.

This year’s event has the tagline “far away”, which could refer to features such as photography of the night sky.

Last year, Apple released new iPhones and Apple Watches at an event in September, followed by an October launch with iPads and Macs.

Here’s what Apple is likely to launch on Wednesday, based on reports.

Apple is expected to release four new iPhone models. If Apple’s current naming conventions were kept, they would be called iPhone 14.

According to reports, this year Apple may stop producing the “mini” model with a 4.7-inch screen. Instead, Apple could offer two sizes, one with a 6.1-inch screen and one with a 6.7-inch screen, each with a standard model and a more expensive “Pro” model.

The Pro models are expected to receive more upgrades, according to a report from Bloomberg News, TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as well as other Apple analysts and watchers.

Since 2017, the iPhone has had an empty space at the top of the phone screen for Apple’s FaceID system, which includes several sensors and cameras. Pro models could get rid of Apple’s “notch”, which houses the FaceID camera, for a thinner, more streamlined “pill” or “cut” approach with a smaller space that has to be left empty, giving way room for an even larger screen.

The Pro models are also expected to get upgraded A16 processors and cameras. The camera protrusion is expected to be larger.

Apple could release an always-on display to show notifications, like some Android phones have used for years. The iPhone Beta software released over the summer suggests that Apple may be planning a similar feature as new widgets show weather and battery life.

One of the biggest questions is how Apple will price its iPhone in a time of worldwide inflation and macroeconomic uncertainty in some regions. Other consumer electronics, such as Sony’s Playstation 5, have been discounted.

Apple’s cheapest iPhone 13 model, the $699 iPhone 13 Mini, is expected to be discontinued. That would make Apple’s main device, currently the iPhone 13, the cheapest new model at $829, if its price stays the same. Some analysts also expect Apple to raise the price of its Pro models.

Apple often discounts older models when it releases new models, giving more price-sensitive consumers a choice.

Apple is likely to unveil an eighth new version of the watch on Wednesday. Last year’s Apple Watch Series 7 had a slightly larger screen, but the redesign didn’t change the look and feel of the device significantly, barely changing since 2014.

Expect more evolutions this year, too. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is considering a body temperature sensor in new devices, which could help with fertility and sleep tracking. Other sleep monitoring features may include the ability to detect advanced sleep patterns or apnea.

But the biggest announcement of the Apple Watch Series 8 could be a new “Pro” model with a larger screen and more durable finish. Apple has previously released Apple Watches with expensive case materials such as gold, ceramic, and titanium, and the new “Pro” model described by Bloomberg and Kuo could be one of the first high-end Apple Watches to feature premium Apple Watches. extras than its cheaper watches. siblings.

Also likely: A new updated version of the Apple Watch SE, the $329 entry-level Watch model.

iPhone owners who don’t plan to buy any new devices this fall will still receive the annual update to their iPhone software, iOS 16, which was announced in June and tested over the summer. .

This software has some new features that users will notice immediately. The biggest banner feature is the ability to customize the iPhone’s lock screen with widgets that can display the weather forecast, appointments, and other information at a glance. User can also change font for lock screen clock for the first time.

iOS 16 also allows you to unsend or edit iMessage text messages, as long as you receive them within minutes of sending.

iOS 16 will also introduce short-term loans from Apple called Apple Pay Later. The feature will allow users to make purchases online with Apple Pay but pay for the item in four installments with no interest.

One cool feature in iOS 16 is that if a user has both an iPhone and a laptop or Mac desktop, they can use the iPhone as a very high-resolution web camera.

Apple is unlikely to release a new iPad on Wednesday because its software isn’t ready yet. Earlier this month, Apple told TechCrunch that iPadOS, the iPad software, will ship after iOS this fall, hinting at a staggered release.

Apple’s statement is brief, and the company doesn’t like to talk about unannounced products. But in general, it likes to release new hardware alongside new software, so the statement clearly suggests that the new iPads will come out later than the iPhone.

iPadOS and iOS are very similar, but this year iPadOS will have a feature called Stage Manager that could let users multitask more efficiently — but was also criticized by early testers. Improved iPads could include more powerful processors closer to laptop processors, smoother screens, and better integration with accessories.

Apple also unusually introduced a new “Mac Pro” in the spring. The Mac Pro is now a $5,000 power tower that uses an Intel processor.

Apple wanted to move its entire line of Macs from Intel to its own M-series processors, but an expensive niche product was no match for Apple’s mass-market iPhones and Apple Watches. Instead, the new Mac could be announced at a separate event later this year, as happened last year.