Apple is gearing up to unleash new hardware at its annual September event. As ever, the rumor mills have been hard at work, and we’re hearing whispers of new iPhones, an Apple Watch, potentially a new MacBook, and maybe even a new iPad Pro. But not everything rumored to appear will appear, so what can you reasonably expect to be shown off in September?
We’ve sifted through those rumors and cracked open every nugget of information to find out what you should be keeping an eye out for. Here’s what to expect from Apple’s September event.
When is the event?
Apple officially announced the event is taking place on September 10, 2019 at 10 a.m. PT. It will be at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.
As usual for Apple events, you’ll be able to watch it live on Apple’s website, or through Apple’s YouTube channel. We have a separate guide on how to watch the event if you need it here.
The 2019 iPhones
Likelihood of a September reveal: High
No prizes for guessing this one. The September Apple event has always been the stomping ground for new iPhones, and this year will be no different. According to rumors, we’ll be getting three new iPhones again, with successors for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and iPhone XR all expected. But Apple may be looking to depart from its previous naming scheme all over again, with the prospective upgrades potentially being named everything from the “iPhone Pro” to the “iPhone XI”. Quite where that leaves the iPhone XR successor we’re not sure, as “iPhone XIR” and “iPhone Pro Lite” really aren’t attractive names — it could simply be the iPhone 11R.
We’re on firmer ground where other elements are concerned. From the front, we’re not expecting the new iPhone to change much, and the iPhone XS’s wide notch and bezel-less look are expected to stay. Face ID may see an upgrade though, with some reports claiming the facial recognition tech in the new iPhones will be able to be used while the phone is lying flat on a surface. Other rumors say we’ll be seeing the USB-C port replace the Lightning port on the new iPhones — but we’ve been seeing this rumor for years now, so don’t put too much faith in it.
While the front of the 2019 iPhones isn’t expected to change much, the other side looks like it’ll change a lot. Apple is finally following suit with other manufacturers by adding yet another camera lens onto the back of its iPhone. Set into a square camera module that the Google Pixel 4 is set to accidentally emulate, each lens is likely to pack 12 megapixels and may come as in the standard, telephoto, and ultra wide-angle varieties. There may also be a 3D sensor for ARKit 2.0.
The new iPhones would feature the usual spec upgrades, including an Apple-made A13 processor, but there may be a more interesting addition that apes Samsung’s and Huawei’s most recent offerings — reverse wireless charging. This would allow another device to draw power directly from the iPhone through wireless charging and could be paired with one of Apple’s smaller devices, like the Apple Watch or AirPods with the wireless charging case.
Read more about the 2019 iPhones
A new Apple Watch that might not be the Series 5
Likelihood of a September reveal: High
A new iPhone is often accompanied by a new Apple Watch. We expected to see more rumors up to this point if a new version of the Apple Watch was coming, but details are sparse, and that makes us wonder if Apple is keeping the Series 5 a little longer in the oven.
But that doesn’t mean we won’t see an Apple Watch at the September event. Rather than a shiny new Apple Watch Series 5, we could be seeing a shinier version of the Apple Watch Series 4 in ceramic or titanium. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen ceramic models of the Apple Watch, but it would be the first time we’ve seen a titanium one. However, with reports saying Apple is currently focusing on WatchOS 6, a new model of an existing wearable could be it for the Apple Watch at the September event, though some other small upgrades could be on the list as well. That being said, it could still be called the Apple Watch Series 5.
Read more about the Apple Watch Series 5
Apple’s tracking device
Likelihood of a September reveal: Medium
This next one strays from the path of usual hardware announcements from Apple. Code from internal builds of iOS 13 have hinted at the existence of a Tile-like tracking device that works with Apple’s revamped Find My app. Codenamed B389, the device will attach to other devices, tagging them within the Find My app. The code hints that users will be notified if they become separated from a tagged item, which may then be able to set off an alarm on the tracker, making the device easier to find.
Such a device could be used as an anti-theft measure, but it could also be used to find items that have been legitimately lost. According to more code, the item is capable of being placed into Lost Mode, which will notify the user if another iPhone owner comes across their item — and will also alert the finder the original owner’s contact details through their Find My app. The image above comes from MacRumors, but it’s currently unknown whether this represents the final design of the item. Either way, it needs to be subtle.
Will it be at the September Event? Perhaps — but it’s certainly not the hottest item for Apple to spend time and energy launching. If it’s announced, it will be alongside the new iPhones as a short aside.
Read more about Apple’s tracking device
MacBook Pro 16
Likelihood of a September reveal: Low
It might not just be the phones we’ll be seeing at Apple’s September event — we could see a new MacBook Pro laptop too. According to rumors, Apple may be looking to replace the largest MacBook in its arsenal, the MacBook Pro 15, with an even larger MacBook Pro 16.
The most striking change Apple is said to be making is with the device’s design. Similar to the iPad Pro’s revamp, Apple is reportedly looking to further shave down the bezels around the MacBook’s display, creating a laptop with an almost bezel-less screen. The size of the display is still in doubt and could fall anywhere between 16-inches to 16.5-inches — but it has also been reported Apple will not be using an OLED panel; we’re likely to see an IPS LCD panel instead.
There have been fewer whispers about the laptop’s internal hardware, but it’s possible we’ll be seeing an Intel 10-generation Ice Lake processor, or AMD’s Navi processor. The status of the keyboard is similarly contentious, with some rumors saying Apple will replace the Butterfly keyboard system, while other reports claim the opposite.
The MacBook Pro 16 may not release at this event. Some reports have put forward an October event. With the iPhone likely to take top billing at the September event, it would make a certain amount of sense for Apple to wait until October to reveal such a big device.
Read more about the MacBook Pro 16
iPad Pro & iPad
Likelihood of a September reveal: Low
Apple’s iPad Pro and iPad represent two opposite ends of the market, but both are excellent tablet options for different types of people.
Unfortunately, there’s not much to go on other than what’s in a report from Bloomberg that cites unknown sources. Mentioned in the report are updates for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros that will focus primarily on upgraded camera systems and an update to the latest generation Apple processor — most likely based on the new A13 chip.
The new basic iPad should see an overhaul though. According to Bloomberg’s report, Apple is planning on ditching the 9.7-inch version in favor of a 10.2-inch standard iPad. While it’s not outside the realms of possibility this simply means a larger iPad, it could also indicate Apple is giving the standard iPad the “iPad Pro treatment” and is dramatically reducing the bezel around the iPad’s display. That would give the $300+ tablet some serious style and would be a massive selling point for Apple. Outside of that, expect the iPad to also get some internal hardware updates.
But like the MacBook, it’s not certain we’ll be seeing these planned refreshes at this September show. Instead, Apple may frame both the refreshed iPad lineup and the new MacBook Pro 16 in a school and business-focused event in October, rather than cramming them both into the same event as the 2019 iPhones.
Operating system releases
Likelihood of a September reveal: High
It’s not as glamorous as new hardware, but Apple’s updated operating systems will probably also get a chance to shine. We already know what to expect as the betas for most of them have been available for some time — all we need to know is a final release date. Expect Apple to clarify exactly when we’ll be seeing the final release of iOS 13, iPadOS, MacOS Catalina, and WatchOS 6 at the September event. Heck, they might even roll out the very same day.
Read more about iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and watchOS 6
Updated on September 8, 2019: Added link to Apple’s YouTube channel.
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