Apple’s September 12 event is nearly upon us, with the iPhone 15 reveal just hours away.
Apple is continuing with pre-recorded events, which were such a success during the early days of the pandemic that Apple has stuck with them ever since.
How to watch
Despite not being a live show, it will be streaming live around the world via Apple’s website or YouTube channel at 10 am PT (that’s 6 pm BST for any Brits reading). You can watch it via apple.com/events from almost any device with internet access, or you can find it feature in the TV app on an Apple TV.
Of course, if you can’t give up two hours on a weekday morning for a press event, stick with us for a full recap soon after things wrap up. We’ll give you all the big talking points in a nice 5-minute read.
What to expect
This late in the day, it’s perhaps not worth your while re-reading the rumors – we’ll know exactly what’s up Apple’s sleeve in a few hours anyway. But if you’re feeling impatient, or hyping yourself up for the event, here’s a refresher on what to expect:
iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Pro
We’ve seen all kinds of rumors about the upcoming iPhone lineup, but chances are strong it’ll follow in the footsteps of the past few years, with four distinct handsets to choose from: iPhones 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max.
Expect to see the usual iterative upgrades to the processing chips and cameras, plus the introduction of USB-C in place of the Lightning port. Beyond that (if you believe the rumors) we’ll see titanium frames and periscope lenses on the Pro models, while the regular version will inherit some of last year’s Pro-level exclusives like Dynamic Island.
There’s also talk of a new ‘Action’ button for a freshly-named iPhone Ultra, though we’re less confident about that one. If not now, maybe next year.
Apple Watch Series 9
This looks to be a fairly straightforward upgrade on last year’s Series 8, focusing on performance over flashy new features. It’ll be an improvement, sure, but nothing to write home about. However…
Apple Watch Ultra 2
More interestingly, Apple’s high-end smartwatch could be refreshed. Apple Watch Ultra is bigger, beefier, and better for outdoorsy types and those who like to have the best of the best. Again, don’t expect too many groundbreaking new features, but we’d expect to see more changes made to a device still in its infancy as Apple works out the kinks of its $799+ behemoth.
iOS 17 and more
Apple’s fall event usually signals the release of the annual software upgrades, most notably iOS 17. New features including Contact Posters, Standby, Offline Maps, and more make it an exciting release, whether or not you’ll be picking up a new iPhone.