Apple has finally confirmed the date for its annual event where the highly anticipated iPhone 13 and Apple Watch 7 will be announced. The event will be streamed live from Apple Park on September 14 at 1 PM ET.
The event will be streamed on Apple’s website, its Youtube channel and via the Apple TV app on iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple TV. This is also the second year in a row Apple has live-streamed its events owing to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch 7 announcements, you can also expect a new version of Airpods, an iPad mini alongside an entry-level iPad and the release dates for the next round of Apple software updates.
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The next-gen iPhone 13
While the newest iPhone is expected to be similar in design to its predecessor, it’s rumoured to feature a smaller notch, significant camera improvements and Promotion displays with up to 120Hz refresh rate. You can also expect a bump in battery capacity and mmWave 5G support for more countries.
The phone is expected to be powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and come with up to 1TB of storage. As reported by Bloomberg, the iPhone 13 will also carry a satellite communication chip that’ll allow users to send emergency messages without cell service. This feature, however, isn’t expected to be functional at launch.
Other, more ridiculous rumours about the next iPhone involve the phone being portless. However as reported by 9To5Mac, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states in an investor note that the 2021 iPhone models will, in fact, include a lighting port. We could also see support for in-screen TouchID.
Apple Watch 7
Expected to be a major redesign to Apple’s approach to smartwatches, the Apple Watch 7 has big shoes to fill. The smartwatch is expected to feature a flat-edged display and will be available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, which is larger than the previously offered 40mm and 44mm sizes.
However, the all-new design and larger display are pretty much all that’s expected to be included in the package. Apple Watches are known for their health features and Apple seems to have decided to update existing features via software instead of cramming more health sensors in the new watch. You can, however, expect a faster processor and hence, better performance.
Two new iPads
Next up on the list are two new iPads. A new, updated iPad mini and an affordable entry-level iPad. The new iPad mini is expected to be powered by the A15 Bionic, the same processor as the upcoming iPhone 13 while the entry-level iPad could see the previous A13 chip, which should still be plenty of performance.
The new iPad mini is also rumoured to be coming with thinner bezels and no home button, so it’s interesting to see how the new design will pan out with existing iPad users or those planning to buy the newer one.
AirPods 3
Not a lot is known about the upcoming Airpods 3 except that they’ll feature the same design as the Airpods Pro, except without the removable ear tips. We could see an announcement for these in the upcoming event.
Software updates
Finally, the event should include the launch dates for iOS 15, watchOS 8, tvOS 15, and macOS Monterey which were unveiled at the WWDC and are currently available in Beta only. macOS Monterey however can be pushed back to later this year — likely October or November.
What will we miss?
Chances are there isn’t going to be an announcement about the M1X 14 and 16-inch Macbook Pros. We don’t expect the M1X Macs to be announced during this event either. Expect these announcements in a separate event later this year along with macOS Monterey in October or November.
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