IPhone 13 launch takes place on September 14 at Apple’s biggest event of the year

This story is part of Apple event, our comprehensive coverage of the latest news from Apple HQ.

Apple’s next event, where it will likely unveil its next line of devices, including the Apple Watch Series 7 and the iPhone 13, is happening September 14 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST), the company confirmed on Tuesday. The event, like all previous ones over the past year and a half, will be held entirely online amid lingering concerns about the pandemic. (Here’s what we now know about the IPhone 13 release date and what else to wait for the apple event in september.)

Apple’s invitation includes the phrase “California streaming”. It features a neon outline of the Apple logo on the silhouette of a mountain range.

The company’s flashy event in September is its biggest of the year, defining its product line for the holiday shopping season. Last year, Apple staged three major product launches in the second half of the year, separating announcements of its latest Apple Watches, iPads, iPhones, and Mac computers. The releases helped propel Apple sales and profits at their highest level, setting revenue records for iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.

It’s unclear exactly which products Apple will announce and whether the company will repeat last year’s tactic of hosting multiple events throughout the second half of the year. The iPhone 13 is almost certainly going to make an appearance. The rumored Apple Watch 7 might as well.

But product launches all had time to shine in the past year. The iPhone 12, in particular, sparked a wave of upgrade purchases, driven in part by its new 5G wireless connection and its physical appearance redesigned. In his review ahead of its release last year, CNET’s Patrick Holland called the iPhone 12, one of our highest rated phones ever. “5G support, a striking new design, improved cameras and four different models all add up to make the iPhone 12 an absolute unit,” he wrote.

Apple’s other strong point last year were its computers. Apple kicked off a major tech transition last fall, replacing the microprocessor brains in its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, as well as its Mac Mini desktops. Apple had decided to abandon the chips made by industry giant Intel and instead rely on technology designed by the teams that make the microprocessors for the iPhone. Apple’s new M1 chips, as they’re called, have been praised by critics like CNET’s Dan Ackerman, who cited device speed and battery life. Customers liked them too, Apple said, helping push Mac sales to record highs.

Apple is expected to announce the next generation of its in-house chip this fall, which will be called M1X. This new technology should help Apple wean their computers even further from the Intel chips they still rely on. Apple said it plans to continue selling Intel-equipped Mac computers alongside its new technology for another year or so.

Apple could also talk about some of its new augmented reality tricks. As with the previous invites, this one has an AR gadget that creates a mixed reality portal.

Check back with CNET for all the official details on September 14.