What to expect at the Apple event on September 14: iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7 and more

Apple is hosting its annual iPhone-centric event on Tuesday, September 14, and like last year, it will be fully digital. We’ve been hearing rumors about what’s to come for several months now, so we have a good idea of ​​what to expect.

We expect the new iPhone 13 and Apple Watch Series 7 models to debut at the event, along with new Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases. We might get the AirPods 3 as well, and there are other products on the horizon like the new iPads and the MacBook Pro M1X as well, but with the rumor that Apple is hosting several events over the next few months, this one could be more focused on the iPhone. .

This guide highlights everything we expect to see at the September event based on the rumors we’ve heard so far.

iPhone 13

Apple will launch four iPhones in 2021, including a 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, 6.1-inch iPhone 13, 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. If this sounds a lot like the iPhone 12 lineup, well, it is.

The iPhone 13 models will be almost identical to the iPhone 12 models, and we expect little in the way of design changes. That said, the new models could be just a little thicker and there could be new colors. A darker shade of graphite gray and bronze have been prevalent, but unconfirmed, as has a pink undertone.

The side button, mute button, and volume buttons may be a bit lower and some of the biggest design changes are coming for the camera. The iPhone 13 Pro will have a larger camera bump, and the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 will have lenses arranged diagonally. Camera bumps may be thicker, but individual lenses will protrude less.

On the front side, we’d expect a smaller Face ID notch with the speaker moving toward the top edge of the screen. There may be some improvements to Face ID itself, but we haven’t heard from a trusted source.

Rumors have it that iPhone 13 Pro models would get a 120Hz “ProMotion” display to finally put the iPhone on par with the iPad Pro. This will be made possible by the new low-power LTPO backplane technology, which can also facilitate an always-on display similar to what we have on current Apple Watch models.

Inside, the iPhone 13 models will have a 5-nanometer A15 chip, and as with all updates to the A-series chip, it is expected to bring faster performance and efficiency improvements that will increase. battery life.

Qualcomm’s X60 modem will offer faster 5G connection speeds and better 5G coverage, and Apple is expected to bring blazing-fast mmWave connectivity to more countries. When it comes to WiFi, iPhone 13 models can support the latest WiFi 6E specification.

Apple would use larger batteries in all iPhone 13 models, which could extend battery life, but the always-on display and 120Hz refresh rate could consume some of these on Pro models. We’ve heard a rumor that wired charging could be faster with up to 25W support, and reverse wireless charging is a possibility but has not been confirmed by a reliable source.

Camera technology improves every year and rumors suggest that all new iPhones have updated features. Some of the biggest improvements will be in the iPhone 13 Pro, which is expected to be on par with the iPhone 13 Pro Max this year with a better telephoto lens.

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are expected to get sensors with larger pixels to improve photos in low light conditions, and the Ultra Wide camera in these models will feature autofocus and more. ‘Improved f / 1.8 aperture for low-light improvements. The Sensor Shift Stabilization feature available in Pro models should be built into the entire iPhone 13 lineup for much better Wide camera stability. On Pro models, the Ultra Wide Camera can also use Sensor Shift Stabilization.

A new cinematic video mode will work like Portrait mode but for video, and Apple is adding ProRes support to Pro models, which is the video equivalent of ProRAW. The built-in camera filters will be enhanced and will be applied to objects and people with more precision rather than being layered over the entire photo. In addition, the night mode could get better colors and new features to recognize the night sky.

IPhone 13 models can support up to 1TB of storage for the first time, up from a maximum of 512GB previously.

There were rumors of a portless design and an under-display Touch ID, but these were unsuccessful and we are no longer waiting for these features. For more details on what’s coming to the iPhone 13 lineup, we’ve got a dedicated iPhone 13 roundup.

Apple Watch Series 7

No new health features are expected for the Apple Watch this year, but this is the first redesign we’ve seen since 2018. The Apple Watch Series 7 will match the iPhone 13 better as it adopts the same flat-rimmed design, which is a major change from the curved edges of the Apple Watch since its introduction in 2015.

The Apple Watch Series 7 will be available in new 41mm and 45mm size options, instead of 40mm and 44mm. Combined with thinner bezels, this will allow for much larger screens which will also include a new layering technique that brings the screen closer to the surface of the watch.

We got to see some new color options, like a green color that could join or replace the blue tint introduced last year. Rumors have been mixed as to whether the new design will make the Series 7 thicker or thinner, so we’ll have to wait and see.

An updated S7 chip will be included in the 7 Series, and because it’s smaller, it leaves more room for other components like a bigger battery. New wireless connectivity is expected, as is an upgraded version of the current U1 Ultra Wideband chip.

Apple is designing new 7-Series exclusive watch faces to go with the larger screens, including a Modular Max watch face, Continuum watch face, and a new world time face. Along with the launch of the new watch, Apple is launching new “Time to Run” and “Audio Meditations” features that will accompany the “Time to Walk” option introduced earlier this year.

Apple reportedly struggled to ramp up mass production of the Apple Watch Series 7, so while we expect to see an intro at this event, its actual launch might be a bit delayed compared to the iPhone 13 or initially only available in very small numbers. quantities.

To learn more about the Apple Watch Series 7, we have a dedicated guide that brings together everything we know about it so far.

AirPod 3

Apple’s most affordable headphones will get an update in 2021, and it could happen during the September event, although we’re a little less certain that it will be during this event than we are with. iPhone and Apple Watch. Whenever they arrive, the AirPods 3 will get a design overhaul with a look closer to the AirPods Pro.

We’re expecting an AirPods Pro design with shorter stems, and there are mixed rumors whether or not the new AirPods will have the same silicone tips or whether they’ll keep the current design without a tip, but it seems. that they’re going to be a spikeless hybrid of the current AirPods and AirPods Pro.

The case is shorter and wider than the current AirPods case and is more similar to the AirPods Pro case.

New internal hardware with an updated wireless chip is a possibility, and we might see improvements in range and battery life. AirPods 3 will not benefit from AirPods Pro features like noise cancellation, and they will remain the most affordable AirPods.

New software updates

Apple is expected to launch iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 just days ahead of when the new iPhone models are expected to be available.

If iPhone models are announced on the 14th and are expected to launch on the 24th, for example, we might see the software updates launch on the 22nd.

Alternatively, some of the software updates could arrive as early as the 15th if Apple repeats last year’s schedule. Either way, Apple will let us know the software launch dates on the day of the event.

If Apple follows its recent model of releases, macOS Monterey could release a little after iOS 15 and its sister updates, so we might not see Monterey until later in September or October.

Expected later this year

Last year Apple hosted events in September, October, and November, and it was a fall event extravaganza. Several events have been successful, and that is something we are counting on this year as well.

2020 was a special situation due to the iPhone lag, so we might only have two events this year, but three is still possible. Here’s what we can see at events held in October and / or November:

• Macbook Pro – Apple is working on an updated version of the MacBook Pro which will be available in 14 and 16 inches. It will have thinner bezels and a larger screen, as well as a redesigned chassis. This will mark the return of MagSafe connectivity over USB-C, and Apple is also bringing back the HDMI port and SD card slot. Newer MacBook Pro models will do away with the Touch Bar in favor of a row of function keys, and in many ways, this redesign will mark a return to the pre-2016 MacBook Pro. In particular, future MacBook Pro models will use a new “M1X” chip which is an upgrade to the M1.
• Mac mini – According to Bloombergfrom Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a new version of the Mac mini that will feature an M1X chip. This new Mac mini will replace the current Intel version of the Mac mini and will arrive “in the next few months”.
• iPad 9 – A new version of the low-cost iPad is in development and is expected to launch before the end of the year. It will continue to have a Home button, but it will get an updated 10.5in screen and it could be thinner and lighter than previous models. A faster A-series chip is also expected.
• iPad mini 6 – Apple has major changes planned for the iPad mini 6, which is expected to be updated with an all-screen design. Like the iPad Air, it won’t have a home button and might feature a Touch ID power button.

How to watch

The iPhone 13 event kicks off on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. PT. Apple will broadcast the event live on its website and on YouTube.

For those who cannot watch, MacRumors will have live coverage of the event both on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter Account.