From the USB-C-fication of iPhones and AirPods to the successor of the Apple Watch Ultra, here’s what will (and won’t) be on this year’s event docket.
This coming Tuesday’s fall event likely won’t be as revolutionary, but what’s being announced should resonate with an even wider group of consumers. That’s because Apple is expected to unveil the year’s newest iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods that folks like you and I are more likely to buy and use.
Ahead of the event, I’ve rounded up a list of exactly what products you can expect to be announced this coming week, with the backing of industry reports, analysts, and the latest rumor mill. And for a little fun, I’ve also included a section of what likely won’t be unveiled but may appear in the near future.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max Chances of being unveiled: High
Without question, the biggest announcement during the upcoming keynote will be the iPhone 15 series, with Apple running a similar playbook this year as the last. That means you can expect four iPhone 15 models: the standard iPhone 15, a larger iPhone 15 Plus, the standard iPhone 15 Pro, and a larger iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This year, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the headlining act, with new and improved form factors, updated processors, and the latest advancements in the iPhone camera.
The biggest change, at least from the surface level, will be the slimmer and lighter design, thanks in part to a new low-injection pressure over-molding (LIPO) display and shift to titanium material instead of stainless steel.
As reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple will use the same display technology that allowed it to slim down the edges — and therefore expand the display size — of the Apple Watch Series 8 on the new iPhone Pro models. By how much exactly? One-third of the bezel size is what we’re hearing, which should allow Apple to fit a larger screen in a similar framework as the iPhone 14.
Speaking of standardizing, with the EU imposing a law for electronics makers to adopt USB-C by 2024, the new batch of iPhones will finally support charging and data transferring via USB-C, becoming Apple’s latest major product to make the switch to the more universal power format. Expect the Pro models to feature faster charging and transfer speeds than the non-Pro models.
Other hardware changes include an Action Button — that replaces the traditional alert slider — and new camera systems. The Action Button, much like that on the Apple Watch Ultra, will be a mappable quick key for turning on the camera app, flashlight, Siri, Shortcuts, and more.
As for the cameras, both Pro variants are slated to field higher-megapixel telephoto and ultrawide lenses, Bloomberg reports, with the Pro Max getting the iPhone’s first-ever periscope lens that’s capable of capturing distant subjects with greater focus and clarity.
A faster, more efficient A17 Bionic chip should also make its way into the iPhone 15 Pro models, bringing improved performance and, fingers crossed, better battery life.
Lastly, the idea of Apple rebranding the « Max » variant to « Ultra » was a longstanding rumor going into the ‘Wonderlust’ event, especially with the Apple Watch Ultra being a thing this time around.
