Apple has announced and sent invitations out for its next event. Mark your calendars for Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific. The event will be at the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s Campus in Cupertino, Calif. and will be streamed live.
And since we’re experts on all things tech, Apple (AAPL) included, we’re breaking down the invitation and what you can expect to be unveiled. It’s also the second event of “Techtober,” as this season of tech announcements is fondly called. You might recall that earlier in August, Samsung unveiled the Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Buds 2 Pro, and Watch 5 family.
So let’s break down what is likely arriving — new iPhones, Apple Watches and even AirPods — and some deals you can score on Apple devices right now.
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Apple’s ‘Far out’ Special EventIn typical Apple fashion, the invitation describes this September special event as “Far out,” with a graphic depicting the Apple logo seemingly floating in space with stars of varying brightness and colors making it up. So what does this mean?
Well, it’s unlikely Apple’s launching a spacecraft, but the colors here could relate to the different shades for forthcoming products, or perhaps symbolizing Spatial Audio. That’s Apple’s technology for placing sound around the user, with AirPods or a device like a MacBook Pro, to increase immersion. The invitation could also just be a fun graphic. But, if you head over to Apple.com and tap the graphic, you can also open up an AR experience.
The iPhone 14 and 14 ProEach year, usually in September, Apple drops new iPhones. Last year, Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 Mini, 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max. And most likely this year we will see the iPhone 14 family, according to rumors.
It’s believed that we’ll see the iPhone 14 and a 14 Max instead of Mini. Yes, the smallest iPhone will likely be sunset and replaced by a large screen based iPhone.
These both should keep a similar form factor to the current iPhone 13 family, offer new colors and, interestingly enough, stick with the same powerful A13 Bionic processor. You can still expect two cameras on the back — a wide lens and ultra wide lens — as well as a selfie camera baked into the Face ID notch on the front.
The standard 14s should be joined by the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Both of these should feature Apple’s next-generation processor, an upgraded three camera system on the back, a new always-on display function, and a redesigned Face ID system on the front. Yes, rather than a notch all signs are pointing to cutouts similar to Android phones.
If you’re disappointed that the iPhone Mini won’t be carried on, you can still score one from a carrier or from a retailer (including Apple along with Target, BestBuy, and Walmart). It will be interesting if the 13 or 13 Mini are kept in the line and still sold, but time will tell. For instance, Apple still offers the iPhone 12 officially.
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A Trio of Apple WatchesJacob Krol/TheStreet
Apple last introduced two new Apple Watches in 2020 — the Series 6 and the affordable SE. And we can expect three new Apple Watches to be announced. Those include an upgraded Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a rumored “Pro” Apple Watch.
The SE should be the entry point and offer a nearly identical hardware setup that features a newer processor inside. This way it can run all of watchOS 9 to its fullest and offer a lot of value for the price point. We’re hoping it continues to start at $249.
The Apple Watch Series 8 will succeed the Series 7 and keep the larger display in the same size along with an upgraded processor and new sensors for new health tracking features. This new processor should be an upgrade to the current Apple-made S7 chip.
The new model, and likely the more expensive one, is the rumored “Pro” Apple Watch, which like the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, should feature longer battery life, a redesigned chassis made of more durable materials, and some new features as well.
This will be an interesting space to watch and we’d be remiss not to mention that the Apple Watch Series 7, which should be similar to the 8, is currently $100 off in the 42mm and 45mm sizes. These will be getting watchOS 9, and in our testing have run the beta quite while, and should be supported for many years to come.
You can also save $100 on the Apple Watch SE 40mm or 42mm with GPS + Cellular. For instance, the Apple Watch Series 3 will not be getting watchOS 9 this Fall and was released in 2017.
New AirPods ProJustin Sullivan/Getty
There’s also a chance that Apple could be ready to introduce the second-generation of AirPods Pro. The current generation was released in October of 2019, but they’re not all that dated in terms of performance. They still deliver on class-leading active noise cancellation and transparency modes, sound really good in everyday uses, and offer a comfortable fit in the ear.
Second-generation AirPods Pro or AirPods Pro 2, could introduce a new design, support for higher-quality audio and even rollout some rumored health tracking features. We’re hoping they’ll stick to the $249.99 price point as well.
And we wouldn’t sleep on AirPods Pro either — they’re down to just $179.99 on Amazon (AMZN) and offer a great experience.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.