Apple may unveil 2 new Apple Watches, a new iPad Air, and more at its big event today. Here's everyt
- Apple is to holding a special event on September 15 to announce new products.
- This year, we're expecting to see new Apple Watches, a new iPad Air, and more.
- It doesn't seem likely that Apple will debut the iPhone 12 at this event, based on reports, but Apple does typically unveil its latest iPhones every September.
- Apple will likely also announce launch dates for new major software updates like iOS 14 and watchOS 7.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
For tech fans, September has become synonymous with Apple's new iPhone launch. But it sounds like this year's event — taking place at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET on Tuesday — may be different. The iPhone 12 is expected to be delayed because of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, meaning Apple may be breaking its long-standing tradition of unveiling its new iPhone each September.
The focus of this year's September event may be the new Apple Watch and iPad, instead of the iPhone, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Instead of inviting press to an in-person press conference on its campus, the company updated its events website to include a virtual event streamed from Apple Park, which you can watch on Apple's YouTube channel.
Luca Maestri, Apple's chief financial officer and senior vice president, said on the company's most recent earnings call that it expects supply of its next iPhone to arrive a few weeks later than last year's models.
But the firm still believes there's a strong demand for iPhones despite the economic uncertainty stemming from the coronavirus. Apple is reportedly ordering at least 75 million units of its new iPhones from suppliers, according to Bloomberg, indicating that sales expectations are the same as last year.
Aside from a new Apple Watch and iPad, the company is said to be working on a bevy of other new products, some of which may also debut this month.
Here's a closer look at everything we're expecting to see.
The Apple Watch Series 6 and a new cheaper Apple Watch
Like the iPhone, Apple typically introduces new Apple Watch models every September.
The next Apple Watch, likely to be called the Apple Watch Series 6, is said to offer the ability to measure blood-oxygen levels, according to 9to5Mac and Bloomberg. Since Apple just brought native sleep tracking to the Apple Watch through its watchOS 7 software update, there's a chance the new model could come with more advanced sleep-oriented capabilities and better battery life.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also reports that Apple will also release a new low-cost Apple Watch alongside the Series 6 to replace the Series 3.
A new iPad Air that looks like the iPad Pro
Apple will also launch a new version of the iPad Air with an edge-to-edge screen like the iPad Pro, according to Bloomberg.
This wouldn't be the first time features from the iPad Pro have trickled down to other models. Apple introduced new iPad Air and iPad mini models that support Apple Pencil last year.
A subscription service bundle called Apple One
Apple may take the wraps off its long-rumored subscription services bundle at Tuesday's event, according to Bloomberg's Gurman.
The bundle is expected to be called Apple One, as Bloomberg reported back in August. It'll be available in different tiers, according to the report, such as a basic level that includes Apple Music and Apple TV Plus. Services like Apple Arcade, Apple News Plus, and additional iCloud storage would reportedly be added as part of pricier tiers.
The launch would come as Apple's booming services category, which includes revenue from App Store transactions as well as subscriptions, has become an increasingly important part of Apple's revenue.
A new fitness app that could rival Peloton
Health has been a major focus for Apple in recent years, and it looks like the company may take its wellness ambitions one step further with a new fitness app, according to Bloomberg's Gurman.
The new service would offer virtual fitness classes that can be viewed on an iPhone, iPad, and the Apple TV, Bloomberg reported in August.
MacRumors also reported back in March that Apple has been working on a new fitness app that would allow users to download fitness videos. The app is reportedly codenamed "Seymour" but may be called "Fit" or "Fitness" upon release.
More information about Apple's new software updates
Apple typically unveils new software updates for major products like the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June before debuting them in the fall. If history is any indication, we'll learn when Apple's iOS 14, watchOS 7, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur updates will be available to download.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro
Although it seems unlikely that new iPhones will debut at this event, Apple's latest smartphones are usually the main attraction at its September keynotes. The company is expected to launch four versions of the iPhone 12 this fall, according to reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu and TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
All four models are expected to support 5G connectivity and will feature OLED screens, which will offer deeper black tones and better contrast (OLED displays are only currently available on the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max).
Two of the phones are expected to be sequels to the cheaper iPhone 11, while the other two will succeed the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The two less expensive models will reportedly come in 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch size options, while the pricier ones are said to come in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch variants.
The larger iPhone 12 Pro will come with the same Lidar sensor for enabling better augmented reality performance as the iPad Pro, according to Bloomberg. That report also said the regular iPhones are expected to ship sooner than the Pro models.
Still, this September event may be all about the Apple Watch and iPad, while October is likely to bring new iPhones, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
—Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 8, 2020A smaller, cheaper new HomePod
Apple made its first big push to compete against smart speakers from Amazon and Google with the HomePod in 2017. That device failed to gain as much traction as those rival products, but now Apple is said to be coming back with a new smaller HomePod at a cheaper price, according to Bloomberg.
Apple's first over-ear headphones
Apple is also planning to release its first self-branded pair of over-ear headphones as part of its fall product launch, according to Bloomberg. But it's unclear if products like these headphones and the HomePod will debut during Tuesday's event or alongside new iPhones in October.
It's not the first time we've heard that Apple is working on such a product; Bloomberg also published a report in April detailing some of the headphones' features.
The new over-ear headphones are expected to come in two variants, a premium version and a fitness-oriented model with more breathable fabrics. The headphones would also be designed to be customized by the user, the report says.
Kuo also previously reported that Apple is working on a pair of over-ear headphones, but he initially predicted that they were slated to launch in early 2020, according to MacRumors.
Launching a pair of high-end headphones would build on the success Apple has seen with its AirPods, which along with the Apple Watch has helped spur notable growth in the company's wearables division.
Other rumored Apple products
Apple is also rumored to have a bunch of other products in the pipeline, but they seem less likely to debut at the company's fall event.
Apple is reportedly developing a faster new Apple TV, for example, according to 9to5Mac and Bloomberg. But that device may not ship until next year, says Bloomberg.
Apple also said that the first Mac computers to run on its new Apple silicon processor would launch by the end of the year. However, the company doesn't typically announce new Macs at its September event.
Apple is also rumored to be working on a new product called AirTags, which would be markers that you can stick on belongings like keys or a wallet so that you can easily find them with your iPhone, according to reports from 9to5Mac and MacRumors. A new pair of AirPods is also reportedly in the works, according to Kuo and Bloomberg's Gurman, but the analyst expects these to launch in 2021.
There's also a chance Apple could release a new wireless charging mat, according to Kuo, although details are scarce.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyivM%2BlnGahoJ28r7GMamlmqpWhsqK%2FxGabmqyVYrumw4yap6mklWLEosDCoWSsnaCpsq6uxKtknq6Vo8Fufo9rZ2Zx