Apple 2018 iPhone event: All you need to know
After months of waiting, Apple's annual iPhone launch event is finally here. Taking place on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino, California, it is being called the "Apple Special Event" by the tech giant.
Though there has been no official announcement yet, much is already known about what is going to be announced at the event. The leaks and rumours suggest Apple could announce new phones along with new Apple Watches, accessories and possibly even a new MacBook.
Here's all you need to know.
Possibly three new iPhones
As per a report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to release three new iPhones at the launch event, the first being an iPhone X with a 5.8-inch screen, the second, a larger 6.5-inch model and last but not the least, a new mid-range model that will feature a 6.1-inch display and borrow elements of both the iPhone X and the cheaper iPhone 8 variants. The report also adds that Apple could use OLED panels on all three models.
However, other reports say the company might just announce two new devices this year and bring down the pricing of the current generation iPhone X to a more affordable price point. If this ends up being the case, the refreshed 5.8-inch OLED iPhone will be called the iPhone XS while the larger 6.5-inch smartphone will be called the iPhone XS Plus or XS Max.
The XS and XS Plus could also come featuring a new Gold colour variant.
Exclusive: This is 'iPhone XS' — design, larger version, and gold colors confirmed https://t.co/XfGJODq7Vm by @_inside pic.twitter.com/fOezPOMV8i
— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) August 30, 2018
What will be new?
Though Apple could announce as many as three new iPhones this year, leaks suggest that their design will remain the same as the current generation iPhone X. All the new devices will follow the notched iPhone X steel frame and glass sandwich design scheme, and come with dual cameras at the back.
The only difference would be seen under the hood, with the new iPhones expected to be powered by a new A12 processor and possibly a larger battery – a 3400mAh pack, thus representing a 25% gain on the iPhone X.
Features
The feature set on the new iPhone is expected to not be too different from what is present on the current generation iPhone X. After having put in months of work in developing advanced facial recognition tech in Face ID, expect Apple to not let go of it this year, and only improve by working on it some more.
With rival flagships improving on cameras, and the Pixel 2, Samsung galaxy Note 9 and Huawei's P20 Pro upping the game, Apple is expected to also bring some improvements to the camera set-up on the new devices. However, do not expect anything out of the ordinary, like the P20 Pro and its three-camera optical module.
Apple Watch 4
Exclusive: Apple Watch Series 4 revealed — massive display, dense watch face, more https://t.co/Fwg5kH6dEL by @apollozac pic.twitter.com/5yrKmsK3g8
— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) August 30, 2018
The other big announcement at the event could be the launch of the Apple Watch 4.
According to the latest reports, the new Apple Watch could be announced in two variants – 38mm and 42mm. Both the variants will feature OLED displays and have smaller bezels around them so that there's more room to display content. Apple could also announce new watch bands along with the watch, and much like Series 3 Watch, the new Apple Watch too should be announced in cellular and WiFi models.
iOS 12
Apple announced iOS 12 at WWDC 2018 where it promised a "fall" release for the operating system — and the expectation is, the new OS will be finally made available to the public post-the September 12 event.
Despite being likely announced alongside the new iPhones, iOS 12 will also be big news for older generation Apple smartphones. Case in point, the iPhone 6.
Apple claims that with iOS 12 installed, the iPhone 6 will launch applications up to 40% faster, the keyboard up to 60% faster and the camera app will open as much as 70% faster compared to iOS 11. Apple also claims that iOS 12 will help its range of mobile devices deliver better performance as compared to iOS 11.
Updated AirPods and possibly new MacBook
The tech giant is also expected to refresh its wireless AirPods.
The Airpods were announced by Apple in 2016 and since then have met with increasing competition from other players in the market. To counter the threat, reports suggest that Apple could add new features to the truly wireless earbuds. Though unlikely, there are reports that Apple could also refresh its MacBook lineup.
A Bloomberg report claims that Apple could announce a new MacBook this year which would combine some elements from both the MacBook and MacBook Air product lines.
Just watch this space.