New Apple iPhone: What to know ahead of the company's September 9 event
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PHOENIX - Apple is set to hold a company event on Sept. 9, and it's sparked speculation over what the company is set to release, including the possibility of updates to their well-known iPhone line.
Here's what to know ahead of the event.
What has Apple said about the event?
Besides a page with few descriptions other than the date and time of the event, in addition to a scheduled YouTube livestream for the event (as seen above) with the tagline "It's Glowtime," people with the tech giant have released little information on the event itself.
There is speculation that Apple will release a new version of the iPhone, as the company tends to announce such product refreshes during September or October in recent years.
For example, Apple announced the iPhone 15 during an event on Sept. 12, 2023. The iPhone 15's predecessor, iPhone 14, was announced on Sept. 7, 2022. Meanwhile, iPhone 13 was announced on Sept. 14, 2021, and the iPhone 12 was unveiled on Oct. 13, 2020.
Why is Apple being so secretive about the event?
For those who have followed news related to Apple, the secrecy should come as no surprise, as the company is known for such secrecy.
An article published in 2017 describes certain aspects of Apple's secrecy culture, with the author suggesting a marketing benefit that Apple reaps from such secrecy.
So, what can we expect from Apple this time around?
(Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Apple has released little information on the event. However, that has not stopped talks on what could be introduced.
The website MacRumors, which covers Apple news and rumors related to future Apple products, has a list of features that could be included in the next iPhone, which they believe will be called "iPhone 16."
iPhone
Per the website, the new iPhone could feature two camera lenses, with a range of different phone color options available, ranging from five to seven. No notable changes to the phone's body's shape or size are expected, but the phone is expected to have a new button that will replace the mute switch. Such a button was incorporated into the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPhone Pro
As for the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max, the website states the new models could feature larger display sizes, along with a slightly larger device in general.
Other features
MacRumors listed other possible features for the new iPhones, including faster Wi-Fi technology and slightly bigger batteries.
There is one feature that has already been announced by Apple.
In June, Apple announced Apple Intelligence, a generative artificial intelligence feature that is included with a new version of iOS. Apple's website on the feature states that iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, among other Mac models, are compatible with Apple Intelligence. The new iPhone models can be expected to support Apple Intelligence as well.
A "new" feature that could catch some existing iPhone users by surprise is a new connector port: Apple switched to USB-C ports starting with iPhone 15, abandoning the Lightning port that has been used since iPhone 5 in 2012. Per the Associated Press, Apple adopted USB-C because of a mandate that European regulators were planning to impose.
By the time Apple announced the change in 2023, USB-C was already widely used on a range of computers, smartphones and other devices.
It should be noted that the purported iPhone features, as listed above, are based on speculation by various sources, and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Historically, what improvements have Apple announced for their new iPhones?
In recent years, Apple has announced a number of smaller improvements alongside a bigger change with their iPhones.
In 2019, Apple announced price cuts for its cheapest model, alongside the unveiling of its AppleTV service. In 2020, the company announced 5G-enabled iPhones, and the iPhone models for 2021 featured smaller upgrades to the camera, alongside a 1TB storage option. The iPhone models for 2022 also featured improved cameras, alongside a new feature that allows users to send SOS messages via satellite.
As mentioned above, a big change with iPhone 15 is its use of the USB-C connector port instead of Lightning.
When will the new iPhone be released?
Customers wait in line at the release of the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models at an Apple Store on September 22, 2023. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
As of Sept. 3, Apple has not made any announcements on the purported new iPhone models. However, an article on technology news website CNet notes that new iPhones typically go on sale shortly after the event.
In 2023, Apple made their new iPhone models available via pre-order on Sept. 15. The phones themselves were made available on Sept. 22. In 2022, that year's iPhone models were made available on Sept. 16.