The Apple September event is almost here, but will it just be "more" iPhones, or does Apple have anything else up its sleeve for Apple fans to get excited about. With not long to go before Time Cook et al go on stage to reveal all we've been collecting the rumours, insight and chatter to see what us and others think will be revealed on the big day.
Some is already confirmed like more details on the release of Apple's latest operating systems updates including iOS 13, iPad OS 13, WatchOS, TV OS and MacOS, and others are educated guesses like new iPhones, and new Apple Watch models.
For more about what to expect, including how to watch, keep reading.
When is Apple's event?
Apple's event will be held Tuesday 10 September at 10am Pacific Time in the Steve Jobs Theater at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino.
Here are the different local times:
- San Francisco: 10am PT on 10 September
- Chicago: 12pm on 10 September
- New York: 1pm on 10 September
- London: 6pm on 10 September
- Stockholm: 7pm on 10 September
- Paris: 7pm on 10 September
- Rome: 7pm on 10 September
- Berlin: 7pm on 10 September
- Hong Kong: 1am on 11 September
- Beijing: 1am on 11 September
- Seoul: 2am on 11 September
- Sydney: 3am on 11 September
- New Delhi: 10:30pm on 10 September
- Moscow: 8pm on 10 September
- Cape Town: 7pm on 10 September
How to watch Apple's event online
The easiest way to watch Apple's event is from Apple's Event webpage. You'll need an iPhone, iPod, or iPod Touch with Safari on iOS 10 or later. To watch on your desktop, use a Mac with Safari on MacOS Sierra 10.12 or later or a PC with Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge. According to Apple, you can also watch the iPhone announcement using Chrome or Firefox, as long as you're using versions that support MSE, H.264, and AAC.
You can also watch on your Apple TV: Download the Apple Events app from the App Store for Apple TV, or stream from your iOS device via AirPlay. Just ensure it's a second-generation Apple TV, with the latest Apple TV software or TvOS.
What to expect from Apple's event
Event invites usually tease the theme, but this particular one merely shows an updated, transparent version of Apple's classic color-code logo and the tagline "By innovation only." So, what does all that mean? It's hard to say for certain, Apple always likes to show and see itself as an innovator, going beyond just updates for updates sake.
New iPhone 11 series
The big expectation, given we've seen new iPhones released in September for some time now, is exactly that, new iPhones. Based on several leaks and obvious guesswork, we can expect the 2019 iPhone lineup to debut.
Chatter/rumours suggest like 2018 there will be three different models: upgrades for the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. That will deliver two iPhones with OLED screens in 5.8- and 6.5-inch sizes; and one LCD iPhone that's 6.1 inches.
All three will have spec and camera improvements. Expect them to be faster than previous models and feature a better camera system thanks to the addition of yet another camera - why have two when you can have three.
Their names are unclear at this point, with reports going between iPhone 11 and just iPhone and even iPhone Pro. We aren't expecting Apple to continue to use the iPhone XI combination, as that feels complicated, and there is talk of intro-ing a "Pro" moniker to fall in line with the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro range.
In this trail of thought you would have the iPhone (previously the iPhone XR), the iPhone Pro (previously the iPhone XS), and the iPhone Pro Max (previously the iPhone XS Max). Whether Apple will opt for this is still anyone's guess, but it makes logical sense.
Once announced we are expecting the usual timeframe for launch, so somewhere around the end of September, perhaps the Friday 20 September, but again this hasn't been confirmed.
For more about the next iPhone, thought to be called iPhone 11, see our guides:
- Apple iPhone 2019: Release date, features, news and rumours for the iPhone Pro
- Apple iPhone XR 2019 release date, specs, features and rumours
Other hardware upgrades
While the new iPhones will be the main focus of the event, Apple is expected to announce other hardware at the event on Tuesday 10 September. That includes a new upgraded Apple Watch, possibly a "tile" competitor, and even an upgrade to the Apple TV to help boost its Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ services.
The general consensus is that the Apple Watch isn't likely to be a major overhaul having released a significant update in 2018, but rumours suggest there will be new materials and new functionality including Sleep tracking to encourage people who bought in early to upgrade to Apple Watch Series 5.
As for Apple TV, the current 4K offering is already pretty good, but if Apple wants to open up the option of gaming via its Apple Arcade gaming service we could see a new model with a more powerful processor released.
Then there are rumours that Apple is about to launch a "Tile" competitor, that using Apple's Find my iPhone service, could allow you to find other things in your life beyond Apple products thanks to a small tracker you put in your bag or attach to your keys. Such a device, which we estimate could cost around £20 would allow Apple to offer you the chance to find all the important things in your life all via the easy to use Find My iPhone service. Rumours so far have sprouted from mentions in iOS 13, but this could be the big surprising announcement from the September event.
Other rumours include Apple possibly launching a new 10.2-inch iPad and 16-inch MacBook Pro, however, Apple traditionally waits until October to launch new iPad Pro models preferring to give them their own dedicated event.
Software updates and services
Regardless of what new Apple hardware will launch at the September event, Apple will tell us when the new updates of it's latest operating systems will be available to download on our current Apple products. We expect iOS 13 to be released, along with MacOS Catalina, WatchOS 6, iPadOS, and tvOS 13 in the next couple of weeks. Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ should also launch sometime this autumn, Apple has said.
For more about Apple's new software and services, see our guides:
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