APPLE has sent out invitations for a product launch event at its headquarters on Sep 9, when it’s set to announce details of the iPhone 16 and other new devices.
The presentation will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, the company said on Monday (Aug 26). The theme of the event – “It’s Glowtime” – is a reference to the interface used by the new Siri digital assistant on the company’s latest devices.
Apple had previously been preparing to hold the launch on Sep 10, sources familiar with the matter have said, though it will now be one day sooner. Sep 10 is the date scheduled for the first presidential debate between Vice-President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The iPhone 16 will have larger screens on its Pro models and new camera features, such as a dedicated button for taking photos. But perhaps the biggest component of the keynote will be the discussion of Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of artificial intelligence (AI) features that will be available on all of the new iPhone models.
Besides the new iPhones, Apple is preparing major changes to its smartwatch lineup and revamped AirPods. The next version of the standard Apple Watch will get bigger displays and a thinner look. The company has also been planning a version of its low-end Watch SE that is made out of plastic for the first time.
Apple has been readying two new AirPods models: a new low-end version to replace the one from 2019, plus a replacement for the mid-tier AirPods that launched in 2021. Both models will include new designs that look more like the AirPods Pro, while the mid-level one will gain noise cancellation for the first time.
The event is critical for Apple, which is betting on the new products to help revive growth in its iPhone and wearable-device segments. During its latest earnings call, Apple implied that iPhone sales in the current quarter would be flat, but it did not comment on the holiday season.
Apple has been preparing to release the new iPhones around Sep 20, which would mean that about a week and a half of those sales would come in the current period. The company may get a boost later in October when Apple Intelligence is released as part of the iOS 18.1 operating system. The initial iPhone 16 models are expected to ship with iOS 18.0, which does not include many of the AI-driven enhancements. BLOOMBERG
