As sure as day follows night, we’re likely to see an Apple event this September. The rumors vary on the exact day, but the Apple event has been tipped for either September 12 or 13 in Cupertino.
So what is going to launch at the Apple event? The new iPhone 15 lineup, for sure, but we should also see at least one new wearable in the Apple Watch 9 and perhaps an Apple Watch Ultra 2. And don't be surprised if we get an update on the Apple Vision Pro, the company's first spatial computing headset.
Here's all the products we expect to see unveiled at the Apple September event — and what we don't.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
The Apple September event will definitely see the launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The biggest rumored upgrades include ditching the Lightning port for USB-C connectivity, the Dynamic Island at the top of the display and bigger batteries thanks to new stacked battery tech. The A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro has also been tipped for the regular iPhone 15 series, which is still plenty powerful.
Disappointingly, the display refresh rate on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is set to stick to 60Hz. Given that many of the best Android phones come with 90Hz to 120Hz displays, I don’t think 60Hz is acceptable for an iPhone in 2023.
iPhone 15 Pro
While the iPhone 15 Pro is tipped to bring lots of changes. It could have a more rounded design, marking a departure from the flat edges on the iPhone 14 Pro. And those edges could be made of titanium, which is lighter yet stronger than the stainless steel used on the chassis of the current iPhone Pro models.
The Phone 15 Pro display bezels are also rumored to get thinner, taking them down to a mere 1.55mm versus the 2.1mm on the iPhone 14 Pro. And speaking of the display, there’s a tip that the Dynamic Island could have some rearranged sensors, which could see it shrink slightly or improve its performance.
The most notable iPhone 15 Pro design upgrade could be the replacement of the mute slider with an action button that can be configured to trigger certain functions, say quickly opening the camera app. While the triple rear-camera array of the iPhone 15 Pro is set to stick similar specs, but it could have new and improved sensors; expect better handling of colors and low-light situations.
On the inside, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max should both feature Apple's new A17 Bionic processor, which is tipped to the world's first 3nm chip. This should deliver better performance and efficiency, and the early A17 Bionic benchmarks look very strong.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to have many of the same upgrades as the iPhone 15 Pro, it gets its own entry here as it’s set to get a new periscope-style telephoto lens that’ll be exclusive to the largest next-gen iPhone.
By making use of improved optics, the telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is tipped to offer double the optical zoom range of the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s camera. That means an upgrade from 3x to 6x. That might still be beaten by the 10x telephoto camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
However, the combination of a longer zoom range and Apple image processing could give the iPhone 15 Pro Max the smartphone rear camera array to beat.
Apple Watch 9
New iPhone launches tend to be joined by new Apple Watches, and this September we expect to see the Apple Watch 9. There’s not been a deluge of rumors around a next-gen Apple Watch, but from what we’ve heard the Apple Watch 9 is likely to have boosted specs with a 5nm A15 chip.
We can also expect improved battery life, and potentially see some of the features of the Apple Watch Ultra filter down to the Watch 9. Overall, it looks set to be a small upgrade over the Apple Watch 8, but perhaps Apple could have some surprises up its sleeve.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
For a while, it was predicted that a new Apple Watch Ultra won’t be revealed until 2024. But Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said the so-called Apple Watch Ultra 2 will launch at the Apple event.
If that does come to fruition, the rumors so far have the Apple Watch Ultra 2 pegged to potentially get a Micro LED display to improve colors and viewing angles, and a 2.1-inch screen size.
Improved activity tracking and health monitoring features would also seem like obvious upgrades, though none have been rumored yet. And more watch bands with corresponding modes to expand the scope of the next-gen Apple Watch Ultra with outdoor sports and activities would also seem likely.
iPad mini 7
The iPad mini 7 isn't a lock for the Apple event, but we've heard some rumors that it could be unveiled there. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, "Apple isn't likely to do another major overhaul of the product," but he does expect a processor upgrade. So our bet would be an iPad mini 7 with an M2 chip.
What won’t be at the Apple September event
We don't expect to see any new MacBooks at the Apple event this September. We’ve already had new MacBooks in the form of the MacBook Air 15-inch, MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch, all with new M2 series chips.
Apple is working on a new MacBooks with M3 chips based on a 3nm process, but those aren't expected to launch until October.
Apple could tease more about the Vision Pro mixed reality headset, but we doubt we’ll see any major demos of it next month. However, it wouldn't be surprising if Apple talked up any potential augmented reality capabilities of its new iPhones as a way to make content for the Vision Pro.
Ideally, we’d like to see some new AirPods at the September showcase, but there’s no hint they’re coming. And as the AirPods Pro 2 are still fairly new, we don’t expect any upgrades to come to them this year.
Regardless, the Apple September event looks like one to watch. And Tom’s Guide will bring you all the latest news running up to, during and after the event. In the meantime, keep it locked to our Apple Event hub for all the latest rumors and leaks.
