The product event, which has been teased with a “faraway” tagline, will be held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, and will be streamed live on Apple’s website and social media channels. This year’s invitation featured a night sky with a constellation of stars forming the Apple logo, leading some to speculate that there will be major camera upgrades to the iPhones for better photography at night or at long distances. But in typical Apple fashion, the tech giant has been sparse on details as it builds excitement and urges customers to tune in on the big day. The event will start at 10 am. PT/1 p.m. ET on Wednesday and CNN Business will carry live coverage. Here’s a look at what to expect from CEO Tim Cook and his team.
THE STAR OF THE SHOW
As it has done every year for about a decade, Apple is widely expected to unveil its latest iPhone at its September keynote. Apple is expected to do well with the iPhone 14 — literally. It is rumored to debut a 6.7-inch phone that is not a Pro model, meaning it will have the largest screen size but without the highest price tag. Rumors also suggest that Apple may drop its cheaper, smaller iPhone in the 14 series so that it doesn’t compete with iPhone SE sales. The predictions show that the latest Pro model is slightly thinner and the much disliked notch around the front camera system will be absent from the new iPhone models. Apple watchers are also excited about a possible major upgrade in camera quality with the iPhone 14 — possibly one capable of shooting 8K video. If this happens, it could be one of the biggest changes to iPhone camera quality to date. How Apple will price the iPhone 14 is already shaping up to be a test as the broader economic conditions for both the tech sector and consumers have entered troubled waters. A handful of analysts have already predicted slight price increases for the latest and greatest iPhone model. “My expectation is that Apple will probably have to push prices up,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at market research firm CCS Insight, told CNN Business ahead of the event. Currently, the regular, non-mini iPhone 13 starts at $799, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. Some analysts are predicting a price increase of at least $100 on the higher-end Pro and Pro Max models. But given the pressure consumers face, he believes Apple will also do “everything it can to make it as little as possible.” This could mean offering attractive exchange bonuses, installment plans and other promotions. Despite rising inflation and other economic headwinds, Cook said on the company’s most recent earnings call that there is still no “obvious evidence” of a macroeconomic impact on iPhone sales. That doesn’t mean the tech giant is immune to a worsening economic climate. It reported a nearly 11% drop in profit in the quarter ended June, compared with the same period a year ago. This event also comes amid supply chain hiccups linked to China’s zero-Covid policy. Finally, there has been some talk that Apple could remove the iPhone’s Lightning port in new models and opt for a design with MagSafe wireless charging. There have also been rumors that some US models may come without a physical SIM slot as Apple moves towards an eSIM-only design.
APPLE WATCHES, iOS RELEASE DATE AND MORE
New Apple Watch models are expected to be unveiled on Wednesday, including a higher-end offering. An official release date is also expected to be announced for iOS 16, the much-hyped latest update that will allow users to personalize their iPhone lock screens (like Android does) and will feature a revamped iMessage.
What not to expect
With the new iPhone expected to take center stage, many analysts don’t expect Apple to release new iPads or Mac computers until October. Of course, the rumor mill can always be wrong about these things. Apple is also unlikely to debut its rumored and highly anticipated AR headset on Wednesday. Despite rival Samsung’s love affair with foldable devices, Apple is still not expected to introduce such an iPhone this fall. CNN Business will carry live coverage of Cook’s big production, so tune in here as the world’s most valuable tech company finally puts all the rumors to rest and unveils some of its latest gadgets on the eve of the busy holiday shopping season.
