People walk past an Apple store in Beijing on 26 August 2019. There were signs of a thaw in frosty trade-war tensions between China and the US on 26 August as President Donald Trump said delegations would “very shortly” resume talks and Beijing’s top negotiator called for “calm”. Photo AFP: Greg Baker
Here’s what to expect from Apple’s annual September phone launch
Apple have been hosting an annual phone launch event in California every year since 2011. Here’s what we know about the upcoming event.
People walk past an Apple store in Beijing on 26 August 2019. There were signs of a thaw in frosty trade-war tensions between China and the US on 26 August as President Donald Trump said delegations would “very shortly” resume talks and Beijing’s top negotiator called for “calm”. Photo AFP: Greg Baker
It’s that time of the year again, folks. Apple’s launch event is just around the corner and their goal is to create enough hype in the days leading up to the gathering.
The timing is perfect in getting everyone riled up right before the holiday season shopping starts, and if 2018’s event was anything to go on, this year will be a roaring success.
Last year, the live stream had more than 3m views on YouTube. With all the buzz around the upcoming iPhone 11, we imagine that it would double this year.
The event will take place on 10 September at the Steve Jobs theatre in Cupertino, California.
Apple’s September launch event
New phones
We’ve been referring to the upcoming flagship phone as the iPhone 11, but that isn’t set in stone just yet. Apple’s current range includes the XS, XS Max and XR, with ‘X’ referring to 10.
The logical naming for the new range would be iPhone 11, or perhaps even XI. Apple blogger John Gruber suggested the names would likely be iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max but only time will tell.
While the upcoming devices are very similar in design to Apple’s current range of phones, it will boast improved cameras and faster processors.
Ian Campbell, the CEO of Nucleus Research, predicts that the event will be “carefully scripted”. He adds it has to be about more than “better cameras and apps and faster processors with no form factor change.”
Industry experts predict that Apple will release three new models on 10 September; two devices with 5.8-inch and 6.1-inch OLED displays, respectively; priced between $999 and $1099 (R14 700 and R16 200).
In addition, Apple will likely also reveal a budget model, with a price tag of around $750, or R11 000. Think of the new releases as ‘sequels’ to the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR.
New wearables and apps
Back in August, Apple listed four new Apple Watch models on the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) database. We could possibly look forward to new hardware designs and bigger screens.
Rumour has it that AirPods are due for an update too. Yes, they were ‘updated’ earlier this year to include Qi wireless charging pads and a flashy new case, but who knows; maybe there’s more in store.
Apple is also planning a new sleep track app. According to a recent report, it’s code-named ‘Burrito’, and will use Apple Watch’s existing sensors and inputs.
Do note that Apple bought Beddit, a sleep tracking hardware startup, two years ago. It’s still unclear if Apple will use that technology for the new sleep tracking feature.
