Everything to expect at Apple’s September 12th ‘Gather round’ event

We’re less than a week away from Apple’s ‘Gather around’ event at Steve Jobs Theater. The event is slated to take place on September 12th at 10AM PT/1PM ET, with Apple expected to introduce three new iPhone models, a new Apple Watch, and more.

Read on for our full roundup of everything to except at Apple’s September 12th event…

 
 
iPhone Xs
First and foremost, Apple will introduce the iPhone Xs with a 5.8-inch OLED display. This device serves as a successor to the iPhone X introduced last year and will feature a similar design, but be available in a new gold color option.

The iPhone Xs is expected to focus on camera and performance improvements, according to reports. Pricing remains somewhat unclear, with some reports indicating the iPhone Xs will start at $800 and others suggesting a slightly higher $899 price point. Either way, expect the iPhone Xs to be slightly cheaper than the current iPhone X. It’s expected to be available for pre-order on September 14th and released on September 21st.

Read everything we know about the iPhone Xs right here in our complete roundup.

iPhone Xs Max


Joining the iPhone Xs this year is what sources tell us will be called the iPhone Xs Max. This device is expected to feature a 6.5-inch OLED display, but be similar in overall size to the iPhone 8 Plus. Supply chain schematics indicate the iPhone Xs Max will clock in at 157.53mm by 77.44 mm by 7.85 mm thick, making it both narrower and shorter than the iPhone 8 Plus, but with a larger display.

Like the iPhone Xs, the iPhone Xs Max will also be available in a new gold color option, as well as the traditional silver and space gray. Pricing is expected to start at $999 for the base storage model and increase for from there. The iPhone Xs Max will almost certainly be available for pre-order on September 14th and released on September 21st.

Read everything we know about the iPhone Xs Max right here in our complete roundup.

6.1-inch LCD iPhone
Last but certainly not least, Apple is will likely introduce a new 6.1-inch LCD iPhone with a design akin to that of the iPhone X. Naming for this device is unclear, but it could be the iPhone 9, iPhone Xr, iPhone Xc, or anything else. The 6.1-inch LCD model will measure 150.91 mm by 75.72 mm by 8.47 mm thick, according to leaked schematics. That compares to the iPhone Xs Max at 157.53 mm by 77.44 mm by 7.85 mm and the iPhone Xs at 143.6 mm by 70.9 mm by 7.7 mm thick.

The main differentiator of the 6.1-inch iPhone will be its price. The device will serve as the cheapest way to the iPhone X bezel-less design, with Apple saving some money by using an LCD display instead of OLED, and opting for a single lens camera system as opposed to a dual-lens.

The 6.1-inch iPhone will likely be available in a range of color options, as well – including black, white, blue, red, and orange. A recent report suggested the device will start at $699 in terms of pricing. While it is expected to be announced at Apple’s September 12th event, the 6.1-inch iPhone might be delayed until November for purchase.

Read everything we know about the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone right here in our complete roundup.

Apple Watch Series 4


Moving on from the iPhone, Apple next week will unveil what will likely be called the Apple Watch Series 4. This upgrade will bring a larger display, as we showcased in the above marketing image. The new Apple Watch screen will be roughly 15 percent bigger than the current Apple Watch Series 3. In terms of resolution, the Apple Watch Series 4 will likely feature a resolution of 384×480 for the 42mm model, which compares to 312×390 for the Apple Watch Series 3.

Other than a larger display, the Apple Watch Series 4 will feature a modified digital crown, as seen in the image above. The red dot indicating LTE support has seemingly be dropped in favor of a more subtle red ring. Further, there’s a new hole between the side button and Digital Crown, which is likely a microphone for features such as improved Hey Siri.

If precedent is any indication, the Apple Watch Series 4 will be available for pre-order on September 14th and released on September 21st.

Read everything we know about the Apple Watch Series 4 right here in our complete roundup.

AirPods 2
AirPods are also slated to get an update this year. While Apple is said to have a premium pair of AirPods in the works for 2019, this year is expected to offer a modest upgrade to the existing AirPods.

Bloomberg has reported that AirPods will be updated this year with support for ‘Hey Siri,’ which will make it easier for users to do things such as control volume, audio playback, and more. In addition to ‘Hey Siri,’ the new AirPods are said to feature an updated wireless chip from Apple, making it easier to manage Bluetooth connections.

By all indications, the 2018 AirPods will come in at the same $159 as the first-generation AirPods did. Next year’s premium model, however, will likely be more expensive.

AirPower


In addition to its flagship hardware, we hope September 12th will also bring the much-anticipated release of AirPower. Apple originally teased AirPower back at its September 2017 event, but didn’t offer details such as pricing and availability.

AirPower will allow users to charge their iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods on a single charging mat. Apple Watch Series 3 and later is supported, as is iPhone 8 and later. AirPods will require an updated wireless charging-enabled case to work with AirPower – but Apple has said it will offer such a case for older AirPods, as well.

Pricing for AirPower remains unclear, but a recent supply chain report suggested a $160 price tag for the charging accessory. Ideally, AirPower will ship alongside new iPhones and Apple Watch on September 21st, but that’s unclear at this point.

Other Accessories
In addition to its array of new hardware, Apple will almost certainly unveil its new fall collection of accessories. This will include new iPhone case colors, new Apple Watch bands, and more. Apple has regularly treated its accessory portfolio similar to a fashion line, rolling out new color options as the seasons change.

Wildcards
New Macs?
Apple is rumored to have a wide collection of new Macs in store for the remainder of 2018, despite just recently refreshing the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. What’s unclear, however, is whether or not these new Macs will be released in September or October. There’s precedent for both options, as Apple has previously held a separate event in October for additional product announcements after the iPhone.

Most recently, Digitimes reported that Apple has a $1200 MacBook slated for a September announcement. Several reports over recent months have indicated Apple’s plans for a lower-cost MacBook, with Bloomberg recently adding that the device will feature a Retina display with a design similar to the current MacBook Air. Nonetheless, there’s a lot we don’t know about the 13-inch MacBook, despite a slew of rumors and reports.

Further, reports indicate Apple has a new Mac mini slated for introduction this year. While the Mac mini has typically represented the cheapest way to enter the macOS ecosystem, Bloomberg recently reported that this year’s Mac mini will instead target pro users and be more expensive than the current Mac mini, which starts at $499.

Last but not least, new iMacs are also expected this year. While specifics are unclear here, Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the new iMacs will feature “significant display-performance upgrades.”

iPad Pros?


The other major wildcard for Apple’s 2018 is the iPad Pro. A slew of reports suggest Apple has a pair of new iPad Pro models in the works for this year, but it’s unclear whether they will be unveiled in September or October of this year.

Apple is likely refreshing both the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros to include a new edge-to-edge display with support for Face ID. The 12.9-inch model is expected to feature the same screen size, but with an overall smaller body thanks to the reduced bezels. Meanwhile, the 10.5-inch model is expected to become 11-inces as Apple keeps the same body size, but stretches the screen closer to the edges.

Further, the iPad Pros introduced this year will move the Smart Connector to the back of the device. While it’s unclear how exactly this will work, renders based on leaked schematics have shown the new placement of the Smart Connector.

Read everything we know about the new iPad Pro models in our full roundup right here.

Wrap up


While there is a lot we know about Apple’s September 12th event, there’s also a lot we don’t know. The event will bring the introduction of the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs, and the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone. Further, we’ll see the Apple Watch Series 4 and hopefully new AirPods and AirPower.

On the other hand, whether or not we see new Macs and iPad Pros is unclear. While it’s certainly a possibility, it would not be unprecedented for Apple to hold another event in October to showcase these devices. In 2016, Apple held its normal September iPhone event, then another event in October to introduce its new MacBook Pro line.

Either way you look at it, September 12th is going to be a big day for Apple fans. Even though it’s an ‘s’ year for the iPhone in naming, it’s clear there are quite a few changes in store – including the introduction of two completely brand new devices.

What are you most excited to see next week? Let us know down in the comments!
Source: https://9to5mac.com

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