Apple’s special launch event is fast approaching and there have been plenty of rumours and speculation about what we can expect to see unveiled at the Steve Jobs Theatre.
The “By Innovation Only” event will kick off on September 10 (3am September 11 Sydney time) and will be live streamed on Apple TV and also through the Apple website.
September is usually iPhone season and 2019 will be no different.
But with a looming Apple TV+ streaming service and fresh rumours around some other products we may see several other announcements.
iPHONE
It is certain we will see new iPhones and what’s equally certain is what they are going to look like.
From the front the new iPhones will look almost identical to the current iPhone XS with the major design change on the back with a larger triple lens camera cluster.
The camera bump will have a square shape – twice the size of the previous camera bump.
There is so much certainty about the design and shape of the iPhone, there are already cases on sale for the new device.
Tech Guide saw several of these case at the IFA tech show in Berlin.
Under the hood will be where most updates will be found including the new A13X processor and faster Face ID performance.
One rumour is that the new iPhone – which will still be available with 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED screens – may even have Apple Pencil support.
The iPhone XR update will also look similar with a 6.1-inch LCD display and also sport a similar square two-lens camera system on the rear panel as well.
The multi-coloured Apple logo on the event invitations could very well be the colours the iPhone XR will be offered in this year.
Another feature the new iPhone are likely to have is reverse wireless charging so the iPhone can charge other devices like Apple Watch or AirPods.
APPLE WATCH
We are not expecting a new Apple Watch but there will be a significant software update with watchOS 6 which will add a significant amount of new functionality.
Design-wise the device won’t change. If there is a new model it will have a faster processor and a better battery.
iOS 13, watchOS 6, iPad OS, macOS Catalina
The software updates Apple unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference back in June will all be confirmed with release dates.
The new iPhone will come preloaded with iOS 13.
16-INCH MACBOOK
The chatter about a 16-inch MacBook Pro with super thin bezels has been around for a while.
The likelihood of this being unveiled is high. There has not been much change from the MacBook Pro in three years.
The 16-inch MBP will be the same size as the 15-inch model with the extra inch coming as a result of those really thin bezels so the screen looks like it’s going edge to edge.
FIND MY TRACKER
Apple have reportedly been preparing a Find My tracker – similar to that from Tile and the recently released Telstra locator.
Apple has had Find My iPhone for some time now and it has set the standard for pinpointing the location of misplaced iPhones and iPads.
Apple has extended that functionality to now include MacBooks.
It uses the vast Apple community of users to anonymously and without their knowledge ping the location of lost items if they happen to come within range them.
Apple is likely to introduce a small tracker which can attach to your items and even to your pets, children and elderly who can then be tracked in real time through the Apple community.
Apple will probably charge between $5 and $10 a month for the service which many customers would be happy to pay for peace of mind.
APPLE TV+
The Apple streaming service will play a prominent part in the event and Apple will take the opportunity to showcase the unique content I has produced for the platform.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see a parade of stars at the event similar to the March event which unveiled the streaming service in the first place.
What we can expect to see is pricing and the launch date which we think will be in November.
Tech Guide will be at the event Apple event so stay tuned for the latest news, announcements and updates.
* Stephen Fenech travelled to San Jose as a guest of Apple
