Apple has announced that it will be holding its annual September event on 15 September at 10am PT (1am SGT). During the event, Apple will be expected to unveil a number of all-new hardware, and with the tagline for the upcoming event being ‘Time Flies’, we have a pretty strong idea that the Apple Watch will be making an appearance.
But aside from the Apple Watch, what else can fans expect at the event? Here’ are our expectations for what Apple will be announcing at its upcoming virtual event.
Apple Watch
Following the release of the Apple Watch Series 5, Apple is expected to announce the release of the Apple Watch Series 6 this year which will come with several neat upgrades. This includes a new plastic casing of the Apple Watch while will be sold alongside the existing metal and ceramic casings. This will be a new entry-level model for new buyers looking to get themselves an inexpensive Apple Watch.
There have also been speculation that Apple will be changing the display on the Apple Watch from OLED to microLED to help in energy saving though a report by Apple Insider states that it will most probably arrive in 2023. The new Apple Watch is also expected to include a new battery with longer battery life that will be useful for watchOS 7’s enhanced sleep tracking feature.
As for software features, there have been rumours that Apple will be including blood oxygen detection as well as an improved electrocardiogram.
iPad
There have been talks about Apple developing a new iPad Air 4 that will feature an edge-to-edge display, which will serve as a middle ground between the iPad and iPad Pro. It is likely that we will be seeing the iPad Air 4 being announced during the event, or an eight-generation iPad.
Some changes that will be made to the iPad, according to rumours, will be the use of squared and flat edges, to bring its design more in line with the iPad Pro lineup. Its display will also use Liquid Retina technology, similar to the one used on the iPad Pro models.
Aside from that, there have also been talks on Apple possibly removing the front-screen Home button, with the Touch ID built into the side button instead. The Lightning port on the iPad could also be switched out in favour of the USB-C, another step towards the iPad Pro’s design.
AirPods Studio
There have been rumours of Apple working on a high-end over-ear Bluetooth headphones which is currently dubbed the “AirPods Studio”. According to the rumours, there are currently two versions in development, a premium model with leather-like fabric and a fitness-focused model made with a more breathable material.
The headphones might also feature detachable ear cups and headband paddings and are expected to come with Active Noise Cancellation much like the AirPods Pro.
AirTags
Apple’s direct competitor to the item tracker Tile, the AirTags are designed to be attached to items such as your keys, wallet, and phone and will help users track down their missing items using the Find My app.
There have been rumours circulating that the app will include an augmented reality view to make it easier for users to track down their items. And unlike other item trackers which relies on a beacon, Apple’s AirTGags are believed to use both Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband technology to help with locating an item.
This means that if an item is lost in public, other passing iPhones can help pick up the encrypted ping from the AirTags and report it back to the owner via iCloud.
No iPhone 12
According to reports by Bloomberg, it is highly unlikely that we will be seeing the iPhone 12 make an appearance during the event on 15 September. Instead, Apple will be saving its iPhone 12 announcement for sometime in October.
This is in line with Apple’s CFO Luca Maestri’s comment during the latest quarterly report that the new iPhone models will be launching “a few weeks later” than usual in 2020.
You can catch Apple’s September event on Apple’s YouTube channel or on Apple’s own website.
Germaine is a fun-sized introvert who loves nothing better than sleeping in on rainy days. She can be found reading fanfiction and manga while still waiting for her Hogwarts acceptance letter. It’ll come eventually.
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