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Apple announces its September 10 iPhone event in Cupertino: ‘This should brighten everyone’s day’

Apple has just sent out invites for their September 10th event, scheduled for 10 AM PST, via The Loop. Apple is hosting the event on campus in Cupertino.

The invite reaffirms expectations that Apple will launch two new models of iPhone for the first time, dubbed the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. As indicated by the numerous case leaks over the last few months, the iPhone 5C is expected to be available in a variety of colors. The invite seems to back this up, showing many different colored dots and uses the strapline “This should brighten everyone’s day”, which further hints at the possibility of different colors.

For the 5S, the design will be similar to the current iPhone 5, with improved internals (such as a faster, more efficient A7 processor), a possible fingerprint sensor and be offered in a gold variant, alongside the usual black and white color choices.

Apple will announce the official launch dates for these new devices at the event. Apple’s behaviour in the previous years would suggest that the new iPhones will be available to buy on the 20th September, two weeks after their announcement. On Friday, we reported that Verizon is blocking employee vacations between the 18th and the 22nd of September, a very good indicator that new iPhones will be released in this timeframe.

At the September event, Apple is also likely review the final features of iOS 7, including when the operating system will be released to the public. It is expected that Apple will release a gold master version of the redesigned OS for developers on the same day. New version of iWork for Mac and iOS may also be demoed, after being announced early at WWDC.

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Comments

  1. Justin Latham - 11 years ago

    I hope iOS 7 is ready. I still have a lot of bugs and performance issues. THings like messages not notifying me of new messages on the lock screen. :(

    • André Hedegaard Petersen - 11 years ago

      You should update your phone to iOS6. Theres no such thing as “bugs” and “performance issues”, its just how it is. I suspect you’re just running an old iOS version.

  2. Bob Black - 11 years ago

    new colors .. just amazing and magical

  3. Youssef Sami (@ysami917) - 11 years ago

    Can’t -freakin- wait!!

  4. Youssef Sami (@ysami917) - 11 years ago

    This should be awesome!!

  5. its about time cant wait to get the 5s

  6. Kevin Mongru - 11 years ago

    802.11ac is another thing that should be in the new iphone

  7. Arwin De Dios - 11 years ago

    i don’t see black color, maybe only on 5S?

  8. I may have to switch to a galaxy for a year. Apple need to start innovating and stop making these tiny changes.
    This is why Samsung is outselling them now. All I want is a larger screen to watch ESPN on at work.
    I want a totally new and innovative iPhone that will shock the world like the first one did.

    • OneOkami (@OneOkami) - 11 years ago

      Honest question because I’m seriously curious.

      You’ve stated your desire for a larger screen. But what is new and innovative about Samsung’s Galaxy phones that you believe are causing them to outsell (and evidently attract you)?

      Also, what would a totally new and innovative iPhone that would bring you back to the product be like?

    • Yeah, and putting a larger screen on a smartphone is TOTALLY innovating, cause nobody does that LOL

    • standardpull - 11 years ago

      I agree. As an older woman, I carry a handbag everywhere I go. So a large phone is not a dumb thing. Couple that with my old-age vision, and a large phone becomes a smart thing. The only thing I hate about the Galaxy is its size and weight when I talk on the phone, but I’m not a big talker.

    • Come on… Fingerprint sensor alone is worth more than all the “innovations” from Galaxy S4 combined. Actually no changes are better than that, cause it’s mostly bloatware. And the fingerprint sensor is huuuge actually… Having all your passwods, credit cards remembered, safe and with no effort at all to use them… Having your phone secured – like nowe with PIN, but again – with no additional effort to unlock it. THIS IS HUGE.

      • Seriously?! My Motorola Atrix 4g had a fingerprint reader like 2+ years ago! I agree the main thing that has kept me away from iPhone since my iPhone 4 is the lack of a larger screen. That’s why I have a Galaxy 3 and an iPad 3.

      • y3kostiv - 11 years ago

        Stating that Motorola has fingerprint sensor is the same as stating that Microsoft had smartphone business before the 1st iPhone. It is not anout the fact, it is about the quality and usability. Many have, but just Apple manages to deliver really usable innovations. None of the players is coming even close! What Apple failed with iPhone5 is to deliver the right message to the customers, disclosing how better experience iPhone5 ensures to the users, I do really regret I’ve been sticking to my 4s the whole year and did’t buy 5 10 months ago. There are many innovations in iOS7, it’s full of pleasant surprises in terms of usability. Fingerprint sensor, per-app VPN and mass of new features for corporate use are massive. You guys may not be busy with mobile online payments every day professionally so you don’t realize what might be the influence of that sensor on the payments industry. Besides, all discussions are the same as in 2007 – what is so revolutionary in that iPhone? Well, I hope there is no question anymore: iPhone has changed it all…

    • Jedi (@woorami) - 11 years ago

      then, buy ipad mini

    • zBrain (@joeregular) - 11 years ago

      “to watch ESPN on at work…”

      LOL hope your boss doesn’t read that.

    • Honestly, do you really expect them to “shock the world with a new iPhone”? Any business on earth has only a chance or two in their lifetime to deliver this kind of experience in my opinion… They’ve released to date already a handful of truly game-changing devices like the first iMac, the macbook air and of course the iPhone and iPad. While it’s true that they didn’t really invent the categories themselves, they certainly made them worthwhile. At this point in time I myself have a real hard time pinpointing what they could possibly “invent” to add to the iPhone (or iPad) that would rock the world all over again. If I only think about all of the devices wether built in, through software (apps) or third party hardware, it replaces. I don’t think there are that many devices left to be replaced by any smartphone for that matter. If they would “shock the world” again, it would be in a different tech category, but then again, since the iPhone replaced that many one feature devices already (phone, camera, music and radio station, portable dvd player, calculator, weather station, notebook, calendar, newspaper, sound recorder, remote, flashlight, wallet, etc… how on earth are they going to create a similar experience without just adding on as tech evolves? The only thing that they can actually innovate on in my opinion is in form factor… but it would actually be really innovating for people like yourself I guess if it would mean that it’s “world shocking new iProduct’ would be an “iChip” that’s inplanted in your brain so you can control your whole world with your brain, or what’s left of it…

  9. Cihan Karalar - 11 years ago

    iphone 5c signs

  10. Rogifan (@rogifan) - 11 years ago

    Why do people keep making snarky comments about colors? Are you all doing the same with the Moto X?

  11. Chris Holloway - 11 years ago

    Hope this is not as disappointing as it sounds. iPhone 5 was barely an upgrade on the 4. Now new colors, a fingerprint reader and slightly cooler looking interface. Where’s the innovation, Apple’s really losing it’s edge.

    • Anil (@AisForAnil) - 11 years ago

      What? Last time I checked, the iPhone 5 was a significant improvement over the 4. People keep asking for innovation, and sighing at the thought of new colours, but all apple are doing are improving what already is a fantastic device. They’re making it faster, capable of supporting more animations and graphics effectively, lighter, thinner, and personally I can’t complain. If you’re bored of the iPhone, then fair enough, you can switch to android where there are hundreds of different looking phones supporting the software. But the reason I choose to use iOS and the iPhone, is because it works, and does everything I want it to do effectively and efficiently, and if Apple continue to make what I already love, but thinner, faster, lighter, and better, then that’s a perfect improvement. The same applies to iMacs, Macbooks, iPads, iPods, even the earbuds, but you don’t see people complaining about lack of innovation there.

    • gld_steve (@gld_steve) - 11 years ago

      When did the term “barely an upgrade” come from? What is the definition of an upgrade? “To raise to a higher grade or standard” as per Websters online dictionary. Now take the information that we know; A faster processor, A fingerprint scanner, A new operating system, Stereo sound, etc.

      Sure, these things may seem trivial at the first look, but you have to understand what they mean to the phone. A faster processor allows for better performance and overall quality of apps, The fingerprint scanner will bring security up to a whole new level. They may even allow you to sign into your Apple ID from your fingerprint, A level of convenience that excites me enough alone. The government will be able to adopt the iPhone at all new levels because of the fingerprint scanner. The new operating system bring features that were not present before (I’m not going to describe them all). The stereo sound allows for louder clearer ringing and music, something people really rely on.

      In the end, the word you use “Innovation” is not something that comes at the drop of a hat, the iPhone is innovation enough that without it our world would be very different today. A device that is only 6 years old you’re complaining about not “innovating”.

  12. Matteo Rodrigo - 11 years ago

    With a company that likes to be so secretive, all the leaks make it not very exciting. I know Apple lovers will think they invented colored phones…but really I dont see anything exciting in the 5S or C that make me want to switch to iOS just yet. Especially with a 5S that likely looks exactly the same and isnt even a tiny bit larger or wider, and still wont allow 3rd party keyboards. ios7 new icons don’t have me jumping up for joy either and other features like toggles that I already use also make me snooze. But Im sure like everything Apple, there will be massive amounts of coverage and praise next week, drowning out every other story and company. Compare the volume of Apple coverage next week vs Samsung tomorrow and we’ll see

    • Carlos Gomes (@Phrenytz) - 11 years ago

      So.. a bigger and/or larger phone will make it a nice phone according to you?
      Oh you, people…

    • rettun1 - 11 years ago

      Nobody (at least not me) is jumping for joy over the colors of the 5C. That’s not the biggest selling point of the phone, its the price tag. Sure some people will like the colors, but i would hope nobody would jump ship from android SOLEY for the color options. And if the rumors are true that it’ll be packing iPhone 5 specs at a much lower price, then I think that is worth some praise and coverage.

      As for the 5S, it’ll be faster, with a much better camera and flash, and a couple other cool features probably. It’s silly that people think the exterior design of a phone is somehow indicative of how much work went into the device.

      Then again, I don’t think everybody should get an iPhone. Some people want bigger screens, stylus support, 3rd party customization and the like. I think Apple is for people who want a good thing, not every thing.

      • Patricia Kwan - 11 years ago

        thumbs up! I agree with you. I don’t want Apple to make a phone with bigger screen.. It is a phone afterall, why make it so big. If you want bigger screen, go get a Samsung. Apple has always been a closed system, and i like the fact that they do not have 3rd party customization options. I don’t dislike Androids, just prefer the iPhone. The fight of who’s better (Android vs iPhone) is getting so old. Android lovers can just go buy androids, and those who love iPhone will stick with iPhone. I’ve been using iPhone since iPhone 2.. and still loving it!

    • Joffre Arteaga - 11 years ago

      My goodness people like you make me laugh honestly, you have not contributed nothing new except copy and pasted from another android lover his comments on this page, and its always the same thing ” Apple doesn’t support 3rd party, apple IOS sucks not impressive” everything about apple depresses you and yet you come to an apple website to let all of us know . Let me educate you a bit i feel sorry for fanboys like you, i am a different fanboy to you I am a tech fanboy, i have a mac , a windows pc, iPhone 5, iPad, Samsung galaxy s4 and a samsung galaxy tablet 10.1, no company has ma loyalty or hate i buy what ever i feel will provide de service and software i need, because i know Tim Cook and Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) Sergey Brin ( Google)Kwon Oh Hyun (Samsung) , they all get together on the weekend to play at their golf course at 50 000 dollars ahead membership laughing and joking, while the ants and peasants fight over who is better, who has a better os. Stop being so bitter and buy anything that makes you happy don’t loose sleep on why apple might get more press time or google or samsung, somethings Only Apple can do and cant be matched , but also there are somethings Samsung does that no one can match and Microsoft as well and all other company, i refuse to love companies i love technology period, stop being a prick and do the same.

    • yuniverse7 - 11 years ago

      “and still wont allow 3rd party keyboards”
      What do you mean? you can use practically any bluetooth keyboards on all your iOS devices including all current iPhones. I’ve been using Motorola BT keyboard for my iPhone while my uses Logitech BT keyboard. I do wish the iPhone would be a bit larger, though. sigh.

  13. Kevin (@RyeMAC3) - 11 years ago

    Big surprise (rolls eyes). Anyone else think the 5S and the 5C were the worst kept secrets in Apple history?

  14. phone colors. snore. 90% of people put cases on their iphones anyways.

  15. michaelabd94 - 11 years ago

    I think iPhone 5C , the C letter stands for Color

    • BasBadjas (@basbadjas) - 11 years ago

      No shit Sherlock!

      • Duston Foster - 11 years ago

        ahahaha

      • Donny Gordon - 11 years ago

        I think the C stands for CHEAP – don’t get me wrong I love iPhone – but the plastic case is a cheaper model… so C for CHEAP!

      • gld_steve (@gld_steve) - 11 years ago

        @Danny Gordon I understand that in America everything has to be the biggest and best all the time, but this iPhone is more targeted at the rest of the world, where the $100 Android phone reigns supreme. If Apple can put out an iPhone that can compete with Android on price in other parts of the world, it will only make more money and create more iPhone owners. Don’t forget the 2nd generation of iPhones were plastic!

  16. Just make a bigger screen and crush Droid.. Problem solved.. LOL

    • rettun1 - 11 years ago

      Soon…

      • Duston Foster - 11 years ago

        Maybe the 5C will be the standard 4 inch display, and the 5S will be 4.5 inches… maybe, probably not :( ha.

  17. is it just me or is this the most ugly invite apple made …..

    • tigerpork - 11 years ago

      yeah its very dull but they have made uglier invites.

  18. dryeyes - 11 years ago

    if you copy other sources at least read the article
    your headline “iPhone event” – WRONG
    apples invitation reads “Special event” – not a word about anything iPhone

    …even if there’s no doubt that the colored dots actually show the available colors of the new iPhone

  19. Harrison Miller - 11 years ago

    ‘Inference’ is misused in the last sentence of the second paragraph. To infer is to ‘conclude on the basis of reasoning’. Perhaps, ‘indication of’, ‘suggestion of’ or ‘hint at’ would be more appropriate.

  20. Tim Kelly - 11 years ago

    ‘Brighten’ = dual flash on 5S
    Coloured dots = plastic iPhone 5C.

  21. Duarte Ferreira - 11 years ago

    5C C is the 3rd number of the alphabet, 3 + 5 = 8 + 10th september = 18 25 dots on the invite poster 25 – 18 = 7 = ios 7 i = 9th number o = 15th s = 19th 9 + 15 = 24 24 – 19 = 5 iOS is 3 letters so 3 in the alphabet is C which means 5C!

  22. Carlos Ⓥ (@ChazBCN) - 11 years ago

    IMO Smartphone niche is getting mature, and that’s why we’re not seeing much of that “innovation” holy grail everyone is demanding from Apple, but also from Google, Samsung, Windows and every other smartphone company.
    In the last couple of years it’s been all about specs: processor improvements, larger screens, hi-res, better camera in every smartphone sold out there, even in the low-cost end.
    So in the last 2-3 here hasn’t been any real disruptive feature, a “game changer”, a “wow factor” in any smartphone platform available. Hardware has been getting uniform, no matter which brand they are.
    This is why I believe smartphones nowadays can only make gradual improvements in the specs and hardware design/appeal, but not much more really. I don’t think adding bigger screens, killer processors, tons of megapixel cameras, a bunch of colors or whatever other crazy feature (handles? holes? a circular shaped smartphone?) can change the game on the smartphone field.
    On the other hand, the OS is where we can actually see a “innovative” feature. And we definitely will see some of these in years to come, so I think that companies should make a double effort to be much more creative in the software department.
    Whether those OS features become a “game changer” is arguable. Take for example the Galaxy S 4 feature with which one can scroll pages with the eyes. It was an innovative feature, but hardly a game changer.
    Every smartphone OS has cool features and it’s design may be more or less attractive, depending on someone’s taste. The good thing is we have a huge selection to choose from.
    I’ve been an Apple user for long and both of the smartphones I’ve had are iPhones (4 and 5). I think Apple is a company that really cares abut user experience and takes it’s time to make awesome and excellent built products. That’s their real trade mark, not specs. And this is why I like their products. Even when I don’t expect an iPhone to be innovative any more, but a product with nice annual improvements.
    I expect “game changing” in other areas, both existing or yet to come (wearable tech maybe, but not definitely in the Google Glass way), and products we cannot even imagine now, but are being secretly developed for sure.
    I have the time to wait and see and in the mean time, enjoy well designed/built products

  23. Ivan Šuvak (@Shoowack) - 11 years ago

    “This should brighten everyone’s day”, which further hints at the possibility of different colors… wouldn’t that be a hint to cheaper phone, so that everybody will be able to buy one?

  24. Felipe Gomez De Luis - 11 years ago

    My interpretation:

    The 4 metallic spots are the s models: black, white, graphite and champagne
    The coloured spots the c models in yellow, green, blue, pink and eventually a revival of the (product) red.

  25. tomjamesf - 11 years ago

    4 blank circles

    1 – iPhone 5S
    2 – iPhone 5C
    3 – iPad Mini Retina
    4 – iPad 5

    Go Me!

  26. tool022611 - 11 years ago

    Verizon is not the only place blocking out those dates, AT&T, t-mobile, and even Splle themselves are doing the same.

  27. Eldian Aguilar - 11 years ago

    Honestly now, looking at this announcement, it confirms somewhat the leaked photos of the 5s and 5C designs, the colors match the 5c cases that are shown, the circle with the grey outline looks oddly close to the picture seen on the 5s box, which means it could be the fingerprint scanner, but only a matter of days before we see anything. Would anyone recommend pre ordering the new phones through best buy or just wait and go to the store that day?

  28. André Hedegaard Petersen - 11 years ago

    Sigh, Tim Cook said that he’d “double down on secrecy…a big priority”. Yet with all the leaks everywhere, which I also unfortunately am guilty of indulging in, just ruins the “surprise element” and nothings a secret anymore. Tim Cook failed on his “doubling down” talk.
    Furthermore, I purchased Apple stock hoping the stock would continue to climb as it had done during Steve Job’s era, sadly, its just plummeted, no where near the $700 mark from last year.
    Then to top it off, some of the SVP’s have been cashing in on their stock, probably because they believe the stock won’t climb much higher than the now $500.
    If you’re a SVP, with a nice fat annual salary, why would you cash in on your stock? Wouldn’t you keep it there, believing in the company?
    When Steve Jobs was there, none of this nonsense took place.
    And Apple is getting behind compared to other phones in its design too. We need an option for a bigger screen, that won’t come until next year September, when it should have been available already!
    iPhone 5S is just an upgrade – 12MP camera and fingerprint scanner, which you can ONLY use to unlock your phone – not do online purchases with e.t.c (that will come later – but not now)

    The problem is, that we yearn for Apple to innovate – which they aren’t doing – they are only offering improvements to a production line that already exists.
    iWatch? Well Samsung beat them to that already – with the smartwatch thingy.

    Still, the iPhone (in my opinion) is still the best phone available, and the closed system of Apple is a great pleasure to use – no viruses and other crap that plagues Android.

    • rettun1 - 11 years ago

      It’s kinda hard to maintain secrecy when a bulk of your production takes place in a different country with thousands of workers you can’t control.

      And many people overlook the fact that Apple is in the spotlight, so everyone is thinking about what they’re going to do next. The demand for apple rumors pre-iphone was a niche community. It’s hard to be low key when every rumor now days gets posted in business blogs “THIS IS FOR SURE WHAT APPLE IS DOING YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED! SELL SELL SELL”

      People say Apple lost its “magic”. But you know what takes the fun out of magic? If people focus too much on how it works and insist they tell you how they did it and make demands. Let them do their thing, sit back, and be happy when they wow you.

      • André Hedegaard Petersen - 11 years ago

        You wrote:
        “It’s hard to be low key when every rumor now days gets posted in business blogs “THIS IS FOR SURE WHAT APPLE IS DOING YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED! SELL SELL SELL””

        That dosen’t explain why I should invest more stock in Apple, when stock prices have FALLEN from $700 down to $500 a piece!
        So it seems those business blogs you are referring to are correct.

  29. farhad (@fpocha) - 11 years ago

    These colours look really similar to the iPod shuffle…

  30. Gerardo Guerrero Sanchez - 11 years ago

    Have you notice that there are some rings in the invitations just like the new home screen button / fingerprint sensor ?

  31. Mark Kendrick - 11 years ago

    I will not upgrade my iPhone until Apple comes out with a WIDER one. I want MORE viewing space.

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.