Apple announces ‘iPhone 7’ September 7 event, Apple Watch 2 and MacBook Pros may be unveiled

Zac Hall | Aug 29 2016 - 9:07 am PT

Bokeh Apple shape hints at dual lens camera focus tricks

Update: As usual, the event will be livestreamed online. Grab the calendar event here.

Mark your calendars, folks, it’s official. Apple has issued press invites to its next media event on September 7 at Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco at 10 am PT. The company is widely expected to unveil new iPhones and could unveil new MacBook Pros and the Apple Watch 2 at the same event.

The new iPhones are generally expected to feature a very similar design to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which suggests Apple could save the ‘iPhone 7’ name for 2017 models and use a version of the iPhone 6 name (like iPhone 6 SE) this year. While it’s unclear what Apple will name the new iPhones, we’ll go with the consensus of iPhone 7 until we learn otherwise.

While both models are expected to gain faster A10 processors and drop the 16GB tier for 32GB entry models, the most dramatic change is likely coming to the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus and not the 4.7-inch iPhone 7: a dual camera system. This could be used to emulate optical zoom where digital zoom basically crops a shot and loses detail.

Both iPhone 7 models are expected to introduce a darker color for the black-front model. The iPhone 5 introduced a dark blue color called slate that was prone to scuffing, and Apple has played with versions of its ‘space gray’ gunmetal gray color since the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 7 is expected to feature a return to a dark blue color or maybe even a near black ‘space black‘ option.

As you may notice in the alleged leaked cases above, Apple is also widely expected to drop the 3.5-mm headphone jack on both iPhone 7 models in a push toward Lightning, Bluetooth, and AirPlay audio.

As for the Apple Watch 2, the anticipated refresh will mark the first update since the current model was unveiled two years ago and released a year and a half ago. The design is expected to look generally the same, but much needed speed improvements are on the way and a GPS chip for mapping workouts and using location services is expected.

And 9to5Mac readers will be the first to express the need for updated MacBook Pros. The current lineup of Retina MacBook Pros features a design that hasn’t been refreshed in years and internals that sorely need updated.

The good news is that rumors have been very promising for MacBook Pros this year (as you can see with the render below). A slimmer design, Touch ID, and a dynamic OLED touch panel in place of static function hardware keys are all in the cards for the next MacBook Pro update.

While new MacBook Pros are expected sometime this year, recent reports have claimed Apple could hold off on unveiling these new models at this September event. In recent years, Apple has held an iPhone-focused event in September, then an iPad-focused event in October, and Macs have appeared when ready.

Last year, however, Apple packed all of its new products into a single fall event held in September including new iPhones, new Apple Watch colors and bands, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the fourth generation Apple TV. Apple later released the 9.7-inch iPad Pro at its March event earlier this year, new iPads aren’t expected until next year, and rumors of an updated Apple TV haven’t surfaced aside from one story late last year.

Apple will also likely give stage time once again to its upcoming software updates: iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10.

And here it is! Apple iPhone (maybe Apple Watch?) event on Sept 7 at 10AM in SF. pic.twitter.com/wmio7USJ6m

— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) August 29, 2016

We’ll bring you full coverage of Apple’s September event next month as well as the latest on what we expect ahead of the event so stay tuned. In the meantime, here’s plenty of reading material to get you up to speed before then: