The iPhone 16 is coming in just a few days. Next week, Apple will hold a special event to unveil its flagship iPhone updates, new Apple Watch hardware, and more. Here’s a roundup of everything to expect at the “It’s Glowtime” special event on September 9.
Apple event details
Apple’s iPhone 16 event will take place at 10 a.m. PT on Monday, September 9. Here’s how that translates to other major time zones around the world:
- Pacific Time (PT): 10 a.m.
- Eastern Time (ET): 1 p.m.
- Central Time (CT): 12 p.m. (Noon)
- Mountain Time (MT): 11 a.m.
- British Summer Time (BST): 6 p.m.
- Central European Time (CET): 7 p.m.
- India Standard Time (IST): 10:30 p.m.
- China Standard Time (CST): 1 a.m. (next day)
- Japan Standard Time (JST): 2 a.m. (next day)
- Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST): 3 a.m. (next day)
- New Zealand Standard Time (NZST): 5 a.m. (next day)
Here’s how to live stream the event:
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are expected to feature several notable upgrades over their predecessors. Here’s a rundown of what to expect.
- Faster performance: The iPhone 16 models will be powered by a new A18 chip and paired with 8GB of RAM (up from 6GB). This will also enable Apple Intelligence support.
- Action button: The iPhone 16 will ditch the mute switch in favor of a new programable Action button, just like the iPhone 15 Pro did last year.
- Capture button: On the right side of the iPhone 16, you’ll find a new button dedicated to the camera. This so-called Capture button will serve as a quick way to open the Camera app. You’ll also be able to zoom in and out and use it to bring images into focus.
- Smaller camera bump: The iPhone 16 will feature a smaller camera bump with vertically aligned lenses. This will enable spatial video recording, creating immersive content that can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro.
- New colors: The iPhone 16 will reportedly be available in five new colors: blue, green, pink, white, and black.
If the Phone 16 is announced on September 9, history suggests pre-orders will begin on September 13, followed by a release date of September 20.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple will also announce the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max during its September event. Here are the highlights of what to expect from the new flagship iPhones:
- Bigger screens: The iPhone 16 Pro will feature a larger 6.3-inch display, up from 6.1 inches. The iPhone 16 Pro Max screen will increase from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches.
- Capture button: The iPhone 16 Pro will also add the new Capture button. Again, this will give you a quick way to open the Camera app, zoom in and out, and bring the camera into focus before taking a picture.
- Upgraded Ultra Wide camera: For fans of the 0.5x camera, the iPhone 16 Pro will offer a big boost in quality. According to multiple rumors, the Ultra Wide camera will jump to 48MP quality, a significant increase from the current 12MP lens.
- Video upgrades: Reports suggest that the iPhone 16 Pro will be able to record video at 4K resolution at 120fps for the first time (iPhone 15 is currently limited to 4K 60fps).
- 5x optical zoom: The iPhone 16 Pro will add the same 5x optical zoom Telephoto lens that came to the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year.
- Spec improvements: New A18 Pro chip, larger batteries, an improved thermal design, Wi-Fi 7 support, and more.
- New colors: White Titanium, Black Titanium, Natural, Titanium, and Gold Titanium. Here’s an exclusive look at the new gold colorway:
If the Apple event is held on September 9 as expected, pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro will likely begin on September 13, with a release date of September 20.
Apple Watch Series 10
Beyond the iPhone, Apple is also expected to announce the Apple Watch Series 10 next week.
- Bigger form factors: According to multiple rumors, the Apple Watch is getting bigger this year. The 41mm Apple Watch will increase to 45mm, while the 45mm model will increase 49mm. These numbers refer to the case height of the Apple Watch, not the screen size.
- Bigger screens: With the larger form factor, the Apple Watch Series 10 will also feature a larger display. According to leaked schematics, the larger of the two Apple Watch Series 10 models will have a 1.93-inch display, up from 1.77 inches.
- Thinner design: While the Apple Watch Series 10 will feature a larger overall form factor, it will also be thinner than the current generation.
- New health features: Bloomberg reports that the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 will offer support for sleep apnea detection. Apple is also still working on a hypertension detection feature, but it’s not expected to launch this year.
The Apple Watch Series 10 will likely ship alongside the iPhone 16 on September 20.
Apple Watch Ultra 3
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 may be one of the least exciting announcements during Apple’s September event. As of right now, there have been very few rumors about what to expect from this year’s new Apple Watch Ultra.
The new model is expected to include a new chip for improved performance, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said we can otherwise expect “almost no” new hardware features. Mark Gurman has reported it will get a new chip, but “no major design change.”
New Apple Watch SE
To round out the Apple Watch family, Apple is also reportedly developing a new Apple Watch SE made from plastic.
The current Apple Watch SE is made from aluminum, similar to the higher-end Apple Watch models. In the 2022 update, Apple redesigned the back case of the Apple Watch SE, replacing the ceramic material with a new “nylon composite” material.
Bloomberg reports that the new Apple Watch will ditch its aluminum shell “in favor of rigid plastic.” The obvious benefit of making this change is that it will cut costs. If Apple starts making the Apple Watch SE out of plastic instead of aluminum, it could theoretically lower the starting price, which currently sits at $249. For comparison’s sake, Samsung’s most affordable watch starts at $199.
AirPods 4
Apple is planning a big shakeup to its AirPods lineup, and those changes will be unveiled next week. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has extensively reported on Apple’s plans to discontinue AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 this year, and replace them with two different AirPods 4 variants.
These upcoming AirPods 4 models are expected to feature a design that blends the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, including shorter stems. However, unlike the AirPods Pro, neither variant will have replaceable tips, though they are expected to offer an improved fit.
In terms of features, Bloomberg has reported that Apple will distinguish the two AirPods 4 models by including noise cancellation in the higher-end version, while the lower-end model will not. Both models will come with a new charging case that supports USB-C. Additionally, the charging case for the higher-end model will include built-in speakers to enhance Find My integration.
For AirPods Pro fans, rumors are that Apple isn’t planning an update until 2025. Apple is also working on an updated version of AirPods Max with USB-C for charging, but it’s unclear if those headphones will be announced in September or saved for later this year.
iOS 18 and more
Last but not least, next week’s Apple event will also include details about the release dates for Apple’s next round of software updates:
- iOS 18
- iPadOS 18
- watchOS 11
- tvOS 18
- visionOS 2
According to one rumor, Apple is also expected to release macOS Sequoia alongside iOS 18 in September for the first time. In previous years, Apple has held back the release of the new version of macOS until October or November.
Wrap up
Apple is teasing the September 9 event with the tagline: “It’s Glowtime.” The event will take place at 10 a.m PT/1 p.m. ET. We’ll have more coverage as we we approach that date.
In the meantime, what are you most excited to see at this year’s September Apple event? Are you planning to upgrade to any of the new products? Let us know down in the comments.
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