The next iPhone series has a release date — September 7. Apple has sent out the invitation for its biggest launch event of the year and, needless to say, the creative is being decoded by tech enthusiasts.
Apple usually holds its iPhone launch event in early September with devices going on sale days later. In spite of the pandemic and falling sales figures of smartphones, Apple has managed to deliver big and profit figures continue to swell. In the quarter that ended in June, Apple managed to assuage investor concerns about their strength in uncertain economic times. iPhone sales — Apple’s biggest driver of revenue — rose 2.8 per cent to a fiscal third-quarter record of $40.67 billion, while analysts had expected a 2.5 per cent drop.
Apple’s invitation has ‘Far out’ as theme
What to expect?
With only a few days to the big event, there are plenty of rumours to keep us wondering about hardware changes that are coming our way. First, the new series is expected to be called iPhone 14. The company is expected to hold a limited in-person event at Apple Park campus and stream the show online, something that was done during WWDC in June.
According to rumours, iPhone Mini is being shelved. There should still be four new iPhones but the set-up will change. The stars of the show are expected to be called iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, which will have most of the hardware upgrades.
Among the features that are expected is a 48MP rear camera with a larger sensor, which is a big jump from the usual 12MP that we have been seeing for years. Second, the bigger notch may give way to smaller camera cutouts. Third, an always-on display (done the Apple way, of course). Fourth, and this is a no-brainer, upgrade to A16 processing chip.
But one needs to remember that not everyone needs so much processing power. So the non-pro versions will be the vanilla iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max (minus the pro tag).
Latest reports from Bloomberg suggest that iPhone 14 series will be manufactured in India after the first two months during which it will be manufactured in China.
Expect major improvements over Apple Watch Series 7 (in picture)
Big upgrades to the Apple Watch
After an understated showing last year, Apple is expected to launch three new Apple Watch models — the new Watch Series 8, a refreshed SE and a rugged ‘Pro’ model that targets athletes.
According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Series 8 will come with the new S8 chip and even though a blood pressure monitor may not make this year’s cut, a temperature sensor is expected.
The new SE will replace the budget Watch Series 3 and feature the same S8 chip. And the ‘Pro’ model may come with a “nearly two-inch display” and a strong metal case.
AirPods Pro
The wireless earbuds need a refresh and so, expect the AirPods Pro 2, which may have a focus on fitness tracking made possible through upgraded motion sensors. There could be support for lossless audio and may even get around the limitations of Bluetooth which compresses audio quality.
Bigger screen
Apple began launching bigger iPhones in 2014 starting with the iPhone 6 Plus to compete with the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Note. If we are to get something like the iPhone 14 Max (minus the ‘pro’ tag), it will hit the right notes with many fans. The iPhone 13 Pro comes with a better camera than the iPhone 13 but at a lower price than the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Similarly, the iPhone 14 Max may offer more screen estate at a lower price than the next Pro Max. Data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners highlights that the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max was the bestselling model in the third quarter of 2021 and this has to do with how we use our phones. Plus, a bigger phone means more battery life, which is what we want in 2022.