What to expect from Apple’s September 7 “Far Out” event

Apple announced a new product launch event for September 7, and it's a safe bet that we'll see the next wave of flagship iPhone models when the company's executives and product managers take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater.

 

Curiously, this is the earliest in the month we can remember Apple recently hosting a September event, and it also might be the earliest the company has announced the event before it happens, given that it's more than two weeks away.

But those aspects aside, we don't believe this will be an especially unusual event. Apple always uses the September event to announce new iPhone and Apple Watch models, which is exactly what we expect on September 7.

 

Here are the announcements we think we'll see during the event—and a few we think you should temper your expectations on, too.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 Pro will get some exciting new features this year, including two that have been requested for a long time.

 

Those big changes are the introduction of an always-on screen like owners of the Samsung Galaxy flagships and many other high-end Android phones have long enjoyed, and the removal of the camera notch at the top of the screen in favor of something resembling a punch hole.

 

Other possible improvements include a faster A16 system-on-a-chip (SoC), a bigger and better 48-megapixel rear wide camera with 8K video capture capabilities, and new features in the front-facing camera.

 

Below: A peek some improvements in last year's iPhone 13 Pro over 2020's iPhone 12 Pro.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, all of that might come with a $100 price hike compared to the iPhone 13 Pro phones, according to one leak.

 

By contrast, the regular, non-Pro iPhone 14 is expected to be a bit of a nothingburger for those looking forward to big changes.

 

The base iPhone 14 might not even upgrade the chip inside the phone, opting for the A15 instead of the new A16 SoC. That said, the iPhone 14 could bump its RAM from 4GB to 6GB, offering some modest performance improvements in some situations.

Unfortunately for those who like to use their phones, Apple is expected to drop the relatively low-selling mini size that we saw in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups.

 

Instead, the company will offer an iPhone 14 with a 6.1-inch display, and a new iPhone 14 Max with a 6.7-inch screen—the exact sizes seen on the Pro side.

Apple Watch Series 8 and SE—and more

We haven't heard much about big changes coming to the Apple Watch Series 8 or its cheaper cousin, the Apple Watch SE. But some kind of spec bump and minor improvements are likely for both.

 

If that doesn't excite you much, the addition of a third Apple Watch model might: There have been myriad reports from all sorts of sources that Apple has been working on a rugged "Apple Watch Pro" meant for serious use in sports and fitness contexts.

 

The Apple Watch Pro might not have a bunch of new features, but it could come with a more durable titanium casing, a potentially larger and more damage-resistant screen, and a steeper price tag.