Apple Event 2023: iPhone 15, USB-C support, new Apple Watches and everything else to expect

Not all who marvel are lust. A few of us can be forming an orderly queue within the holding room at One Apple Park Means on Tuesday morning. At 10 AM PT on September 12, Tim Cook dinner and co. can be again at it, showcasing the newest gear forward of the massive vacation push. And you may tune in to the Apple Event reside stream proper right here to watch all of the rumors and studies be confirmed or debunked, together with the much-anticipated potential for the iPhone 15 to get USB-C help.

There are two issues we will confidently inform you’ll be on show on the huge Apple occasion: the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Collection 9. There are some issues on this world you possibly can actually set your smartwatch to. There have been rumors galore, in fact. For one factor, just a few members of the AirPods household are beginning to get lengthy within the tooth.

Macs are a perpetual chance as nicely. I believe I additionally converse for many of us after I say that it might be good to get a little bit extra face time with the Imaginative and prescient Professional headset that stole the present at WWDC, again in June.

What follows is a mixture of what we all know, what we predict we all know and what we’re straight up wildly speculating about.

iPhone 15

The clear marquee announcement this day trip. What’s maybe most attention-grabbing concerning the iPhone 15 is that Apple had its hand pressured right here. It’s not like anybody within the huge glass spaceship was champing on the bit to undertake USB-C (or Thunderbolt 3 or no matter you need to name it). You’ll be able to thank EU regulators for that one. Final yr, the European Parliament voted to standardize ports throughout gadgets.

Now, technically, these regulators gave producers till the tip of 2024 to implement the tech throughout gadgets, however all indicators level to Apple pulling off the Band-Assist for the iPhone 15. Amongst different issues, extra regional governing our bodies are poised to observe the EU’s lead right here for shopper advocacy and e-waste associated causes.

Final September marked the tenth anniversary of Apple forcing the Lightning connector to be a factor. The factor about Lightning, nonetheless, is that it’s unhealthy and I hate it. My colleagues hate it. Buddies and household hate it. My rabbit likes it, however she’ll fortunately chew by way of any cable, no matter what’s on both finish. Level is, it’s unhealthy and has at all times been unhealthy.

An attention-grabbing caveat right here is the report that the upper USB 3.2 information velocity can be reserved for the professional fashions, with the usual iPhone 15 caught at USB 2.0 (nonetheless a standard spec in Android land).

Wi-fi charging, in the meantime, is alleged to be bumped up to 35W throughout the board. It appears the iPhone can be one of many first telephones to undertake the Qi2 customary, which mixes wi-fi charging with magnets — one thing Apple has been doing for a minute. On condition that Apple is likely one of the 344 corporations within the Wi-fi Energy Consortium (and the entire Qi2 iPhone equipment introduced at IFA), this seems like a secure wager.

In the meantime, the Dynamic Island — launched on the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max — ought to be trickling down to the cheaper fashions as nicely.

One other attention-grabbing addition is the rumored iPhone 15 Extremely, which might exchange the Professional Max and undertake Apple’s latest naming conference. That handset is alleged to sport a 6.7-inch show with a 120 Hz refresh charge, slimmed down bezels and the new “Motion” button, which replaces the lengthy customary Mute. The new button — which is adopted from the Apple Watch Extremely — would additionally grace the iPhone 15 Professional. It’s mentioned to provide various totally different customizable shortcuts to issues just like the digital camera, accessibility choices, flashlight and the precise Shortcuts app (if you’d like to get artistic).

Apple Watch Collection 9

Talking of the Apple Watch. The rumor mill has truly been fairly silent right here. That would nicely be a sign that this can be a relative down yr for the wearable. It is also due to the truth that subsequent yr is the massive 1-0, so Apple could wait till subsequent yr to pull out all of the stops. It’s additionally doubtless ready for subsequent yr for a new Apple Watch SE.

That mentioned, a new Apple Watch Extremely does seem to be within the playing cards for subsequent week. Each the Extremely 2 and Collection 9 are doubtless to get new processors and colours. There’s additionally been discuss of Apple eyeing 3D printing for case design, after adopting the method for components of the Imaginative and prescient Professional. I do assume there’s nonetheless an enormous query of scale when comes to one thing as mass market because the Apple Watch, nonetheless.

AirPods

The time feels proper for some new AirPods. That mentioned, 2024 appears a likelier timeline for the headphones to get the H2 chip remedy. Nonetheless, promoting a stand-alone USB-C charging case could also be within the playing cards. And hey, talking of overdue, it’s been just below three years since we obtained the AirPods Max. Whereas we’re at it, I wouldn’t be mad at a new HomePod mini.

Everything else

A greater have a look at the Imaginative and prescient Professional appears virtually sure. Content material stays an enormous query mark, so this may very well be a yr of demos, seeing as how the “spatial computing” headset hits the market early subsequent yr. We obtained nearly nothing in the best way of video games. Now that the SDK and Unity’s growth platform have been out on the planet for a minute, that looks like a definite chance.

Extra specifics on the iOS/macOS/iPadOS/watchOS launch dates would make sense. Macs, nonetheless, appear to be a bit extra of an extended shot this day trip, and the M3 is much extra doubtless to arrive in 2024.

The Apple Event kicks off at 10 AM PT on September 12. We’ll be there bringing it to you reside.