Cupertino, California – Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 14 lineup at the company’s annual flagship event in September on Wednesday.
The product event, sparked by the “elusive” tagline, will take place at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, and will be streamed live on Apple’s website and social media channels.
This year’s invitation featured a night sky with a constellation of stars making up the Apple logo, leading some to speculate that there will be major camera upgrades on iPhones to allow for night or remote photography. But in typical Apple fashion, the tech giant has been littered with details as it heightens excitement and urges customers to set the time on the big day.
The event will begin at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on Wednesday. Here’s a look at what to expect from CEO Tim Cook and his team.
The star of the show
As it has done every year for about a decade, Apple is widely expected to unveil its latest iPhone at its September keynote.
Apple is set to go big with the iPhone 14 – literally. It is rumored to debut a non-Pro 6.7-inch phone, which means it will have a larger screen size but without the higher price tag. The rumor mill also suggests that Apple may drop the smaller and cheaper iPhone in the 14 lineup so as not to compete with iPhone SE sales.
Expectations are that the latest Pro model has become somewhat slimmer, and that the disliked notch around the front camera system is absent on the new iPhone models.
Apple watchers are also excited about a potential main camera quality upgrade with the iPhone 14 — perhaps one that can shoot 8K video. If this happens, it could be among the biggest changes in iPhone camera quality to date.
See also: Apple reveals serious security holes for iPhone, iPad and Mac
How Apple will price the iPhone 14 is already a test, as broader economic conditions for both the tech sector and consumers have entered choppy waters. A few analysts have already predicted slight price hikes for the latest and greatest iPhone models. “My expectation is that it’s possible that Apple will have to raise prices,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at market research firm CCS Insight, told CNN Business ahead of the event.
Currently, the regular non-miniature iPhone 13 starts at $799, the iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. Some analysts expect a price hike of at least $100 on the Pro and Pro Max models. But given the stress consumers are facing, he believes Apple will also do “everything in its power to make that as little as possible.” This could mean offering attractive trading bonuses, premium payment plans, and other offers.
Despite rising inflation and other economic headwinds, Cook said on the company’s latest earnings call that there was “no clear evidence” of the macroeconomic impact on iPhone sales yet. This does not mean that the tech giant is immune to the deteriorating economic climate. And it recorded a decline in profits of nearly 11% during the three months ending in June, compared to the same period a year ago. The event also comes amid supply chain issues linked to China’s non-proliferation policy.
Finally, there was some talk that Apple could remove the iPhone’s Lightning port on new models and opt for a design with wireless charging via MagSafe. There have also been rumors that some US models may be launched without a physical SIM card slot, as Apple is moving towards an eSIM-only design.
Apple Watches, iOS 16 release date, and more
New Apple Watch models are expected to be unveiled on Wednesday, including high-end offerings. An official release date for iOS 16 is also expected, the much-hyped recent update that will allow users to customize their iPhone lock screens (as Android does) and features a revamped iMessage.
What you don’t expect
With the new iPhone expected to take center stage, many analysts don’t expect Apple to release new iPads or Mac computers until October. Of course, the rumor mill can always be wrong about these things. Nor is Apple likely to release the much-rumored and anticipated augmented reality headset on Wednesday.
Despite Samsung’s rival love affair with foldable devices, Apple still isn’t expected to unveil such an iPhone this fall.
CNN Business will be broadcasting live coverage of Cook’s mass production, so stay tuned here as the world’s most valuable tech company finally puts all the rumors out and reveals some of its latest gadgets on the cusp of the busy holiday shopping season.
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