iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 are likely to launch at Apple’s event

Rumours and leaks are at their height on the eve of Apple’s annual hardware event. As always, the event will take place at Apple’s iconic Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino, California, with an audience of media physically present this time. In India, viewers can watch the event on Apple’s website at 10:30pm IST on 7th September.

Typically, the September event is when Apple launches a line-up of iPhones. Also expected is the Apple Watch Series 8, and possibly updated iPad models. A new version of the AirPods earphones are also rumoured to be in the offing.

Apple guards its secrets well as far as hardware launches are concerned and despite the rumours, no one can be quite sure what the company will actually unveil. The event invite shows the Apple logo with a galaxy around it and the tagline “Far Out” hinting at what could take place. While some believe this could be a reference to a VR/AR headset from the company, others speculate that satellite calling for emergencies could be coming to the iPhone 14 series. “Far Out’ could also be an indication that enhanced imaging is coming to the cameras.

New iPhone line-up in the offing

The iPhone first launched in June 2007. For long spells, there are features that have remained the same on these smartphones. The notch, for example, is a prominent design element that has been outpaced by every Android phone. It is hoped that the signature notch will be addressed in some way for the iPhone 14 line-up, perhaps with an elongated ‘pill hole’ or a black bar. This time, the series is said to have four phones once again, but there are some changes. The regular iPhone 14 is said to be 6.1 inches; the iPhone 14 Plus will be 6.7 inches, the iPhone 14 Pro will again be 6.1 inches and the iPhone 14 Pro Max 6.7 inches. The iPhone Mini is said to be dropped from the line-up.

The design language for the iPhone 14 series is rumoured to remain the same, except for the treatment given to the notch. The differences between the regular iPhone 14 products and the Pro models is rumoured to be greater this time around. The displays will be more advanced on the Pro models with higher adaptive refresh rates. There will also be an always-on display on the Pro models. As far as processors go, the regular iPhones in the series are said to be continuing with the A15 chip, powerful enough as it is, while the Pro models will move to the A16 chip. This will enable more advanced photography and videography. Other specs such as RAM and storage are also rumoured to be more advanced on the Pro phones. A cooling system is also coming to these models. All iPhones 14 are said to be coming with upgraded cameras, while the Pro models will have a larger sensor.

The lightning port will not, it is reported, be replaced by a USB-C connector. On the software front, iOS 16 is bringing significant changes and features to all models.

The Apple Watch Series 8 is also likely to be split into two categories, based on tips from Bloomberg’s Mike Gurman, one of the chief sources of reports on upcoming Apple products. Meanwhile, there is no official information on what is to be launched from Apple -- and that too is a typical scenario.