Apple sent out invitations Wednesday to a “far out” event scheduled for September 7. There’s nothing in the invite to indicate what’s on the agenda, but this will almost certainly be the debut of the iPhone 14 lineup and Apple Watch Series 8.
Unlike such events for the past couple of years, members of the tech press are being invited to attend in person.
For details of what’s likely on the agenda, check out our rundown of everything Apple is expected to announce at the “Far Out” event.
Wow, an in-person Apple event
The September 7 Apple event will be a blast from the past, or perhaps a return to normalcy, because reporters will be in person for the product announcements, rather than watching a prerecorded video presentation streamed over the internet. That implies that Apple executives will also be in person to present the new devices.
That hasn’t happened since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting in 2020, every Apple event has been prerecorded and streamed.
Of course, non-reporters can watch too. Apple will stream it for all to see from its Events page on Wednesday, September 7, starting at 10 a.m. PDT.
Get ready for the iPhone 14
Far out. September 7. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/bw5Lxf3eQ9
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) August 24, 2022
The email invitation to the Apple event has a “far out” space theme. Apple watchers always examine such invites for clues about what’s coming, and there may be a hint about satellite communication for the next iPhone.
That’s one of many new features expected in the the iPhone 14 series, which will almost certainly be the highlight of the show. For those who can’t wait a couple weeks, the basic model isn’t expected to look much different from iPhone 13. However, predictions call for no “mini” version (5.4 inches) and the addition of a large standard (non-Pro) version (6.7 inches).
iPhone 14 Pro will bring the biggest changes
The two iPhone 14 Pro versions reportedly will replace the “notch” camera cutout with a less-intrusive “pill and hole” setup. And they’ll also get an improved A16 processor. The two standard models supposedly will stick with the screen notch and the A15 from the iPhone 13.
The Pro models are expected to see big camera improvements. A 48-megapixel wide-angle camera alongside 12-megapixel ultrawide and telephoto sensors should prove to be big upgrades. Those models also might see price hikes this year.
For a fuller accounting of all the leaks pointing to tweaks and new features in the iPhone 14 lineup, see our recent roundup.
A September 7 announcement could mean Apple plans to start selling the iPhone 14 on September 14. More likely, the company will start taking preorders on Friday, September 9, with the smartphones shipping the following week.
Expect multiple new Apple Watch models, too
It likely won’t be just iPhones we hear about on September 7. New Apple Watches are also likely on the docket.
Apple Watch Series 8 reportedly will have much in common with the Series 7, but Apple’s wearable lineup is expected to grow with a new, rugged model with a bigger display, advanced fitness tracking and a titanium case. A new version of the affordable Apple Watch SE might make an appearance at the Apple event as well.
Check out our roundup of changes and new features coming to Apple Watch in 2022.
Hold on until October for more
The September 7 event probably won’t be Apple’s only one this autumn. Leaks point to other new hardware on the way, including 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros upgraded with M2 Pro and M2 Max processors, iPad Pro models with the M2 chip and the entry-level iPad 10. But putting these immediately after the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch announcements would be too much for a single presentation.
That’s why, in previous years, Apple unveiled new Macs and iPads at a separate event, usually in October.
David Snow contributed to this article.
