Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event – 5 things we expect and 3 things we don’t

Get ready for new iPhones, AirPods, Watches, and more

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It’s official:Apple’s annual September launch event is set for Monday, September 9. The tech giant confirmed the date via email invitations bearing the tagline “It’s Glowtime” (we’ve got ours), which suggestsApple Intelligencewill take center stage at the Cupertino-set showcase next month.

But what else do we expect to see unveiled at this year’sApple event? TheiPhone 16series is a shoo-in, while updates toApple’s AirPods and Watch lines look likely, too. We’re also anticipating a host of announcements related toiOS 18,iPadOS 18,watchOS 11,macOS Sequoia, andtvOS 18.

Below, we’ve detailed five things we expect to see announced at the upcoming Apple event, as well as three things we almost definitely won’t see.

What to expect

iPhone 16 series

Apple’s September events almost always play host to the launch of a new iPhone line, and we’re expecting as much from this year’s showcase. Four iPhone 16 models are slated for release next month – specifically theiPhone 16,iPhone 16 Plus,iPhone 16 Pro, andiPhone 16 Pro Max– with minor (rather than game-changing) upgrades tipped for all.

The standardiPhone 16 models are rumored to inherit the Action buttonfrom theiPhone 15 ProandiPhone 15 Pro Max, while aso-called ‘Capture’ button will reportedly come to every model in the lineup. Expect the usual cocktail of Apple chipset upgrades, too, as well as newiPhone 16 colors.

Apple Intelligence

As mentioned, the headline announcement of Apple’s September event will almost certainly beApple Intelligence. The upcoming suite of AI-powered features was revealed atWWDC 2024back in June, but we’re expecting to see it showcased on the iPhone 16 series and other compatible devices next month.

You’ll find a full list of confirmed Apple Intelligence features in our dedicatedApple Intelligencehub, but so far we know that the toolset will include a smarter Siri, text summarization, writing assistance, and generative image creation. Incidentally, Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” tagline is likely a reference to the new ‘glow’ animation that’ll appear when using Siri on Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhones.

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Annoyingly, we’ve heard thatApple Intelligence could be delayed until after the initial rollout of iOS 18, with Apple reportedly keen to fine-tune its AI features before making them available to the world. But even if that’s the case, we’ll surely be given a concrete release date for Apple Intelligence at next month’s Apple event.

iOS 18 and other software updates

Apple Intelligence will form part ofiOS 18, but there are plenty of AI-free upgrades to get excited about in Apple’s next major (and sure-to-be-released-in-September) software update, which should please existing iPhone owners.

We know, for instance, that significant upgrades are coming to core iPhone apps including Messages, Mail, Photos, Maps, and Wallet, and that any iPhone newer than the iPhone XS will be compatible with iOS 18 (in other words, any iPhone with the A12 Bionic chipset or newer). For a more detailed rundown of the incoming features, check out our roundup of thefive of the best iOS 18 features that’ll work with your older iPhone.

We’re also expecting Apple’s September event to play host to iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18-related announcements.

New Apple Watches

Alongside the iPhone 16 series, we could see new Apple Watches announced next month. TheApple Watch 10andApple Watch Ultra 3seem the most likely candidates, with the former model tipped to come in two sizes (1.89 inches and 2.04 inches).

Other rumoredApple Watchupgrades include new processors for both models and a larger display for the Watch 10. Interestingly, aplastic Apple Watch SEhas also been tipped, which could offer prospective Apple Watch buyers a cheaper route into the watchOS ecosystem.

New AirPods

Lastly, there’s a high chance that new AirPods could drop next month. We’re not talking about theAirPods Pro 3, since Apple’s Pro-level earbuds have so far adhered to a three-year release cycle, and we’ve seen nothing concrete on the hotly anticipatedAirPods Max 2’s arrival, either. No, rumors instead suggest the imminent reveal ofnew entry-level and mid-range AirPods models.

As for what upgrades these new AirPods will bring, it’s safe to expect a more comfortable design and smarter listening modes, while Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has alsonotedthat noise cancellation powers could come to the mid-range model.

What not to expect

iPhone Air

The iPhone 16 rumor mill has been rife with talk around a potential iPhone Slim, or iPhone Air, but thissuper-thin iPhone model will now reportedly arrive in 2025.

Bloomberg’s ever-reliable Apple tipster Mark Gurman notes that this reportedly in-development iPhone will have a much thinner chassis than any existing iPhone, while retaining most of the base-level iPhone 17’s core specs.

In terms of price, the iPhone Air looks set to sit somewhere between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro (akin to how the originalMacBook Airwas positioned between the MacBook and theMacBook Pro), so those disappointed by the iPhone 16 line may have an entirely new iPhone model to look forward to next year, at least.

New iPads

New iPads will almost certainly be another no-show at this year’s September Apple event.Applealready debuted the long-awaitediPad Air 6andiPad Pro (2024)at itsMay 7 Apple event, and we haven’t heard all that much about a successor to theiPad 10.9 (2022), so its reveal alongside the iPhone 16 line seems unlikely.

We could, however, potentially see the iPad mini 7 unveiled next month – as of August 2024,Apple has allowed iPad mini stock to run low, which is usually a sign that a new model is on the way – but Apple has also been known to quietly reveal new iPads via a press release, so we’re not all that confident about seeing a successor to theiPad mini (2021)in Cupertino. Here’s hoping we’re wrong, though.

New MacBooks

M4-equipped MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac models are reportedly on track for a 2024 release, but they’re likely to come in October rather than September.

Reliable leaker Ross Young and Bloomberg tipster Mark Gurman believe that theMacBook Pro 2024et al. areset to arrive ‘later’ this year,and an October launch would align with the release dates we saw forApple’s most recent MacBook modelsin 2023.

Of course, Apple may be bold and announce the whole shebang in September – iPhones, iPads, MacBooks; the lot – but we’re quietly confident that the upcoming showcase will be dedicated to those aforementioned hardware and software launches.

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Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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