Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, wherever you are. We're a little over 24 hours away from the September 9 Apple event, which will almost certainly be one of the biggest tech product launches of the year.
I'm here to give you a rundown of what to expect, the juiciest rumors so far, what I want to see, and more. So let's do this!
It's Glowtime! Well almost... The next Apple event takes place tomorrow (Monday, September 9) and we're expecting to see a huge number of new devices including phones, smartwatches and headphones, plus some major AI updates.
In the meantime, I'm here to bring you all last-minute leaks, rumors and insight ahead of the event, where we expect the reveal of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. We also expect the Apple Watch 10 to make an appearance, maybe joined by an Apple Watch Ultra 3. And for the audio lovers, there's room for the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. Plus expect to hear a lot about Apple Intelligence and its role in these products.
This showcase could be the biggest Apple event of the year, so without further ado, let's get into it.
I've covered Apple events for more years than I can easily count, so I'm well placed to bring you all the news, rumors and analysis in the run up to the September 9 Apple event. I'm an iPhone 15 Pro Max user and love my AirPods Pro, so I'm looking forward to seeing what Apple does in these areas.
Now for some wearables. The most pertinent of them is likely to be the Apple Watch 10, It'll likely start at $399 / £399 / AU$649, come with a boosted chip, a thinner case, potentially have an Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there'll be two sizes to choose from: 45mm and 49mm.
Hopefully, there'll be improvements to battery life and likely more health features that potentially tap into generative AI. But overall, don't expect the Apple Watch 10 to bring in dramatic changes over its predecessor.
Now for Apple Intelligence. We got a good glimpse at Apple's foray into generative AI at WWDC 2024, but we're hoping to see how smart features will come to next-gen iPhones, Apple Watches and more.
But the problem is, is down to what products will be able to support what smart features...
We’re expecting the iPhone 16 to launch with iOS 18.0, which appears to come without any of the much-lauded Apple Intelligence features. We’ll have to wait for iOS 18.1 for those, and then iOS 18.2 for the full Siri 2.0 experience, but how will Apple announce this staggered roll out? Should you start queuing now for your iPhone 16, or wait until iOS 18.1 comes out for a fuller AI-powered experience?
While I’m not the biggest user of virtual assistants, I’ve found Siri to be one of the worst. So the promise that it can do more, be smarter and use generative AI to be more proactive rather than reactive in what it serves up, certainly has my attention.
Equally, I’m expecting a whole host of nips and tucks to iOS to all add up to a big change. I think iOS 17 is fantastically slick and optimized but things like not being able to place home screen apps where I want them is low-key staggeringly frustrating. iOS 18 promises to fix that.
Ok, so that's been quite the iPhone 16 discussion, which isn't surprising as they are set to be the biggest, most universal products Apple will surely announce when it's Glowtime.
But now it's time to talk iOS 18 and more. Speaking of the former, which is currently in a berta, we will get the full release of iOS 18 with the new iPhones. And it'll bring in a load of features from a redesigned Photos app, advanced home screen customization, upgraded to the Control Center, Wallet and the Mail app, and a whole lot more.
Our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff already described the iOS 18 beta as a "breath of fresh air" so the release should be good. But for me, I'm all about another upgrade...
And that's the premised smarter Siri.
The improved Siri is set to be part of iOS 18, and it could be one of the more transformative of iPhone updates in recent years.
Right then, let's start at the latest leaks or rumors. And they come in the form a storage bump and improved video recording tipped for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
This comes courtesy of analysts at TrendForce who have claimed that both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are going to start at 256GB of storage this year. That would be a bump for the smaller phone, and a change I'd certainly welcome; after all the iPhone 15 Pro starts at 128GB of storage, which seems a tad miserly for a phone of its price.
On the video recording side, 9to5Mac 's sources claim the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will be capable of capturing footage at a 4K resolution at 120 frames per second. That's a boost from the 60 frames per second on the current models. So for content creators, such a capability could be a worthy upgrade.
I feel the camera quality of the models you'll find on our best phones list are so high (at least for smartphones) that there's not much to differentiate the top models besides a preference for certain photography styles.
However, video capture could be the next frontier for phones to really battle it out in. And Apple has long led the way, so it's promising to see that the Cupertino crew could embrace 4K at 60fps video capture to put the next-gen Pro iPhones in line with the on-paper capabilities of the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra but add some Apple video processing magic on top of it.
For more on the cameras we're expecting to see from the higher-end iPhones, check out our rundown on the iPhone 16 Pro camera rumors and predictions.
Now for the iPhone 16 price conversation. Going by the rumors so far, it looks like there could be a mild price increase on the cards. That would mean the iPhone 16 would sit somewhere between the iPhone 15’s starting price of $799 / £799 / AU$1,499 and a starting price of around $899 / £899 / AU$1,649. But I suspect the it and the Plus with track with their predecessors' pricing.
Same goes for the predicted iPhone 16 Pro price, which will probably start at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max starting at $1,199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,199.
iPhones are already somewhat pricey so I can't see Apple jacking up the starting prices, especially if it wants people to get into using AI features.
Over to the potential iPhone 16 Pro design and we could be looking at the phones getting larger displays. We’ve repeatedly heard that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch screen, making its display 0.2 inches bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s, and that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch screen, a jump up from the 6.1-inch display of its predecessor.
This change will apparently be achieved by having slimmer but taller phones with trimmed-down bezels, which is a-ok in my book. And I feel to be really 'Max' the iPhone Pro Max does need a display boost.
Both iPhone 16 Pro models are also tipped to have a so-called 'Capture button' which is meant to act as a camera shutter button but also a means to physically trigger focusing with the likes of a half-press. This has me intrigued and could be a way to make the Pro phones feel more tactile and content-creation focused (pun partially intended).
So I may have inadvertently glossed over this earlier, but in terms of the rumored iPhone 16 design changes, it's been tipped that the standard and Plus models could have a vertical rear camera arrangement and sport an Action button.
I can't say the latter gets my heart racing, as I've always liked the diagonal orientation of the rear cameras on the previous models; a vertical layout is a tad dull and the same as many other phones. But the potential addition of an Action button does have my attention.
While the volume up button could work as a camera shutter trigger, the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro models just feels better for this. But I also have it configured to switch on the camera flash to act as a quick torch; it's a minor thing but in real-world use is often hugely handy and avoids me needing to tap away at a display. So bringing such a feature to the more affordable iPhones would get a thumbs up from me.
In terms of other camera upgrades for the Pro phones, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could also get a new main sensor, one that the smaller Pro won't have. While the camera's resolution will apparently stick to 48-megapixels it could have larger 1/1.14-inch sensor.
There are also reports that the ultra-wide camera for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will jump up to 48MP from 12MP. And that one or more of the iPhone 16 Pro's lenses will have a new type of coating.
Finally, there are some hints that the the iPhone 16 Pro Max might get a ‘super telephoto’ camera. This would extend the zoom range from the current 5x to 10x or beyond. However, that rumor is a tad tenuous. Check out the rumored camera specs table for the iPhone 16 Pro below.
Zoom zoom! One of the tipped iPhone 16 Pro camera upgrades is it could get the 5x optical zoom periscope camera of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
As a big fan and current user of the 15 Pro Max, I do appreciate the flexibility of a 5x telephoto camera - it’s not overly long like the 10x zoom found on the Galaxy S23 Ultra but it’s also more flexible than a 3x zoom; I think Samsung realized that and dropped the 10x for a 5x zoom in the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
However, I do still prefer the more compact size of a non-Max iPhone, so I’m enthused by the rumours that the iPhone 16 Pro could get the 5x camera; more zoom in a phone that can be mostly used one-handed, what’s not to like?
Time to talk iPhone 16 cameras. But don't hold your breath as we’re not expecting any big upgrades. According one leaker, the iPhone 16 will have the same 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera as its predecessor, and will once again have two rear cameras.
The big upgrades are likely to come on the software side, ideally with improved image processing helping deliver more dynamic photos; sometimes iPhones can lean too hard on natural colors and produce occasionally flat images.
I'm not too fussed on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus not sporting any major camera hardware upgrades, as I think two cameras that perform well in point-and-shoot scenarios are plenty for most people. Sure the best camera phones offer more, but you'll pay for the privilege and not always find yourself leaning on the likes of a 5x telephoto zoom.
Unfortunately, there's no word on charging upgrades. So even with last year's move to a USB-C port, bringing an end to Lighting port iPhones with the exception of older models, Apple doesn't appear poised to up the electrical throughput the newer ports can support.
That could be a pity as faster charging is one of the 4 things we reckon the iPhone 16 Pro needs to beat the iPhone 15 Pro and one of the 7 upgrades we want from the iPhone 16.
On the battery side of things, three out of the four tipped iPhone 16 models are expected to have a bigger battery, with the Plus missing out.
That information is based on leaked battery capacities from Weibo user OvO Baby Sauce OvO, who claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will apparently have a 4,676mAh battery, which would make it 5.7% larger than the 4,422mAh cell inside the iPhone 15 Pro Max. And the iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly have a 3,355mAh battery, which is up just 2% from the 3,290mAh iPhone 15 Pro.
The standard iPhone 16 is tipped to have a 3,561mAh battery, which is up 5.8% from the iPhone 15’s 3,367mAh cell. But he poor Plus could get a smaller battery coming in at 4,006mAh, while the iPhone 15 Plus sports a 4,383mAh power pack.
Of course, take this with a dose of skepticism and do bear in mind that size isn't everything on the battery side; efficiency and optimization is almost as important at getting a phone that has the electrical juice to get you through more than a day's worth of use.
On the iPhone 16 Pro specs side, it's predicted that the standard and Max Pro models will have a new chip, likely the aforementioned A18 Pro. But to help power AI tools, 8GB of RAM has also been tipped for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
While I think there's some cool potential to AI features, I'm more enthused about the extra power an new A-series Pro chipset could bring to the table. The A17 Pro could handle genuine console-quality games, albeit with limited frame rates and lower-end settings. So I'm hoping a new chip for the Pro iPhones will improve upon that and give a genuine performance boost to the likes of Death Stranding, which got ported over to iOS.
Right enough about colors and my peculiar preferences. Let's talk specs.
As you'll see in our rundown of the tipped iPhone 16 specs, not a lot of change is expected externally. But under the hood, so to speak, we can expect a new chip, likely one that'll have enough power to drive Apple Intelligence features. So that means Apple could equip the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus with the current A17 Pro chip or perhaps a rumored A18/A18 Pro chip.
My hope is Apple will aim to use the same chip for all four tipped iPhone 16 models so there's a degree of parity between them all, meaning they'll be ready to run with new AI features. And that should then aid the adoption and use of such smart tools, given the large reach of iPhones.
Take a look at the rumored specs table below.
Speaking of colors, we've got a roundup of rumored iPhone 16 colors and the tipped iPhone 16 Pro colors.
As someone who perhaps lack a bit of imagination when it comes to colors, the Space Black shade that's been hinted at for the iPhone 16 Pro could be the color for me; it's likely to take after the Space Black iPhone 14 Pro.
Equally, I'd love to see the return of the dark green color Apple cooked up with the iPhone 13. As I write this I'm wearing a watch with a similar colored leather strap and just adore how the color looks close to British Racing Green; but I'm a Brit so of course i'm going to take a fancy to that.
Another rumor that caught my eye and has somewhat turned my stomach is one claiming the iPhone 16 Pro will come in a so-called 'Desert Titanium' color.
This shade seems to sit in between gold and bronze. But whereas real bronze can develop a patina from age, which makes it mellow rather nicely in my humble opinion, it won't do that on a titanium chassis. From my experience using the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the titanium on the phone doesn't seem to scratch let alone stain and age in the same way as the steel on the rather lovely iPhone 13 Pro.
So I'm not convinced that 'Desert Titanium' is the color iPhone fans have been waiting for. But I am prepared to be proved wrong, if indeed this rumor does come to fruition.
There are four colors in total in the iPhone 16 Pro Lineup: white, black, gold and gray.The desert titanium color is kind of dark gold, similar to the old purple color, relatively discreet and deep pic.twitter.com/uDiNiBI4IzAugust 18, 2024
Over to my colleague and AI Senior Editor Graham Barlow, who has posed a few interesting questions:
Will the iPhone 16 launch without Apple Intelligence?
My answer to Barlow's concerns is that Apple would likely use some form of meta data or watermark to indicate an image has been made or manipulated by AI. After all, Samsung's Galaxy S24 phones do that.
As for Genmoji, I'm not so sure. Perhaps there'll be some clever image detection to prevent images of people being used unless they are given an iPhone to take a selfie snap as proof of approval. It does raise some interesting questions.
Then again people can easily steal photos from the likes of Instagram and use them with AI tools, so perhaps this is a bigger issue that's beyond Apple.
Hmmm... I'm not sure I have the answer to Barlow's query or one that I can speculate on. It'll be disappointing if there aren't any significant AI features on the new iPhones, but Photo Clean Up could be a standout one.
Over to Barlow for his thoughts and how the feature could open a question of trust:
"Apple’s new Photo Clean Up feature produces images that look utterly realistic. We’re impressed, but now we live in an AI-generated world where you can never be quite sure if the image you’re seeing is real or fake. Should there be some sort of warning that comes with photos that have been manipulated by Apple Intelligence features?"
And my colleague also question the use of the upcoming Genmoji feature:
"I wonder what safety features Apple will put in place to prevent people making Genmojis of friends and family without their permission, and is that something it can actually police?"
My colleague also question the use of the upcoming Genmoji feature:
"I wonder what safety features Apple will put in place to prevent people making Genmojis of friends and family without their permission, and is that something it can actually police?"
And that's the premised smarter Siri.
The improved Siri is set to be part of iOS 18, and it could be one of the more transformative of iPhone updates in recent years.
Apple is likely to unveil its iPhone 16 series of phones and maybe even some Apple Watches at its Glowtime event on September 9.
