It’s official: Apple’s annual September launch event is set for Monday, September 9. The tech giant confirmed the date via email invite with the tagline “It’s Glowtime” (we have ours), suggesting that Apple intelligence will be the focus of next month’s presentation in Cupertino.
But what else can we expect from the unveilings at this year’s Apple event? The iPhone 16 series is a sure-fire success, and updates to Apple’s AirPods and Watch ranges also seem likely. We’re also expecting a number of announcements about iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia and tvOS 18.
Below we’ve listed five things we expect to be announced at the upcoming Apple event, as well as three things we almost certainly won’t see.
What to expect
iPhone 16 series
Apple’s September events almost always mark the launch of a new iPhone lineup, and that’s what we’re expecting from this year’s presentation. Four iPhone 16 models are set to launch next month—namely the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max—and all of them have minor (but not groundbreaking) upgrades planned.
Rumor has it that the standard iPhone 16 models will inherit the Action button from the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, while every model in the lineup will reportedly get a so-called “Capture” button. Also expect the usual cocktail of Apple chipset upgrades, as well as new iPhone 16 colors.
Apple Intelligence
As mentioned, the headline feature of Apple’s September event will almost certainly be Apple Intelligence. The upcoming suite of AI-powered features was unveiled back in June at WWDC 2024, but we expect to see it showcased on the iPhone 16 series and other compatible devices next month.
For a full list of confirmed Apple Intelligence features, check out our dedicated Apple Intelligence hub, but so far we know that the toolset will include a smarter Siri, text summarization, writing assistance, and generative image editing. Incidentally, Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” tagline is likely a reference to the new “glow” animation that appears when you use Siri on Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhones.
Annoyingly, we’ve heard that Apple Intelligence might be delayed until after the initial iOS 18 rollout, as Apple reportedly wants to refine its AI features before releasing them to the world. But even if that’s the case, we’ll surely get a concrete release date for Apple Intelligence at next month’s Apple event.
iOS 18 and other software updates
Apple Intelligence will be part of iOS 18, but Apple’s next major software update (guaranteed to arrive in September) includes plenty of AI-free upgrades to look forward to that should please existing iPhone owners.
For example, we know that there will be significant upgrades to core iPhone apps like 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 upcoming features, check out our roundup of the five best iOS 18 features that will work with your older iPhone.
We also expect Apple’s September event to feature announcements about iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, macOS Sequoia, and tvOS 18.
New Apple Watches
In addition to the iPhone 16 series, new Apple Watches could also be announced next month. The Apple Watch 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 seem to be the most likely candidates, with the former model expected to come in two sizes (1.89 inches and 2.04 inches).
Other rumors suggest that both models will have new processors and the Watch 10 will have a larger display. Interestingly, a plastic Apple Watch SE is also being discussed, which could offer potential Apple Watch buyers a cheaper entry into the watchOS ecosystem.
New AirPods
And finally, there’s a strong possibility that new AirPods will launch next month. We’re not talking about the AirPods Pro 3 here, as Apple’s Pro earbuds have adhered to a three-year release cycle so far (and we haven’t seen anything concrete about the highly anticipated arrival of the AirPods Max 2, although that would be great). No, rumors instead point to the imminent unveiling of new entry-level and mid-range AirPods models.
As for the improvements in the new AirPods, you can certainly expect a more comfortable design and smarter listening modes. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also pointed out that the mid-range model could potentially feature noise cancellation.
What you can’t expect
iPhone 12
There is a lot of talk in the iPhone 16 rumor mill about a possible iPhone Slim or iPhone Air, but this super-thin iPhone model is now reportedly set to launch in 2025.
Bloomberg’s ever-reliable Apple source Mark Gurman points out that this iPhone, which is reportedly in development, will have a much thinner body than any iPhone currently available, while retaining most of the core specs of the iPhone 17 in the base version.
In terms of price, the iPhone Air will likely be somewhere between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro (similar to how the original MacBook Air was positioned between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro), so anyone disappointed with the iPhone 16 series can at least look forward to a completely new iPhone model next year.
New iPads
New iPads will almost certainly not be seen at this year’s Apple event in September either. Apple already unveiled the long-awaited iPad Air 6 and iPad Pro (2024) at its Apple event on May 7, and we haven’t heard much about a successor to the iPad 10.9 (2022), so its launch alongside the iPhone 16 lineup seems unlikely.
However, the iPad mini 7 may be unveiled as soon as next month – since August 2024, Apple has been running out of iPad mini stock, which is usually a sign that a new model is on the way – but Apple is also known for quietly unveiling new iPads via press release, so we’re not too confident about seeing a successor to the iPad mini (2021) in Cupertino. But let’s hope we’re wrong.
New MacBooks
M4-equipped MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac models are reportedly set to launch in 2024, but likely in October rather than September.
Reliable leaker Ross Young and Bloomberg tipster Mark Gurman believe the 2024 MacBook Pro and others will arrive “later” this year, and an October launch would align with the release dates we’ve seen for Apple’s latest MacBook models in 2023.
Of course, Apple can be bold and announce the whole shebang in September—iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, the whole lot—but we’re secretly confident that the upcoming presentation will be dedicated to the hardware and software releases mentioned above.
