It’s September, and besides the start of football season, it also means Apple (AAPL) is hosting its annual iPhone event. This year the tech juggernaut is expected to unveil its latest iPhone 15 lineup, as well as new versions of its Apple Watch, and, potentially, an updated version of the company’s ubiquitous AirPods.
Yahoo Finance will be on hand for the event at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., covering the show as it unfolds live. Here’s what we’re expecting to see:
Apple’s iPhone switching to USB-C
Apple’s next-generation iPhones are expected to feature a number of updates, but the most noticeable will be the switch to USB-C charging ports across both the standard and Pro models, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The move is meant to keep Apple in line with European Union regulations that call for tech companies to use USB-C chargers as a means of standardizing charging cables and reducing e-waste. Unfortunately, it also means that if you buy a new iPhone you’ll need to ditch your extra Lightning cables and buy USB-C cords.
USB-C is standard across most of the tech industry. Apple uses it in its iPad Pro and Mac lines of products. The connection allows for everything from fast charging and high-speed data transfer to video output when used with the Thunderbolt connectivity standard.
But a new connector isn’t the kind of upgrade that is going to get customers to go out and buy the latest iPhone. Thankfully, that’s not all Apple has planned for its latest and greatest smartphones.
According to Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will come with the same pill-shaped Dynamic Island found at the top of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. That’s an upgrade from the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, which still used the same notch cutout found on prior iPhone models.
Both the notch and Dynamic Island house the iPhone’s front-facing camera and Face ID components. The Dynamic Island, however, doubles as a kind of notification area that provides you with information about everything from times to the music you’re listening to and your Uber ride details.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will also get the A15 processor and 48-megapixel camera found in last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, Bloomberg’s Gurman reports.
Things will likely be a bit spicier for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, though. Those models are expected to get a new display technology that shrinks the bezels on the phones, increasing screen space. The 15 Pro models will also come in new titanium casings that will reduce their weight, according to Gurman. You can also expect the phones to come with Apple’s latest A17 chip.
Apple will also reportedly kill off the physical ringer button on the left side of the iPhone 15 Pro line, according to MacRumors.com. In its place, you’ll now get a kind of programmable action button that can be set to handle a number of tasks including launching the camera, turning on accessibility features, opening the voice memos app, and more. I haven’t used the ringer button in years, so it’ll be a nice change if Apple can make the space useful again.
Then there’s the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s cameras. While you can expect the usual array of camera improvements, famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities says that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will include an all-new periscope zoom camera. That would give the Pro Max a 5x to 6x optical zoom. That will be a big step up from the 3x zoom found on the iPhone 14 Pro.
Optical zoom is better than digital zoom, because optical zoom focuses on a subject via the actual camera lenses. Digital zoom uses software to manipulate an image making it look as though you’re zoomed in. That, however, can distort your shot.
Apple Watch Series 9, Watch Ultra 2, and AirPods
In addition to the latest iPhones, Apple is also expected to launch its newest Apple Watches. That includes the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The mainstream Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra are expected to get a faster S9 processor, while the Ultra 2 will get a new color option.
While the Apple Watch’s hardware isn’t changing a whole lot, you can expect watchOS 10, the software that powers the wearable, to get some major updates. That includes a new interface feature called Smart Stack, which displays important content based on the time of day in the form of widgets.
If you’re heading to the airport, for instance, Smart Stack will show your boarding pass. Or in the morning, it’ll show you the weather widget to help you plan your day. It’ll also give you a heads-up when you’ve got an upcoming meeting. Apple is also adding new watch faces, as well as improved workout tracking for activities, including cycling and hiking.
The company is also rolling out a new Mindfulness app that lets you log your emotions and moods to get a better understanding of your overall state of mind. It can also help determine whether you’re at risk of anxiety or depression based on your inputs and provide resources for how best to move forward.
As for the AirPods, Kuo says Apple should be rolling out an updated version of its hyperpopular wireless earbuds at the show complete with a USB-C charging port.
Tune in to Yahoo Finance Sept. 12 to get all of the latest updates from Apple’s fall event.
Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He's been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.
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