Apple (AAPL) has announced that it will host an event on Sept. 14 where it’s expected to debut its highly anticipated iPhone 13.
Apple traditionally takes the wraps off its latest iPhone during an annual fall event at its Cupertino headquarters. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the big show will once again be held virtually.
The iPhone 13, which will presumably be the new smartphone’s name, is expected to include camera improvements, faster display refresh rates, and could offer satellite communications technology.
The improved cameras should make for better low-light shots and bring autofocus to the iPhone’s ultra-wide angle lens, according to MacRumors. Those changes could, however, only come to the iPhone 13 Pro models, meaning the standard iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini may not get the new lenses.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also says the cameras will get a new video Portrait mode that will allow you to add bokeh effects to your clips that blur the background while keeping you, the subject, in focus.
The iPhone 13 is also expected to receive faster display refresh rates of up to 120Hz. That means the phone’s screen will refresh 120 times per second, making for smoother scrolling and gaming. The screens could vary their refresh rates to cut down on any potential impact on battery life. What’s more, the iPhones could include new always-on displays that show information like your latest notifications and the time on the lock screen in white against a black background.
Apple is also said to be bringing satellite communications to the iPhone 13, which would allow you to reach out to emergency services and your emergency contacts when you’re out of range of traditional cellular signals. Eventually, according to Gurman, the technology could be used to let users make phone calls using satellites.
Along with the new iPhones, Apple will announce the availability of its iOS 15, the operating system that powers the iPhone, and iPadOS 15, which powers the company’s iPad products. The latest version of the operating systems are set to bring improvements to Maps, the ability to share and watch videos together over FaceTime, and the option to load your driver’s license into Apple Wallet, depending on where you live.
Apple’s iOS 15 was also expected to including the company’s child protection feature that allows the company to scan iCloud photos for child abuse material, but the tech giant has since decided to delay the move after a larger outcry from cybersecurity and privacy advocates.
In addition to the iPhone 13, Apple will likely debut its next-generation Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 7, and a new pair of AirPods. The new watches are said to have larger displays and more angular designs, while the AirPods could bring some of the features found on the AirPods Pro, such as spatial audio, to the company’s entry-level models.
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