Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers Apple’s keynote address. (Getty)
Apple is scheduled to hold a major event on Wednesday, September 7, during which we are expected to hear about some crucial hardware and software updates.
At the event, Apple will reportedly unveil the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which according to the Economic Times will come with three storage options: 32GB, 128GB and 256 GB. The new phones are also rumored to have camera upgrades and to run on an A10 processor.
As well, we’re expecting the announcement of the next Apple Watch and the official launch dates for some of the new operating systems. There could possibly be some information about the next Macbook Pros as well.
Here are some of the biggest rumors regarding what we’ll see at Apple’s September 7th event.
1. iPhone 7: No Headphone Jack
Opinion: How Apple is likely PR-managing the loss of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 t.co/cLjZbpwVoh
One of the most prominent rumors surrounding the iPhone 7 is that it will be dropping the 3.5mm headphone jack present in previous models.
This controversial decision has reportedly been made in order to create the thinnest iPhone yet, slimming it down by 1mm, according to Tech Radar. The rumor is that Apple will instead require users to plug in headphones through the lightning port, and the supposedly leaked image above shows what appears to be a pair of the standard Apple headphones with a lightning connector. Using wireless headphones will be another option.
Recently, another apparently leaked image of the iPhone 7 package showed that the phone will come with lightning earbuds, in addition to a lightning to 3.5mm headphone adapter. This latter news will come as a pleasant surprise to many who assumed Apple would force customers to buy an additional accessory if they wanted to use their old headphones.
Another rumor is that Apple will begin selling Bluetooth headphones called AirPods, which will be marketed towards iPhone 7 users, according to Forbes.
2. iPhone 7: Water Resistance
The new iPhone is expected to be water resistant, much like the Sony Xperia Z1. (Getty)
If that report about the death of the headphone jack has you down on the iPhone 7, here’s some better news: the other rumor is that it will be water resistant, much more so than the iPhone 6s.
Last month, Tech Times reported on a leaked image of a Powerpoint slide highlighting the iPhone 7 as being resistant to water. This would put it in line with some of the competition from Sony and Samsung, as both companies have produced water resistant smartphones like the Sony Xperia Z3 and the Samsung Galaxy S5.
If the rumors are true, this feature may create the biggest buzz among average iPhone users, as water damage is a major concern to just about every smartphone owner. And, of course, there’s precedent for Apple moving towards waterproof devices, as the Apple Watch was touted as being water resistant. Still, water resistance is different from waterproof, and Apple still does not recommend submerging the device in water for any extended period of time.
Don’t expect to go swimming with your iPhone anytime soon, but even just slowly making the devices slightly less sensitive to even the slightest bit of water will be a step in the right direction.
3. Apple Watch 2
The Apple Watch 2 is expected to be revealed on September 7th. (Getty)
Speaking of the Apple Watch, it’s expected that we will see the unveiling of the Apple Watch 2 at the September 7th event.
According to Mac Rumors, the Apple Watch 2 will likely have a slightly thinner display, but the new features are really the biggest draw. It has been reported that the watch will have a GPS, a barometer, a faster processor, a higher capacity battery, and better water-resistance than the original model.
The first Apple Watch is also expected to get some slight tweaks, including a better processor, after which it will be placed on sale, according to Digital Trends.
The addition of cellular connection, however, is not expected to be included in the Apple Watch 2. Bloomberg recently reported that Apple has been in talks with cellphone companies to put this capability in their new watches, but it soon became clear that Apple wouldn’t be ready to include this massive upgrade this year.
“The source of the delay is that current cellular chips consume too much battery life, reducing the product’s effectiveness and limiting user appeal, according to three of the people,” Bloomberg reported. “Apple has begun studying lower-power cellular data chips for future smartwatch generations.”
4. New Operating Systems
Apple fans will hear more about upcoming operating systems on September 7. (Getty)
Moving away from hardware, we’re expected to hear some more about Apple’s upcoming software upgrades.
In particular, Apple fans are looking forward to getting updates on iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10. We already know a lot of details about these operating systems, but next week, Apple will show them in action and provide specific launch dates for each of them.
iOS 10 will include updates to iMessage, such as the ability to send animations, messages written in your own handwriting, and one of six quick responses. There are also some cool Map updates, such as being able to search for destinations along your route and book reservations for restaurants within the Maps app itself.
Expect to see some info on macOS Sierra as well, which will include the addition of Siri and the ability to copy something on one Apple device like your iPhone and paste it on your Mac.
Updates to the watchOS include a new app that allows users to participate in breathing exercises, updates to Messages, and new watch faces, according to Mac Rumors. And tvOS 10 will include improved Siri searches, as well as the ability to authenticate your cable subscription once instead of having to do it for every single app.
5. Macbook Pro Updates?
The Macbook Pro is expected to finally receive a major overhaul in 2016. (Getty)
This fall, the Macbook Pro is expected to receive some tweaks after several years without a major overhaul.
According to Bloomberg, Apple will soon be launching a thinner Macbook Pro, which has a flatter keyboard and a feature called “Dynamic Function Row.” This will allow users to more quickly perform tasks that are common to a specific app. As an example, the dynamic function row would by default show brightness, media controls, and other functions. But if you load up iMovie, the aforementioned functions would change to cutting, inserting clips, and other editing-related tasks.
Touch ID is also expected in the new Macbook, according to 9 to 5 Mac.
There have been conflicting reports about when we’ll see these Macbook updates, however. We may hear something on September 7th, but some reports have claimed this will come at a separate event to be held later in the year.
Apple’s event will be held on September 7th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. A live stream will be made available by Apple.