Apple's Fall Event: iPhone 16 Takes Center Stage, Apple Watch, AirPods, and More

Apple's Fall Event: iPhone 16 Takes Center Stage, Apple Watch, AirPods, and MoreAt 1:00 AM PST on Tuesday, the first major event in the consumer electronics market this fall Apple's Fall Event will officially kick off. This event is arguably the most important for "Apple fans" all year

Apple's Fall Event: iPhone 16 Takes Center Stage, Apple Watch, AirPods, and More

At 1:00 AM PST on Tuesday, the first major event in the consumer electronics market this fall Apple's Fall Event will officially kick off. This event is arguably the most important for "Apple fans" all year. Without a doubt, the biggest star of the show will be the release of the iPhone 16. Additionally, there are expectations for the unveiling of new Apple Watch, AirPods, M4 macs, HomePods, Mac minis, and more. Of course, until Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage, everything remains a matter of speculation. However, we can anticipate some potential surprises that might grace the stage.

The Latest iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

New iPhone models are undoubtedly the main attraction of Apple's event. This is good news for those planning to upgrade their iPhones. However, the bad news is that most leaks and rumors suggest this year's new iPhones will be incremental iterations, so don't expect any groundbreaking hardware features.

According to leaks, four new models are expected to be unveiled at the event, similar to Apple's launch last year. Industry analyst Mark Gurman claims the new phones will be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. This aligns perfectly with the naming convention of the iPhone 15 released last year suggesting that previous rumors about Apple adopting the "iPhone Ultra" name may be false.

However, even if Apple doesn't use the Ultra moniker, the Pro models' screens might be slightly larger: the regular Pro could increase from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, while the Pro Max is expected to jump from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. Regarding colors, Bloomberg's Gurman revealed that Apple is ready to abandon blue and bring back Rose Gold. Additionally, according to 9to5Mac leaks, the iPhone 16 Pro models will feature a new "gold titanium" hue a shade similar to the one shown below.

![iPhone 16 Pro Gold Titanium Hue] (Image Link)

In terms of hardware, the new iPhones are anticipated to sport a brand new chipset to accommodate Apple's recently announced AppleIntelligence. The upgraded A18 chip will offer incremental improvements in specs. As usual, the Pro and Pro Max might boast more powerful chips than the standard models. The new iPhones' base memory will be 8GB to handle the aforementioned AI tasks.

Rumors also suggest that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will feature the "Action Button," a feature introduced last year with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. By default, this multi-functional button will replace the previous mute switch, offering control over a range of things such as altering ring settings, activating the flashlight, launching the camera, and more. There are also whispers of another new button on the right side of the phone. This button will control the camera functions, working much like a button on a DSLR camera. In terms of functionality, a light press will trigger auto-focus, while a heavy press will capture a photo. Additionally, consumers can slide the button while taking pictures or videos to zoom in or out. Reportedly, this camera button will only be present on the Pro and Pro Max, as higher-end models typically offer more robust photographic capabilities.

Furthermore, the camera specs of the new iPhones always see some improvement, and the iPhone 16's camera module might undergo a design update. Apple might abandon the square design in favor of a vertically oriented camera module. This could apply only to the base iPhone 16 or potentially the iPhone Plus, as the Pro and Pro Max phones often prioritize photographic and video capabilities.

Software Side

Following the usual pattern, iOS 18 is expected to be released within a week after the event. The software update features a more customizable control center and home screen. As for AppleIntelligence, consumers may have to wait a bit longer. Although announced as part of iOS 18, it has been pushed back to iOS 18.1, expected in October. This means early iPhone 16 users won't have immediate access to AI.

Apple Watch

Since 2016, Apple's Fall events have consistently included a deep dive into the latest Apple Watch. This year appears to be no different. In fact, this year marks a significant milestone for the Apple Watch, being the tenth anniversary of its release. Two watches are anticipated to be unveiled at the event, codenamed N217 and N218. One of these could be the Apple Watch Ultra 3, while the other is expected to be the Apple Watch Series 10 or Series X.

Reports indicate that Apple's next standard Apple Watch will boast a larger screen, with Apple expected to drop the 41mm size and introduce a 49mm option, while also becoming thinner. However, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg suggests that the high-end smartwatch won't undergo a major redesign this time around, instead receiving an incremental update. Rumors also suggest that Apple has entirely redesigned the Apple Watch band system, adding new connectors to make band adjustment easier, but the drawback is that it may not be compatible with older watch accessories.

Naturally, the new Apple Watch will feature a new chip and might eventually be compatible with Apple's AppleIntelligence.

On the software front, Apple seems to have encountered some hurdles in developing the highly anticipated health tracking tools. Health monitoring is a crucial feature of the Apple Watch, and the company has been working on new sensors to detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea. However, this technology might not be available on this year's smartwatches. Furthermore, Apple has been developing a glucose sensor for nearly a decade, raising questions about its potential inclusion in the new Apple Watch.

Additionally, Apple might launch a new version of the budget-friendly Watch SE. The last update to this product line occurred in 2022, so a refresh is likely this year. Reports indicate that Apple will replace the aluminum casing with a tough plastic one. This will contribute to further cost reduction. Currently, the Apple Watch SE costs $250, but Samsung's cheapest wearable is the Galaxy Watch FE at $200. Therefore, Apple's new Apple Watch might fall within this price range.

Two New Sets of AirPods

Reports suggest that Apple is ready to launch two new standard wireless headphones: an entry-level model and a mid-range model, effectively replacing the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3. The biggest news is that both of these new AirPods versions are likely to transition to USB-C ports, keeping up with iPhones and the second-generation AirPods Pro.

Furthermore, it's rumored that the cheaper of the two upcoming models won't offer wireless charging, but the mid-range version will support wireless charging technology. This aligns with the strategy Apple has adopted with previous generations. The more expensive AirPods case might also include a speaker, making it easier to locate with Apple's "FindMy" feature. Both versions will sport a similar overall design, but the mid-range version might offer Active Noise Cancellation like the Pro model.

As for the AirPods Max Apple's high-end Pro headphones an update might not be released at this event.

A Small Surprise?

Beyond the usual product updates mentioned above, leaks suggest that Apple is preparing a major redesign of the Mac mini, including dropping the USB-A port. Analysts predict that this will be the company's smallest desktop computer ever, potentially resembling the size of an Apple TV streaming box. The new Mac mini might even be smaller.

Reports indicate that the upcoming MacMini will be available in two versions, one featuring the standard M4 chip and another with the more powerful M4 Pro chip. Leaks suggest that the M4Pro-equipped version will still retain a generous array of ports, including five USB-C ports, an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and a built-in power supply. The base model is rumored to start shipping from suppliers this month, so Apple might allocate a few minutes during the iPhone event to showcase the computer. Of course, considering the iPhone and Apple Watch are still the stars of Apple's event, this new product, if unveiled, may not receive extensive screen time. Alternatively, Apple could, similar to last fall, choose to host a separate Mac-focused event later this year.