What To Expect From Apple’s September 9th Event

Apple’s September media event is right around the corner and this year, like most in recent memory, we’ve been inundated with leaked information, alleged device parts and a whole bunch of rumors.

Nothing is certain until Apple shows it off on stage but Darren and myself have each written up our event wish lists, from the likely to the ludicrous. Now, it is time to round up all of the information we’ve seen so far in order to figure out what lies behind Apple’s mysterious black curtains this year.

iPhone 6

Ok, so we’re pretty darn sure we’ll see the unveiling of the next-generation iPhone on Tuesday. In fact, as Apple’s most lucrative product line, it will be the headliner — the main event.

The iPhone 6 is the moniker the internet has bestowed upon the as-yet-unannounced device, but we don’t actually know what name Apple will give it. Some unknowns also remain about exactly how the iPhone lineup will look after the event, but we’ve gathered the best evidence below in order to try put together our best guesses.

4.7-inch iPhone

Here are some things that we expect to see from this device, regardless of naming conventions:

• A 4.7-inch screen (with conflicting reports on the exact resolution, John Gruber of Daring Fireball has perhaps the most convincing conclusions). It will stick to the current 16:9 aspect ratio so will be both taller and wider than the current iPhone 5s.
• Slimmer design — around 7mm — with rounded chassis and relocated sleep/wake button. Available in space gray, silver and gold.
• Scratch resistant sapphire crystal display.
• Improved camera optics with image stabilisation and a protruding lens on the back of the device.
• Improved Touch ID sensor.
• A8 chip with 1GB RAM plus updated motion co-processor.
• Revamped speaker.
• Storage capacity up to 128GB.
• 1810mAh or 2100mAh battery which could offer a slight battery life bump.
• Improved LTE speeds, potentially as fast as 150 Mbps.
• NFC (more on this later).

5.5-inch iPhone

While the 4.7-inch iPhone is pretty much nailed on for September this year, there has been some talks about delays with production of the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone which could result in the device launching later. Even if these reports are true, we could still see the device unveiled at the September event and shipped at a later date.

It’s unclear at this stage if the internal specifications of the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will match exactly those in its smaller counterpart (à la 2013’s iPad Air/Retina iPad mini launch), or if Apple might try to differentiate the two offerings on a level other than screen size. Here’s what we expect to see from this device:

• A 5.5-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Again, Gruber’s guess as to the resolution is probably the most well-reasoned.
• Same slim design as the 4.7-inch model with rounded chassis. Available in space gray, silver and gold.
• Could also feature some of the same specs from above like the sapphire display, improved cameras and Touch ID, NFC, revamped internals and 128GB storage capacity.
• Battery capacity possibly as high as 2915mAh.

Updated 4-inch iPhone?

While all of the focus this year has centered on the larger 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models we expect to see, what does that mean for the 4-inch screen size that many know and love? Is it possible that the 4-inch screen could live on as the c-line of iPhone? With some bumped internal specs, the addition of Touch ID and perhaps some funky new colors (y’know, to differentiate), possibly.

iOS 8

Apple’s latest update to its mobile operating system was revealed at WWDC in June and will most certainly get some more air time on September 9. While there will likely be few new features added at this stage, if history is anything to go by, Apple will release the software to the public shortly after the event, just before the iPhone 6 hits store shelves.

Last year, iOS 7 was publicly released on September 18, 6 days after the iPhone event and 2 days before the new iPhones went on sale. I see no reason why this year’s release shouldn’t have similar timings.

Interestingly though, this year, Apple has brought its two operating systems closer together than ever in terms of functionality. At WWDC, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite on the Mac were shown to share a number of features and work extremely well in conjunction with each other.

Last year, OS X Mavericks didn’t hit our computers until October but, given the number of features in iOS 8 that work with Yosemite, could we see it arrive at the same time this year? Perhaps.

NFC and mobile payments

Another big part of Apple’s event is said to center around NFC and mobile payments. Rumors of an NFC-enabled iPhone have been around for literally years but Apple has not yet included the required tech in its devices. But this year could be the year.

Apple has a lot of elements in place for a mobile payment system already — think Touch ID, iBeacons, Passbook and 800 million credit cards on file — and NFC could be the final jigsaw piece in order to realize its mobile payment system.

Apple is also said to be working with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and a whole host of other credit card issuers as part of the payment system and has managed to negotiate itself a some pretty sweet deals for transactions.

We know Apple CEO Tim Cook is keen to enter the mobile payment space and 2014 seems like the right time.

iWatch

Rumors about Apple’s wearable device’s launch (dubbed the iWatch by most) have come and gone in waves. Will it be this year? Will it not? It seems like the device could be revealed in September alongside new iPhones (that would certainly make sense, right?). But it could also wait until the expected event in October, the regular slot for new iPads, and still be in time for holiday sales. Or it could not launch in 2014 at all and remain a mystery until 2015 while all of Apple’s competitors scramble to put together their wearables strategy.

The most recent reports from some respected journalists have pointed to an unveiling this month so we might well get at least our first glimpse of the Apple wearable on Tuesday.

iPad Air 2

While new iPads have been revealed in recent years in October, there has been some very recent rumblings of an updated iPad Air being unveiled on September 9. The event is already jam-packed if all of the above pans out, so it’s hard to see exactly why Apple would try cram in another product (unless it was a very minor update).

File this one under ‘probably not’.

iPod?

While September events in years gone by were Apple’s traditional time to update its iPod lineups, in recent years the iPod has fallen by the wayside as it has become an increasingly negligible part of Apple’s bottom line. However, Apple still sells millions of iPods and all of its current crop are looking a little long in the tooth. Could Apple launch a larger-screened iPod touch in line with its new iPhone(s) with some internal spec bumps? Could Apple update (or kill) the iPod classic? What’s left for the nano and shuffle?

While we’ve not seen or heard anything of upcoming iPods, I feel there is some life left in the product line and we could see something happen with at least some of those products. Hey, maybe the iPod branding could be applied to Apple’s wearable line of devices?

Your thoughts?

What do you, yes you, hope/wish/expect/demand to see at Apple’s September 9 event? Will iPhone hardware and iOS 8 be enough for you? Will only an iWatch satiate you? Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below!

Apple will be live streaming the event as usual. Keep it locked to Today’s iPhone for all of your Apple event coverage and commentary.