Apple’s annual iPhone event kicks off today, so if you can’t stand the company’s presentations or devices, you might want to disconnect this afternoon. But for anyone interested in what the most influential tech hardware company is doing, expect to see a new iPhone… obviously.
All the iPhone 15 models (except for perhaps a new SE) could shift from the notch to the Dynamic Island cutout, which debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. There were rumors of an iPhone Ultra, but we’re now expecting that next year.
Rumors also suggest the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could switch to titanium frames from stainless steel. This upgrade could make the new pro hardware “stronger, lighter and more premium,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The Pro Max model could well get a camera upgrade to a new periscope lens, using a prism to fold light, leading to an optical zoom of 5x to 6x without making the phone beefier.
The company may phase out the Lightning port with the iPhone 15, making a long-awaited switch to USB-C and addressing European Union rules regarding unified charging ports. We may also see USB-C friendly AirPod cases too, if not entirely new AirPods.
Expect minor Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra updates too, with a shift to the S9 chip, marking the product’s first real processor upgrade since 2020. However, watchOS 10 — arguably the biggest software update so far for the wearable — should change how we use the Apple Watch.
We’ll be there in person, reporting and handling all the new hardware, and you can watch along right here.
– Mat Smith
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