Apple has made it official.
As the rumors have hinted for a couple weeks, the company will hold its next big Special Event on September 7, 2022. While other recent events have been online-only since the COVID outbreak, Apple is back to inviting some to join them at the Steve Jobs theater in person for this one. Everyone will also be able to watch online, as well. The event begins at 10am Pacific Time (1pm ET, 5pm UTC).
The company is expected to unveil two major product lines at the event: The iPhone 14 products and Apple Watch series 8 products. Both are rumored to have some significant changes.
The iPhone 14 is rumored to come in four variants: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The “mini” size is gone, replaced by a larger non-pro model. The Pro models, at least, should get major new features like an always-on display, massive 48-megapixel rear camera, improved battery life, and a fast new A16 processor. Read our summary of all the latest iPhone 14 rumors here.
The Apple Watch series 8 is rumored to have a slightly refined design with a flatter display, and a new, larger, extra-durable “sport” model may join the lineup. A body temperature sensor may make its debut, too. Read our summary of all the latest Apple Watch series 8 rumors here.
We’ve heard rumors of other products coming this fall, like new iPads (including a redesigned base model) and a second-generation AirPods Pro. Any of these may appear at the event as well, though we suspect another event in October will focus on them.
Is ‘Far out’ a hint at something?
Apple’s fun event invitations often hint at a major theme of the products that will be announced. The tagline for this event is “Far out” and features a star field in the shape of the Apple logo. There’s the obvious implication, that the words “far out” means that Apple is going to unveil products that are, well, far from release. Like an AR headset, Apple Car, or Homepod with display. That would be very out of character for Apple, though. We think it may be something else…
Could this be a nod to the camera capabilities of the new iPhone 14 Pro? With the new 48-megapixel Wide camera sensor, the opportunities for extreme digital zoom are great. Or maybe the telephoto camera will feature a stronger zoom than we’ve seen in the past? The camera is said to combine neighboring pixels into a 12-megapixel image in very low light situations, and perhaps Apple has found that this is especially good when taking pictures in Night Mode, even of the night sky itself.
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It’s typical for Apple to include a little AR easter egg on its event page, and this one is no different. Visit apple.com/apple-events/ on your iPhone or iPad and tap on the Apple star field logo. You’ll be take to an AR experience that, once you scan around your environment a little, opens a dark space cloud with stars inside. The stars coalesce into the Apple logo every so often.
How to watch the Sept 7 ‘Far out’ event
To watch the event on September 7, head to apple.com/apple-events/ in the browser of your choice. The event will also stream live on the Apple YouTube channel and Apple TV app.
Jessica spends 12 hours a day on the internet managing security for web assets and loves her macha tea
