September approaches and we are gearing up for Apple season.
If Apple follows its usual schedule, the company is gearing up for a big event during the first half of September. (Last year, invites for a Sept.12 event were sent on Aug. 31.) And while new iPhones are all but certain to be the headline, nearly all of Apple's other product lines are due for a refresh, too.
The latest credible report on Apple's plans comes from Bloomberg, in a story co-written by Mark Gurman, a journalist with a strong track record on Apple stories. The story reinforces and elaborates on earlier reports, claiming that Apple will debut three new iPhones that utilize the basic iPhone X design (big notched screen, no home button, Face ID), as well as the Apple Watch 4 and new iPad Pros, all of which would be unveiled at the as-yet-unannounced September event.
In addition to those products, Apple is also overdue to refresh its Mac line, though its unclear if new products like a rumored MacBook Air replacement would be announced in September or later.
With so many new Apple products on deck, we've collected all of the reports and rumors herein. Just note that nothing here has been explicitly confirmed unless otherwise indicated — Apple almost never comments on forthcoming product announcements. With that caveat in place, read on for the lowdown on what we're hearing about new Apple products in the pipeline and when we might see them.
Three new iPhones
Apple has faithfully announced new iPhones in September since 2012, when it debuted the iPhone 5. And the company has offered two new models — the "standard" 4.7-inch size and "Plus" 5.5-inch version with a better camera — since 2014. Last year, it outdid itself with three new models, the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and — a few weeks later — the radically redesigned iPhone X. This year, Apple is widely expected to repeat that feat with a trio of totally new models that all follow the X design model: No home button, and nearly all screen.
Here's what we expect to see:
Read: New 2018 iPhone, iPhone X Plus, iPhone 9: All the rumors on specs, prices, release date
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Plus, maybe a fourth sort of new iPhone
Since its debut in 2016, the iPhone SE has been the most affordable option in Apple's phone lineup. It's basically the components of an iPhone 6S — minus 3D Touch — stuffed into the smaller body of an iPhone 5. Apple gave it a modest refresh in 2017 but a major update is way overdue. According to the rumors, however, Apple may deliver yet one more minor makeover in 2018, giving the iPhone SE 2 the same A10 processor used in 2016's iPhone 7. Will that refreshed SE retain its miniature 4-inch screen along with the $349, £349 and AU$549 starting price? Only time will tell.
Read: iPhone SE 2: Rumored specs, leaks, price, release date
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Apple Watch 4
With Google and Samsung ratcheting up the smartwatch competition, Apple has a real incentive to shake things up with a dramatic new Watch announcement in 2018. A bigger display and click-free buttons are possibilities, both of which would imply the first major redesign since Apple's signature wearable debuted in 2015. At the very least, we know Apple will debut WatchOS 5 (previewed at this year's WWDC developer conference), featuring fitness improvements, an instant watch-to-watch walkie-talkie mode, support for podcasts and an ability to play audio from third-party apps on the go.
Read: Apple Watch 4: Rumored specs, leaks, price, release date
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New iPad Pro
When Apple debuted the latest iPad in March, adding Pencil support and a faster processor, it narrowed the gap between the entry-level tablet and its much more expensive Pro siblings. Now, rumors suggest that the company will look to justify the Pro's premium pricing with a major redesign inspired by the iPhone X's design — shrinking the bezels, dropping the home button and adding Face ID. A decent specs bump would likely be part of the upgrade, too.
Read: New iPad Pro 2018: All the rumors on specs, price, release date
There's buzz about a major redesign coming to the iPad Pro in 2018.
Alvaro Pabesio
New Macs and MacBooks
Sure, we got a new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro just this July. But for years hardcore Apple fans have accused the company of neglecting its computer lineup — especially the MacBook Air, which has remained essentially unchanged for the better part of a decade. According to the rumors, however, Apple may have a slew of new computing products in the pipeline for 2018 and 2019. Here's what we're hearing:
- The long-rumored new MacBook Air featuring a Retina Display may finally see the light of day, and plug a big hole at the bottom of Apple's laptop portfolio.
- New iMacs equipped with Intel's eight-generation processors seem like a no-brainer.
- A new Mac Mini, possibly with configurations targeted to pro users, could finally be on deck. The current model hasn't been updated since way back in 2014.
Read: MacBook Air 2018: All the rumors on specs, price, release date
Remember that the iMac Pro is less than a year old, so a refresh there is unlikely (but not impossible). And Apple has already signaled that the Mac Pro successor won't be unveiled until 2019.
iOS 12
With the public beta having launched in June, we expect Apple to follow its normal schedule and release the full version of its next mobile operating system alongside the new iPhones in mid-September. (It usually happens the week after Apple's big media event.) In addition to enhancing Siri, giving FaceTime a facelift and introducing Memojis, Apple is said to be focusing on improving basic performance on older models with this next release. And while group FaceTime has already been delayed, Apple often reveals a handful of new features in its mobile operating system that will be exclusive to the new iPhones — so some surprises may yet be on deck.
Read: iOS 12: Release date, new features and hidden features
MacOS Mojave
MacOS Mojave is available now as a public beta and will be officially released as a free update this fall. It'll introduce a number of new features, from a dark mode and desktop Stacks to a new Finder view and a few familiar faces from iOS. You'll also find four familiar iOS apps on your Mac after updating to Mojave, along with some added privacy features to protect you from Facebook and other advertisers.
Read: MacOS Mojave: Everything you need to know
Everything else we may see from Apple
- AirPods: Sources report that Apple is developing a pair of higher-end AirPods, with noise-cancellation, water resistance and wireless charging. Larger, over-ear headphones — Apple-branded, not Beats — could also be on deck.
- AirPower: Announced roughly one year ago, Apple hasn't mentioned its Apple's wireless charging pad since. We might finally see this product in September.
- HomePod: Apple is said to be mulling a smaller, less expensive HomePod — but it's not expected until 2019.
- Apple TV: As a product that rarely gets a major annual update, the rollout of TVOS 12, featuring Dolby Atmos support, is likely to be the biggest change coming to Apple TV 4K in the near-term.
- Streaming service: Apple has hinted that it's working on a streaming TV service, but hasn't released any details about how it would work, what it would cost or when we'll get it.
- New TV shows: The company has made numerous announcements about the original content it's producing — including a multiyear partnership with Oprah and a TV series based on Isaac Asimov's Foundation — but it remains unclear when, how and where these shows will be made available.
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