Apple 9 September event: What to expect

It’s that time of year again but I say that like everyone knows September is the month we usually get a new iPhone. If you didn’t know that, September is the month we always get a new iPhone and that’s pretty much been the case since 2012 when the iPhone 5 was announced.

With that information in your locker, it won’t come as a surprise that Apple has announced the date of the launch event (it usually doesn’t do that until about 2 weeks before) and for 2024, it’s 9 September that you’ll need to pop in your diary if you want to watch what unfolds.

If you’re not into watching 2-hour keynotes (presentations to those not familiar with the term), then here’s a run down of what is expected to be revealed during the event by Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and co. 

When is the Apple September event?

Apple has announced that its September event will take place on 9 September. It’s the first time the company has held an iPhone launch on a Monday, with Tuesday having been the preferred day of the week in the past.

There’s a first time for everything though and this year marks the first for a Monday iPhone launch. Why is not clear, but there is a big presidential debate due to take place in the US on Tuesday 10 September, so Apple may have wanted to avoid that, and it never opts for September 11, leaving 9 September to be the most suitable date that week if pre-orders are to go live on the Friday, like in previous years.

The presentation will kick off at 10AM Pacific time, which is 6PM British summer time. It’s usually around 2 hours long, especially if all the devices rumoured are announced. It will be held as an in person event, as well as streamed online on Apple’s YouTube channel and the Apple Events page.

What does the Apple invite suggest? 

As ever, Apple’s invite is a little cryptic. I could be here all day trying to guess what the various elements mean but it’s above so you can see for yourself. 

I think this year the invite is focused on Apple Intelligence as the colours used around the Apple logo indicates the glow (hence the words “glowtime” too) that will fill the edges of the screen on the new iPhone models when Apple Intelligence is activated, but perhaps you have other ideas.

What is expected to be announced at the Apple 9th September event? 

Apple’s September event is usually a pretty busy one, more so than its Spring and Autumn events. The September event is iPhone’s playground, but it’s also the Apple Watch’s launch platform and occasionally AirPods too.

Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus

There have been a number of rumours from reputable sources like Mark Gurman of Bloomberg surrounding the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models. On the whole, it appears that they will look pretty much the same but might come in slightly stronger colour options than last year. Less pastel, shall we say.

The dual camera housing on the rear might also move to a vertically-aligned format rather than diagonal, and the action button from the iPhone 15 Pro models could make its way onto the standard models this year. 

Apple iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max

For the iPhone 16 Pro models, rumours suggest different colours to the current iPhone 15 Pro models but that’s no surprise. It’s expected they will retain a titanium build but there’s also said to be a new capture button – something Sony has offered on its smartphones for years. There is also claimed to be a bump to a higher resolution ultrawide camera on the back.

Gurman has also suggested there will be increased screen sizes of 6.3-inches and 6.9-inches, up from 6.1-inches and 6.7-inches in the current iPhone 15 Pro models. 

Apple Watch Series 10

This year marks a decade since the Apple Watch was first announced. It wasn’t released until 2015, but since it was revealed in 2014, it’s technically its 10th anniversary this year. Rumours have suggested the Series 10 models will have bigger displays and the watch casing is also said to be slimmer.

Otherwise, it’s claimed the Apple Watch Series 10 will look similar to the current Apple Watch Series 9, though there’s likely to be extra features. Gurman has previously reported that Apple is working on a sleep apnoea feature – something Samsung recently got FDA approval for on its Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra – and there’s also talk of blood pressure monitoring too.

Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE is the entry point into Apple’s smartwatch. It was first introduced in 2020, with a second generation appearing in 2022.

Rumours have suggested the next generation of the Apple Watch SE could feature a rigid plastic casing, ditching the aluminium of the current Watch SE. Whether it will finally offer an always-on display like the Watch has done since the Watch Series 6, or add ECG functionality, remains to be seen for now. It will definitely miss a couple of features compared to the Watch Series 10, but they might not matter to all users, retaining it as a great option for some.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple introduced the Watch Ultra in 2022 as a more rugged option with a bigger display, better GPS and a higher waterproof rating compared to the standard Watch Series. A second generation arrived in September 2023 in the form of the Watch Ultra 2 offering a higher altitude offering, support for Double Tap and a brighter screen, but otherwise an identical design.

It’s reported that the Watch Ultra 3 will retain that same design though a few improvements and new features are expected.

Apple AirPods (4th generation)

I remember when Apple first announced AirPods – they were definitely a bold design choice at the time. Now that look is basically normal with other manufacturers even shifting their design from a bud look (ahem, Samsung).

The current Apple AirPods line-up includes the AirPods (2nd generation) that were announced in 2019, the AirPods (3rd generation) that were announced in 2021, the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) that arrived in 2023 with USB-C and the over-ear AirPods Max that came out in 2020. It’s rumoured that the AirPods (4th generation) will sit alongside the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and AirPods Max, but replace the AirPods (2nd generation) and AirPods (3rd generation).

Rumours from Mark Gurman suggest there will be two versions of the AirPods (4th generation), with the more expensive offering active noise cancellation. Both are expected to switch to USB-C, as per EU requirements.

What does the September event mean for the new software?

Apple announced the new software features coming to iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac and Vision Pro during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC24). The new software usually appears the Monday after the September event, which should mean we will see iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and watchOS 11 appear on compatible deivces on Monday 16 September. 

Usually the Mac software is released a little later in the year, around October, coinciding with new iPads and new Macs, but the public beta of macOS Sequoia is currently available to download if you can’t wait. It’s not currently clear if visionOS 2 will appear the same time as it is the first update to that software so there’s no previous pattern to give us an indication as to what update cycle Vision Pro will follow.

When will the new iPhone models be available to buy?

The new iPhones and Apple Watch models should be available to buy from 20 September, with pre-orders opening up on 13 September.

That’s not an exact science though as when the Watch Ultra initially launched in 2022, it arrived later than the Watch Series 8 and the iPhone X in 2017 also came out later than the iPhone 8 so sometimes some models arrive later. I’ll be at the event so I’ll bring you the latest from Apple Park.