What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynote

The biggest day of 2018 is almost here: Apple’s iPhone 16 event will take place in September. The company typically holds it on a Tuesday in the first half of the month, so September 10 is a safe bet. Regardless of the date, we’ll be live blogging the news, and you can watch it live on the company’s website or YouTube . The biggest news from the event will almost certainly be the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup of phones. As a prologue, we’ll also be treated to a new Apple Watch or two.

Beyond that, there are rumors of an update to the standard AirPods earbuds. But until Tim Cook takes the (virtual) stage, it’s all speculation. That said, let’s get to the most likely leaks and rumors ahead of the event.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

Regardless, these new phones will be the center of attention at Apple’s iPhone 16 event. That’s good news for those ready to upgrade. The bad news? The vast majority of leaks and rumors indicate that this will be another year of iterative improvements, so don’t expect any new game-changing hardware features.

It’s likely that four new models will be announced at the event, which is similar to what Apple did last year. The new phones will reportedly be called the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max, according to industry analyst Mark Gurman. This is the exact same naming convention used for the iPhone 15 unveiled last year, so rumors that Apple would adopt an “iPhone Ultra” moniker appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

Even if Apple doesn’t use the Ultra moniker, the Pro models could get slightly larger displays, which is always nice (if you like big phones, that is). The standard Pro is expected to go from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, while the Pro Max is expected to come in at 6.9 inches, up from 6.7 inches. Finally, there will likely be a new color or two, as always. Bloomberg Gurman suggests that Apple is ready to ditch the blue model in favor of bringing back rose gold.

On the hardware side, expect a new chipset that takes advantage of the company’s recent push into AI, also known as Apple Intelligence. Beyond that, the upgraded A18 chip will be an iterative improvement, spec-wise. As usual, the Pro and Pro Max models will likely get a more powerful chip than the standard models. It looks like the base RAM amount here will be 8GB, in order to handle the aforementioned AI tasks.

It has also been said that the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will get the Action Button, a feature introduced last year for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. This versatile button is a direct replacement for the default mute button, but can be adjusted to control a bunch of different things. The Action button can be used to change ringer settings, turn on the flashlight, launch the camera, and more.

There’s also talk of another new button, this one on the right side of the phone. It will control camera functions, working like a button on a DSLR. Reports indicate that a light press will trigger autofocus, and a harder press will take a photo. Consumers will also be able to slide along the button to zoom in and out while taking photos or shooting video. It’s been reported that this camera button will only be available with the Pro and Pro Max models, which makes sense since higher-end models typically offer a more robust camera experience.

To that end, new iPhones always get a bump in camera specs, but we don’t know exactly what that will look like this time around. There have been reports, however, that the iPhone 16’s camera module could get a design update. Apple could ditch the square and opt for a vertical orientation. This could only apply to the base iPhone 16 and possibly the Plus, as the Pro and Pro Max phones tend to put a lot more emphasis on photos and videos.

We already know what to expect on the software side, thanks to the recent WWDC event. If previous years are any indication, iOS 18 should be available within a week of the event. The software update includes a more customizable Control Center and Home screen. It will also finally bring RCS support to iPhones.

As for Apple Intelligence, we’ll have to wait a bit. It was announced as part of iOS 18, but its arrival has been delayed to iOS 18.1. This isn’t a big deal, since this OS update is expected in October, but it does mean that early adopters of the iPhone 16 won’t be able to play with AI right away.

Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3

Since 2016, iPhone events have also included a deep dive into the latest Apple Watch. This year seems to be no different. In fact, it’s a big year for the Apple Watch. We’re approaching the gadget’s tenth anniversary, so there are conflicting rumors about whether the next entry will be called the Apple Watch Series 10 or Series X.

Whatever it’s called, Apple’s next standard smartwatch is expected to feature a larger display, more like the Ultra. The company is expected to ditch the 41mm form factor and introduce a 49mm design.

Rumors have also suggested that Apple has completely redesigned the strap system and added new connectors. This will likely make it easier to adjust these straps, but there is a downside. This move could result in all of those old straps no longer working.

Of course, a new chip will power these watches, but we don’t have any details on that. It’s been suggested that these chips were designed to accommodate Apple’s recent foray into artificial intelligence, but that integration is likely to happen later. For now, Apple Intelligence will be tied to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

It’s likely that two watches will be unveiled at the event, codenamed N217 and N218. It’s possible that one of them will be the Apple Watch Ultra 3, although Mark Gurman has Bloomberg According to the company’s information, the premium smartwatch will not get a major overhaul this time around. It will likely be an iterative update.

On the software side, it seems that Apple has run into some difficulties while developing the long-awaited health tracking tools. Health monitoring is one of the key features of the Apple Watch, which is why the company has been working on new sensors to detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea. However, the technology probably won’t be ready for this year’s smartwatch. Apple has also been developing a glucose sensor for almost a decade, so who knows, maybe it will finally appear with the Series X.

Finally, it’s quite possible that Apple will announce a new version of the Watch SE at a lower price. The last update was in 2022, so it’s time for a refresh. Some reports indicate that Apple will replace the aluminum exterior with a hard plastic shell. This should help reduce costs even further. Right now, the Apple Watch SE costs $250, but Samsung’s cheapest wearable is the $200 Galaxy Watch FE. Apple may want to compete with prices closer to that range.

AirPods 4

It has been reported that Apple is preparing two new variants of its standard earbuds. The AirPods 4 could feature both an entry-level model and a mid-range version, which would effectively replace the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3.

The big news here is that both versions of the AirPods 4 are likely to switch to a USB-C case to keep up with the iPhone and second-generation AirPods Pro. It’s been suggested that the cheaper of the two upcoming models won’t have wireless charging, but the mid-range version will support the technology. This is the same strategy Apple has followed with previous generations, so it makes sense.

Both versions are expected to feature similar designs, though the mid-range variant is likely to support active noise cancellation like the Pro model. Speaking of which, there likely won’t be a refresh of Apple’s premium Pro earbuds at this event. There’s also some mystery surrounding the company’s over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. It’s been four years since these premium earbuds hit store shelves (and they’re still forced to use a Lightning port for charging), so a refresh is long overdue.

Surprises and software

The iPhone event doesn’t usually have a “last minute,” but one piece of hardware could get some surprise attention. Rumor has it that Apple is preparing a massive redesign of the Mac mini. Analysts have suggested it will be the company’s smallest desktop computer ever, and could be about the same size as an Apple TV streaming box.

There will reportedly be two versions of the upcoming Mac Mini, one with the standard M4 chip and one with the more powerful M4 Pro chip. The base model is expected to ship from suppliers this month, so it’s possible Apple will spend a few minutes on the computer at the iPhone event. Don’t count on it, though. This is an event for iPhones and smartwatches, and a miniaturized desktop might seem out of place. And, just like last fall, Apple could easily hold a Mac-specific event later this year.

Beyond that, there are a whole host of software updates on the way. There’s iOS 18, which we’ve been talking about a lot, and iPadOS 18. As for smartwatches, watchOS 11 is also coming this fall. Apple already detailed all three operating systems at WWDC, but the next iPhone event would be a good time to announce official release dates.