Today Apple finally sent out invites to the much anticipated September event which is cryptically named California Streaming. With only one week to go, what are we expecting to see?
In this video, Drew from Tailosive Tech breaks down the popular rumors and speculation as to what we can expect from Apple next week. It's a safe bet, based on the usual Apple launch schedule, that we'll be seeing a range of new iPhones. It's generally accepted that the new phone will be the iPhone 13 as opposed to the iPhone 12S. While a lot of the features and changes are still unknown, I'd be surprised if Apple doesn't roll out the sensor-shift stabilization and larger sensor from last year's iPhone 12 Pro Max to the entire range of iPhones.
I also expect that Apple will stick to 12 megapixels, even with a larger sensor. This might not be fully appreciated by people outside of the photographic community, especially with other brands touting unnecessarily high-resolution cellphone camera sensors. It's even been rumored that the iPhone 13 will have a hand-held astrophotography mode. If Apple can pull this off using sensor stabilization and computational photography, it will be an incredibly impressive feat of engineering. We're also expecting the Pro models to feature up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rates, this may be enough to excite users of older devices as it's an immediately noticeable upgrade.
It's also been reported that Apple has placed an order for 90 million A15 chips, up from the 75 million A14 chips ordered before the iPhone 12 event. It's also widely reported by many tech news outlets that this will be an "S year" for iPhones, without major or significant updates. These two rumors are at odds with each other. If Apple is expecting to need 90 million A15 chips, is there some super new feature that will encourage more people to buy an iPhone?
Is the event title a clue to a new announcement? Will Apple announce new streaming services or new ways to stream content? Or is the title simply a reference to the event being streamed from California?
Aside from the unsurprising iPhone announcement, we can't be certain as to what else Apple has to announce this September. It's no secret that there's been an international silicon chip shortage and a great number of international supply chain delays over the past 18 months. I'd guess that the Apple Watch Series 7 will be announced, although there is some doubt over the actual release date, mainly due to the aforementioned shortages and delays.
I'm expecting a new, small form factor, iPad to be announced. Whether this is named the iPad Mini or iPad Air 8" is still uncertain. I'd definitely be interested to see a smaller version of the iPad Air 4, this would likely be a very popular device, assuming it's able to be priced significantly lower than the iPad Air. Perhaps this is why Apple has ordered so many A15 chips, they could be going into the smaller iPad.
Then there's the big one, are we going to finally see the much-rumored, super-powerful, M1X MacBook Pro 14" and 16" versions? Some tech analysts are suggesting it will be November before Apple announce anything with the rumored M1X chip inside. There are still some leakers and tech news outlets holding out hope for the new MacBook Pro devices in September as these products were registered in the EU at the same time as the new iPhone models. The new MacBook Pro is expected to have the same mini LED screen technology as the 2021 12.9" iPad Pro, have a new form factor, lose the touchbar, and bring back legacy ports such as an SD card reader, MagSafe charging, and HDMI output. The new MacBook Pro with M1X sounds like it could be an absolute powerhouse of a portable machine for creatives. All the portability and reliability that we've come to know Apple for, with one of the most powerful processors available, and a class-leading battery life. Or am I just hunting for unicorns?
Are you looking forward to seeing what Apple announces? Are you planning on upgrading your mobile device this year? Would you be interested in a smaller iPad? Would you like to see a new, more powerful, MacBook Pro? Or could you not care less what comes out of Cupertino? Let me know in the comments.
I couldn't care less. What is this with Apple? Some kind of religion? I worked with the first Macintosh, even could have gotten an Apple 2e, worked some years with an SE30, a IIfx, heck, even worked in an Apple store (some 30 years ago). It is just hardware. Most of the time with an o.k. design, surely more stylish than most PCs. But in the end, it is a machine.
Because people will feel the need to upgrade their iphone 12 and then talk about how improved the camera is despite no visible difference in any photos they will ever take. Other phone brands pretty much the same.
You could say the same about any modern camera