What to expect from the huge iPhone 16 event

We knew it was coming, and it’s now official – Apple’s next event is taking place on September 9 and it looks like it’s going to be packed with new products.

Apple’s ‘It’s Glowtime’ event is just a few weeks away, and while the iPhone 16 looks set to be the headline announcement there could be plenty more on show. Here’s everything we expect to arrive at the event.

iPhone 16

We expect Apple to continue its familiar strategy of recent years in 2024, launching four phones during the September event. While it might be the Pro series that has the high-end spec sheet, it’s the standard iPhone 16 that’ll likely have the most long-term appeal.

Expect to see a standard iPhone 16 and a larger-screened Plus model announced during the live-streamed event, with many of the ‘Pro’ features from the iPhone 15 Pro trickling down the range.

Rumours suggest these could include the handy Action Button, plus an A-series chipset capable of running all the Apple Intelligence features coming in iOS 18.1. Currently, the only phones that’ll run Apple’s entry into the world of AI computing are the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, so the iPhone 16 getting support for it will likely be a huge reason for people to upgrade.

Other rumours suggest a new ‘capture’ button could offer customisable access to the camera features, a redesigned camera housing and the usual array of fresh colours.

iPhone 16 Pro

Apple tends to reserve the majority of the true new features for its higher-end devices, however with the iPhone 15 Pro series it also reserved the very best camera tech for the larger Max model.

Rumours suggest the iPhone 16 Pro should get the improved 5x tetraprism telephoto from the 15 Pro Max, once again bringing parity to the series.

Apple has also split the processors powering its phones recently, keeping the latest A-series chip for the Pro model and fitting the standard model with the previous year’s flagship SoC.

This could change slightly this year, with all iPhone 16 models set to get some form of A18 chipset to enable full Apple Intelligence support. This doesn’t necessarily mean the iPhone 16 Pro has the same A18 version as the iPhone 16, with the pricier devices likely to get an even more capable A18 Pro.

If that ‘Capture’ button does become a reality, expect it to be a key feature for the Pro series of phones too.

Apple Watch

It’s a big year for the Apple Watch, and the tenth iteration of the wearable could come with a big redesign many have been expecting for many years now.

Apple signalled a huge shift in design focus with the iPhone X, and rumours have suggested the Watch could be in for a similar refresh and possible name change this time around.

A flatter, more Apple Watch Ultra-like design and a new strap connector have been suggested as defining features, while a faster processor is likely. Mark Gurman has reported in his Power On newsletter that the next Apple Watch have bigger displays and a new thinner look.

Alongside the standard Apple Watch, Apple could also introduce a refreshed Ultra model (this would likely come with any chipset and health tracking upgrades that arrive with the Series 10). Rumours have also suggested there could be a new Apple Watch SE, possibly aimed at younger people with a plastic design.

AirPods refresh

The AirPods range could be in for a hefty refresh at the iPhone 16 event, with Bloomberg reporting that Apple has a new entry-level model of the earbuds ready to go, plus a refresh of the AirPods 3. Both new models are set to employ of new design that’ll be reminiscent of the AirPods Pro 2.

In an effort to differentiate the base AirPods from the standard, mid-range option ANC could be introduced to allow users to block out noise. Currently, the only AirPods with ANC are the high-end AirPod Pro and larger AirPods Max.

We’d also expect all new AirPods to come with USB-C charging (currently only available on the Pro) and USB-C could come to the AirPod Max models too, although whether Apple’s over-ear cans are in for a larger update remains to be seen.

iOS, watchOS and iPadOS release date

While hardware is typically the focus of Apple’s September event, major software updates first announced at WWDC will also be part of the show. If the last few years are anything to go by, expect a confirmed release date for iOS 18 to be announced, plus dates for the latest iPadOS and watchOS too.

While Apple Intelligence is a tentpole iOS 18 addition, it’s not coming straight away. It’ll first arrive in iOS 18.1 – which is already available as a developer beta – with more features arriving over time, into 2025.

Apple could also announce a release date for macOS Sequoia, however this will more likely arrive alongside refreshed Macs (possibly with the M4 chip first seen in the iPad Pro 2024) later in the year.