Apple’s September event — “Wonderlust” — is almost here. On September 12, Apple is set to officially unveil the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and more of its most highly anticipated new products. Also tipped to make an appearance are the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, changes coming with iOS 17, and the latest AirPods.
Rumors have been swirling for a while now about what to expect, but a Friday report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman gives us our most comprehensive glimpse to date into Apple's plans. While we aren't likely to see a flashy new product like the Vision Pro headset revealed at Apple's June event, expect a packed showcase for Apple's flagship devices like the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, Gurman said, citing unnamed sources familiar with the company's plans.
Check out our guide on how to watch Apple's Wonderlust event, including where you can find a live stream and what to expect. And read on for everything you can expect at Apple's September showcase based on Bloomberg's report.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro
First up is Apple's next-gen iPhone 15 series. Apple is expected to debut four models: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and the 15 Pro Max, which, contrary to rumors, will keep the "Max" naming system instead of being called the iPhone 15 Ultra as some have speculated, Gurman said.
The standard iPhone 15 and larger 15 Plus will keep the same aluminum sides and glass back as we saw on the base models of the iPhone 14 series. Their screens will remain the same dimensions as well, using a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display, respectively, but will appear slightly larger as Apple has shaved down the bezels to just 1.5mm. To create the slimmer bezels, Apple's employed a new manufacturing process called LIPO, or low-injection pressure overmolding.
The non-Pro models will also get the Dynamic Island first introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. It's one of the iPhone's latest and most novel features, replacing the traditional iPhone notch with an interactive way for users to access their notifications and mini-players in an instant. The camera upgrades we saw with last year's high-end models are also coming to the standard iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, which will move from a 12-megapixel main camera sensor to a 48-megapixel version.
Meanwhile, the high-end options, the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, are set to switch from stainless steel to titanium frames that are more durable and lighter. "The titanium on the Pro phones has a brushed look and replaces the fingerprint-prone steel used since the iPhone X line," Gurman said.
But a new look isn't the only upgrade in store. The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max will reportedly pack Apple's lastest-and-greatest A17 Bionic chip for a massive boost in terms of performance and especially battery life. The Pro phones will also ditch the ring/mute switch in favor of an Action Button, which users can program with handy shortcuts such as enabling Do Not Disturb or Low Power Mode and more. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to get the biggest camera upgrade of the bunch: an updated periscope-style telephoto system capable of up to 6x optical zoom.
All four iPhone 15 models are expected to finally make the switch from Apple's proprietary Lightning port to USB-C in accordance with EU regulations. As well as feature a U2 ultrawide-band semiconductor to enhance location capabilities for more accurate tracking in the Find My app. As for color options, Gurman said the regular models will come in pink, black, white, blue and yellow, while the Pro phones will come in gray, black, dark blue and white.
Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2
On the wearables front, Gurman says Apple has two announcements in store: the Apple Watch Series 9 — available in the current 41-millimeter and 45-millimeter sizes — and the second iteration of its more rugged Apple Watch Ultra, which sticks with the 49-millimeter size.
Aesthetically, these new Apple Watches aren't likely to appear very different from their predecessors. Though Apple is planning new materials and colors, including using more recycled metals and a black Ultra option.
The biggest upgrades are under the hood, as the watches are set to get their first new chip since 2020's Series 6. As with the iPhone 15, the Series 9 and new Apple Watch Ultra will pack a U2 ultra-wideband chip for enhanced Find My capabilities. Several sensor and internal component upgrades are also in the works, including a new version of Apple’s optical heart rate sensor.
AirPods with USB-C
Last but not least, we can expect to see the iPhone 15 line's USB-C charging capabilities make their way to AirPods as Apple shifts its Lightning-based accessories over to the new standard. At the top of that list are the AirPods Pro, though we could see its standard AirPods and AirPods Max upgraded to USB-C charging as early as next year.
Beyond switching out the charging port, the earbuds will get a software update that adds the ability to mute and unmute from the AirPods themselves, improved automatic device switching, and a new feature called Conversation Awareness that silences media automatically when it detects people speaking to the wearer. New health features like body-temperature sensing and a new hearing test system are also in the works, though Gurman says Apple's likely to release them later on.
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