Anticipation is growing ahead of the Apple Event next week — but Apple might have accidentally revealed that it'll be followed by further launches this fall.
The #AppleEvent hashflag (the icon that companies can pay to add to their related hashtags) has been paid for up to the start of December, according to the Hashflag Browser (via AppleInsider). This seems to suggest Apple has paid to use the tag for multiple events.
- Apple Event 2021 Sept. 14: iPhone 13, Apple Watch 7, AirPods 3 and more4
- Learn more about what's in store for the iPhone 13
- Plus: iPhone 13 preorders — here's what we expect
Hashflag Browser, developed by Jane Manchun Wong, shows the images, associated tags and date of validity for active hashflags on Twitter. As you can see below, the one for #AppleEvent lasts from September 7 to December 6. Previous Apple hashflags have lasted for only a week or two, such as the ones used to promote WWDC earlier in the year, according to AppleInsider.
So far, all that's certain is that Apple is holding a special event next week on September 14. Perhaps Apple simply expects this September event to be so exciting that Twitter users will be talking about it until the new year. However, it seems plausible based on previous rumors that Apple intends to host more events.
A few weeks ago, DigiTimes reported that Apple would host “a series of product launch conferences in September.” That tied in with an earlier report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who claimed that Apple would hold multiple events in the fall — albeit without the specific mention of September.
Based on the timings, we're assuming the September 14 event will see the launch of the iPhone 13. We're also expecting to meet the new Apple Watch 7 and AirPods 3 at the same time.
But that still leaves plenty of other rumored new Apple devices to fit in before the end of the year, including the iPad mini 6 and iPad 9, plus the new M1 chip-powered MacBook Pro 2021 in 14-inch guise and the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
If all of those devices do launch in 2021, we could even get three events in total, with a second iPad-focused event in October and a MacBook-heavy launch in November, around the same time as last year's MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Pro M1 arrived.
Whatever happens later this year, we're pretty sure that the iPhone 13 will be unveiled next week. Based on the rumors, it'll get a handful of interesting upgrades, including a new A15 chip, upgraded camera lenses and new portrait video and astrophotography modes. We're also expecting it to have a smaller notch for the first time since Apple introduced Face ID, while the two Pro models are thought to be getting 120Hz refresh rate displays.
We'll be covering Tuesday's event live on Tom's Guide, and we've also put together a guide on how to live stream Apple's Sept. 14 product launch.
