What to Expect From Apple’s Big iPhone Event This Week

Apple is scheduled to hold an event in San Francisco on Sept. 7, where it will presumably introduce two new iPhones and an updated Apple Watch.

The company rarely discusses its upcoming products before launch, but various reports have provided insight as to what the Cupertino, Calif.,-based firm might show off.

Apple will be live streaming the event at 10 a.m. PT on Wednesday. The stream can be viewed on Apple devices running a recent version of the Safari browser or a Windows 10 PC with Microsoft’s Edge browser. Apple TV owners will need to own a second generation model or higher with up-to-date software to view the stream.

Here’s a rundown of what we can expect to see from Apple’s event.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

The main attraction at Apple’s upcoming press event is expected to be its new smartphones, which are likely to be called the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. These phones will probably be very similar to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, save for a few key differences like a slimmer design. The biggest rumored change is that the new iPhones won’t have a headphone jack, as reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg have indicated. If true, that will be a contentious modification, but it should help make the phones more resistant to water damage.

A new pressure sensitive home button that vibrates instead of physically clicking is also said to be on tap for the new models, as Bloomberg notes. The iPhone 7 devices are likely to get a photography boost thanks to a new dual camera system, which would include two sensors that capture photos simultaneously. This would reportedly enable the phones to produce images that are brighter and more detailed. A separate report from the Journal also suggested Apple will eliminate the 16GB storage option from its lineup and replace it with 32GB for the iPhone 7.

Apple Watch 2

Apple’s second generation smartwatch is expected to debut during the company’s event on Wednesday as well, Bloomberg reports. The new version of the Apple Watch is said to come with a GPS chip that will enable it to track a wearer’s location more accurately when an iPhone isn’t nearby. The refreshed model is also likely to get a faster processor that will improve overall performance. These additions will be important as competitors like Samsung continue to introduce smartwatches with integrated GPS and other new features.

Apple is reportedly working to integrate a cellular radio into the Apple Watch, which would let it connect to data networks without relying on an iPhone, but this functionality won’t be available in the Apple Watch 2, according to Bloomberg.

New software updates

Apple’s software updates for the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch are typically released each fall. In years past, Apple has announced the official launch date for the newest version of iOS on stage during its iPhone event, so there’s a chance the company will do the same with iOS 10 this year. The company rolled out its new software for the Mac and Apple Watch toward the end of September last year, so perhaps the company will mention more specifics around timing for macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and the new version of tvOS this week.

What we won’t see

Apple is rumored to have a few other new devices in the works, but they likely won’t be making an appearance during this week’s event. These include a new version of the MacBook Pro with a function row that changes out its keys based on the current task, new MacBook Air laptops with USB Type-C support, a faster iMac, and a new 5K monitor, Bloomberg recently reported. These products may be introduced later this year,