What's in Apple's biggest event of the year?

Apple's much-anticipated "Awe Dropping" event. Photo: CultofMac .

Apple's biggest event of the year is just a few days away on September 9 (0:00 a.m. September 10, Vietnam time). The company is expected to launch a series of new products, including the iPhone line, new smartwatches and other accessories to compete with rivals such as Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, Huawei.

The iPhone, which accounts for about half of Apple’s total sales, continues to be a priority product. Apple also wants to maintain its ecosystem of companion products like AirPods and Apple Watch, as well as its important role in the AI era. Here are some predictions for the company’s upcoming launches.

iPhone takes the lead

Seeing that compact screens and large, cheap screens are not selling well, Apple will try a new trend: thinner phones. The new iPhone 17 Air is expected to be only about 5.5 mm thick, about a third thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro. But in return, the device will have a lower battery life and only be equipped with a single rear camera.

The iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with the A19 processor like the iPhone 17, a standard USB-C port, and a 6.6-inch display. Because the frame is so thin, the device will not support physical SIMs, forcing users to switch to eSIM.

Like the iPad Air, the iPhone Air is priced in the mid-range, higher than the base iPhone but lower than the Pro models. However, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the company hopes that users will think that for just a few hundred dollars more, they can own a much higher-end iPhone, when the real demand is more battery capacity and camera quality.

Therefore, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will still be the most popular and practical choice, although they are harder to promote. The device marks the new design of the Pro line for the first time since 2020. The back of the device has a big change, with the camera cluster stretching across the entire top, the bottom two-thirds are cut out, acting as a wireless charging area.

The iPhone 17 Pro will have significantly improved battery life and video capabilities, and the telephoto lens will move from a 12-megapixel sensor to 48 megapixels. Other camera improvements include a variable aperture system, along with the biggest upgrade ever to the selfie camera.

Last year's iPhone 16 display. Photo: Bloomberg.

Another big change in the design of the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max comes from the past. Apple will return to an aluminum frame after switching to titanium with the iPhone 15 Pro (2023). Aluminum is both lighter and more efficient at dissipating heat.

Otherwise, the standard iPhone 17 won't have a new design, but it will have a slightly larger screen, matching the 6.3-inch size of the iPhone 16 Pro and 17 Pro. Other changes include a new chip and a ProMotion display, a first for a non-Pro iPhone. The regular and Pro iPhone 17 will continue to use Qualcomm modems.

This year, Apple also launched a series of new accessories for the iPhone, including a non-leather case, a case inspired by the iPhone 4 Bumper line for the ultra-thin model, and a high-end crossbody strap. The accessories are not cheap, which are developed by the company's design team.

In addition, Apple also changed the color strategy of this year's iPhone. The light blue color that was once loved on the MacBook Air M4 will appear on the iPhone 17 Air, while the Pro line will have a new orange color.

Upgrade the accompanying equipment

As for the Apple Watch lines, the Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE all have new, faster chips than their predecessors. The Ultra 3 also adds 5G RedCap and satellite support, while the rest of the lines mostly upgrade basic performance. The displays on all devices have been improved, with the Ultra 3 having a larger screen, the Series 11 brighter, and the SE using new technology to replace the old model.

Apple continues to expand its customer base. The Ultra 3 targets the sports /professional segment to compete with Garmin, the Series 11 serves as the flagship product, and the SE focuses on the low-cost/kids segment (competing with Fitbit).

More important features, including the ability to detect high blood pressure, have been in the works for years but have faced technical and regulatory challenges. Apple is expected to launch its Health+ subscription service next year, which will include an AI health assistant.

AirPods Pro 2 is about to have an upgrade. Photo: Bloomberg.

Next, Apple plans to introduce AirPods Pro 3, marking the first upgrade in 3 years. In this upgrade, the company has tested the integration of a heart rate sensor, along with software that allows for live conversation translation, expanding on the translation feature already available with Apple Intelligence in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26.

The Cupertino prototypes also feature a significantly smaller charging case and a new pairing mechanism, a change that aligns with improvements Apple made to its lower-cost AirPods 4 last year.

In the future, users can expect other changes, mainly in the improvement of the processing chip. AirTag 2 will use a new wireless chip, allowing for more accurate positioning, wider range. iPad Pro with M5 chip, and has a second front camera on the vertical edge.

Vision Pro will switch from M2 to M4/M5 chip, possibly add black version, and another cheaper version. Home products will support next-generation Apple Intelligence and Siri, like Apple TV with self-developed wireless chip and Homepod Mini with improved sound, and new red color.

Source: https://znews.vn/su-kien-lon-nhat-nam-cua-apple-co-gi-post1583126.html