If you happen to have been hoping to get an invite to Apple Park subsequent month, you might want to organize for disappointment. The corporate appears set to carry yet one more digital occasion for the launch of the iPhone 14.
Based on Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has already began recording the video presentation for the occasion, indicating that it doesn’t but really feel able to return to totally in-person gatherings, presumably on account of continued COVID-related worries. “This isn’t fully shocking,” Gurman writes in his newest Energy On e-newsletter, “however I’m advised that Apple has began to document and assemble its September media occasion, which is prone to happen within the first half of the month (as normal).”
Gurman’s lack of shock could be put right down to current historical past: the Cupertino firm has delivered digital keynotes at each occasion because the begin of 2020, and if the prediction is right, this September would be the eleventh distant occasion in a row. However, there had been some hopes of a return to normalcy, after a small variety of invitees have been permitted to attend one of many days of WWDC (which was in any other case on-line) in June this yr. That hybrid strategy might occur once more, but it surely appears clear that the September bulletins won’t be a completely in-person occasion.
Whether or not that’s or a foul factor is a matter of opinion, after all. We’ve argued on this website that Apple’s occasions ought to all be digital as a matter of coverage, no matter well being considerations; pre-recorded video keynotes actually have the benefit over in-person gatherings in the case of brevity and effectivity. However simply because it clings to the tradition of in-office conferences, Apple is keen on the magic produced by getting journalists in a hushed auditorium and letting them put their palms on the brand new merchandise. It received’t let that go with out a struggle.
As for these new merchandise arriving in September, we will count on to get 4 new iPhones, and certain two or three new Apple Watches. As with the previous two years, Gurman additionally thinks there shall be two separate occasions this fall, which suggests a later occasion in October will doubtless give attention to the iPad and the Mac.
Gurman declines to commit himself to a particular date for both of this fall’s Apple occasions, however the Bloomberg reporter does reckon the iPhone keynote will occur within the first half of September. And that offers us extra to work with than you may assume, as a result of iPhone occasions usually occur on a Tuesday. We’d cautiously predict that the launch of the iPhone 14 is prone to occur on Tuesday September 13, 2022. (Final yr it was September 14.)
Nonetheless, often-accurate leaker Max Weinbach says he has “heard” that Apple might maintain the iPhone occasion earlier this yr, on September 6 as an alternative of September 13. That will be instantly following the Labor Day weekend within the U.S. and a departure from its normal schedule. It will even be the earliest Apple has ever held the occasion because it moved from June to September. He cautions that he’s “not 100%” however obtained the knowledge from “somebody I belief.”
For all the most recent rumors, take a look at our detailed and usually up to date guides to the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Collection 8, and watch this area for heaps extra reporting on the autumn’s huge bulletins together with Apple’s subsequent occasion.