Apple today announced its "Awe Dropping" iPhone-centric event, which is set to take place on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are a long list of products that are coming, but we thought we'd pull out five feature highlights to look forward to.
- That Super Thin iPhone - Apple's September 9 event will see the unveiling of the first redesigned iPhone we've had in years, with Apple set to introduce an ultra thin iPhone 17. We don't know the name of the device just yet, but "iPhone 17 Air" makes sense given Apple's other product names. It should be around 5.5mm thick, which will make it the thinnest iPhone to date. It's not without compromises, though, so it'll only have a single-lens camera and battery life could be shorter than expected.
- Satellite for the Wrist - The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to include satellite connectivity, allowing wearers to get help in an emergency using a satellite connection in remote areas where Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity are unavailable. Unfortunately, it sounds like it's going to be an Ultra only feature, so don't expect it for the Apple Watch Series 11.
- AirPods Heart Rate - Apple is finally refreshing the AirPods Pro, and along with improved Active Noise Cancellation, better sound, and a refined design, rumors suggest that the AirPods will get in-ear heart rate tracking, much like the Powerbeats Pro 2.
- New "Pro" Camera Design - The iPhone 17 Air is going to be the star of the event, but Apple is redesigning the iPhone 17 Pro models too. There's a new pill-shaped camera bump that's much bigger than before, plus we're expecting a more durable build for the back that primarily uses aluminum instead of glass. It's not quite clear why the cameras are changing, but there are rumors of a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens with up to 8x optical zoom.
- Colors, Cases, Lanyards and More - Apple usually chooses muted colors for the iPhone 17 Pro models, but this year we're getting some shade of orange. It might be more copper than orange, but still, it's sounding like it might be a little brighter than Apple's typical safe color choices. The iPhone 17 Air will come in a light blue, and there are some interesting case rumors too. Apple is supposedly introducing new "TechWoven" fabric cases to replace the ill-fated FineWoven cases everyone hated, and it looks like Apple's case lineup is going to get little cutouts to support straps and lanyards.
Read More
If you want more information on all of the features expected for the iPhone 17 series, the new Apple Watch models, and the AirPods Pro 3, make sure to check out our roundups and guides. Warning: there are definitely spoilers.
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Air
- Apple Watch Ultra 3
- Apple Watch Series 11
- Apple Watch SE
- AirPods Pro 3
How to Watch
Apple's "Awe Dropping" event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 9. Apple will livestream the event on its website on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app on supported devices.
For those unable to watch the livestream, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, plus we'll do a much deeper dive into all the announcements post event.
