It"s that time of the year when Apple refreshes its mobile hardware lineup, bringing upgraded versions of iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods, and other products. Apple has already circulated invitations for this year"s iPhone 17 launch event, titled "Awe Dropping."
Since the pandemic in 2020, Apple has switched to a virtual-first approach for its events, livestreaming a pre-recorded keynote instead of announcing products in front of a real audience. This allows the Cupertino giant to have more control over the narrative and present products with better visual appeal.
The Awe Dropping event is expected to go about in a similar way. However, the company does invite a limited number of people, including members of the press, to watch the livestream at Apple Park.
Apple will kickstart the iPhone 17 launch event on September 9 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 5 PM GMT / 10:30 PM IST / 6 PM BST, depending on your timezone. You"ll be able to watch the official livestream on Apple"s YouTube channel, Apple.com, and the Apple TV app. You can also return to this story once the livestream starts.
Just like every year, there are a lot of expectations from Apple this time. It"s another story that the company has been struggling to fulfill its promises from last year and is getting mocked by its rivals.
Apple is expected to release four models this year: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone 17 Air. The Air would be Apple"s ultra-thin and portable answer to the Galaxy S25 Edge and a replacement to the "Plus" model.
However, rumors around the Air suggest that its hardware features might turn out to be a deal breaker for some. As per previous reports, iPhone 17 Air will come fitted with a single rear camera and a smaller battery to compensate for the thinness. Let"s hope it doesn"t become another reason for an apology for Apple this time.
There are contradictory rumors regarding the Dynamic Island, where supply chain analyst Ming Chi-Kuo expects it to remain "largely unchanged." On the other hand, more recent rumors claim Apple will shrink the Dynamic Island on its Pro iPhones. It"s said that the iPhone 17 series will feature more RAM and kick off a three-year cycle of major design changes.
AirPods Pro will likely get a version upgrade after three years, introducing a new heart rate sensor that we"ve already seen on the PowerBeats Pro 2. Apple Watch Ultra, Watch SE, and Apple TV 4K have also been sitting without an upgrade for the last few years now, but it could change this time. Features like blood pressure monitoring and a revamped Health app are reportedly on the radar for this year"s Apple Watch upgrade.
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