WHAT TO EXPECT FROM APPLE’S IPHONE 14 EVENT

Apple’s iPhone 14 launch event is just weeks away, and it’s expected to showcase a range of new devices — not just a new iPhone. We’re also on the lookout for three (yes, we said three) new Apple Watch models and even a refreshed pair of AirPods Pro earbuds.

Apple’s holding a small in-person event at its Apple Park campus and will stream the show online, similar to what it did with WWDC in June. Here’s what we might see at Apple’s hardware-heavy event, which is slated for September 7th, 2022 at 1:00PM ET.

THE IPHONE 14 PRO AND PRO MAX GET SOME MAJOR UPGRADES
Apple will, of course, reveal the brand new iPhone 14 in September, but the standard model likely won’t be the star of the show. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are expected to carry the bulk of the new and exciting features.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
There are three big features expected in the 14 Pro and Pro Max: an always-on display (a feature Android phones have had for years); a 48-megapixel rear camera with a larger sensor; and a screen that gets rid of the notch in favor of smaller camera cutouts. The phone should also get an upgraded A16 processing chip. It’s an impressive list of features that Apple may use to justify a rumored price hike.

However, it doesn’t seem like the standard version of the iPhone 14 will come with many major changes. The biggest update to the non-Pro model is expected to be the introduction of a larger 6.7-inch display option. Previous rumors from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicate that the iPhone 14 (plus the Pro and Pro Max) may also have a better selfie camera that uses autofocus. Performance-wise, the base iPhone 14 will likely use the same A15 processor used in the iPhone 13 series.

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And if you’re a small phone lover, I’m sorry to say that a new Mini likely won’t make an appearance this year.

NEW APPLE WATCH MODELS: SERIES 8, SE, AND “PRO”
Apple’s gearing up to launch three new Apple Watch models: the Watch Series 8; a refreshed SE; and a new rugged “Pro” model designed for athletes who partake in extreme sports.

Let’s start with the Series 8. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the next-gen watch will come equipped with a new S8 chip, but it won’t offer a notable performance upgrade over the S7 and S6 chips. While Apple isn’t expected to include a way to monitor your blood pressure just yet, it may come with a temperature sensor that will detect if you have a fever.

The Apple Watch Series 7 in green.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Meanwhile, the new Apple Watch SE is expected to replace the budget Watch Series 3. It will likely come with the same S8 chip, an upgrade over the S5 chip the 2020 SE model uses. Other than that, it doesn’t look like any other huge changes are in store — it’s expected to retain the same display size as the current SE.

As for the rumored rugged Apple Watch “Pro,” Gurman believes it could come with a larger “nearly 2-inch display” that’s “more shatter-resistant.” It may also sport a “strong metal” case instead of a rubberized exterior that was hinted at previously. But don’t expect this watch to be cheap — Gurman expects it to cost anywhere from $900 to $999.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE AIRPODS PRO
The AirPods Pro haven’t received an update since their initial launch in 2019. Now, nearly three years later, we may finally see the release of the AirPods Pro 2.

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First off, expect them to look different. The new AirPods Pro may resemble the Beats Fit Pro, potentially with an in-ear wing tip design that drops the stem. They could also have a focus on fitness tracking thanks to the potential for upgraded motion sensors.

Kuo also hinted at the possibility of the AirPods Pro supporting lossless audio, allowing for higher-quality sound. This would also make the AirPods Pro 2 the first model to use the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) — even the high-end AirPods Max don’t support it. If the AirPods Pro 2 do end up supporting the Apple Lossless Audio Codec, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple manages to get around the limitations of Bluetooth, which generally requires compressing audio quality.