The much anticipated iPhone 8 has been the talk of the tech world all summer long. Now that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has been revealed, all eyes are on Cupertino as Apple prepares for the biggest iPhone launch since the original. With a radical new, bezel-less design and other exciting features; the iPhone 8 September 12 event promises to be a big day for Apple and tech fans everywhere. However, the iPhone 8 isn’t the only piece of tech we will get a peek at during the event. Apple has some other exciting products that are sure to garner a lot of attention, although they may be lost a little bit in the excitement of the iPhone 8 launch.
Even though we keep calling it the iPhone 8 September 12 event, there’s so much more than just a new iPhone to talk about. So let’s forget the iPhone 8 for a moment and take a look at some other rumors of new or updated Apple products that could be shown off on stage alongside the iPhone 8.
Apple Watch Series 3
We aren’t far enough into the life of the Apple Watch to have a solid idea of Apple’s planned release schedule for the popular wearable. However, rumors about the Apple Watch Series 3 have been ramping up recently which suggests the updated version of the Apple Watch could be coming during the iPhone 8 September 12 event. Apple has been king of the smartwatch market but competition is slowly eating into Apple’s market dominance. Huawei and Xiaomi have both released popular wearables to compete with Apple. FitBit just announced their first smartwatch, the FitBit Ionic. Apple isn’t going to be able to rest for a moment or they might watch their lead in smartwatch sales vanish. In fact, the tide has already been turning in recent quarters.
Some of the rumors about the Apple Watch Series 3 are very exciting. Apple is taking direct aim at the fitness market with Apple Watch workouts which should provide some stiff competition for FitBit. There is also word that the new Apple Watch could include LTE connectivity – making it possible to leave your iPhone at home while you go for a workout. Some analysts seem to disagree on what kind of design change – if any – may be coming to the Apple Watch. Some believe that the Apple Watch could get an entirely new design while others believe that the Apple Watch will be slightly refined with a thinner, lighter design. I tend to agree with the latter group. I can’t imagine Apple goes for an all-out redesign when their product has shown to be very popular among smartwatch buyers. In either case, we may not have to wait long to find out more about the Apple Watch Series 3 if, in fact, it is revealed during the iPhone 8 September 12 event.
Apple TV
Some rumors are suggesting that the Apple TV will get a much-needed boost to display 4K content. The Apple TV has been losing badly to competitors like Roku when it comes to features. This newest update should help make the Apple TV more appealing to those choosing a smart set top box for their living room. There is also talk that Apple is investing heavily in original programming. Netflix and Amazon have seen a lot of success with this approach and Apple is hoping that their investment can help them, in turn, sell more Apple TV devices. Perhaps we will get a sneak peek at some upcoming Apple-exclusive shows on September 12th.
HomePod
HomePod has already been revealed but it’s not being released until later this year. Still, we might get a chance to learn more about HomePod and some of the features, especially as they integrate with the new iPhone 8. AirPlay 2 has been rumored for some time and promises to provide multi-room support Apple devices. It would make sense to see all of this rolled into one demonstration. Users will want to know how their iPhone 8 will be able to interact with all of their other devices.
Apple Pay Update
We have been hearing for some time about a peer to peer Apple Pay service which will allow you to send money directly to friends in iOS 11. However, in all of the beta versions, this feature has not been available. Hopefully the iPhone 8 September 12 event will have a live demo of the new Apple Pay features or at least a better road map as to when we can expect the feature to be fully rolled out.
Other Surprises
It’s hard to say if we will see any other surprises during the iPhone 8 September 12 event. I guess if we knew about them then they wouldn’t really be surprises, would they? I imagine we will get a nice augmented reality demo using the iPhone 8 camera. Apple wants to make a big push into AR and this will be their best chance to show off what they can do.
Beyond that, I guess you will just have to wait and see. The event will be live streamed online and there will be plenty of analysis to sink your teeth into afterward. Stay tuned to see what’s coming from Apple this fall!
