The mainstream press is awash today with reports on the forthcoming Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) event which is to be held on September 9 at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California. Media invitations have already been issued to many of the world’s largest publications, and thus this will be a highly significant event which is expected to reveal much about Apple’s strategy and product lines in the coming months.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly promised that the world’s most successful producer of consumer electronics will unveil a variety of new products this year. As this has yet to be forthcoming, and given the apparent prominence of this particular event, it is reasonable to assume that the September 9 conference will provide some major news for Apple fans.
As is its wont, Apple has kept resolutely quiet about what attendees can expect from this forthcoming conference. Generally speaking, Apple likes to keep tight control over information regarding its hardware products in particular, and 2014 has been no exception to this rule. In order to heighten anticipation even further, Apple has even written on invitations to the event that it wishes it “could say more” about the content.
Despite Apple’s reticence to give any hints as to what will transpire at the September 9 event, a fair bit is already know about what Apple is likely to reveal. There is no doubt that this is intended to be an occasion of significance, therefore Apple will be offering up an impressive portfolio of hardware. Here is a rundown on what we expect to be announced in Cupertino.
iPhone 6 unveil
It would be bigger news if the iPhone 6 wasn’t unveiled at the September 9 conference than if it is! The next iteration of the iPhone series has been anticipated for many months, and given that the last iPhone release was more of an upgrade – hence the 5s and 5c branding – the flagship Apple product is clearly in need of a major evolution.
Such a radical shift in the way the iPhone is produced and consumed has been the subject of Apple rumours throughout 2014. For a long time now, Apple analysts have been expecting two versions of the iPhone 6 to be released, with a larger premium version of the device considered to be Apple’s first phablet.
Producing an iPhone 6 with a 5.5 inch screen would satisfy the desires of the market, with the city looking for Apple to introduce new product and revenue streams in order to demonstrate that it can achieve a significant growth moving forward. It seems an absolute certainty that both models of the iPhone 6 will be revealed in California, although it is increasingly anticipated that Apple will release the two models at different dates.
iPhone 6 features
Previous iPhone unveilings have introduced a raft of revolutionary new features. The iPhone 4s debuted the Siri voice assistant, while TouchID was included for the first time in the iPhone 5s. Thus, Apple will undoubtedly have something up its sleeve for the iPhone 6. This could be difficult to predict given the secrecy with which Apple shrouds its products, but some sort of HealthKit-related functionality seems quite likely given other possible product launches at the conference.
iPhone 6 spec
With Apple looking to shift in the region of 80 million iPhone units, and some market analysts even considering that the corporation can exceed this number, Apple will be expected to deliver some pretty nifty spec in the iPhone 6. Aside from the 5.5-inch screen premium version which will be based around a new Sapphire Glass exterior, the iPhone 6 spec is expected to include an improved battery and camera, and a highly powerful A8 processor.
iOS 8
Another solid expectation for the event is the release of the new iOS 8 operating system. iOS 8 was first revealed at the World Wide Developers Conference eighth few months back, and the September 9 event will see the operating system finally released into the public domain. The most notable additions to this latest version of the Apple operating system will be the HomeKit and HealthKit platforms, intended to offer healthcare functionality to Apple consumers but also designed to tap into the next big thing in the mobile world – the Internet of Things.
iWatch
Many analysts are betting that Apple will finally unveil its long awaited smartwatch at the September 9 event. It is considered a racing certainty that Apple will release a smartwatch at some point, even if little solid evidence of one being in production has emerged thus far.
The question would obviously be…if Apple doesn’t unveil its smartwatch at this event, when will it do so? Nonetheless, the iWatch has been so elusive that it cannot be considered a certainty for the September 9 event. Given the obvious health focus of IOS 8, and the presumed emphasis of the iWatch, it would certainly make sense for Apple to at least confirm its existence at Cupertino. However, no-one is quite sure whether or not this will transpire, even if the iWatch is one of the worst kept secret in the history of consumer technology.
So in summary there is much for Apple fans and the tech community to look forward to from this particular event. All we’re waiting for now is September 9 to roll around…
