With just days to go to the Apple iPhone 8 event, the centerpiece of the Apple year, technology fans all over the world are waiting with baited breath. But what precisely will Apple reveal at this critical conference? Here ValueWalk examines the products we can reasonably expect.
iPhone 8 range
Naturally, the Apple iPhone 8 event will primarily centered around the unveiling of the next-generation iPhone 8. This smartphone will be a revolution in the iPhone concept, with Apple expected to significantly redesign the smartphone and deliver several new features.
The most noticeable physical aspects of the iPhone 8 will be the new wraparound OLED display, which will represent the first time that Apple has included this technology in its iconic smartphone. Furthermore, it is expected that this display will deliver Quad HD, which will also be the highest screen resolution of any Apple mobile release.
It is not yet known precisely how many versions of the iPhone 8 will be released at the conference at the Steve Jobs center. But the general consensus of opinion is that Apple will release three separate handsets, possibly with two of these being iPhone 7S upgrades. There is some debate over this, as the branding of the iPhone 8 is even undecided, with the possibility that Apple will use either iPhone X or iPhone Edition as the name of the phone.
Major new features linked with the iPhone 8 include augmented reality technology, wireless charging and improved dual-camera technology.
Apple Watch 3
Another major highlight of the Apple iPhone 8 event will be the unveiling of the third-generation Apple Watch. This smartwatch series began as something of a lukewarm release, but has since built up momentum in the eyes of the public. Not only does the Apple Watch series dominate the smartwatch niche, but it also has become an increasing fixture on the wrists of people all over the world.
Nonetheless, although the wearable niche isn’t really as important for Apple as its smartphone release, the company is still massively invested in the Apple Watch concept. Thus, it is widely believed that the Californian corporation will indeed update the Apple Watch in 2017, particularly by adding an LTE modem to the device.
If this suggestion does indeed occur, it will mean that features which currently require the smartphone to be paired with an attendant iPhone, such as making phone calls, sending text messages, streaming music, or even installing new software, could instead operate independently.
No mainstream smartwatch has delivered this entirely successfully, despite the attempts of other manufacturers, and it will obviously be a challenge for the Apple considering the paltry battery life of the unit. So we could also see a significantly larger battery included in the Apple Watch 3, with the consumer electronics giant strongly pushing the added lifecycle of the third gen Apple Watch at the conference.
watchOS 4 is also anticipated in the coming weeks, with fitness-tracking functionality expected for the operating system. While the iPhone 8 will undoubtedly garner more coverage, the Apple Watch 3 seems well worth looking out for.
4K Apple TV
Amazon, Roku, and Chromecast have released set-top boxes capable of delivering pictures in 4K resolution, and the next gen Apple TV is expected to follow suit. The 4K Apple TV box will be unveiled at the Apple iPhone 8 event, delivering 4K streaming and more vivid colors, according to a report by Bloomberg.
HDR10 and Dolby Vision have been linked with the TV product, as Apple attempts to close the gap on the market leaders in this niche. It is also hoped that a new interface could be delivered, with the previous UI being considered rather too app-like in its appearance.
Apple will also likely announce new content for the Apple TV, with the Californian corporation already committed to producing several new series. Although the corporation has some way to go in order to rival Amazon, it is at least attempting to deliver in the television niche.
HomePod
The HomePod will be another highly anticipated outcome of the Apple iPhone 8 event, with the speaker system being unveiled to compete with other systems already available on the market. The HomePod is due for release in December, ahead of the key Christmas marketplace, with Apple marketing it primarily as a quality speaker system as opposed to an intelligent digital assistant.
We shouldn’t necessarily expect too many details regarding the HomePod at the Apple iPhone 8 event, but we can certainly anticipate a refresher and possibly new footage of the device.
Mac range
Apple is also expected to update its Mac desktop range in 2017, with the iMac Pro also expected to be released in December. There could be an announcement regarding this critical pillar of the Apple range at the iPhone 8 events, but Apple will probably concentrate its attention primarily on more diminutive products.
iOS 11
The next generation iOS 11 operating system is an obvious candidate for the Apple iPhone 8 event, with its obvious role in accompanying the smartphone. However, iPad users may benefit from iOS 11 more than smartphone consumers, with the software promising to transform the iPad into a powerful productivity device.
A redesigned dock, advanced multitasking, and new drag-and-drop features are all predicted for the 11th generation of the mobile operating system, while it will also deliver a consolidated Control Center. iOS 11 will furthermore provide an app switcher for both iPad and iPhone, and a new file storage application that will be branded as Files.
Also central to the iOS 11 operating system this year will be augmented reality features that are strongly anticipated to debut in the iPhone 8. Apple has already explicitly thrown its enthusiastic support behind this concept, with CEO Tim Cook having expressed his enthusiasm for AR. Thus, iOS 11 will be just one highlight of a massive event that will surely draw millions of interested spectators from every corner of the globe.
