It’s not quite Christmas in July, but Apple’s event on September 7th has already been the source of intense social media attention and speculation. The official unveiling of the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 will give us a good idea of what will be at the top of everyone’s holiday wish list this year.
While Apple has yet to reveal much of anything—sending out a beautiful-but-cryptic invite last week—there’s no doubt that some will soon be throwing out our 6 and 6S iPhones in order to get our hands on the newest, shiniest iPhone yet.
While the design of the new iPhone 7 will likely be similar to that of the most recent iteration, the iPhone 6, there has been speculation and leaks about new features.
While some of the rumored new changes could potentially infuriate current iPhone users—like the wide-spread rumor that Apple will be doing away with the headphone jack—others have been a long time coming. Various tech sites, such as MacRumors, have ventured guesses that the iPhone 7 will have wireless charging capacity and may be more waterproof or water-resistant than past models.
The purported absence of a headphone jack comes from 9to5mac, which claimed to have found a video demonstrating the new official Apple adaptor that would come with the new device. The adaptor, which would allow users to plug normal headphones into the iPhone via the lightning port.
The site also suggested that since the new iPhone 7 headphones would connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, Apple would also release “Lightning-equipped EarPods to sell alongside the iPhone 7.”
The absence of a headphone jack may be one of the keys to the new iPhone’s increased water-resistance and part of the reason Apple is developing wireless charging for the product.
Other rumors for major changes include an edge-to-edge screen, replacing the clickable “Home” button with fully touch-sensitive glass, a bigger camera with DSLR capacity that will allow for taking better pictures in low light, and new colors. There is also speculation that the iPhone 7 will incorporate some of the improved features of the iPad Pro 9.7-inch screen, including low reflectivity in direct sunlight.
Apple is also predicted to unveil the Apple Watch 2 on September 7th along with iOS 10, the new operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Modifications to the Apple Watch may include a faster processor, waterproofing (so you can wear it while swimming), and extended battery life.
MacRumors has also speculated that the Apple Watch 2 will be slimmer, thanks to "One Glass Solution" (OGS) display technology that will eliminate a layer of glass to create a lighter, thinner device.
Nothing is for sure, however, until Apple’s official announcement on September 7th. Stay tuned for more Apple updates.
How to Watch the Biggest Apple Event of the Year:
Apple has announced on its website that it will livestream the event beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 7th.
The keynote presentation will be streamed to all iPhones, iPads, or iPod Touch devices running iOS 7.0 or later. CNET will also provide live stream coverage of the event.
Streaming via a Mac will require Safari 6.0.5 or later on OSX v10.8.5 or later and streaming via Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) will require software 6.2 or later and you can also use a 4th generation Apple TV.
PC users can also tune in if they have Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.
The live event will take place at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.