Apple's September 2022 Event Confirmed: Get Ready For iPhone 14
Apple's next big event will take place on September 7, 2022, the Cupertino firm has announced today, with the expectation being that the next generation of iPhone will be on the menu. The event will be live-streamed from Apple Park, the company's lavish campus in California, kicking off at 10am PT (or 1pm ET). It's likely to be a well-polished show, too, Apple having had some experience now in these live-streams after using the system for WWDC 2022 and other events.
The expectation for September, of course, is that the new iPhone will be on the agenda. Apple's typical smartphone cadence sees the company update its iPhone range at the end of the Summer, headed into the all-important Q4 holiday sales period. For 2022, that's expected to mean the arrival of the iPhone 14 family.
As in previous years, it's a family believed to span a number of models, prices, and physical sizes. In 2021, for example, Apple had four variations on the theme, from the smallest iPhone 13 mini through to the largest and most capable iPhone 13 Pro. For 2022, however, that strategy may evolve slightly.
iPhone 14 will shake up Apple's strategy
One well-rumored possibility is that there'll be no iPhone 14 mini this time. Although the concept of a smaller iPhone has met with positive reception from some quarters, sales of the device have reportedly underwhelmed. Instead, we're expecting two screen sizes, with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro coming in at 6.1-inches, while the iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max scale up to 6.7-inches.
The other big differentiator for this series is expected to be the chipset. Unlike in previous years, where all of the new iPhone models have shared the same processor inside, Apple is believed to be shifting to a split tier approach for 2022, allowing it to continue using last year's processors still. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will have the same Apple A15 chipset as in the current generation of handsets, it's said, but the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will enjoy the new A16 chipset.
Apple Watch Series 8 is also on the menu
The more expensive "Pro" branded phones will also get new cameras, including a rumored 48-megapixel primary sensor, while the regular iPhone 14 models will miss out on the upgraded camera. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will also switch, it's suggested, to a new pair of display cut-outs too, replacing the controversial "notch" with an arguably-equally-controversial hole and pill style punch-out for the front camera and other sensors.
In addition to iPhone 14, Apple is also expected to debut a new series of its smartwatches. The Apple Watch Series 8 is likely to have a new chipset too, along with more battery life thanks to improvements in power management. The introduction of temperature sensing could enhance its fitness and health tracking capabilities, adding to the existing heart rate and ECG sensors, while an Apple Watch Pro is believed to target a more high-end market with an updated design and bigger display.