What to expect from Apple’s iPhone 15 event

Apple is holding its next big event in September to take the wraps off the iPhone 15, new Apple Watches, and more.

Here, we’ll go over how and when you can watch the event, along with the new product announcements we’re expecting to see from Apple.

The iPhone 15 event will take place on September 12th, 2023, at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. As shown in the invite sent out by Apple, the company has named the event “Wonderlust.” It will take place live from Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

As is the case with past events, Apple will likely stream the iPhone 15 showcase on its website and YouTube channel. You can also watch it from the livestream embedded at the top of this article.

One of the biggest changes coming to this year’s iPhone lineup is the addition of USB-C. For the first time, the iPhone 15 is expected to come with the widely used port instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector. This doesn’t come as a surprise, as Apple confirmed last year that it would make the change to USB-C to comply with the European Union’s incoming regulations.

Although reports indicate that all phones in the iPhone 15 lineup will get the USB-C port, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says only the Pro and Pro Max will benefit from higher data transfer rates. Both premium models will come with “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, while the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will support USB 2.0, according to Kuo. Either way, 9to5Mac reports that all iPhone 15 models should have faster 35W charging rates thanks to the switch.

Additionally, supply chain analyst Ross Young reported last year that all models of the iPhone 15 will come with the Dynamic Island. That’s a change from what Apple currently offers, as it only includes the pill-shaped cutout on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. The entire iPhone 15 lineup is expected to get an ultra wideband chip, too.

This time around, the most significant changes coming to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are reported to be a titanium frame, thinner bezels, and a more repairable aluminum chassis that we first saw with the iPhone 14, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max might also have a faster A17 chip built using the 3nm process, while the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will likely come with the A16 chip included in the iPhone 14 Pro.

Both premium models may come with an Action Button similar to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra, as reported by MacRumors and 9to5Mac. This button is supposed to replace the mute toggle and could allow you to assign shortcuts to different apps and utilities. You can see how the Action Button may look in leaked photos and a video of upcoming iPhone 15 Pro cases. And while early rumors suggested that Apple will replace the volume rocker and the power button on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with solid-state toggles, recent reports from Kuo and leaker Unknownz21 suggest they’ll stay the same for now.

There have been rumors about an iPhone 15 Pro Max rebranding as well. While Gurman reported last year that Apple could change the name to the “Ultra,” he recently reversed that prediction, saying it will keep the Pro Max moniker. Oh, and there is one change that the iPhone 15 Max — or Ultra — may exclusively get: a periscope lens with up to 6x optical zoom. All those updates could result in a potentially more expensive price. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives predicts the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will cost $1,099 and $1,199 respectively, marking a $100 price increase for both models.

We also may see some changes to the colors Apple includes in its iPhone 15 Pro line as well. According to 9to5Mac, Apple could swap its gold finish for a “titan gray.” The company may reveal a new dark blue option as well, which it might be teasing with the color scheme it included in its event invite. In addition to dark blue and gray, the iPhone 15 Pro is also expected to come in black and white. Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 15 is rumored to feature black, blue, yellow, white, and pink variants.

In addition to the iPhone 15, Apple is also likely to reveal its latest smartwatch lineup — and so far, we’re not expecting many major changes. Not much is known about the update to the premium Apple Watch Ultra besides that it will reportedly retain its 49mm size and come with a new darker titanium case. But other rumors indicate that the Watch Series 9 will come with an updated S9 processor.

According to Gurman, the S9 chip is based on the A15 processor that Apple introduced with the iPhone 13. This could allow for more efficiency and better battery life when compared to its predecessor, which comes equipped with the S8 chip that’s based on the same tech as the processors in the previous two Watch models. Gurman also predicts that Apple’s watch lineup could come with an ultra wideband chip, along with “various sensor and internal component upgrades,” such as an updated optical heart rate sensor.

Other smaller updates expected to come with the Watch Series 9 include a pink color option and the option of a band with a magnetic buckle. Additionally, some are speculating that Apple will use 3D-printed materials in some of its upcoming smartwatches. We likely won’t see a new Watch SE during this year’s event, as the product appears to be on a two-year refresh cycle and was just updated last year.

The iPhone 15 isn’t the only Apple device that’s expected to get the USB-C treatment. Gurman reports that Apple plans on releasing a pair of AirPods Pro with USB-C during its event in September.

That tracks with a prediction from Kuo last year, who said Apple would launch AirPods with a USB-C charging case in 2023. It’s not clear whether Apple will actually make any updates to the AirPods Pro themselves, however — it may just update its charging case.

In January, Kuo said Apple could ship its fourth-gen AirPods in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, along with a second generation of its over-the-ear AirPods Max — both of which may also come with USB-C. Other rumors suggest Apple may launch a new pair of cheaper $99 AirPods as well. If that’s the case, we’re a full year or more away from big updates.

However, the AirPods Pro are still set to get some new features through an upcoming software update. That includes Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and better automatic device switching.

With a new iPhone and watch coming, we’ll probably get the release dates for iOS 17 and watchOS 10 during Apple’s upcoming event. As for iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma, we might not see them until later this fall, in line with Apple’s recent pattern of launching them in October.

But the betas for each of these operating systems have been out for some time now, giving us a peek at what we can expect. While iOS 17 comes with a number of small but meaningful upgrades, including StandBy mode, voicemail transcriptions, and a Journal app, macOS Sonoma adds widgets, a game mode, and profiles on Safari.

As for iPadOS 17, Apple is adding personalized lock screens, interactive widgets, the Health app, and support for external USB webcams and cameras. Apple is launching an update to Stage Manager as well, which finally lets you customize the sizes and orientations of each window on your screen.

Lastly, watchOS 10 will also incorporate widgets (seeing a trend yet?) that should give you quick access to various apps. There are also new topographic mapping features, mood logging, and a couple of new watchfaces.

There are a few other things Apple is rumored to be working on that likely won’t make an appearance at its iPhone 15 event. That includes some new Macs and iPads, which Apple usually holds an event for in October.

This fall, we’re expecting a new iMac, a 13-inch MacBook Air, and a 13-inch MacBook Pro powered by Apple’s new in-house M3 chip. On the iPad side of things, rumors suggest that we might see the release of the seventh-gen iPad Mini.

But even with all these exciting launches on the horizon, all eyes are still on the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro, which is set for release early next year. We’re likely to see some updates in the months leading up to its launch.

In the meantime, make sure to stay tuned to The Verge’s coverage of Apple’s iPhone 15 event.

Update August 30th, 8:17AM ET: Added a rumor about AirPods with USB-C.

Update September 5th, 1:30PM ET: Added Apple’s link to the livestream.

Update September 7th, 9:38AM ET: Added iPhone 15 Action Button and pricing rumors.

Update September 8th, 9:52AM ET: Added iPhone 15 and Apple Watch rumors.

Update September 11th, 4:54AM ET: Added an Apple Watch design rumor.