Apple today announced its “Awe Dropping” iPhone-centric event, which is set to take place on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are a long list of products that are coming, but we thought we’d pull out five feature highlights to look forward to.
- That Super Thin iPhone – Apple’s September 9 event will see the unveiling of the first redesigned iPhone we’ve had in years, with Apple set to introduce an ultra thin iPhone 17. We don’t know the name of the device just yet, but “iPhone 17 Air” makes sense given Apple’s other product names. It should be around 5.5mm thick, which will make it the thinnest iPhone to date. It’s not without compromises, though, so it’ll only have a single-lens camera and battery life could be shorter than expected.
- Satellite for the Wrist – The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to include satellite connectivity, allowing wearers to get help in an emergency using a satellite connection in remote areas where Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity are unavailable. Unfortunately, it sounds like it’s going to be an Ultra only feature, so don’t expect it for the Apple Watch Series 11.
- AirPods Heart Rate – Apple is finally refreshing the AirPods Pro, and along with improved Active Noise Cancellation, better sound, and a refined design, rumors suggest that the AirPods will get in-ear heart rate tracking, much like the Powerbeats Pro 2.
- New “Pro” Camera Design – The iPhone 17 Air is going to be the star of the event, but Apple is redesigning the iPhone 17 Pro models too. There’s a new pill-shaped camera bump that’s much bigger than before, plus we’re expecting a more durable build for the back that primarily uses aluminum instead of glass. It’s not quite clear why the cameras are changing, but there are rumors of a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens with up to 8x optical zoom.
- Colors, Cases, Lanyards and More – Apple usually chooses muted colors for the iPhone 17 Pro models, but this year we’re getting some shade of orange. It might be more copper than orange, but still, it’s sounding like it might be a little brighter than Apple’s typical safe color choices. The iPhone 17 Air will come in a light blue, and there are some interesting case rumors too. Apple is supposedly introducing new “TechWoven” fabric cases to replace the ill-fated FineWoven cases everyone hated, and it looks like Apple’s case lineup is going to get little cutouts to support straps and lanyards.
Read More
If you want more information on all of the features expected for the iPhone 17 series, the new Apple Watch models, and the AirPods Pro 3, make sure to check out our roundups and guides. Warning: there are definitely spoilers.
How to Watch
Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 9. Apple will livestream the event on its website on YouTube, and through the Apple TV app on supported devices.
For those unable to watch the livestream, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage on MacRumors.com and the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, plus we’ll do a much deeper dive into all the announcements post event.
Popular Stories
AirPods Pro 3 Expected to Launch This Year With Key New Feature
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman expects Apple to release new AirPods Pro this year, and he said the earbuds will have a key new feature: heart rate monitoring. From his Power On newsletter today, with emphasis added:As for Apple’s other devices, there’s a lot in the fall pipeline — though many of the new products are only incremental upgrades. There will be Apple Watch updates, faster Vision…
iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 12 New Features
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman corroborated a rumor that iPhone 17 Pro models will be “available in an orange color.” Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are…
Two All-New iPhone 17 Colors Seemingly Confirmed
Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color. We’ve heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The …
Apple Has Reportedly Considered Releasing iPhone 17 Air Bumper Case
Apple has “considered” releasing a bumper case for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Similar to the bumper case that Apple introduced for the iPhone 4 in 2010, Gurman said the iPhone 17 Air version of the case would cover the edges of the device, but not the back of it. Those bumper cases were made of rubber. Given that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have …
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Just Weeks Away: Eight Reasons to Upgrade
We’re only weeks away from Apple’s annual iPhone event – rumored to take place on September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we’re going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for enhancements,…
The MacRumors Show: Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 or Wait for Next Year?
On this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through what to expect from the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, and Ultra 3, and whether it’s worth holding off on an upgrade until next year. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The third-generation Apple Watch SE is rumored to feature a larger display (perhaps like the Apple Watch Series 7), the S11 chip, and…
