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The ‘Apple Special Event’ is all set to start on September 12, 10 am PDT and this time it will be hosted as the first ever event at the Steve Jobs Theatre at the Apple Park, the company's new headquarters in Cupertino, California. The event is expected to roll out the most awaited iPhone 8 ( the name is yet unreleased) the smartphone that is widely anticipated to change the design course of all future iPhones. But that's not all. There could be updates related to ARKit, HomePod, Apple TV, Apple Watches etc. Here is what we expect Apple Inc. to showcase:
Welcome the “S” Series:
This year, Apple Inc. is all set to launch the S series of its previously launched iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones. If you are expecting some major improvements or design changes then it's time to burst your thought bubbles because any major change will probably come only for the new iPhone 8 (more on that later). The "S" series will come with some minor improvements over camera, processor and other under-the-hood upgrades.
The new iPhone 8:
The launch of the new flagship iPhone is expected to not just be an improvement on an earlier version, but a complete makeover of the current iPhone design. Apple Inc. is set to introduce its first OLED display on a nearly all-screen design phone and a new stainless steel and glass body. Apple Inc. has moved a step ahead in removing or altering features from iPhones like the headphone jack and, with this release, the home button. However that's not all. Also expected are lots of new features like facial recognition, dual-lens camera along with vertical configuration and much more.
With the launch imminent, it may yet be a time to wait and watch before investing in an iPhone 8. As has been seen in the past, Apple Inc’s new flagship phone can come at a high price. It would probably be high enough to make a lot of people cringe and complain about the rising costs of iPhones. But when does that stop anyways? Just keep your wallets ready for the shock to come.
Apple Watch - What's New In It?
At the WWDC 2017, Apple announced its upcoming watchOS4. It is anticipated that Apple will announce its next take on the smartwatches with the Apple Watch Series 3. We are expecting it to have cellular LTE capabilities freeing users from the need to tether their iPhone for connectivity and allowing to make calls on-the-go. You can also expect some design changes as well but this is still speculation.
Apple TV with 4K:
Apple Inc. is expected to launch a new version of Apple TV with support for 4K video which will be HDR compatible. This June, Apple Inc’s CEO, Tim Cook announced Apple TV would add Amazon Prime video integration in the fall. Though the new Apple 4K TV seems likely to introduce more than just improved streaming options, the event would likely lay major emphasis on the new flagship phone thereby relegating Apple TV related announcements to the background. What is certain though, is that Apple will now be increasingly competitive with competitive products such as Roku and Chromecast which already offer 4K support.
Loads of Updates:
Apart from new product announcements, there seem to be additional updates from the company in the pipeline. Here are some we expect during the Apple Event, September 12:
- Further clarity on iOS 11, revealing its full functionality. Since it is already in public beta there are not many expectations regarding the additions of radical new features. The main update could be the date of full-release.
- A further deep dive into the Apple ARKit, opening doors to new possibilities and solutions. New use cases being explored and probably some examples showcasing developments.
- In the WWDC Conference this June, Apple Inc. introduced HomePod- a $349 smart home speaker- available for retail in December. Not much information was shared about this Siri-powered speaker at the event in June, so expect some more details and features being revealed.
- Updates on tvOS for its Apple TV and watchOS for the Apple Watch to be showcased as a recap.
- A probable disclosure about the final release date of MacOS High Sierra that has been in beta since August 2017.
Our Take:
Apple Inc. has taken some major steps in improving their user experience and leading the way to new innovations. With ARKit, it has opened gates to the next level of user engagement which will enhance the usage of iPhones and iPads in industries like healthcare, banking, gaming, entertainment and much more. Such was the impact of ARKit that within no time Google announced the revamp of its previous AR development kit - ‘Tango’ - with ‘ARCore’. With iOS 11, CoreML, Vision and ARKit in the picture, we can anticipate a new race emerging for technological solutions which are able to solve every-day problems using technologies like AR, Machine Learning, VR, etc. What is to be seen is how companies and businesses take advantage of these opportunities and bring out innovative solutions and ideas.