Apple's "It's Glowtime" Event Wish List

It is September and that means, barring unforeseen consequences like in 2020, that Apple is going to hold an event. This event is titled "It's Glowtime” and will be held on Monday, September 9th at 10am Pacific Time.. Apple's September event is typically the event where they introduce new iPhones. The last few years I have been posting the list of things that I hope to see from Apple's event. I will be doing the same for the "It's Glowtime" event.

iPhone

Each year Apple releases a new set of iPhones. I suspect that we will get new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models. I am guessing that we will see four new phones, the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

I expect them all to support Apple Intelligence, meaning that they will have at least 8GB of memory in them. I also suspect that they will have A18 chips in the iPhone 16 models and A18 Pro chips in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.

With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max Apple introduced the Action button. Reportedly, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a new capture button. This could be useful for being able to take pictures, and even adjust focus, like a traditional camera.

Reportedly, the Ultra Wide camera will become a 48 Megapixel camera, which could be interesting, but I would much prefer that the Telephoto lens would become a 48 Megapixel camera, as I use that one WAY more often than the Ultra Wide lens. However, any improvement to the cameras is welcome.

Apple Watch

2024 marks the 10th release of the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch was announced in September of 2014 and released in April of 2015. The initial introduction had two sizes, 38mm and 42mm and while it did work, the original Apple Watch was woefully underpowered. In 2018 with the release of the Series 4, Apple increased the screen sizes to 40mm and 44mm. This remained the size until the Series 7 in 2021 when they were increased to 41mm and 45mm. The current rumors indicate that the screen size of the Apple Watch will increase again. This time to 45mm and 49mm. It would make sense since it has been 3 years since the last screen size change.

I would not be surprised if there are actually 3 screen sizes for the aluminum models, 41mm, 45mm, and 49mm. The reason that I think this is possible is because it would provide an even wider range of sizes, at relatively affordable prices. Right now, if you want the largest screen on the Apple Watch you need to purchase the Apple Watch Ultra, which starts at $799. By offering three sizes, I think Apple could change up the pricing to be $369 for the 41mm, $399 for the 45mm, and $429 for the 49mm version. The pricing is entirely a guess on my part, and would not be surprised if Apple had increments of $50 instead, meaning $349, $399, and $449.

I would like to get a larger Apple Watch, but definitely do not need the features of the Apple Watch Ultra. I hope to see a 49mm watch, at a price close to the current 45mm price of $429.

Apple Watch Ultra

The Apple Watch Ultra was originally introduced in 2022 as a larger 49mm model. The Apple Watch Ultra is designed to work in extreme conditions, offers multi-day battery life, and includes cellular. The Apple Watch Ultra is a bit more expensive at $799.

I expect that we will see the Apple Watch Ultra 3 with an improved System in Package (SIP). I do not expect a lot to be changed except for maybe it finally coming in a dark titanium color, instead of the natural titanium. It is also possible that it will come in even more colors, maybe even those that match the iPhone 16 Pro Max colors, but that is highly unlikely.

iPad

It is not unheard of for Apple to announce new iPad models at their September event. Given how many eyes are on this event, to some extent it makes sense to announce them. I expect that will see a new iPad mini and 12th generation iPad announced.

iPad mini

The current 6th generation iPad mini was announced in 2021. At the time it had an A15 chip, which was the newest one at the time. I think Apple will announce the 7th generation and that this one will have an M2 chip in it. I suspect that the colors will be updated, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro will also be added. However, I do not expect much else to change. It is possible that there might be a slight screen size increase, due to smaller bezels, but we will see.

iPad (11th Generation)

Apple announced the 10th generation iPad in October of 2022. This was a radical change from the previous iPads as it used USB-C instead of Lightning, removed the home button in favor of Touch ID in the power button, and that meant a larger screen, of 10.9 inches.

Earlier this year, Apple removed the 9th generation iPad from sale and dropped the price of the 10th generation iPad by $100 to $349 for the Wi-Fi model and $499 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model..

I think we will see a new 11th Generation iPad. I do not expect a lot to be changed, except for maybe an M1 processor. As much as Apple might want to bifurcate the iPad line, I think Apple Intelligence is too important to not have all of their new devices support Apple Intelligence. For this, it needs an M1 and 8GB of memory. It is possible that the screen size may increase to 11 inches to stay inline with the other iPad models.

If Apple is all-in on the Apple Intelligence and each new device will support it, then I could see Apple no longer selling the 10th generation and having the price of the 11th generation be $349.

Accessories

The September event is not just for iPhones and iPads, but it is often used to announce new accessories that can be used with the iPhone. This can include things like a battery pack, adapters, and even headphones, specifically the AirPods.

AirPods

Apple sells a variety of headphones, some wired, some wireless, and some that can be both. Apple's first wireless headphones were the AirPods. The AirPods were announced in September of 2016 and released in December of the same year. While many ridiculed their look at the time, they have become significantly more popular and now nobody thinks twice about them.

The 2nd generation AirPods were released in March of 2019 and were the same shape as the 1st generation, but had improved internals which supported "Hey Siri”, Bluetooth 5, and 50% more talk time. In 2017 a wireless charging case was announced and became an option when purchasing AirPods.

In 2019 Apple unveiled a new model of the AirPods, the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro included additional features, like noise cancellation. The 2nd Generation models were introduced in 2022 and included improved sound quality, and longer battery life. Along with this, you can replace the tips on the AirPods Pro

The 3rd generation AirPods were released in October of 2021 and had a different shape that was more akin to the AirPods Pro. Another adaptation from the AirPods Pro was the addition of touch controls on the stems. The 3rd generation AirPods support Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. Even when these were introduced, the 2nd generation AirPods had a price reduction to keep them around for those who were a bit more price conscious.

In September of 2022 Apple introduced the AirPods Pro (2nd generation). These had improved dust resistance, a USB-C charging port and can even use personalized audio. The 2nd generation AirPods Pro can also be used to nod or shake your head in response to Siri, provided you are using iOS 18.

AirPods

It is possible that Apple will introduce new models of the AirPods and AirPods Pro. The current rumor is that the 2nd generation AirPods will be discontinued and there will be two models of the 4th generation AirPods. One that supports noise cancellation and one that does not.

From a personal perspective, I hope that there are two variants of the 4th generation AirPods, one with the older shape from the 2nd generation AirPods. For me, the 3rd generation AirPods do not fit in my ears, while the 2nd generation AirPods do fit. If the 4th generation AirPods have a slightly smaller shape, that may be enough for me, but I suspect that the shape will follow the 3rd generation.

There is one more model, the AirPods Max.

AirPods Max

In 2014, Apple acquired Beats Electronics for a substantial sum of $8 billion. Following this acquisition, one of the long-standing rumors emerged that Apple was actively developing a line of over-ear headphones bearing the Apple brand. This rumor was finally substantiated when Apple unveiled the AirPods Max in December 2020.

It is plausible that Apple may announce a second generation of AirPods Max. While this iteration would likely be incremental, featuring USB-C connectivity, it is reasonable to anticipate that Apple will release these products through a press release rather later this year.

Closing Thoughts

It appears that the "It's Glowtime” event will be a busy one. With the introduction of new iPhones, new Apple Watches, possible iPads, and possibly even AirPods. At a minimum I expect iPhones and Apple Watches to be announced. I also do expect iPads to be announced, but outside of that, anything else is possible.

As always, I will have a post re-capping what is announced sometime after the event.

You can watch the event via the Apple Events page on Monday, September 9th, 2024 at 10:00 am pacific time.