Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple has not held a physical launch event in over two years due to the pandemic. While COVID-19 cases are now well under control, Apple doesn’t plan to hold an in-person iPhone 14 event in September.
Instead, the Cupertino giant will announce the upcoming iPhones via a virtual event.
No physical launch event for iPhone 14
In today’s edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says Apple has reportedly started pre-recording the iPhone 14‘s launch. This dashes all hopes of the company holding a physical iPhone launch event in September.
Apple held this year’s WWDC22 virtually. However, it hosted a limited in-person screening for selected developers and users. The company could take the same approach for the next iPhone launch. Apple could invite media persons to Apple Park to watch the pre-recorded event, after which they could get some hands-on time with the new products.
Apple recently dropped the mask mandate for its corporate employees at ‘most locations.’
New iPhones and Apple Watch will debut in September
Alongside the new iPhones, Apple will announce the Apple Watch Series 8 at the event. The new smartwatch should retain the same design as the current model, with the S8 chip unlikely to bring any performance boost. A key new addition will be the body-temperature sensor capable of detecting fevers. It should tie in nicely with the new health features in watchOS 9.
A new Apple Watch ‘Pro’ variant will also join the lineup featuring a rugged titanium shell with a bigger display and battery. Aimed at enthusiasts, it will help Apple attract hardcore Garmin users.
Gurman believes Apple will hold another event in October to launch the new M2-powered iPad Pro and Macs. iPadOS 16 release has also been reportedly delayed until October. Another event should follow in early 2023 for the AR headset’s unveiling.
