iPhone 16, iPad, Mac mini: Launch expectations for September

Apple CEO Tim Cook surrounded by potential new device launches

As regular as clockwork, Apple has declared it will be holding a special event on September 9. The event will introduce the iPhone 16, and will also feature other upcoming products in Apple’s catalog.

Here’s what hardware Apple may show off during what will be its most-watched event of the year.

The jewel in Apple’s crown is the iPhone, and for 2024, that will be the iPhone 16 generation. As usual, four models are expected, made up of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16 is anticipated to have similar-sized screens to the iPhone 15 for the non-Pro models, measuring 6.1 inches or 6.7 inches for the Plus version. The iPhone 16 Pro may gain around 0.2 inches apiece, becoming 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches.

Renders of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max

The chips will also get a boost, with the A18 Pro adding more processing capability to the Pro models. The chip the standard iPhone 16 models will get should be effectively identical to the A17 Pro in the current-gen iPhones, with possibly a few tweaks.

This will make the iPhone 16 range entirely capable of performing the various AI functions that will arrive with Apple Intelligence in the future.

Apple is expected to change the camera arrangement on the non-Pro models to a vertical arrangement, slimming down the camera bump overall. We may see other changes, such as more sensors getting an upgrade to 48MP, or an expansion of the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s Tetraprism lens to all Pro models.

There may be more changes on the outside, including the expansion of the Action button to all models, and even the long-rumored Capture button.

While not necessarily at the same strict cadence as the iPhone, the iPad could get its usual refresh at the same event. The last time it was updated was in the fall of 2022, making it due to get an update.

Few rumors have circulated about the iPad, but it is likely to get a chip bump to a newer A-series processor at the very least.

The tenth-generation iPad

As the sixth-gen iPad mini was introduced in September 2021, that three-year gap could be enough for the compact model to get a similar spec bump.

With updates made to the iPad Air and iPad Pro line earlier in 2024, don’t expect much from those two lines during the event.

Apple last updated the Mac mini in January 2023, so an update to the M4 this fall is a good prospect. The rumor mill has also offered claims that an update is inbound for the model sooner rather than later.

Current rumors for the M4 Mac mini include a long-awaited change in form factor, making it smaller. This will make it an even more compact Mac for the desktop, and possibly a visually striking departure from the well-worn current aluminum puck design.

It is also probable that the M4 Mac mini will be joined by an M4 Pro edition. Based on the previous release, it should look the same as the M4 version, but have a better chip driving the experience.

The 24-inch iMac was last updated in November 2023, bringing it to M3. While it did skip over the M2, it is thought that it won’t miss out on the M4 update, despite the short sub-year gap between updates.

Apple’s 24-inch iMac with M3

However, the desktop Mac may not be only offered in a single size. Rumors have proposed that a larger iMac is on the way, potentially as large as 32 inches versus 24 inches for the current model.

A MacBook Pro

With a one-year cadence for the M3 introduction in fall 2023, Apple can easily do the same again with the M4 editions in the coming weeks.

However, rumors have yet to offer any other major changes that could be on the way for the MacBook Pro range. It may end up being a simple spec bump upgrade this time around.

The subject of quite a few rumors, the Apple Watch Series 10 could be known as the Series X, and undergo a potentially major set of updates befitting a milestone number.

A render of what the Apple Watch Series 10 could look like

This includes making the Apple Watch thinner and larger than ever before, possibly resulting in 45mm and 49mm sizes. The display could even be a bit bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra, at 50.8mm.

The changes may not necessarily be useful for users of older models, though. There have been rumors that the connectors for bands to attach to the Apple Watch itself could change for the next version, making older bands obsolete.

Apple has laid out a number of inbound changes for how AirPods will function in iOS 18. It seems apt that new models could make an appearance during the September event.

A pair of AirPods in the charging case

For a start, AirPods 4 could expand the range with two variants, including a lower-cost model with an updated design and USB-C for the case. The second could be a mid-tier offering, with active noise cancellation and Find My built into the case.

After being released in December 2020, the AirPods Max have failed to be updated at all over this time. An update is long overdue, and price drops and rumors have promoted the idea that one is on the way.

A pair of AirPods Max

So far, rumors have said there will be a shift to USB-C to join other Apple hardware, as well as a switch to the H2 chip. This could bring better noise cancellation and improve battery life.

Some products are highly unlikely to be updated during the presentation, simply because they have received an update relatively recently.

For example, the iPad Pro models were updated to M4 earlier in 2024, alongside new models of iPad Air. It’s been too little time between updates for that to occur.

In other cases, it’s because rumors and analyst forecasts say that changes are further off into the future.

For example, the MacBook Air is expected to get another update in the spring of 2025. The Mac Studio and Mac Pro, while certainly in the timeframe for an update, are both anticipated to wait until 2025, with some estimates expecting a late 2025 update.

AirPods Pro was last updated in September 2022 with improvements to ANC and Transparency thanks to using H2, though it was later updated to include a USB-C charging case instead of Lightning. However, rumors indicate that a third-gen release may occur in 2025, not 2024.