What you should look for from Apple’s September 9 event

Apple’s September 9 event is right around the corner. While new iPhones are expected, rumor river keeps flowing; we could have a whole lot to talk about next week.

iPhone 6S and 6S Plus

The world is almost certainly getting new iPhones. Apple tends to release an ’S’ update a year after releasing a new model.

Rumors suggest we’ll get a pair of iPhones that sport Force Touch, and a 20 megapixel rear camera that can shoot 4K video. A new A9 processor is also expected.

New iPhones are also expected to be made of the same aluminum as the Apple Watch, which could have them checking in a slight one millimeter thicker than the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

iPad… Pro?

The rumor that just won’t die — the iPad Pro. As we edge close to September 9, the scuttlebutt is that we’ll see a new iPad with a 12-inch screen.

This big iPad is also expected to have a stylus, though we’ve learned very little about what that stylus might do to set it apart from a Jot Touch.
So far, the iPad Pro is a mythical beast. I’m not sure who would really want one outside of enterprise, either.

I’d like to say we should expect this at an iPad event later this year, not September 9. Still, some speculate it’ll pop up next week, so don’t be surprised if it does.

Apple TV

Hey, did you know Apple hasn’t updated its Apple TV hardware since 2012? Crazy, right?

We’ve heard a lot about new Apple TV hardware, especially the touchscreen remote that should have us interacting with our TV in a new way. To wit, this is almost certain to happen.

There has also been chatter that the new Apple TV will have a heavy gaming angle, with two buttons on the remote acting as A-B buttons — much like the original NES remote.

Apple TV is also expected to have new software, which is basically a forked version of iOS. That will allow for us to play iOS games on our TV, and let developers build experiences for the living room.

It’s also important because of HomeKit; we know Apple TV will serve as a hub for Apple’s HomeKit framework, and a version of iOS will make the experience a bit more seamless.

Perhaps the coolest rumors surrounding a new Apple TV are Siri and universal search. Siri will make herself your home-based concierge as well as an in-pocket assistant, and universal search will scan your disparate streaming apps for movies or TV shows you want to watch.

What about iOS and OS X?

As betas go, we typically see a gold master version of Apple’s software before the real deal comes out. We’ve not seen a GM of either, much less watchOS 2.

A new version of iOS will likely arrive with those shiny new iPhones, and rumors point to those going on sale September 18 or so. OS X is a bit more up in the air, but Apple says we should expect it in the “Fall,” so sometime in October seems like a safe bet.

Apple’s new wearable OS, watchOS 2, will probably arrive with iOS 9 (and the new iPhones).

September 10

So what can you expect once Apple lays out new iPhones and that rad new Apple TV? Keep an eye on when things arrive in the Apple Store; those iPhones may hit later this month, but we’ve not heard when Apple TV may land. Its rumored price point is somewhere between $149 and $199.

We also don’t know who’s been creating what for Apple TV. Are there apps lined up? Is that purported subscription TV service really happening, and will Tim Cook talk about it? Will Sling TV come to Apple TV?

There could be surprises that will have us talking the next day, too. Apple Music needs some attention to detail, and that iPad Pro — even though I don’t expect it — looms large (pun intended). We could hear about both, or neither.

In Apple’s world, it has the first word. Partners don’t say anything until Apple announces its new wares, but it’s deafening once the chatter starts. We’ll see new phone cases, app updates and possibly even third-party peripherals for Apple TV’s gaming efforts.

It should be fun… too bad Siri can’t tell us more about what’s coming.