Apple plans to unveil iPhone 16 series on September 10, along with new AirPods and Watches

The launch event will be followed by the phones going on sale on September 20, according to sources

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The Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in New York. Apple is set to unveil its next iPhone series in September. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:12am, 26 Aug 2024

Apple is planning to hold its biggest product launch event of the year on September 10, when the company will unveil the latest iPhones, watches and AirPods, according to people familiar with the situation.

Though the timing has not yet been announced, the company is making preparations for that date, which falls on a Tuesday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The unveiling will be followed by the phones going on sale on September 20, in line with Apple’s typical approach in recent years.

A representative for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.

The launch is a critical one for Apple, which has suffered sluggish sales of its smartphones and wearable devices in recent quarters.

A September 20 release of the new iPhone 16 would mean some of the device’s revenue is recorded in the current period – Apple’s fiscal fourth quarter – when the company expects sales to grow about 5 per cent from a year earlier.

A bigger chunk of sales will come the following quarter, which coincides with the holiday season. Analysts have predicted that revenue will climb 7 per cent to US$128.4 billion in that period.

The iPhone 16 will have larger screens on its Pro models and new camera features, such as a dedicated button for snapping photos. The company also is rolling out a suite of artificial intelligence tools called Apple Intelligence. Overall, though, the phones will not be vastly different than last year’s models.