What to expect at Apple’s Sept. 9 ‘Glowtime’ special event

Apple on Monday confirmed its next big public event will be Sept. 9, when it is expected to introduce the new iPhone 16 range, new Apple Watch models, and AirPods 4, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) hinted at by the event slogan, “It’s Glowtime.”

The event will be live-streamed as in past years across YouTube, Apple TV, Apple’s Developer app, and via the company website. The event begins at 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET.

Why Glowtime?

When the company introduced Apple Intelligence at WWDC in June, it unveiled an all-new Siri behavior. While for now Siri shows itself to be working on a query by displaying a round pulsing shape on the screen, the new Siri simply glows around the edges of the device. Most Apple commentators believe this is the reference made in the invitation to the event.

That attention to AI is expected to be the big focus this year. Apple knows it has a chance to build the world’s biggest active AI ecosystem across all the devices that comprise its platforms. That’s a real opportunity for the company. But given that competitors are also racing in the same direction, Apple knows it must make a big impression with September news.

While not all of the new Apple Intelligence features are expected to be available when iOS 18 ships, we do anticipate more will arrive later in fall, when new Macs and iPads are also expected to arrive.

What to expect from iPhone 16 range?

As previously discussed, the iPhone 16 range will include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. (Recent speculation has claimed a much thinner high-end model, and an entry level iPhone SE upgrade will debut next year.) All the new devices — including the latter — are expected to be capable of running Apple Intelligence, which otherwise requires an iPhone 15 or later.

Big changes in all the iPhones might include a new camera layout, Action and Capture buttons, along with a 5x telephoto zoom on the Pro range. The Pro devices will also get bigger, 6.3- and 6.9-in. displays and improved cameras; there is also talk of the Pro range gaining solid-state buttons, which will make them even more resilient and waterproof.

Apple might also put more memory into the iPhones to provide better support for Apple Intelligence, enabling more complex generative AI (genAI) features to take place on the device. Other tasks will run on Apple’s own secured servers, though users can choose third-party services such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT directly from their iPhone. New colors and a higher 2TB capacity option are also expected.

What’s important is that both the outgoing iPhone 15 range and incoming iPhone 16 models will immediately be the world’s first mass-market AI smartphones, equipped with powerful AI features to help get more work done. Not only that, but up to 25% of the iPhones shipped across the next 12 months might be made in India.

What to expect from the Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 may once again be the most lusted-after smartwatch. While the internal components will change and the device should become much faster with a new processor, externally it will seem similar, reports claim. It might be available in more colors.

The Apple Watch Series 10 will see more obvious improvements; slimmer, it will also host a bigger display. It is notable that this will be the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch. Finally, the Apple Watch SE3 could be a lower-cost plastic model available in multiple colors and aimed at younger users, particularly as a way to keep in contact with kids in schools that ban use of smartphones. We could see new heath sensors introduced, but ongoing legal disputes might slow their introduction.

What about AirPods 4?

Though AirPods are not an enterprise product (yet), we know that wherever you have iPhones, you’ll often find AirPods. Now with USB-C charging, the new AirPods will become a range, with both lower-end and mid-range variants, leaving the AirPods Pro as the high-end choice. The AirPods 4 are expected to gain noise cancellation, which will be a great upgrade for many, particularly commuters, travellers, and workers seeking to focus at their desk.

What about iPads?

We’re not expecting iPad Pro news, though there is latespeculation Apple could introduce a new iPad mini and iPad model. These would be good upgrades, as they should host new chips, perhaps even the A17 processor used in the iPhone 15. Inclusion of new Apple processors is essential since the company will want to run Apple Intelligence on these devices.

While AI is the big marketing push, the inclusion of these new processors should make these entry-level iPads significantly more powerful than before. (The current 10th generation iPad runs an A14 Bionic chip.)

There are implications for workplaces deploying iPads across their teams, as the upgraded devices will deliver much more bang per buck, (and computational cycles per watt).

What about Siri?

The Apple invitation’s reference to Siri hints that Apple will reveal even more AI features. That suggests the company hopes to make Siri a far more viable AI assistant than it is at present. Expect more personalization, smarter and more contextual intelligence, and predictive help. 

What about Europe?

Apple’s recent moves to tweak its approach to Europe’s DMA show the company has been in consultation with regulators there. While we can’t expect miracles, perhaps the company will be better able to explain its Apple Intelligence rollout plans for the region during the announcement.

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