Apple has officially announced that September 12 will be the day when the highly anticipated iPhone 15 line-up is unveiled.
The tech giant, headquartered in Cupertino, has dispatched invitations for its "special event," a cornerstone in its flagship smartphone launch calendar. The event will be live-streamed at 10 a.m. Pacific Time (9 p.m. UAE Time).
Accompanying the invitation is the customary concise tagline and an embellished Apple logo. The event has been titled "Wonderlust" for this year, and the logo itself will be adorned in shades of blue, silver, and hints of metallic – purportedly hinting at the hues of the upcoming iPhones.
The chosen launch date aligns with expectations, as Apple has a tradition of hosting such events in the first or second week of September.
It's noteworthy that Europe's major consumer electronics expo, IFA, is scheduled to take place in Berlin next week, followed by Oracle's CloudWorld in Las Vegas in the third week of September.
The new iPhone models are projected to hit the market on September 22, a common practice for Apple, which usually initiates sales two Fridays after their introduction.
The most substantial alteration anticipated in this year's iPhone line-up is the transition to a USB-C port, marking the potential end of Apple's proprietary Lightning technology. The latter has been in use since the debut of the iPhone 5 a decade ago.
Rumors about Apple's shift to a USB-C port have been circulating for years, gaining momentum after the European Union pushed for a standardized charger for tech devices in September 2021.
The reasons behind Apple's USB-C transition include faster data transfer rates, environmental considerations, and potential legal compliance, especially with EU regulations.
All recent iPad models have already adopted USB-C, and there's even speculation that the upcoming AirPods – also expected to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 15 – might embrace this port.
The impending launch is expected to introduce four iPhone models: the entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, alongside the premium iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The innovative Dynamic Island, the transformative digital area that supplanted the notch with the iPhone 14 Pro's debut, is anticipated to be integrated throughout the entire range.
As for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, they are predicted to feature the latest A17 Bionic chip, while the base models are expected to inherit the A16 Bionic from the iPhone 14 Pro series.
Apple has reportedly utilized the bezel-thinning technology that debuted in the Apple Watch to achieve a record-breaking bezel width of 1.5mm on the iPhone 15.
Furthermore, rumors indicate that Apple might replace the mute switch with a more adaptable button, offering users configuration options – mirroring a feature present in some Android devices.
Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that a periscope lens, offering superior image magnification quality without digital zoom blurring, is on the horizon and will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 launch is also set to coincide with the introduction of iOS 17, which will bring forth a slew of enhanced security features.
Anticipations also run high for a new Apple Watch, likely featuring incremental improvements ahead of a potential major overhaul in 2024.