Apple is set to unveil its newest iPhones and Watch at its Far Out event on Wednesday — and we are expecting a number of major launches.
Here are five of the biggest announcements we anticipate.
No more mini
It is expected that the new iPhones will come in only two sizes — 6.1 inches for the 14 and 14 Pro, and 6.7 inches for the 14 Max and 14 Pro Max.
That means goodbye for to mini version — and this really is not a surprise. Apple does not break down iPhone sales by device, but Consumer Research Intelligence Partners reported that in the first quarter of 2022, only 3 per cent of US iPhone sales were for the mini.
The pill-and-hole look
After pioneering the notch craze with the iPhone X in 2017, users are in for a new interface with the widely expected pill-and-hole combo up front.
Part of the reason for the notch's existence is to house Apple's complicated Face ID technology. As such, it will be interesting to find out how they have been able to cram that behind an even tighter space.
This would mean a whole new view for iPhone users. And inasmuch as the notch stirred much debate, it would not be surprising if the pill-and-hole makes some waves, too.
Bigger, more rugged Watch
While Watch Series 8 will continue to offer 41-millimetre and 45mm versions, the biggest — literally — anticipated addition is what is being called Watch Pro, which is intended for rugged use.
The Pro model is expected to be about 7 per cent bigger, meaning it would be about 48mm in size, Bloomberg technology reporter Mark Gurman said. This would mark the first major redesign of the Apple Watch since 2018's Series 4.
Apple is seeking to solidify its position in the smartwatch industry. It is comfortably ahead and holds more than a third of global market share as of the second quarter of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research.
There are also rumblings about the addition of body temperature and car crash detection, the latter of which is a follow-up to the fall detection introduced in Series 4.
Better cameras for 8K video
The iPhone 13 Pro models scored high in the photography and videography segment. Apple is poised to build on that, this time by introducing its biggest update to its camera on the 14 Pro models — a 48MP sensor that is more than 20 per cent bigger to support 8K video.
This is indeed a big deal, since iPhones have never gone beyond 12MP. Apple apparently does not believe in the strength-in-numbers philosophy — and they let the results speak for themselves.
An improved camera and video system will help Apple to entice more creators. After all, the company had already pitched the iPhone 13 as a Hollywood-grade movie maker.
Lower iPhone prices?
Logic — and history — dictates that each iPhone cycle comes with a higher price tag. It has been reported that the new devices are to be priced $100 higher than the iPhone 13 models.
However, this may not be the case this time around, as there is a possibility that the iPhone 14's pricing could be lower.
It all started when a leak posted online last week suggested the iPhone 14 could go in “a completely different direction than expected” and be priced lower. The person behind the leak, yeux1122, is little known, but Forbes pointed out that he or she has a track record of mostly being right.
Then, more fuel was added to the fire when market research firm TrendForce lowered its iPhone price range by $50. It said Apple might take a "more cautious approach" in pricing, under pressure from soaring inflation and exchange rates, to drive and protect sales, with the bonus of making the smartphones more pocket-friendly.
Apple might also double the iPhones' base storage to 256GB, meaning users get more while paying less, TrendForce said.
All will be revealed tomorrow — and we sure hope this last report turns out to be true.
