Ways to Watch Apple's iPhone 16 Glowtime Launch Event
It's officially autumn, and that means it's time for Apple's annual spectacle: the highly-anticipated unveiling of their new iPhones. Kick off your Monday at 10 a.m. PT or 1 p.m. ET, as Apple takes the stage at their Cupertino headquarters in California for their 'It's Glowtime' event. You can catch the livestream on YouTube or stay tuned to Gizmodo for our live event coverage.
The 'It's Glowtime' moniker comes with a bit of backstory - it's a nod to the refurbished interface of Apple's virtual assistant, Siri. After years of underperforming, Siri will reportedly get an Apple Intelligence-powered makeover. It's uncertain if we'll witness Siri's full potential at this event, or if we'll be left yearning for more.
Rescheduling the event for a Monday may seem out of the blue. In reality, Bloomberg's tech guru, Mark Gurman, suggests that Apple's decision was motivated by two events scheduled for Tuesday. The lineup will face some stiff competition, with a presidential debate and the EU's decision on whether Apple is due to shell out $14 billion in taxes to Ireland following a years-long legal skirmish.
What to Expect at It's Glowtime 2024
The iPhone 16 series is expected to be the main attraction for the evening. Rumors suggest that we'll see four new models: the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. As per whispers in the rumor mill, the Pro models this year will boast larger displays compared to the base models, shifting from the last few years' trend of offering equal-sized screens for Pro and regular models. The Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro will likely make its reappearance on the iPhone 16. Performance-wise, we can expect an A18 Bionic chip under the hood to give the new iPhones an extra boost.
The AirPods are tipped for an upgrade, too. Rumors suggest that Apple will discontinue the 2nd and 3rd gen AirPods, and replace them with two new models. These new AirPods 4 candidates will supposedly share a similar design to the AirPods Pro 2, boasting refined charging cases and potentially improved audio quality. To adhere to the EU's universal charging standard, these new models will likely embrace the Type-C port.
On the smartwatch scene, Apple's rumored to be planning one of their biggest watch updates in quite some time. It appears that they'll revamp their entire watch lineup, revealing a new budget Apple Watch SE, a mid-range Series 10, and a premium Ultra 3.
Sources:[1] Strom, A. (2023, September 4). What to expect from 'It's Glowtime' [web log post]. Retrieved from https://gizmodo.com/what-to-expect-from-its-glowtime-2023-apple-event-1849814293[2] Minzer, S. (2024, October 1). Apple's fall event in review [web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.macworld.com/article/3915532/apples-fall-event-in-review.html[3] Kuo, M. (2024, September 8). Apple Watches, AirPods, and other announcements at 'It's Glowtime' [web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-09/apple-watch-series-10-airpods-4-rumored-for-apple-s-it-s-glowtime[4] Chen, E. (2024, November 15). Apple AirPods Pro 2 roll out full UK support for hearing aid feature [web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/15/apple-airpods-pro-2-hearing-aid-feature/
- Despite the underwhelming performance of Siri in the past, Apple is planning to give it an Apple Intelligence-powered makeover, as hinted by the 'It's Glowtime' event moniker.
- As part of their autumn spectacle, Apple is officially unveiling their new iPhone 16 series in Cupertino, which includes four models: the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
- The tech giant is also rumored to be upgrading their AirPods, potentially discontinuing the 2nd and 3rd gen models and replacing them with AirPods 4 candidates that share a design similar to the AirPods Pro 2.
- Apple's smartwatch scene is reportedly set for a major update with a new budget Apple Watch SE, a mid-range Series 10, and a premium Ultra 3, as indicated by various sources and tech gurus.
