Apple to launch new gadgets next week

Apple has sent out invitations to the media under the banner “Time Flies” to a virtual launch next week.

Apple has announced a launch of new devices next week.

Apple next week will unveil new gadgets at a virtual event hosted at the Steve Jobs Theatre at Cupertino. Apple has sent out invitations to the media under the banner “Time Flies” and has confirmed that the general public can watch the streamed event. The launch takes place at 3am AEST on September 16.

There is however conjecture on whether Apple will launch its long awaited, 5G capable, iPhone 12 handsets at this event. US publications report this morning that Apple intends only to unveil its sixth generation Apple Watch, which is signalled in the “Time Flies” slogan, and a new iPad.

They say that four iPhone 12 models will be launched in October.

Apple has not announced the slew of devices that it will launch, however Apple monitoring site 9to5Mac says we’ll see an iPad Air 4 with an edge-to-edge display and an Apple Watch Series 6 capable of detecting blood oxygen levels. This prediction is based on examining code used in the upcoming iOS14 operating system. It also predicts an improvement in ECG readings by the watch.

Apple’s iPhone 11 launch a year ago in pre-pandemic times. This year’s September launch is a streamed event only. Picture: AFP

Several wearable manufacturers are prioritising adding health measurements to their devices, which is unsurprising given the emphasis on health during the pandemic.

There is still some belief that Apple will at least preview the iPhone 12 range, which will finally add a long-awaited 5G capability rolled out by competing manufacturers more than a year ago.

Apple this year is expected to bring four iPhone 12 models to market with 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch screen options. The phones are expected to have new camera technology, and LIDAR scanning to increase the ability to accurately measure distances to objects.

There may be variations between them on the actual 5G spectrum covered. Some reports say the top-of-range iPhone 12 Pro Max will support super-fast mmWave 5G, and some phones might support sub- 6 GHz 5G.

The expected model names are iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Apple’s Phil Schiller speaks during the iPhone 11 launch in September 2019. Picture: AFP

Based on previous events in September, Apple is likely to announce the launch dates for the completed releases of operating system upgrades – iOS 4, iPadOS 14, MacOS 11 Big Sur, watchOS 7, and TVOS 14.

There are other things to watch out for. One is whether Apple will ditch its lightning connector on iPhones (if previewed) in favour of the virtually ubiquitous and superior USB-C connector being made available on all device types.

Another is whether it will release “AirTags”, that will make it easier to locate mislaid devices and items. The company Tile pioneered battery powered, Bluetooth enabled small square tags you can add to keyrings and stick on objects you want to track.

Tiles play a tune, either when your own phone is looking for them nearby, or another Tile user passes by them in the outside world.

There’s a belief that Apple AirTags will add ultra wideband communications to increase the likelihood of objects being found, and a likelihood that Apple will embed AirTags inside its devices and enable them to be powered by the device in low-energy mode.