Like clockwork, another Apple Event is here and those eagerly anticipating brand-new iPhones and AirPods don't have long to wait. According to Apple, it's "Glowtime", with the iPhone 16 launch set for later today. AirPods are also expected to get some attention, with new entry and mid-level models and, according to some last-minute rumours, maybe even an update to the high-end AirPods Max over-ear cans.
We're counting down the hours now, and if you're catching up on all of the current rumours and leaks for products that we expect to see announced, including the AirPods 4, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, AirPods Max 2 and AirPods Lite. Of course, Apple could well surprise us, so you can find out more about what we expect and hope to see at today's event, as well as how and where to watch it.
Apple Event 2024: where and when to watch
Apple kindly livestreams its yearly presentations, and it often does so in a fairly sleek fashion – expect plenty of sweeping shots of the Apple Park in Cupertino, as well as some questionable transitions and attempts at humour. You can find the livestream on YouTube (as seen above) or on Apple's event page. Apple usually streams its events on the Apple TV app as well, which you can access with an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV 4K.
It's expected to kick off at 6PM here in the UK, 10AM PT / 1PM ET for those in the United States, or 3AM ACT for those tuning in from Australia. Apple usually posts the recorded versions of its livestreams on its official YouTube channel too, meaning you can still watch the full event even if you're not able to tune in live.
What to expect: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and AirPods
As is the case with these annual events, we're anticipating new iPhones to be unveiled on the 9th of September. Apple's strategy has been fairly consistent for the last few years here, with a four-strong lineup of devices consisting of two standard models and two Pro models.
We expect these new models to be the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, although that is subject to change. Apple has amended the iPhone lineup in recent years – swapping the compact iPhone 13 Mini for a larger iPhone 14 Plus and subsequently the iPhone 15 Plus – however, it seems to have settled on the current lineup according to various leaks and rumours that have already circulated.
We don't anticipate Apple straying too far from its formula, and the iPhone 16 series isn't slated to be a radical departure from the 15 series it is replacing. Expect 60Hz displays, aluminium frames and dual cameras on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, and 120Hz ProMotion screens, titanium frames and a triple camera arrangement on the Pro and Pro Max.
As always, Apple hints at what's to come with the artwork for these events, and this time it looks like AI – and no, this isn't artificial intelligence. In true Apple fashion, it has created "Apple Intelligence" which it says places a greater emphasis on privacy and security, while adding a plethora of useful-looking features to the iPhone. Apple already demonstrated the new features at WWDC earlier this year, but we can expect to see advanced photo editing, custom picture and emoji tools, smart writing suggestions and editing, and a more powerful Siri assistant on the iPhone 16 models.
Furthermore, Apple's current AirPods roster is overdue an update; an issue we expect to see rectified in the upcoming Apple Event. While we believe the AirPods Pro 2 will remain in place (they were only recently updated to feature a USB-C case and are less than two years old), the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 could be up for renewal. The second-generation AirPods are about to reach their fifth birthday, while the third-gen wireless earbuds are almost three years old.
We've heard mutterings of new AirPods models for some time now, with new entry-level and mid-tier buds reportedly releasing sometime this year. Rumours which circulated in March of this year suggest that Apple will bring noise cancelling and the Find-My speaker feature to the AirPods 4, while the AirPods 2 will be replaced by a cheaper AirPods Lite (or perhaps AirPods SE) model.
Contrary to the previous suggestion that fans of the over-ear AirPods Max will have to wait for an upgrade, a last-minute rumour suggests that we could see a second-generation version of these headphones. Reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggest that the new models could feature USB-C charging, better noise cancellation (which was already a highlight of the current-generation cans) and adaptive audio.
Bonus: what we'd like to see
While this event will likely be dedicated to the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, we would also be very receptive to seeing our favourite Apple gadget get an upgrade. We deemed the Apple TV 4K (2022) to be "comfortably the best streamer", but now that it's over two years old, we think now would be the perfect time to update it.
We're not willing to bet the house on a new Apple streamer being unveiled on the 9th of September, but we can always dream. Bringing Apple Intelligence to the media streamer (akin to how Gemini has been implemented into the Google TV Streamer) and upgrading the already excellent picture and sound quality would be a surefire way to win us over, so our fingers are crossed.
MORE:
Everything you need to know about the iPhone 16 before the Apple Event
And the iPhone 16 Pro: price and release date rumours
As well as our picks for the best iPhones