Next week, the iPhone 16 will shine on stage. What are the highlights of this Apple event?

According to Zhitong Finance APP, the most important event of Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) this year will be held next Monday, when the company will launch the latest iPhone and lay the foundation for a new artificial intelligence platform.

The event will kick off at 10 a.m. local time on September 9th (1 a.m. on September 10th Beijing time) at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. Apple usually does not hold events on Mondays, but this early event will allow them to take the lead before a series of events on Tuesday: a U.S. presidential debate and an announcement by the European Commission on whether Apple must pay $14 billion in taxes stemming from a long-standing agreement with Ireland.

The key product of this event will be the iPhone 16 series, but Apple is also preparing significant updates for the Apple Watch and AirPods. Apple Intelligence, a new set of artificial intelligence tools including an upgraded Siri digital assistant, will also be a focus. The theme of this event is "It's Glowtime," referring to the new interface of Siri.

Apple is betting high on this event, hoping to prove to consumers and Wall Street that it is now a major player in the generative artificial intelligence field. However, the company's AI technology is still in development, facing multiple delays, and many key features will not be rolled out until next year. Currently, the focus of this technology is on aggregating information and notifications, and it has not reached the dazzling interactive level matching its competitors' systems.

Nevertheless, Monday's updates will inject new vitality into Apple's core product lineup, which accounts for about 60% of the company's annual revenue. They also drive consumer spending on services, which is an increasingly important source of sales. The company has just begun to emerge from its longest sales slump in decades, and the market expects Apple's financial situation to be boosted.

Here is a preview of everything expected to be announced at Monday's event:

iPhone

Like in the past few years, Apple will introduce four new iPhone models: iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.

Similar to 2023, the changes for the non-Pro version iPhones will be minimal. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will be the same as last year's versions, including 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screen sizes and aluminum casing. They will come with faster processors, with a total memory of 8GB (up from 6GB). This memory will help support Apple Intelligence and other features.

These lower-end phones will have the same gesture buttons as the Pro models, along with vertically stacked rear cameras that support spatial video recording, allowing users to watch 3D clips with Apple's Vision Pro headphones.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will retain the design of the iPhone 15 Pro series, with one notable change: the display screen. The screen size of the smaller model will increase from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, and the Max version will increase from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches Although the changes in these two phones are less than 5%, this change will result in approximately one-third thinner bezels, which is expected to make the overall look more streamlined.

Similar to the iPhone 15 Pro series, the iPhone 16 Pro will also support Apple Smart and come with 8GB of memory. They will also receive faster chips, equipped with enhanced neural engines, which Apple claims are optimized for artificial intelligence.

The two models of the iPhone 16 Pro will also see upgrades to the cameras, including the ultra-wide-angle camera lens increasing from 12 million pixels to 48 million pixels, which will be comparable to the million pixels of the standard wide-angle camera in last year's model. The smaller iPhone 16 Pro will also increase the optical zoom of the telephoto lens from 3x to 5x to match the Max version.

The most significant camera improvement in these two phones is the dedicated touch button on the right side of the phone for taking photos and videos. This button will be the biggest selling point of the new iPhone apart from artificial intelligence, similar to the shutter button on a digital SLR camera, where users can lightly press it to focus on the subject and press firmly to take a photo. It will also be capacitive, allowing users to swipe on the screen, switch between still and video modes, and zoom in and out.

While the appearance of these phones is mostly the same as last year, Apple is adjusting its color options. The Pro models will now use gold titanium instead of blue titanium, while black, white, and natural titanium will still be available. The non-Pro version will switch from yellow to white, and new green, pink, and blue hues will be added.

AirPods

Apple is preparing two new AirPods to replace the second-generation entry-level earbuds and the third-generation mid-range earbuds. The appearance of these two new versions will be similar to the AirPods Pro, including a new case, USB-C charging, and improved audio quality.

Apple will differentiate between these two models, equipping the new mid-range version with a high-end case with a speaker—making it easier to find through Apple's "Find My" feature—and noise-canceling features matching the AirPods Pro.

A few weeks ago, Apple discovered a bug in the upcoming AirPods that caused the headphones to quickly drain the battery. This issue was identified as software-related and was resolved before shipping from the factory.

A major new feature is a greater emphasis on hearing health. Apple has been working to turn AirPods into alternatives to hearing aids and devices for hearing tests. The company is preparing to announce an enhanced feature codenamed Yodel, but this feature has encountered some delays and may be released later.

The new version of AirPods Pro is still in development, including upgraded design and improved noise-canceling features. It is expected to be launched as early as next year. Additionally, Apple has been developing updated AirPods Max headphones, which will come with new colors and switch from the lightning port to USB-C to comply with the latest EU regulations. However, there is still a large inventory of AirPods Max, so the update may be released later

Apple Watch

Over the past two years, the company is preparing to update all models of the Apple Watch simultaneously for the first time. Apple will introduce a new entry-level Apple Watch SE, mid-range Series 10, and Ultra 3. The Apple Watch Ultra will only have minor adjustments, focusing on internal upgrades rather than external changes.

The biggest upgrade in the Apple Watch series will be the Series 10, which is a commemoration of the product's tenth anniversary since its launch in 2014. The flagship model of the Apple Watch will receive an updated design for the first time since the 7 series. The overall design will be similar to the Apple Watch Series 9, but the company will now offer a slightly larger screen option, and the case itself will be noticeably thinner.

While new artificial intelligence features will be introduced for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, it is not expected that the Apple Watch series will have Apple's main smart features. However, any artificial intelligence technology may be closely linked to future health coaching services.

Earlier this year, due to a patent lawsuit with Masimo Corp., Apple was forced to remove the blood oxygen sensing function from the new watch. There is currently no evidence to suggest that the latest watch will restore this function in a timely manner, which may affect whether users want to upgrade their existing watches to a version without this function.

In addition, an important new health feature, sleep apnea detection, is coming soon and will be built on the existing sleep tracking foundation. This feature will attempt to determine if the wearer has sleep apnea and then recommend further testing with medical professionals. Although Apple has been preparing to announce it, this enhanced feature may not be launched on the first day the new models are released.

On the other hand, while Apple plans to introduce a high blood pressure detection feature on the Apple Watch this year, there are indications that this feature will be delayed and not released immediately.

Other Products

Starting with the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac, Apple is working to transition its entire Mac product line to the M4 chip. However, any upgrades to the Mac lineup may be launched in subsequent events no earlier than October, rather than at the September event.

Although Apple was initially expected to release an upgraded version of the Apple TV set-top box this year, there are currently no new models available, and the stable inventory of the device indicates that a new version will not be released soon.

A new iPhone SE with an OLED display, borderless screen, and no home button is undergoing advanced testing, but it is planned to be released next year. A new AirTag is also in development, but Apple does not intend to release it before next year.

New iPads are also in production, including an upgraded mini version, which will join the M4 Mac in the October event