We expect that Apple will take the wraps off the new iPhone 16 range and new Apple Watches at an event on September 9, 2024. Apple has held a September event almost every year since the early 2000s, and every iPhone since 2012 has been launched in September (other than the iPhone 12-series in October 2020).
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Apple’s iPhone launch event for 2024, including when the Apple EVent will start where you are, and the new products Apple will launch. You will be able to watch the event below once it starts. We will also run a live blog here: Apple’s Glowtime event live blog: News, rumors, how to watch, and what’s coming.
When is Apple’s iPhone event?
- The 2024 iPhone event will take place on Monday 9 September 2024.
It’s unusual for Apple to hold an iPhone event on a Monday. Here are the dates for past few Apple September event dates:
- 2023: Tuesday, September 12
- 2022: Wednesday, September 7
- 2021: Tuesday, September 14
- 2020: Tuesday, September 15
- 2019: Tuesday, September 10
- 2018: Wednesday, September 12
- 2017: Tuesday, September 12
What time will the iPhone event start?
Apple Events usually start at 10 a.m. in California and this is true for the 2024 iPhone event. Here’s what that translates to in other countries and other locations:
- U.S.: 10 a.m. (PDT), 11 a.m. (MDT), 12 p.m. (CDT), 1 p.m. (EDT)
- U.K.: 6 p.m. (BST)
- Europe: 7 p.m. (CEST) 8 p.m. (EEST)
- Canada: 10 a.m. (PDT), 11 a.m. (MDT), 12 p.m. (CDT), 1 p.m. (EDT), 2 p.m. (ADT)
- India: 10.30 p.m. (IST)
- Hong Kong, Singapore and China: The following day at 1 a.m.
- Australia: The following day at 1 a.m. (AWST), 2.30 a.m. (ACST), 3 a.m. (AEST)
- New Zealand: The following day at 5 a.m. (NZST)
Apple’s September events are usually one to two hours long.
Where to watch the iPhone event
Apple will broadcast the event live on its website and on YouTube. You can even watch at the top of this article.
If you want to watch the iPhone event live we explain how to watch the Apple iPhone Event in a separate article. You can also follow along with our live blog here: Apple’s Glowtime event live blog.
Will the iPhone event be live?
Apple hasn’t held a truly live event since September 2019. Instead, it shows a prerecorded video at the time a live event would be and often holds a small hands-on area to showcase the new products. It is likely that this will once again be the case in 2024, with members of the press gathering at Apple Park to watch the same video Apple will show to the rest of the world.
What will Apple launch at the September event?
We expect the new iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max to be the stars of the event, closely followed by the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, but other new products are also likely on the way including the Apple Watch Series 10, new Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. We may also see a new iPad mini and the 11th gen iPad, and the long-rumored AirPods Lite may finally make an appearance with other updated AirPods. We may also see new Apple Earpods with USB-C replace the Lightning versions.
At the iPhone event, Apple is also likely to announce the date when it will release the new iOS 18 and watchOS 11 operating systems, most likely a few days after the event. We may also get a download date for iPadOS 18, which is usually released at the same time as iOS, but sometimes the iPadOS launches a little later alongside the new macOS (macOS Sequoia). Apple is also likely to reveal when the next updates to tvOS and HomePod software will be available.
Here’s everything we expect from Apple’s September event:
iPhone 16, Plus, Pro, and Max
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It looks like we’ll be getting four new iPhones this year, a similar lineup to 2023, with a standard iPhone 16 and a larger Plus model and a more advanced iPhone 16 Pro and larger Max. There are rumors that the Max could become the Ultra. The rumors suggest the Pro models are the ones getting the majority of the new features, as usual, although it may be the case that the Max-sized model gets new features the Pro misses out on.
- iPhone 16: same 6.1-inch display, A17 processor, 8GB RAM, Action button
- iPhone 16 Plus: same 6.7-inch display, A17 processor, 8GB RAM, Action button,
- iPhone 16 Pro: larger 6.3-inch display, A18 processor, 8GB RAM, new 48Mp ultrawide lens, touch-sensitive “camera control” on the side, larger ‘stacked’ battery
- iPhone 16 Pro Max (or Ultra): larger 6.9-inch display, A18 processor, 8GB RAM, new 48Mp ultrawide lens, touch-sensitive “camera control” on the side, super telephoto camera, larger ‘stacked’ battery
Read the latest news about the iPhone 16 series.
Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE
There’s more than one Apple Watch in the pipeline, it seems. An Apple Watch 10, a new Apple Watch Ultra and a new Apple Watch SE are coming with a new chip, but not much else.
- Apple Watch 10: Larger screens and thinner bodies, new AI-ready processor.
- Apple Watch Ultra 3: New ‘black/dark’ color scheme, S10 SiP processor, new Digital Crown with touch-sensitive elements and light sensors.
- Apple Watch SE 3: S9 SiP processor, 41/45mm display sizes.
Read the latest news about the new Apple Watches for 2024.
iPad mini and 11th-gen iPad
Apple
This isn’t as certain as the iPhones and Watches, but we could see a new iPad mini and iPad launch at the September event. Both have been long neglected by Apple. We’d like to see a new iPad in small and large dimensions, rather than the confusion of the two models at this level. Here’s what’s expected:
- iPad mini (7th gen): A16 chip, increased storage (we hope).
- iPad (11th gen): A16 chip, increased storage (we hope).
Read the latest news about the iPad mini 7th gen and the iPad 11th-gen. If we don’t see them in September, they could make an appearance at an October Apple Event.
AirPods
We hope to see new AirPods at the September event.
- AirPods Max: The AirPods Max is long overdue an update.
- AirPods: The standard AirPods are expected to be updated, with two new models coming.
- AirPods Lite: One of these new models could be the AirPods Lite, said to be $99 earbuds from Apple.
- USB-C EarPods: We could just see a minor USB-C-related update.
Read the latest about the new AirPods.
Release dates
The following launch dates are likely following the iPhone 16 event on Monday, September 9:
- Monday, September 16: Downloads begin for iOS 18. If you do want to update your iPhone and you are looking for advice on how to install it read: How to update iOS on your iPhone.
- Friday, September 13: iPhone 16 and new Apple Watch preorders begin.
- Friday, September 22: iPhone 16 and new Apple Watch models are available for purchase.
What’s next?
Even with all these potential launches Apple won’t be done for the year. There are rumors that Apple will launch a number of M4 Macs at an October event. Find out when is the next Apple event.
See:
Author: Karen Haslam, Managing Editor, Macworld
Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.