Apple has set Sept. 12, 2017, as the date for an annual post-Labor Day showcase. Much of the anticipation is swirling around whether Apple will show off a dramatically different type of iPhone with a sleeker and even bigger screen to celebrate the device’s 10th anniversary. (Alan Diaz/AP)
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, Apple’s most successful product. So far this year, Apple has released numerous software updates to Macs, iPhones and iPads, new Apple Watch bands, a new iPad and a red special edition of the iPhone 7.
The tech company has already announced the release of a few major new developments in December 2017, including the new iMac Pro and the Homepod. The iMac Pro was called a “professional-grade iMac” by Apple at a press briefing in April.
“So many of our customers were moving to iMac that we saw a path to address many, many more of those that were finding themselves limited by Mac Pro through a next-generation iMac,” said Apple VP Craig Federighi.
The design of the computer was officially revealed in June. It will boast a much darker look than previous Mac designs, as well as an updated internal cooling system for more efficient internal processing.
“We reengineered the whole system and designed an entirely new thermal architecture to pack extraordinary performance into the elegant, quiet iMac enclosure our customers love,” said an Apple spokesperson. “iMac Pro is a huge step forward and there’s never been anything like it.”
The model will have a 27 inch 5k retina display, but not a touchscreen, which has become an ever-increasing norm in the tech community. The iMac Pro is also rumored to be using Intel’s Xeon Core processors, which will make it one of the most powerful computers on the market, as these processors are better suited for handling applications with complex data. There’s also speculation of security accessories, such as Touch ID.
According to Apple, the iMac Pro will offer “advanced graphics editing,” with such uses as virtual reality content creation and real-time 3D rendering. It will also come equipped with 10GB Ethernet (available on a Mac for the first time) which will offer faster networking, as well as four Thunderbolt 3.0 ports. The computer will allegedly ring up at a costly $4,999.
The Homepod is Apple’s foray into the smart-speaker market and will be competing directly with devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home. The Homepod, however, will allegedly have much better sound quality than competitors, which Apple has stated will “reinvent home music.” The product will be Siri-enabled and will be able to respond to commands to play music, set alarms, control smart devices and search the internet.
The cylindrical device will have controls for Siri and an LED matrix on its surface, which experts suggest could potentially display shapes and symbols, such as weather icons or the temperature. The Homepod will likely be used in conjunction with an iPhone or other device, as an application. It will also come equipped with spatial awareness technology, to customize the sound released from its built in speaker.
In a recent analytical survey, 14 percent of iPhone owner’s expressed that they were planning on buying the Homepod, which is almost double the interest done in a similar survey conducted before the release of the Apple Watch. However, only 500,000 models will be available at the launch. The Homepod, although not even seven inches in height, will cost a whopping $349 and can be purchased online or at Apple stores in December 2017.
Now, about that new iPhone. Apple has been very secretive about their designs for what will likely be called the iPhone 8. Tech experts predict this iPhone will come with major changes, considering that the iPhones 6 and 7 were very similar in design. The biggest expected change is the removal of the home button, a part of the iPhone’s design since 2007. In lieu of the home button, there will be a software bar that the user can drag to unlock and multitask. As far as the TouchID feature, it will likely be embedded within the display. A leaked video shows the new iPhone smaller than the iPhone 7, with a vertical camera, charger port still intact and rounded corners.
Other rumors surrounding the latest iPhone say it will have the technology for facial recognition, wireless charging, shock absorbers and the ability to float on water in a bid to prevent water damage and cracked screens (the phone will reportedly be going back to the glass back and front design). The 64GB version of the phone will allegedly be hitting the market at the astounding price of $999; models with more storage will be even more costly, making it the first iPhone in history to sell for over $1000.
Apple’s press release event is scheduled for Sept. 12, so if you are itching to open your wallet for some of their latest tech, you can expect these products to be available shortly after that.
Julia Mancini is the associate life editor for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at Julia.mancini@uconn.edu.