We've suspected for a pretty long time that Apple had a whole slew of exciting new products planned for official announcements and commercial releases this fall, but while a flurry of recent rumors essentially confirmed our suspicions, it's still not entirely clear when each device is set to come out.
For his part, Bloomberg scribe and noted Cupertino rumormonger Mark Gurman attempts to lay out a possible schedule today, predicting the two product categories that may need to wait until next month for a refresh while detailing (yet again) what to expect from tomorrow's launch event and leaving one interesting upgrade up in the air.
The iPad 9 and iPad mini 6 might not be as close as you had hoped
After unveiling the most powerful iPad Pro duo in the history of... tablets back in April, Apple was repeatedly tipped to be preparing at least two other iPad upgrades for this year.
One is a ninth-generation entry-level slate with a faster processor and thinner body than 2020's non-Pro, non-Air, and non-mini 10.2-incher, while the other could mark the "biggest redesign" in the nearly one decade history of the iPad mini family.
Leaked iPad mini 6 renders
Unfortunately for folks in a rush to pick up probably one of the best new tablets available this holiday season, Gurman expects both these revamped iPads to break cover alongside a new generation of 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros with high-end M1 chips sometime later in the year rather than tomorrow.
Although we're fairly sure this second fall event will take place in October, it's sadly impossible to say right now exactly how long you'll have to wait for the 8.3-inch or so iPad mini 6 with slim bezels, Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology, and USB Type-C connectivity and a 10.2-inch iPad 9 that might pack an Apple A13 or A14 Bionic processor.
There are no words on a fifth-gen iPad Air at the time of this writing, mind you, which most likely means a 2021 release is not really in the cards for that particular model. Last but not least, it's obviously far too early for yet another iPad Pro generation, which may not see daylight next year either.
So, what is coming on September 14 after all?
In theory, nothing is certain until it's... certain, but in reality, there's absolutely no scenario we can imagine in which Apple will not unveil a 5G-enabled iPhone 13 quartet tomorrow. Said quartet is essentially guaranteed to include a diminutive 5.4-inch model in addition to two different 6.1-inchers and a jumbo-sized 6.7-incher, all of which should sport a considerably smaller notch than their 12-series predecessors.
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Powered by a slightly speedier A15 chip, the iPhone 13 lineup is widely expected to come with already controversial satellite functionality in tow, as well as a bunch of possibly game-changing camera software features.
On the camera hardware front, there are apparently no major leaps or revisions in the pipeline, with the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max likely to get with the times and catch up with most of today's best phones as far as their 120Hz display refresh rate support is concerned.
Apple Watch Series 7 concept renders
The other big product guaranteed to go official starting at 10 am Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 14 is a radically redesigned Apple Watch Series 7 with a faster than ever processor on deck, larger and sharper screens, and alas, no significant new health monitoring tools.
That leaves us wondering exactly where the third-gen non-Pro AirPods (with active noise cancellation) might fit in Apple's fall release plans.
On one hand, Gurman lists the company's next candidate for the title of best wireless earbuds money can buy separate from the iPhone 13 roster and Apple Watch Series 7 in the latest edition of Bloomberg's Power On newsletter. On the other hand, the tech journalist doesn't mention the AirPods 3 as a possible protagonist for next month's "Mac + iPad" event on Twitter.
Could that mean the Galaxy Buds 2 killers will come out between the two fall events with (way) less fanfare? We'll just have to wait and see.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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