Apple event live blog: Lastest updates on iPhone 13, Apple Watch 7, AirPods 3 and more

Hello there, musical intro. We’re being treated with a music video all about California, and we’re being shown some brilliant shots of iconic landmarks. Let us guess, is this all shot on the new iPhone 13?

Now, hello there Apple CEO Tim Cook.

It’s about to all kick off! Here’s a last-minute poll for all the exciting features we may hear about. Cast your votes!

And the 10-minute countdown begins. The Apple event is expected to last around 60 to 90 minutes, but the company could throw in a surprise announcement. Apple’s WWDC 2021 event lasted around two hours, so get the popcorn out.

Oh, and don’t worry about that refresh button, this live blog will do it all for you. 

The Apple event is inching closer, which means we may finally see the iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, AirPods 3, and (hopefully) everything else we’ve seen in reported leaks over the past few weeks.

Hold up, what about those MacBook models or the next AirPods Pro? We know Apple is working on many other devices that could appear at this event, but these all fall into the doubtful category. 

The 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon processors, whether M2 or M1X, are both due before the end of the year but should get their own event in October or November as usual.

The AirPods Pro 2 are only slightly less overdue than the AirPods 3, but recent rumors have pointed to a 2022 release date for Apple’s more premium true wireless earbuds.

Whatever the case, under 20 minutes to go…

The results are in.

Turns out 50% of people are most interested in the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max announcement. And for good reason, too. The Pro models, in particular, should be much more compelling this year. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are expected to feature 120Hz adaptive refresh rate displays, similar to what Samsung has offered for the last couple of years on its flagships. 

Only 45 minutes until we find out for sure. 

If you’re still looking for a place to watch the September Apple event, look no further. 

For those keen on a new iPad being revealed, we may see the standard iPad getting an upgrade. The iPad 9th generation may make the jump from an A12 Bionic to an A14 Bionic, while we may also be getting an updated 10.5-inch display up from 10.2-inches. 

iPad Air 5 and iPad Mini 6 are both rumored to be making an appearance soon, but it’s unclear exactly when. The iPad Mini 6 is perhaps the most likely of the devices on this secondary list to make an appearance, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicating it was coming this fall. With that said, Apple could just as easily hold another event in October or release the oft-neglected iPad mini with a press release. The most recent rumors on the iPad Air 5 suggest it won’t be coming until 2022.

Check out everything else we expect from Apple’s big event.

Rumour has it Apple is working on its own Apple AR glasses, as the September event page uses the company’s AR logo for the upcoming event.

If you go to the Apple event page on your iPhone, you can touch the logo and open the AR version of the event page. When Apple held its WWDC 2021 event, it used avatars to hint at what was to come in iOS 15 and iPadOS. So, could Apple be hinting at a huge AR launch? Apple does have a knack for revealing the unexpected, but only time will tell.

Over an hour to go…

We’ll have some expert views and reactions for all things iPhone 13 and beyond in our special livestream. We’ll talk you through all the biggest product launches during the event. Check it out!

Wait a second, is the Apple event taking place in a California desert? If Apple CEO Tim Cook’s latest tweet is anything to go by, prepare for an interesting livestream.

Try out the #AppleEvent hashflag over on Twitter and you’ll find it shows off a neat Apple animation when you Like a tweet. We gave it a go below. 

Fancy nabbing a pink iPhone 13 mini? Earlier this week, a bunch of iPhone 13 color options may have leaked, with rumors suggesting a Rose Pink color to replace the green option on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.

As for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, we may see Black and Bronze finishes that would replace the Graphite and Pacific Blue. Although, still expect to see  Silver and Gold sticking around.

Regardless, we’re only a few hours away from knowing if the iPhone will look pretty in pink. 

Interestingly, only 10% of iPhone users plan to upgrade to the upcoming iPhone 13 when it launches, while a further 26% aren’t sure if they’re willing to make the switch.

This comes from a recent study conducted by Savings.com, which also claims that iPhone customers are most looking forward to the iPhone 13’s rumored satellite communication feature, upgraded cameras and extended battery life. Of the 1,531 US iPhone users surveyed, 27% stated the new satellite connectivity is the most appealing feature, while 22% want new camera and video features the most.

You can check out all the survey’s other findings here before the Apple event kicks off. 

If you head to the Apple Store, you’ll find that it’s currently undergoing maintenance of sorts ahead of the Apple event. It’s a clear indication we’re about to see some new Apple products populate the page once it returns.

Apple often does this before a big launch to make sure no products leak before they are unveiled. Expect the company’s official store to go back to normal once the event is over. Oh, and expect the iPhone 13 to appear, too. 

While we wait for the Apple event to get started, iPhone users should update to the latest iOS 14.8, as it contains significant patches that address two critical security flaws: a CoreGraphics bug and a WebKit vulnerability.

According to Apple’s iOS 14.8 release notes, the bug allowed hackers to use maliciously crafted PDFs to execute code that could wreak havoc on one’s device. The software update should be available to all iPhone users. Better get updating.  

We still have a while to go until the Apple September 2021 event kicks off, but there’s already plenty of buzz around everything that will be announced. Speaking of, head on over to @laptopmag and let us know what you’re most excited for.