Sept 9th Apple Event | The Preview

Another Apple event is upon us. This year's September gathering of Apple execs and media reporters is rumoured to be one of their biggest in years, filled with various announcements and product launches from all areas of the Apple eco system. The most dependable reports are suggesting the launch of the next iPhone (likely called the iPhone 6s & 6s Plus), but also a very long overdue update to the Apple TV, the long rumoured iPad Pro and a hint at what's to come for the Apple Watch in Watch OS2. Where to begin?!

iPhone 6s & 6s Plus

The "S" generation of iPhone that Apple has launched over the past couple of years has largely been about under the hood spec updates rather than a complete design overhaul. We can therefore expect a new model that looks almost exactly the same as the iPhone 6 - but better. 

There's various rumours regarding Apple's flagship device, most notably the arrival of Force Touch for iPhone. If you're lucky enough to own the Apple Watch then you'll already be able to appreciate this astonishing piece of tech. It's basically a touchscreen that can detect the difference between a simple tap and a deep press. Useless I hear you say, but hang on. It's designed to save you time in all kinds of situations around the device. Actions like adding songs to a playlist or getting directions home could be a lot easier to perform. Just wait till developers get their hands on this stuff - exciting third-party app updates coming soon no doubt!

Other rumoured updates for the iPhone 6s includes a brand new 12 megapixel camera capable of filming 4K video. This would be a fantastic boost as I've found the camera has always been something that's lagged behind the competition over the past few years. An improved front facing camera will also provide less pixelated FaceTime calls - nice!

Apple TV

This is a biggy. It feels like years since there's been much of an upgrade to the Apple TV. It's also an area in which Apple has been seriously lagging in terms of content recently. With the success of video streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, it's understandable why Apple would want to up it's game in this product category.

Get ready for a fresh new design, more on-board storage options, and most importantly a refreshed UI with touch-sensitive remote control. Rumours suggest an iPod Touch-like experience here. With HomeKit products starting to arrive on the scene, it's likely that Apple wants your TV experience to be the basis for all the goings on in your home. Apple TV is a product that's never really interested me. Why would I need a device used primarily for streaming content I already own on iTunes? I've got my Macbook for that. Movie streaming subscription? Gaming? Who knows but it's sure to be a massive focus of the event. 

Watch OS2

If you splashed out like I did and bought yourself a shiny new Apple Watch then you know you it's been a slightly rocky road so far. There's no doubt it's a beautiful device but the user experience doesn't quite seem as instantly familiar as Apple's other products. There's so many restrictions and confusion around what you can and can't do without your trusty iPhone nearby and an OS that seems to be struggling under the weight of all that data syncing over bluetooth. Well that leads nicely on to Watch OS2.

We've already seen a preview of OS2 at a WWDC back in June, but now we'll finally be able to get a hold of the update in person. The release date will likely coincide with the launch of the refreshed iPhone - probably Friday Sept 18th. There's some nice new time-lapse watch faces, which will look great especially the one of London! There's also a cool new nightstand mode in which the Watch is placed on it's side and the time lights up all night while you charge the device - super useful.

Numerous apps will now run natively on the watch, meaning they won't need to be tethered to your iPhone's bluetooth connection to function. This should reduce lag and also improve battery life dramatically. No more watching the rotating wheel when all you want to know is tomorrows weather or the location of your next meeting.

I'll be back at 9pm on Wednesday evening to find out whether the above rumours are true and whether we've got a great new line up of Apple tech on the way. What are you most looking forward to seeing? For me it's got to be the huge Apple TV update!