There’s a little more than 12 hours to go for Apple’s iPhone 14 launch event. While it may be an iPhone event, rumour has it that the company is looking to showcase a few more pieces of hardware.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Apple has been using pre-recorded keynote videos for its product launch events. This year’s Apple event is the first one that is going to be an in-person affair since 2019. It’s set to be a limited persons arrangement at the Steve Jobs Theatre at the Apple Park in Cupertino, California. The show will be streamed online, just like Apple’s earlier event this year, the Worldwide Developer’s Conference.

Here’s what we know about the upcoming ‘Far Out’ event.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max get upgrades

We all know that ‘Far Out’ will feature the release of the iPhone 14, Apple’s brand new flagship phone. But, its unlikely that it will be the headlining act of the show.

Since Apple introduced the “Pro” suffix to its products, the general understanding has been that they’re a powered up version of the base model. Increasingly over the years, Apple has been including more and more exclusive features in its Pro and Pro Max models. This year is no different.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to come with a few upgrades, depending on who you ask. First, the display will be fully customisable and always on, meaning that your screen could display information even when it is locked. It’s a feature that’s been a part of Android phones for years now but a new introduction by Apple. While the always-on lock screen is being predicted to show limited information, there have been rumours that Apple might seek to use that space for advertising.

Secondly, a massive 48-megapixel rear camera according to a reputable Apple analyst by the name of Ming-Chi Kuo. The new camera with its larger sensor will reportedly be able to record videos at 8k resolution. A considerable step-up from the iPhone 13’s 12-megapixel camera and 4k video recording resolution. 

Finally, the dreaded ‘notch’ might finally be gone for good. Since the release of the iPhone X introduced both the ‘notch’ and Face ID, Apple seems ready to move in a different direction, opting for a long pill-shaped cutout instead. A report from MacRumours suggests that the while the camera and speaker will have two different cutouts while the screen is off, when it is turned on, it will form one long pill shape. Additionally, the space between the cutouts will be to show the privacy indicators, an Apple insider told 9to5Mac. 

News on the Apple Watch

Apple’s first new piece of hardware first release since the debut of the iPhone was the Apple Watch in 2015. Seven years later, Apple is set to release three new models of the smartwatch, the Watch Series 8, a refreshed SE, and a new “Pro” model which is apparently for athletes involved in extreme sports.

The new Apple Watch isn’t likely to bring much to the table in terms of performance, according to tech reporter Mark Gurman. While the new hardware still isn’t going to be able to tell what you how much your blood pressure is, it might come with a temperature sensor that will be able to tell when a user has a fever, according to a report from The Verge. 

The SE on the other hand, will get a chip upgrade but that’s not likely to improve processing power by much. It’s said that it will remain the same size. 

Finally, the rumoured Pro model is allegedly going to be 2-inches larger, according to Gurman, it will also be “more shatter-resistant.” Internally, Apple has reportedly been talking about making its watches satellite connected, although the feature is unlikely to debut at the event. Even without the feature, the watch is not going to be cheap, retailing at somewhere between $900 and $999, according to Gurman.

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New Airpod Pro generation

Since their release in 2019, the Airpods Pro haven’t received any updates. But according to Kuo, the new ones might resemble the Beats Fit Pro. There is a chance that the new version will be more suitable for fitness tracking thanks to upgraded motion sensors, according to a Bloomberg report. 

In addition, Kuo said that the company is working to support lossless audio to ensure better sound quality. While the company has said it will be adding better Bluetooth support, it remains to be seen how effective the move will be. Apple is unlikely to be able to maintain high quality sound given the bottleneck of Bluetooth technology at the moment. 

Lastly, the charging case may be getting an upgrade with a couple of minor, but important features. It might arrive with a mini-speaker within the case system for if it gets lost. Users will be able to locate it via the Find My app. Earlier, only the AirPods themselves had this feature enabled.

Additionally, the case might come with a Type C charging port, which if true, would signal a complete shift in Apple’s design philosophy as the company has strived to maintain an individual identity for so long. But the changes might be because of  increasing regulation pressure from foreign markets like the European Union.