Apple’s next iPhone event is right around the corner. While the company has yet to confirm the date and time for its major fall product launch, rumors say the date is Tuesday, September 9.
As with most big Apple launches, we expect the event to take place at the company’s Cupertino campus, where the iPhone 17 series will be revealed. This year could shake up the iPhone lineup with the Plus model replaced by the super-thin iPhone 17 Air.
The phones won’t be alone, though. In addition to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, we expect to see the debut of the Apple Watch Series 11 and possibly the Apple Watch Ultra 3. There are a couple of long-shot products that are supposed to debut this Fall that could show up in September, including an updated Apple TV 4K and the long-awaited smart home hub HomePod 3.
When is the September 2025 Apple event?
The event has not yet been officially confirmed. Rumors say it will take place on September 9, 2025.
Apple typically sends invitations about two weeks before the official date. With that in mind, we expect to see official invites around August 25.
Last year’s event started at 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST, and we imagine this year’s event will take place at a similar time.
Apple shares event livestreams on its YouTube channel, Apple.com, and on Apple TV. Apple Vision Pro users should also be able to watch on their headset.
iPhone 17
As always in the September event is headlined by the iPhone. We’re expecting the iPhone 17 series, which should include four total devices: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Normally, we’d share pricing rumors here, but those have been hard to pin down, especially with President Trump’s instituted tariffs and threatened ones against companies like Apple. The company recently announced a $100 billion investment in US manufacturing, likely to prevent some tariffs from hitting its coffers even more.
Last year, Apple didn’t raise the prices on the iPhone 16 models, which started at $799. However, the iPhone 16e, released in the spring, did see a $179 bump from its iPhone SE predecessor.
Unfortunately, some analysts suggest that a major price hike is coming this year.
Beyond that, the vanilla iPhone 17 may feature a larger 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display, which would put it on par with the Pro models. Every new iPhone should feature the A19 chipset, which could be built with a 3nm process, meaning greater transistor density for better performance and efficiency. There are rumors that the standard model will feature an A18 chipset.
iPhone 17 Air
The big departure this year will be the Plus model, which could be replaced by the much-rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. The Air would be a premium handset that could be as thin as 5.65mm (slightly thinner than the also super-slim 5.8mm Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge).
It could feature a 6.6-inch screen, a tad smaller than the 6.7-inch display on the iPhone 16 Plus. The skinny device could also be limited to a 2,800mAh battery, but new silicon-carbon technology could make it denser. As a more premium model, the price might exceed the $899 starting price of the Plus and sit closer to the $1,199 of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
Speaking of the Pro Max, the big design change we expect to see is a new rectangular camera array that spans the backside of the phone and is more reminiscent of the Google Pixel 9 Pro design. That new array should feature an upgraded 48MP telephone lens with a 3.5x optical zoom, replacing the current 12MP, 5x lens. Additionally, there may be an upgraded 24MP front-facing camera.
Apple is rumored to be working on a vapor cooling chamber that would replace the standard heatsinks currently available. That new cooling feature is rumored to only come to the Pro models.
With updates to Qi2 wireless charging, it’s likely the iPhone 17 lineup could see charging speeds up to 35W.
The big update for all four handsets will be the fully released iOS 26 software, which we’ve been previewing in the ongoing beta program. Apple Intelligence isn’t the main focus this year, but there is a suite of AI tools coming with iOS 26. And then there’s the somewhat controversial Liquid Glass aesthetics.
Apple Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3
The other product we’re fairly certain will debut is the Apple Watch Series 11. There should be a number of chip updates for the Watch 11. MacRumors reports that an updated S11 chip with a compact design should arrive alongside a new MediaTek modem chip, which would bring 5G connectivity to the Apple Watch, a boost over current LTE options.
The big upgrade would be a version of blood pressure monitoring. This monitor would only measure blood pressure and provide an alert if hypertension is detected. There are rumors that Blood Oxygen monitoring is coming, though Apple is still fighting its lawsuit with Masimo, so that may not happen.
watchOS 26 is set to release in September with new features that include wrist flick gestures, smarter notifications, the Notes App, and an AI-powered “Workout Buddy” that acts as a coach for your exercise.
The watch could cost $399, the same as the current Apple Watch Series 10, but again, tariffs could affect it.
Multiple reports have suggested that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will finally launch this year as a long-awaited follow-up to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Beyond new wellness features and a new chip, we don’t know what other upgrades or design changes it will offer. Some rumors have hinted at a wide-angle OLED display that is slightly larger. It also might get satellite connectivity, which would enable emergency text messages. A similar feature debuted in iOS 18 for iPhones.
Lastly, we expect the entry-level Apple Watch SE 3 to arrive this year, so that could make an appearance.
AirPods Pro 3
Accessories usually arrive during Apple’s fall event, and we expect this year to be no different. Last year saw the release of the Apple AirPods 4. The AirPods Pro 3 didn’t arrive, but are rumored to come out this year.
The headphones are due for a refresh with the AirPods Pro 2 being introduced in 2022, only seeing a USB-C update in 2023. They should cost a similar $250 as the most expensive in-ear headphones that Apple produces.
Rumors suggest that Apple may put a touchscreen on the charging case and a heart monitor in the buds themselves, and there may be additional sensors for more health tracking. Lastly, the controls on the in-ears could change to more conventional swipes and taps rather than capacitive squeezes.
Longshots: Apple TV 4K & HomePod 3
Both an updated Apple TV 4K streaming device and an overhauled HomePod 3 speaker or smart home hub could be revealed during the event. Both reportedly could launch sometime in the latter half of 2025, though it’s just as likely that they won’t arrive until October or November.
The HomePod 3 is supposed to kickstart a big push into smart home integration, which would integrate with the new Apple TV box. Some wilder ideas include Apple introducing a built-in camera to the box, which was teased by tvOS 17, and adding a FaceTime app.
The HomePod 3 was reportedly delayed as Apple struggled to get Apple Intelligence and an improved Siri together because it would utilize Siri and AI to control other smart devices. It also may feature an iPad-like display, making it more reminiscent of the Amazon Echo Show 15.
Apple could hold a second event in the fall for both devices and its new Mac releases.
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