UPDATE 9/7 3:10 p.m. ET: And that’s a wrap! The event closed out with Sia performing her new hit “The Greatest” and “Chandelier.”
UPDATE 9/7 2:54 p.m. ET: The iPhone 7 pricing will start at $649, and they doubled all the storage configurations to 32 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB. The iPhone 7 Plus will start at $769 with the same storage options. Orders can be placed beginning Friday, September 9, and the gadgets will be available the next Friday, September 16. The AirPods, priced at $159, will be available in late October.
UPDATE 9/7 2:50 p.m. ET: The iPhone 7 will have 10 major features!
1. Sleeker design: There’s a new jet-black finish as well as the classic black, gold, silver and rose-gold options.
2. A new home button: The home button is more reliable, responsive and customizable.
3. Water and dust resistant: You no longer have to worry about unexpected rain storms or falling into the pool with your phone!
4. A more advanced camera: The optical image stabilization helps get steady photos even for those of us with shaky hands. It’s also faster, wider and the flash provides 50 percent more light to improve image quality. The front camera has been improved too for even better selfies! The iPhone 7 Plus has two cameras — one wide-angle lens and one telephoto lens for zooming.
5. Retina HD display: The new display has a wider range of colors. Plus, the Instagram filters are updated with the new shades, meaning your Instagram feed is about to get a lot brighter!
6. Stereo speakers: There’s one speaker on each end, and they put out twice the volume of the iPhone 6 speakers.
7. EarPods: You will now be connecting your headphones via a Lightning cable. A pair will be included in the box with your purchase of iPhone 7. They’re also including an adapter so you can still use your regular, beloved headphones.
8. Wireless AirPods: If you’re totally ready to ditch the cords, there’s a wireless version of the Apple headphones. Sensors detect when they’re in your ear and only play once you’re ready to listen. They provide 5 hours of listening on a single charge, but they come with a wireless charging case that provides 24 hours of battery life. Beats will also be coming out with a compatible wireless line of headphones.
9. Apple Pay: It’s launching in new countries, including Japan, in late October.
10. Performance: Last but not least, a super powerful chip gives the iPhone 7 better graphics and the longest battery life ever! The iPhone 7’s battery will provide around 14 hours of Wi-Fi browsing on one charge. This chip will allow new apps to run on the iPhone, such as console-level video games.
UPDATE 9/7 2:03 p.m. ET: The new iPhone 7 will use iOS 10. You can lift your phone to wake it and manage your Apple compatible home devices, including thermostats, fans, shades, lights and air conditioners, from the home-devices control center. The Messages app also gets an upgrade with fun stickers that can be placed in texts and full-screen effects, such as confetti and fireworks that will appear in the background of conversations.
UPDATE 9/7 1:56 p.m. ET: Apple partnered with Nike for the Apple Watch Nike Plus, created specifically for runners! Available in four colors, it can sync up with your friends’ stats to get you motivated to stay active. As a watch owner you become a part of Nike + Run Club with personalized coaching and access to runs around the globe. It’s priced at $369 and available in late October.
UPDATE 9/7 1:55 p.m. ET: The Apple Watch Series 2 will be priced at $369. The original Apple Watch Series 1 with an upgraded processor will still be available at $269 starting September 16.
UPDATE 9/7 1:45 p.m. ET: Apple COO Jeff Williams revealed several new features on the Apple Watch Series 2. The latest version is waterproof, has built-in GPS and is faster and brighter than the older model. It will allow users to write custom replies with scribbles. It also added activity sharing, a safety feature to easily contact 911 and emergency contacts and tons of new apps that are compatible with the watch — including Pokémon Go!
UPDATE 9/7 1:21 p.m. ET: Mario is coming to Apple devices! Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto revealed a new game, Super Mario Run, just for iPhone devices. The pricing will be announced later, but the game will be released in time for the holidays.
UPDATE 9/7 1:08 p.m. ET: Apple announcement or Carpool Karaoke? James Corden gave Tim Cook a lift to the big event, and they sang along to the Apple CEO’s favorite band, One Republic, on the way. The duo also picked up Pharrell, and the whole group belted out “Sweet Home Alabama” before dropping off Cook at a backstage entrance.
UPDATE 9/7 1:00 p.m. ET: Apple’s Twitter account officially announced the iPhone 7 is now available for pre-order. It will be available on Friday, September 16.
It’s that time of year! Apple will be announcing its new gadgets at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on Wednesday, September 7, at 1 p.m. ET. Follow along with Us Weekly as we liveblog the event or watch the livestream here to see what all the fuss is about! (Apple users will need to use the Safari browser, and Windows users need to stream it with the Edge browser.)
Apple CEO Tim Cook and his team are expected to unveil a brand-new iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch 2. While the upgrades for the devices are kept top-secret, many of the iPhone 7 details have supposedly been leaked. Some rumored features include a waterproof design, a dual-lens camera, a redesigned home button and more color options.
In a controversial move, the tech giant may also be ditching the headphone jack. Instead, it may require an additional adapter, wireless Bluetooth headphones or new Apple-designed earbuds. This could allow for a slimmer design and better sound quality, but Apple has faced backlash for digressing from traditional headphones, including expensive ones such as Apple’s Beats, that millions of people already own.
As for the Apple Watch 2, it’s expected to be more fashion-forward than the original style. It’s also rumored to have a bigger battery, better GPS capabilities and possibly cellular connectivity so users can receive messages and notifications even when they’re not connected to Wi-Fi.
