Apple Glowtime logo

Credit: Apple


“It’s Glowtime,” people. At least, that’s Apple’s tagline for its big event on Monday. While it reveals very little about the company’s upcoming announcements, it’s easy to read between the lines on this one: Apple is about to unveil the iPhone 16.

The iPhone 16 is nearly here

Apple is reportedly planning on releasing four new iPhones this year under the 16 line, which will resemble previous models in many ways. There will be a standard and large base model (iPhone 16 and 16 Plus) and a standard and large Pro model (iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max). However, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the Pros will have larger displays (a 0.2 inch increase on each) and a dedicated shutter button for taking photos.

All four iPhones will be designed for Apple Intelligence, Apple’s upcoming suite of generative AI features coming with iOS 18.1. As such, it seems that all four iPhones will get the A18 chip, Apple’s latest processor. In recent years, only the Pro models received the latest chips, while the new base models received the chips from the previous year’s Pros.

Apple Intelligence will likely play a big part of Apple’s event, considering the Apple logo’s design in the invite is reminiscent of Apple Intelligence’s UI, including the upgraded Siri assistant. Whether there’s more to “Glowtime” than Apple Intelligence is yet to be seen.

Apple Watch 10

This year, Apple will be releasing the Apple Watch Series 10, which a keen Apple fan may note is an important milestone for the company. With the iPhone X, for example, Apple took the opportunity to totally redesign the product. While the Series 10 watch may not be as dramatic a departure from its counterparts, Apple does seem to be working on something big.

According to Gurman, both the smaller and larger Apple Watch Series 10 models will have larger displays than the Series 9. The larger Series 10 will reportedly have a display about as big as the Ultra, a hefty 49mm. Both should also be thinner than before, which may balance out the larger display sizes.

Gurman isn’t sure whether Apple will make the Series 10 the 10th anniversary watch yet: Apple announced the watch in 2014, but didn’t release the first model until 2015. Either way, expect a different-looking Series 10 this year.

As for hardware, all these Apple Watches (including the Ultra 3) will ship with a new processor. Beyond that, details seem relatively thin.

AirPods 4

If you’re thinking about picking up a new pair of AirPods before Monday, think again. Apple is likely going to announce the fourth generation of its wireless earbuds next week, offering two different models. These should replace the least expensive 2nd-gen AirPods and mid-tier 3rd-gen AirPods Apple currently sells.

Both models will come with USB-C charging, replacing Lightning. But while the lower-end model will likely offer basic AirPods features, the more expensive option will come with high-end features, such as active noise cancellation. Previously, only the AirPods Pros and AirPods Max supported ANC.

How to watch Apple’s iPhone 16 event

While only certain members of the media are invited to attend “It’s Glowtime” in person, anyone with an internet connection can watch the event from home. Apple will host a livestream of the event on the company’s website. Just head to the company’s Apple Events page on Sept. 9 by 10 a.m. PT, and you’ll be able to catch the presentation.

That said, the company is also streaming the event through the Apple TV app, as well as through the official Apple YouTube page.

artist rendition of Jake Peterson

Jake Peterson

Senior Technology Editor

Jake Peterson is Lifehacker’s Senior Technology Editor. He has a BFA in Film & TV from NYU, where he specialized in writing. Jake has been helping people with their technology professionally since 2016, beginning as technical specialist at New York’s 5th Avenue Apple Store, then as a writer for the website Gadget Hacks. In that time, he wrote and edited thousands of news and how-to articles about iPhones and Androids, including reporting on live demos from product launches from Samsung and Google. In 2021, he moved to Lifehacker and covers everything from the best uses of AI in your daily life to which MacBook to buy. His team covers all things tech, including smartphones, computers, game consoles, and subscriptions. He lives in Connecticut.

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