One of Wall Street’s favorite spectator sports is at fever pitch, with investor speculation over just what Apple Inc. will unveil at its “special event” on Sept. 9.
The company has introduced a new iPhone model every year around this time. But in typical fashion, Apple is only dropping vague clues about its plans.
Industry insiders have also speculated Apple may introduce a larger iPad for business users, a new set-top box for televisions and possibly other products.
But two long-shot options are also being floating: the launch of the company’s electric vehicle and possibly a virtual/augmented reality product.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company, however, has not confirmed any plans.
Industry trackers expect Apple to unveil new generation big-screen iPhone 6 models. The large-screen iPhone 6 has ridden the popularity of "phablets" that blend features of smartphones and tablet computers.
Improvements are likely to include faster processing power and improved camera capabilities along with screens that can distinguish light touches from hard presses for more nuanced controls.
Apple could also use the media event to showcase milestones, such as product sales.
Invitations sent to reporters and analysts were headlined, "Hey Siri, give us a hint." Apple has previously said it plans to expand the capabilities of Siri, its voice-activated personal assistant, in an upcoming version of its operating software for iPhones and iPads.
But the larger size of the venue suggests that Apple might have another surprise product to unveil, according to various media reports.
While Apple usually holds such events on a regular schedule, they are still the subject of much anticipation in the tech industry, given that Apple products tend to be popular and influential.
Apple says the Sept. 9 event will be held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in downtown San Francisco. The auditorium seats up to 7,000 people, which is a much larger capacity than San Francisco's 750-seat Yerba Buena Theater, where Apple often holds such events,
the Associated Press reported.
When users posed the question in the invitation to Siri on their iPhones, Siri threw back responses such as "You're cute when you're desperate for information" and "You'll have to wait until Sept. 9. I bet you were one of those kids who snuck downstairs to open presents early, weren't you?"
The release of a new iPhone is the most important annual product rollout for Apple’s business,
Bloomberg News reported. The device, first unveiled by Steve Jobs in San Francisco more than eight years ago, generated $31.4 billion in sales last quarter, making up 63 percent of the company’s revenue.
The latest smartphones will look similar to the current iPhone 6 models, with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens, along with an improved camera and faster processor, people familiar with the plans have said.
A new feature called Force Touch -- first introduced in the Apple Watch -- is also expected to be added, which will let users navigate through features by pressing down on the screen.
Apple may also release an update to Apple TV, which serves as a gateway for streaming online video content from iTunes, Netflix, HBO and other providers. Jobs first unveiled Apple TV on the same day as the iPhone in 2007, but the company hasn’t updated the product in several years. It’s now a crowded market, with Roku Inc., Amazon.com Inc.’s Fire TV and Google Inc.’s Chromecast all offering consumers access to similar content.
The event will give Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook an opportunity to assuage the concerns of investors who have raised questions about the company’s growth, particularly in China, where the economy is showing signs of slowing.
Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross
told Reuters she was also expecting a faster processor on iPhones. "We assume that they may come out with a new iPad at the event as well," Cross added.
But other analysts are letting their expectations flourish.
“Despite the fact that a new iPhone and Apple TV form a very credible basis for a special event, I can't escape the feeling that I'm missing something. The size of the venue makes me suspicious that Apple has some big surprise planned,”
Mark Hibben wrote on Seeking Alpha.
“I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with a possible new product. Apple Car? Naaah, waaay too far in the future,” he said. "The only other thing I can think of might have something to do with virtual/augmented reality. Apple is known to have been hiring engineers to work in the field. Apple is also known to have obtained a patent for VR goggles that would use an iPhone as the display unit,” he said.
“If Apple could develop augmented reality glasses that were actually inconspicuous, it would have a huge hit on its hands.”
But
another Seeking Alpha article built a stronger case for the electric vehicle.
“What sort of unveiling needs a 7,000 seat venue, weeks of work, and likely millions of dollars?” the article pondered, noting the extensive work around the area of the planned announcement.
“Apple has poached employees from Tesla and seems to have assembled a formidable team,” Seeking Alpha noted.
(Newsmax wires services contributed to this report.)
Related Stories:
© 2026 Newsmax Finance. All rights reserved.