It’s Official! Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ iPhone 17 Event Scheduled for Sept 9
Toggle Dark Mode
Right on schedule, Apple has just sent out the official press invites for its annual fall iPhone launch event, and it’s happening on the precise date that all the pundits (including us) predicted: Tuesday, September 9.
To be fair, it doesn’t take a lot of clairvoyance to predict the dates for Apple’s September events. With only three exceptions, the company has followed a predictable and straightforward pattern over the past 15 years: Apple events are held on a Tuesday except when that date conflicts with Labor Day or lands on September 11. In that case, the event is moved to Wednesday.
Apple has held a total of 14 fall iPhone events since 2011, when it first moved them to the fall. Of those, 12 have been held during the first two weeks in September, and seven have been held on the second Tuesday in September, between Sept 9 and Sept 14, depending on where it lands in a given year. The remaining five were held on Wednesdays, but only because the preferred Tuesdays during those years either landed on September 11 (in 2012 and 2018), or because Apple wanted to hold it as early as possible, but not on the Tuesday after Labor Day (2015, 2016, and 2022).
Last year was the notable exception, when Apple chose to hold its iPhone 16 “Glowtime” event on a Monday. The fact that this happened to be the day of the tenth anniversary of the Apple Watch created a bit of buzz, but John Gruber suggested a more plausible theory for Apple’s choice of a Monday.
With no presidential debates scheduled this year, Apple is free to return to its more typical Tuesday schedule, and all of the safest odds were on Tuesday, September 9. In addition to the previously mentioned Tuesday rule, Apple has also never held an iPhone event earlier than September 7 or later than September 14.
‘Awe Dropping’
Apple traditionally gives its events a thematic title. While it’s rare for these to directly parallel anything it plans to announce, the titles provide a whimsical feel and keep folks speculating right up until the last minute.
That also doesn’t mean there aren’t oblique references. For example, its 2020 tagline, “Hi, Speed,” was an obvious nod to the introduction of the first 5G iPhone models. 2021’s “California Streaming” could also be associated with its decision to continue hosting events virtually, even as the global health pandemic was winding down.
This was followed by “Far Out” in 2022, “Wanderlust” in 2023, and last year’s “Glowtime.” Now, this year it’s going with “Awe dropping” — an obvious play on words from “jaw-dropping,” hinting at some major new announcements.
As usual, the event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time, and will be live-streamed in all the usual spots, from Apple’s website and TV app to its YouTube channel. We’ll share more details on that as we get closer to the date, but there’s already a placeholder on YouTube where you can sign up for notifications if you prefer to watch it that way.
What ‘Awe Dropping’ Things To Expect
Like Apple’s penchant for Tuesday events, there are at least two product families that are guaranteed to take the stage next month: The iPhone 17 lineup and the 2025 Apple Watch models.
The iPhones 17
Three of this year’s iPhone 17 models will be familiar successors with the usual year-over-year upgrades: better cameras, more powerful A-series chips, and so forth. However, the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to receive a noticeable design update for the first time in five years, with the rear camera array transitioning to an edge-to-edge bar that places the flash and LiDAR sensor on the far edge. They may also switch away from titanium to an aluminum and glass material combination.
The standard iPhone 17 is expected to remain essentially unchanged, which isn’t surprising, as that member of the family got a design refresh with the iPhone 16 last year, moving away from the square camera bump to a pill-shaped design reminiscent of the iPhone X era.
However, the dark horse in the race may turn out to be Apple’s new iPhone Plus replacement, the so-called “iPhone 17 Air.” All rumors suggest a new ultra-slim iPhone that could be as thin as 5.5 mm, featuring a single camera, a larger screen, and possibly a more powerful A19 chip than the standard iPhone 17.
About the only thing we can’t be sure of is the name; the consensus is “iPhone 17 Air” based on Apple’s usual branding, and while that’s a safe bet, we can’t be sure that’s the direction Apple will go in. While Apple once used “Air” to designate its thinnest and lightest devices (early MacBook Air and 2014–15 iPad Air models), it’s now also used to refer to a middle tier of devices that aren’t necessarily the thinnest, such as the modern iPad Air family, which has now been significantly out-thinned by the M4 iPad Pro.
Whatever it’s called, the svelte new iPhone will be a distinctive addition to the family. In theory, it will offer an option for those who prize elegance over things like photographic prowess and battery life. In practice, its success will be determined by how many people out there fit into that category. Apple’s prior attempts with the iPhone mini and iPhone Plus proved that the markets for “smaller” and “larger” weren’t as extensive as it had thought. Now we’ll see whether the market for “thinner” is any better.
The Apple Watches of 2025
This year could also turn out to be an exciting one for the Apple Watch lineup. In a repeat of 2022’s Far Out event, Apple is expected to have three Apple Watch models on deck: the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3.
The Apple Watch Series 11 and SE 3 are likely to be incremental updates, featuring a new S11 chip that’s expected to be a minor improvement over the current S10. Still, that’s a nice upgrade for the SE since we haven’t seen a new model in three years. The Apple Watch Series 11 will likely be aimed at convincing those who are still holding onto the Series 8 or older models to finally make the move.
One significant update that may come to the cellular models of the Series 11 is 5G connectivity. However, it’s unclear how much of a practical difference that will make. Firstly, nobody needs incredible speed or latency on their wrist, and few have complained that an LTE model is sluggish. However, the 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) chips that go into such devices are typically more power-efficient, so the Apple Watch Series 11 could turn out to be a battery winner for those who often stray from the lower-power Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections provided by their paired iPhones.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to feature the same S11 chip and 5G RedCap capabilities, but it’s also rumored to introduce satellite connectivity for the first time. Since all Apple Watch Ultra models include cellular capabilities, this will likely work the same way it does on the iPhone, linking up with satellites only when you’re far enough away from civilization to need it.
What Else Might Be Coming?
While Apple’s fall events are primarily about iPhones and Apple Watches, it’s not uncommon for the company to toss a few other things into the mix. Over the years, we’ve seen it announce AirPods, iPads, the HomePod mini, and more.
Still, there are a few things we can rule out. Apple’s iPads were refreshed in the spring, and while there are rumors of an M5 iPad Pro, Apple’s flagship tablets have traditionally had their own events. Typically, it’s been the entry-level iPad that receives some time during the iPhone events, but a new model with an A16 chip was just released in March.
The most likely additional entries for September’s event are third-generation AirPods Pro and possibly a new HomePod mini. These have always debuted in the fall, although the original AirPods Pro came via press release a few weeks after that year’s iPhone event. Reports of the AirPods Pro 3 are heating up, but it’s not entirely clear if Apple has them ready yet. On the flip side, while we’ve heard fewer reports of a new HomePod mini, it’s expected to be a much lesser update from the current model, so it’s entirely possible it’s flown under the radar and is indeed ready to be announced.
Apple may also unveil a new fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. It’s reportedly been working on one with an A17 Pro chip, and there’s a good chance it will be released soon. The bigger question is whether Apple feels it’s worth devoting stage time to it.
The first Apple TV 4K debuted at Apple’s September 2017 event, alongside the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and Apple Watch Series 3. However, that was a significant leap ahead, since it was the first model to offer 4K and HDR support. Four years later, the second-generation model debuted at the April 2021 “Spring Loaded” event. Still, it was almost a footnote in an event headlined by the first Apple Silicon iMac, the M1 iPad Pro with a Liquid Retina XDR display, and the AirTag. The last Apple TV 4K refresh was announced very quietly three years ago, via a mid-October press release.
An A17 Pro-powered Apple TV 4K will likely support Apple Intelligence and deliver more powerful gaming capabilities. After all, this was the same chip that brought AAA console games to the iPhone 15 Pro. While Apple would undoubtedly love to promote the device’s gaming capabilities, it may not be ready to discuss all the AI features yet, especially since many are likely tied to Apple’s broader home ecosystem play, where it’s still waiting on a few more pieces of the puzzle. It might even delay the new Apple TV 4K until early next year, when other home devices, like its intelligent home hub, are expected to debut.
