Apple lured hundreds of tech reporters below ground on Tuesday to show them something shiny and new.
The company is holding its annual fall press conference inside the circular Steve Jobs Theater, part of Apple’s brand new multi-billion dollar campus in Cupertino, California. The company is expected to announce three new iPhones, including a special high-end version that could cost upwards of $1,000.
The event opened with a short inspirational video with featured audio by late Apple founder Steve Jobs.
“It seems only fitting that Steve should open his theater,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told attendees. “Steve meant so much to me and so much to all of us. There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t think about him. Memories especially come rushing back as we prepared for today and this event.”
Cook also used his stage time to send thoughts and prayers to those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
The event comes a little more than ten years after Steve Jobs unveiled the very first iPhone on stage in San Francisco. That small rectangle has been responsible for making Apple one of the largest companies in the world. Now, the iPhone accounts for nearly 70% of Apple’s revenue. Customers and investors have been waiting for a big iPhone upgrade, which Cook even blamed for slower than usual iPhone sales last year.
Apple is also likely to announce an updated Apple Watch and Apple TV, and share more details on the new versions of its various operating systems and HomePod speaker.
The press conference is the first time Apple has held a large event at its new “spaceship” campus, which is expected to be completed later this year.
Leaks over the weekend may drain some of the suspense from the tightly choreographed two or three hour presentation. An anonymous source is said to have shared links online to early versions of iOS 11, the iPhone’s mobile operation system, and tvOS, its Apple TV software online.
According to Apple blogs 9to5Mac and MacRumors, the leaks indicate the new phones will be named iPhone 8, iPhone 8S and iPhone X. They seem to confirm many existing rumors about the new high-end iPhone, like the presence of face-detection security features, an edge-to-edge screen with a notch on top for cameras and sensors, a missing home button, and wireless charging. The leaks also included references to a new Apple Watch with a cellular connection, and an Apple TV with support for 4K videos.
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