Apple sends invites for September 7: iPhone 7, Apple Watch 2 most likely on tap
Rumored no longer: The company sent out invitations for its event, confirming the date of Apple's next product announcement.
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The next iPhone will probably be revealed to the world on September 7. And maybe a watch, too.
Apple made it official today, confirming the previously rumored date of the first Wednesday in September. The venue is once again at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, with the familiar start time of 10 a.m. PT.
Expect the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus -- or whatever they may be called -- to be unveiled by CEO Tim Cook and company. The current rumor mill points to nearly identical external designs to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, improved cameras (with a dual-lens system on the larger iPhone), and -- most controversially -- no headphone jack.
The event would also offer the opportunity for Apple to repromote iOS 10, the update to its mobile operating system first unveiled in June. The free upgrade is expected to be rolled out to hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads later in September.
The Apple Watch, a product that hasn't been updated since April 2015, is also due for an upgrade. In addition to the new operating system (coming to existing watches alongside iOS 10), new fitness features including rumored GPS tracking could help position a refreshed watch as a better activity tracker. A new Apple Watch would come hot on the heels of a fresh wave of smartwatches and fitness bands expected to be unveiled at the IFA trade show next week, including a rumored Samsung Gear S3.
Beyond new iPhones and wearables, Apple could also address the smart-home landscape: the launch of a dedicated Home app in iOS 10 means a bigger push for HomeKit-connected appliances and home accessories.
Apple's line of Mac computers is also rumored for an eventual refresh including MacBook laptops with an OLED touch bar, but that's said to be slated for later in the year.
Stay tuned to CNET for live coverage of next month's Apple news.