A History of iPhone Invites
A visual history of Apple’s iPhone events.
For over a decade, Apple’s September event has been the canonical moment for new iPhone announcements. And this September was no exception, with Apple unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro and… one more thing… the iPhone Duo.
For posterity’s sake, I wanted to document the history of these events, from the slogans to the invites to what was announced. Enjoy!
2007 - Original iPhone
“The first 30 years were just the beginning. Welcome to 2007.”
Date announced: October 03, 2006
Event held: Macworld 2007 on January 09, 2007
Location: Moscone West, San Francisco
Back in 2007, Apple had a much smaller global presence than it does today. One of its main stages for product announcements and keynotes was the annual Macworld conference in San Francisco, held each January. It was there that Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone:
“A widescreen iPod with touch controls; a revolutionary mobile phone; and a breakthrough Internet communications device… Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices. This is one device, and we are calling it iPhone.”
It launched with a 2MP rear camera, 4GB or 8GB of storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and EDGE cellular data. There was no front camera, 3G connection, GPS receiver, or App Store. The 4GB model cost $499, while the 8GB version cost $599, with a two-year US carrier agreement.
Other Event Tidbits:
At that year’s Macworld, Apple also showcased the Apple TV, introduced the 802.11n AirPort Extreme, and announced it was changing its name from Apple Computer Inc. to Apple Inc. The original iPhone would go on sale in the United States on June 29.
2008 - iPhone 3G
“A Landmark Event. In more ways than one.”
Date announced: March 13, 2008
Event held: WWDC 2008 on June 09, 2008
Location: Moscone West, San Francisco
Less than a year after the original iPhone went on sale, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 3G at WWDC on June 9, 2008. Apple’s pitch was simple: “Twice as fast at half the price.” The new model added faster 3G connectivity and built-in GPS, US pricing starting at $199 for the 8GB model with a two-year contract, and by the end of the year, it’s availability had expand from six countries to more than 70 by the end of 2008.
The software story was pretty consequential too. iPhone OS 2.0 brought support for native third-party applications through the App Store and plus Microsoft Exchange support for business email, calendars, and contacts.
Other Event Tidbits:
MobileMe was announced. This subscription service offered email, contact and calendar synchronization, a photo gallery, and online file storage. An individual subscription included 20GB for $99 per year. The service was ridiculed from the start for being quite unreliable on what it promised to deliver (i.e. syncing) and was replaced with iCloud several years later.
2009 - iPhone 3GS
“Make your Mark Here”
Date announced: March 26, 2009
Event held: WWDC 2009 on June 08, 2009
Location: Moscone West, San Francisco
At this event, Apple introduced the first “S” upgrade to the iPhone. The S stood for “speed,” and over the years, these upgrades would become associated with refinements and quality-of-life improvements to an existing design rather than major redesigns.
The iPhone 3GS looked much like the iPhone 3G, but featured a faster processor, better battery life, and a whopping 3MP camera capable of recording VGA video at 30 frames per second. Storage options also increased to 16GB and 32GB.
We also got another look at iPhone OS 3.0, back before it was called iOS, which finally added cut, copy, and paste. So to the kids out there, be nice to your iPhone elders who had to go nearly two years without the ability to copy something on their devices.
Other Event Tidbits:
MacBook Pro: The aluminum unibody family expanded to 13-, 15-, and 17-inch models, using Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Built-in batteries offered up to seven hours of use.
2010 - iPhone 4
“The center of the app universe.”
Date announced: April 28, 2010
Event held: WWDC 2010 on June 07, 2010
Location: Moscone West, San Francisco
We still haven’t moved into that familiar September slot, but we’re getting closer. The iPhone 4 was the last iPhone announced in the summertime, making its official debut at Apple’s annual WWDC.
The iPhone 4 was also the model whose prototype was famously left behind in a bar and sold to Gizmodo for $5,000. The site revealed the new design before Apple’s official unveiling, and the story soon took another dramatic turn: a nighttime police raid on the home of Gizmodo editor Jason Chen, during which officers seized computers and other devices as part of the investigation into how the prototype had been obtained.
As for the phone itself, the iPhone 4 remains, in my opinion, one of the most recognizable and beautiful products Apple has ever released. It had a stainless steel frame that doubled as an antenna (cue Antennagate), the first Retina display, the first A-series chip in an iPhone (A4), a front-facing camera, a gyroscope, and FaceTime. Looking back, I’m still impressed by how much Apple managed to pack into this upgrade and how far ahead it felt compared to the previous generation. We don’t see jumps like that very often anymore.
Other Event Tidbits:
This was the first and only iPhone I camped out overnight to get.
The iPhone 4 was initially unveiled in both a black and white finish, although the white finish was delayed until the following Spring owing to material-durability issues.
At the time, the iPhone was also only available on GSM networks because GSM and CDMA used incompatible cellular technologies. This meant that carriers like Verizon, which used CDMA, didn’t get the iPhone until early 2011, when Apple released a CDMA version of the iPhone 4. Later that year, the iPhone 4S included support for both GSM and CDMA in the same device.
2011 - iPhone 4S
"Let's talk iPhone."
Date announced: September 27, 2011
Event held: October 04, 2011
Location: Town Hall, Apple’s Infinite Loop campus, Cupertino
We’ve finally moved out of the summertime iPhone announcements, but we’ve overshot September a little. The iPhone 4S event took place in October. We’ll get the calendar sorted next year.
This was Tim Cook’s first keynote after becoming permanent CEO, and looking back, I imagine it was quite a somber one behind the scenes. The following day, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
At this event, Apple unveiled its second S-type iPhone: the iPhone 4S. This time, the S stood for Siri, the new voice assistant introduced alongside the phone, which at the time did not have the soured reputation that Siri has today. We also got release dates for iOS 5 and iCloud, both arriving on October 12. The iPhone 4S looked much like the iPhone 4, but its dual-core A5 processor, 8MP rear camera, and 1080p video recording made it a substantial internal upgrade. A new 64GB option joined the 16GB and 32GB models. It was available in white from the start.
Other Event Tidbits:
iPod touch: A white finish joined black, with the starting price reduced to $199.
iPod nano: Apple introduced a revised interface, improved fitness functions, and 16 new clock faces, with prices starting at $129. This is the precursor to the Apple Watch released 4 years later.
2012 - iPhone 5
"It's almost here."
Date announced: September 04, 2012
Event held: September 12, 2012
Location: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
We’ve finally made it to the September iPhone event, a tradition that has held steady ever since, with the exception of 2020, when, for some reason I can’t quite recall at the moment, Apple pushed the event into October.
At its first September iPhone event, Apple introduced the iPhone 5, increasing the display size for the first time, from 3.5 inches to 4. I have one of those flashbulb memories of holding the iPhone 5 for the first time and being aghast at how monstrously large a four-inch phone felt. I now use a Pro Max, which is about 32% taller, 33% wider, and roughly twice the overall volume of the iPhone 5. So clearly, I adjusted.
Along with a new aluminum enclosure, the iPhone 5 brought the A6 chip, the iPhone’s first taste of LTE, and the debut of the Lightning connector.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple EarPods were announced (if you thought I was talking about AirPods, I envy your youth).
Fifth-generation iPod touch announced: A 4-inch Retina display, A5 chip, 5MP camera, 1080p recording, Siri, and a colourful aluminum body. A small retractable attachment point supported the included wrist loop.
Seventh-generation iPod nano: A 2.5-inch Multi-Touch screen, Bluetooth audio, FM radio, a physical Home button, and Lightning.
2013 - iPhone 5s & 5c
"This should brighten everyone's daY."
Date announced: September 03, 2013
Event held: September 10, 2013
Location: Town Hall, Apple’s Infinite Loop campus, Cupertino
Previously, choosing a new iPhone largely meant picking a storage capacity and a colour. This time, Apple gave us two different takes on the iPhone: the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c.
The iPhone 5s retained the iPhone 5’s aluminum design while adding a new gold finish, the 64-bit A7 chip, and Touch ID, bringing fingerprint authentication to the iPhone for the first time.
The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, was in many ways an iPhone 5 repackaged in an “unapologetically plastic” polycarbonate shell, available in five colours: pink, blue, green, yellow, and white.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple also introduced the infamous polka-dot iPhone 5c cases at this event.
Unlike the 3GS, where the S stood for “speed,” and the 4S, where it stood for “Siri,” my understanding is that Apple never officially explained what the S and C stood for in the 5s and 5c. Some have speculated that the S stood for “security” and the C for “colour,” but I haven’t found any direct confirmation of either.
2014 - iPhone 6 & 6 Plus
"Wish we could say more."
Date announced: August 28, 2014
Event held: September 09, 2014
Location: Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Cupertino
This was a dramatic year for the iPhone. For the first time, the lineup split into two size classes, moving from a 4-inch display to the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Both featured the A8 chip and rounded aluminum bodies, a departure from the sharp, chamfered edges of the iPhone 5 and 5s. They also brought improved cameras that, very controversially, now protruded from the otherwise flat back.
Let’s pause to appreciate that a camera smaller than the flash on a modern iPhone, sticking out less than a volume button, was enough to destabilize the Apple community. Even Apple seemed shy about it, obliquely hiding the camera “bump” in press photos of the new devices.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple also announced Apple Pay for the iPhone, though Walmart would take more than a decade to finally cave and begin accepting it in U.S. stores.
The Apple Watch made its debut, giving us our first look at Apple’s next major product.
Apple announced that U2’s new album, Songs of Innocence, would be free for every iTunes user. The controversy deserves an entry of its own, because automatically adding an album to people’s libraries without asking didn’t exactly go over well.
The iPhone 6 & 6 Plus also gave us a new “gate”: Bendgate, as both were susceptible to bending.
2015 - iPhone 6s & 6s Plus
"Hey Siri, give us a hint."
Date announced: August 27, 2015
Event held: September 09, 2015
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco
A year later, and another s-year iPhone refresh. The 6s & 6s Plus brought the A9 chip, 4K video, 3D-touch (a pressure sensing display), a new rose gold colour (it was very pink), and, for the first time, always-on “Hey Siri” (presumably what the event invitation was hinting at). These iPhones also got stronger 7000-series aluminum to address concerns about just how malleable the 6 & 6 Plus had been.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple also debuted the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple Pencil, and Smart Keyboard.
An updated Apple TV.
Apple Watch updates, including the Hermès partnership (which continues into 2026… didn’t expect that).
Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program was announced (recently discontinued)
2016 - iPhone 7 & 7 Plus
"See you on the 7th."
Date announced: August 29, 2016
Event held: September 07, 2016
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco
Obviously, the hint in this invite worked on two levels: the event was held on the 7th, and it was also where Apple debuted the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus.
The iPhones got an absolutely slick, polished Jet Black finish (and other colours too…), a solid-state home button (the click was simulated by the Taptic Engine), the A10 Fusion chip, water resistance, and, for the first time, a second camera on the Plus: a 2x telephoto. This created a much clearer feature divide between the regular and Plus models, something Apple has dipped in and out of ever since (currently, the iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max are back to feature parity).
This was also the Apple event where Apple courageously removed the headphone jack, leaving anyone with traditional 3.5mm wired headphones needing a Lightning dongle. At least Apple included one in the box, with extras sold separately for $9 US.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple announced the AirPods with a release date later the same year.
Apple Watch Series 2 was announced with GPS and swim-proofing.
The bokeh effect on the event invite could hint at the iPhone 8 Plus’s Portrait mode, which digitally blurred backgrounds to mimic the shallow depth of field produced by a wide camera aperture.
2016 - iPhone SE
“Let us loop you in.”
Date announced: March 10, 2016
Event held: March 21, 2016
Location: Town Hall, Apple’s Infinite Loop campus, Cupertino
Apple has developed the occasional pattern of releasing smaller iPhone updates outside of their September event window, including updates like the iPhone SE, occasional spring colour options to their iPhones, and most recently, the iPhone e-lineup.
Introduced in March 2016, the original iPhone SE revisited the iPhone 5s design, bringing over the A9 chip and 12-megapixel rear camera from the iPhone 6s while retaining the compact four-inch display. The lineup also gained a new Rose Gold finish, with prices starting at $399.
Other Event Tidbits:
iPad Pro (9.7-inch): A smaller version of the iPad Pro was announced with a A9X chip, four-speaker audio, Pencil support, and Smart Keyboard compatibility. This iPad also introduced True Tone, which adjusted the display’s white balance to surrounding light. Its 12MP camera could record 4K video.
Apple refreshed Watch bands with woven nylon options and lowered the starting Watch price to $299.
2017 - iPhone 8, 8 Plus, & iPhone X
"Lets meet out our place."
Date announced: August 31, 2017
Event held: September 12, 2017
Location: Steve Jobs Theater, Apple Park, Cupertino
This was the first event held at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, making “Let’s meet at our place” a playful nod to Apple welcoming guests to its new home. The campus had opened to employees in April 2017, just a few months earlier.
At the event, Apple unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the star of the show, the iPhone X (pronounced “Ten”).
The iPhone 8 lineup offered a fairly modest upgrade, with welcome additions like wireless charging, the A11 Bionic chip and improved cameras.
But the real darling was the iPhone X. It featured a 5.8-inch OLED display, introduced Face ID facial recognition and authentication, and replaced the Home button with new gestures for navigating iOS. It was a premium offering at the time, and the first iPhone to start at $1,000… err, $999 USD.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 3, which added optional cellular connectivity.
The Apple TV 4K also made its debut, bringing support for 4K resolution and HDR.
Apple previewed AirPower, a wireless charging mat designed to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously, without requiring precise placement. Originally slated for release in 2018, it never reached customers and was ultimately cancelled in 2019.
Oh, this is also the event where Apple introduced Animoji and got to see John Ive make scowling chicken faces.
2018 - iPhone XS, XS Max, & XR
Date announced: August 30, 2018
Event held: September 12, 2018
Location: Steve Jobs Theater, Apple Park, Cupertino
This event gave us the final “S” year of iPhone, with the debut of the iPhone XS and XS Max, alongside the new iPhone XR.
The iPhone XS got the new A12 Bionic chip, improved 12MP cameras, more storage (up to 512GB) and a few new photographic upgrades, like Smart HDR and adjustable background blur. And alongside the 5.8-inch XS, Apple introduced the XS Max, which bumped the OLED display up to a much roomier 6.5 inches.
Apple also introduced the iPhone XR, an iPhone very much in the style of the X and XS, but with a 6.1-inch LCD display, an aluminium frame instead of stainless steel and a single rear camera at a lower $749 USD starting price.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Series 4, with a redesigned housing, larger 40 & 44mm cases, S4 chip, fall detection and ECG functionality.
I have no idea what the “R” in iPhone XR stood for, or why Apple kept flip-flopping between lowercase and uppercase letters: 4S, 5s/5c, 6s, XS/XR…
2019 - iPhone 11, 11 Pro, & 11 Pro Max
"By innovation only."
Date announced: August 29, 2019
Event held: September 10, 2019
Location: Steve Jobs Theater, Apple Park, Cupertino
This event introduced the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, bringing the “Pro” name to the iPhone for the first time. The iPhone 11 picked up where the XR left off, retaining its 6.1-inch LCD display while adding a second rear camera for ultra-wide photos.
The Pro models, meanwhile, got not one, not two, but three rear cameras, combining wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses on an iPhone for the first time. They also gained brighter Super Retina XDR displays, and matte glass backs. All three phones featured the A13 Bionic chip and introduced Night mode for better low-light photography.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple Watch Series 5 introduced an always-on display.
This was the Apple event where Apple added slow motion to the front facing camera, introducing an advertising the phrase “slofies” as a feature of the latest iPhones. I can't speak for you, but I have never, and probably will never, take a slofie.
2020 - iPhone 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro, & 12 Pro Max
"Hi, Speed."
Date announced: October 06, 2020
Event held: October 13, 2020
Location: Virtual Event from Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G, 5G…
That’s how many times “5G” was said during this event. Apple leaned heavily on the iPhone 12 lineup’s first-time support for 5G, playing into the event’s “Hi, Speed” name.
This was also the first flagship iPhone launch event since 2011 that didn’t take place in September. I’m guessing the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on supply chains and industries around the world had something to do with that.
But this was also the event where Apple introduced another new iPhone model: the mini. Alongside the standard iPhone 12 and two Pro models, the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, Apple added the smaller iPhone 12 mini, featuring a 5.4-inch display. For the first time, the entire new lineup featured OLED displays, with all four models also gaining 5G, Ceramic Shield, and a refreshed design with flat edges.
The Pro models paired their telephoto cameras with a new LiDAR scanner, supporting depth measurement, augmented reality, and faster low-light autofocus. The Pro Max went further with a larger main-camera sensor, sensor-shift stabilization, and a longer telephoto lens. Apple also announced ProRAW photography, which arrived later through a software update.
Other Event Tidbits:
In addition to wireless charging, this event saw the debut of MagSafe, an more precise way of attaching wireless charging that boosted charge speeds and allowed Apple to add additional accessories (like wallets) to their product arsenal.
Apple also introduced the HomePod mini for $99 at this event, a product that as of this writing (September 28, 2026) has still not been updated.
2021 - iPhone 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, & 13 Pro Max
"California Streaming."
Date announced: September 07, 2021
Event held: September 14, 2021
Location: Virtual Event from Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
This event features Apple staff scattered across all parts of California in another virtual only event that featured updates to the iPhone 13 family. The 13 and 13 mini retained their 6.1- and 5.4-inch OLED displays while adding A15 Bionic, larger camera sensors, sensor-shift stabilization, and longer battery life. Base storage doubled to 128GB.
The 13 Pro and Pro Max added ProMotion, adapting the display refresh rate up to 120Hz. Their camera systems gained macro photography and 3× telephoto lenses, while storage reached 1TB.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple Watch Series 7: Larger 41mm and 45mm cases, thinner display borders, a screen keyboard, and faster charging.
Sixth-generation iPad mini: An 8.3-inch display, A15 chip, USB-C, optional 5G, and support for the second-generation Pencil.
Ninth-generation iPad: A13 Bionic, a 10.2-inch True Tone display, and a 12MP front camera with Center Stage automatic framing.
2022 - 3rd Generation iPhone SE
"Peek performance"
Date announced: March 02, 2022
Event held: March 08, 2022
Location: Virtual Event from Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino.
The third-generation iPhone SE retained the familiar iPhone 8 design, including its 4.7-inch LCD display and Touch ID home button, while adding the A15 Bionic chip and 5G. Visually, little had changed from the previous SE, which resembled the iPhone 6-8 generation, with most of the updates happening under the hood. It remained Apple’s smaller, more affordable entry into the lineup, though its starting price increased from $399 to $429.
Other Event Tidbits:
Fifth-generation iPad Air: The M1 chip came to the 10.9-inch Air, joined by optional 5G and a Center Stage front camera.
Mac Studio: A new desktop machine offered M1 Max or M1 Ultra processors and would ultimately dethrone the Mac Pro as Apple’s most powerful Mac.
M1 Ultra: Apple connected two M1 Max dies, producing configurations with a 20-core CPU, up to a 64-core GPU, and up to 128GB of unified memory.
Studio Display: Nearly 11 years after the Thunderbolt Display debuted in 2011, Apple returned with a more mainstream standalone monitor.
2022 - iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, & 14 Pro Max
"Far out"
Date announced: August 24, 2022
Event held: September 07, 2022
Location: Virtual Event from Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
First, Apple killed the iPhone mini at this event, which is a travesty. And not a minute later, did it turn around and release the iPhone 14 Plus, a 6.7-inch model that feature matched the iPhone 14 (OLED display, A15 Bionic, improved cameras, Action mode video stabilization, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS via satellite), offering a Pro Max-sized screen without the Pro Max price. But the Plus also never seemed to sell well either, and it to was discontinued several years later.
Meanwhile, the The 14 Pro and Pro Max gained A16 Bionic, a 48MP main camera, always-on displays, and the Dynamic Island.
Other Event Tidbits:
Apple Watch Series 8: Temperature sensing and Crash Detection.
Second-generation Watch SE: A more affordable watch with updated processing and Crash Detection.
Apple Watch Ultra: A 49mm titanium case, Action button, precision dual-frequency GPS, and up to 36 hours of normal-use battery life.
Second-generation AirPods Pro: H2 processing, improved noise cancellation, volume adjustment on the stems, and up to six hours of listening with noise cancellation enabled.
2023 - iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, & 15 Pro Max
"Wonderlust"
Date announced: August 29, 2023
Event held: September 12, 2023
Location: Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus brought Dynamic Island, A16 Bionic, and a 48MP main camera to the standard lineup, offering a telephoto-like 2× option by cropping the centre of the main camera’s sensor.
This was also the year the iPhone finally ditched Lightning for USB-C, although only the Pro models got the faster transfer speeds.
The 15 Pro and Pro Max introduced titanium frames, A17 Pro, and a customizable Action button (with the most overkill customization UI ever designed). The Pro retained a 3× telephoto camera, while the Pro Max gained a new 5× tetraprism telephoto camera.
Other Event Tidbits:
Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2: gained the S9 chip, on-device Siri capabilities, and the double-tap gesture.
AirPods Pro 2 received USB-C charging, added dust resistance, and support for lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro.
2024 - iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, & 16 Pro Max
"It's Glowtime"
Date announced: August 26, 2024
Event held: September 09, 2024
Location: Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
The 16 and 16 Plus were announced with the A18, retained their 6.1- and 6.7-inch screens, and gained both the Action button and Camera Control. Their camera system paired a 48MP main camera with an autofocus ultra-wide camera, bringing macro photography to the standard models.
This was also the iPhone lineup that brought us the first generation of Apple Intelligence, you know, the terrible one...
The 16 Pro and Pro Max grew to 6.3 and 6.9-inches, used A18 Pro, and bumped up the ultra-wide camera to a 48MP sensor. Both Pro sizes now had a 5× telephoto lens, eliminating the differentiation in the previous generation.
Other Event Tidbits:
Watch Series 10: introduced thinner 42mm and 46mm designs, a wide-angle OLED display, faster charging, and water-depth and temperature sensing.
Ultra 2 got a new colour… now in black titanium. It also got a new Milanese Loop that was impossible to find for months after release.
AirPods 4 came in standard and active-noise-canceling versions, both using H2. AirPods Max gained USB-C and new colors.
Apple also announced hearing-health software for existing AirPods Pro 2 hardware.
2025 - iPhone 16e
“Meet the newest member of the family.”
Date announced: February 13, 2025
Event held: September 19, 2025
Location: Online Press Release
No event this time, the iPhone 16e, a successor to the iPhone SE line, was teased by Tim Cook in a tweet on February 13, 2026 before the phone was unveiled a week later.
The iPhone 16e replaced the SE 3 with an LCD and Home button in favour of a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, USB-C, and an Action button. It used A18, supported Apple Intelligence, and introduced C1, Apple’s first internally designed cellular modem.
But with a price point of $599 the iPhone 16e was considerably more expensive than previous SE models and it's lack of features (like MagSafe) made it a disappointing update for some.
2025 - iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, & iPhone Air
"Awe dropping."
Date announced: August 26, 2025
Event held: September 09, 2025
Location: Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
Apple nixed the Plus from the new lineup but really doted on the iPhone 17. The standard model finally gained ProMotion with a larger 6.3-inch display, alongside A19, 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras, and a new 18MP Center Stage front camera. Base storage also doubled to 256GB.
Apple also welcomed a new iPhone to the family: the iPhone Air. Its 5.6mm titanium design featured a 6.5-inch ProMotion display, A19 Pro, and their C1X cellular modem. But outside of an Apple Store, I don’t think I’ve seen more than two or three out in the wild, which is a shame, given how impressive the device is in its thinness, performance, and build quality.
The 17 Pro and Pro Max traded titanium for an aluminum unibody with vapor-chamber cooling, and all three rear cameras were now 48MP. Apple also introduced support for ProRes RAW and Apple Log 2, further expanding the iPhone’s capabilities as a professional video camera.
This was also the year of Cosmic Orange, perhaps the most distinctive and well-received colour I’ve seen Apple release. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed a particular iPhone colour out in the wild as much as this one. Apple: Cosmic Orange needs to make a comeback!
Other Event Tidbits:
Watch Series 11: Up to 24 hours of battery life, 5G cellular capability, and hypertension notifications in supported markets.
Watch SE 3: S10, an always-on display, fast charging, and expanded health features.
Watch Ultra 3: Satellite communications and up to 42 hours of battery life.
AirPods Pro 3: A controversial fit (using more foam vs. silicon for the seal), stronger noise cancellation, and heart-rate sensing during workouts.
2026 - iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, & iPhone Duo
"Surprise and shine"
Date announced: August 26, 2026
Event held: September 09, 2026
Location: Apple Park/Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino
For the first time, Apple’s September iPhone launch skipped an update to the standard model, focusing instead on the Pro lineup. The standard iPhone, Air, and e models are reportedly expected to see updates in spring 2027.
The 18 Pro and Pro Max retained their 6.3- and 6.9-inch OLED displays and introduced the A20 Pro, built using a 2-nanometer process. The chip combined a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU, and dual 16-core Neural Engine.
The headline camera change was a variable-aperture 48MP main camera. Rather than relying on a fixed lens opening and computational processing alone, a mechanical assembly could now adjust the aperture to control light and depth of field. How much of a difference most people will actually notice in their photos, especially when viewed on a phone screen, remains to be seen.
Other additions included a larger vapour chamber, a smaller Dynamic Island, storage options reaching 2TB, and Apple’s C2 cellular modem, except in US Pro Max models. Apple also touted its longest iPhone battery life yet, claiming up to 36 hours of video playback on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max for the eSIM-only versions.
But… one more thing…
Apple also debuted the long-rumoured iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, with a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display. It featured A20 Pro with vapour-chamber cooling, 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras, and Touch ID built into the side button. Just as the iPhone X required Apple to rethink navigation around gestures, the Duo brought a reworked iOS experience built around its folding display, side-by-side apps, and the transition between its inner and outer screens.
Other Event Tidbits:
This was the first Apple event hosted by new CEO John Ternus, following Tim Cook stepping down from the role and becoming a board member at Apple.
Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4: introduced the S11 chip and a revised Health Sensing System, with more frequent heart-rate and heart-rate-variability measurements supporting a readiness score
Apple reintroduced the Ceramic Apple Watch Series 12 after a 7-year gap.
AirPods 5: brought active noise cancellation to both versions of Apple’s open-ear range. The $149 wireless-charging version added longer battery life and volume adjustment on the stems above the $129 entry model.
