One thing today in tech — Apple sets date for next iPhone event, with big upgrades expected

Apple yesterday announced Sep. 12 as the date for its annual press event, where usually the company launches new iPhones. The event will be held Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, and it is widely expected that the iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watch models will be launched. In India, Apple’s fifth-biggest market according to Counterpoint Research, contract manufacturer Foxconn is already said to be preparing to roll out the new phones within weeks of the launch.

Headlines that caught our attention

Toyota will restart operations at its assembly plants in Japan today, after a software glitch in its production systems brought domestic output to a halt, Reuters reports.

WhatsApp has updated its desktop app for Apple’s Mac computers featuring group calls, connecting with up to eight people on video calls and up to 32 people on audio calls.

India’s next space mission, Aditya-L1, the country’s first space-based solar observatory, is set to launch on Sep. 2, Isro said in a tweet yesterday. The satellite will be launched on Isro’s PSLV-C57 rocket.

One thing today

Apple yesterday announced Sep. 12 as the date for its annual press event, where usually the company launches its next iPhones, tagging invites with a made-up word ‘Wonderlust.’ The event will be held Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, and it is widely expected that the iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watch models will be launched.

The event will be streamed on Apple’s website at 1 p.m. ET in the US, which would be 10:30 p.m. in India. CNBC notes that Apple has used pre-recorded videos to launch its iPhones since 2020.

First among the big changes and upgrades expected in the new iPhone models is the USB-C charging port, after the European Union passed a landmark law in October last year requiring all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU to use this standard port for wired charging, by the end of 2024.

Other recent leaks about the new iPhones include titanium bodies, which would make the phones lighter, and a sharper periscopic camera.

Apple will be making fewer iPhone 15 smartphones at launch, due to some supply chain issues, 9to5Mac reported earlier this week, citing an industry analyst.

In India, the year 2023 marked a milestone for Apple, with the opening of its first physical retail stores – in Mumbai and Delhi. These stores exceeded initial expectations, CEO Tim Cook had said on Aug. 3, with another quarterly record.

As many of you know, Apple’s been stepping up local assembly in India in recent years and the gap between the launch of a new iPhone in the US and its availability in India is now mere weeks. Foxconn, one of Apple’s biggest contract manufacturers, is said to be preparing to roll out the new iPhone 15 models from its Sriperumbudur factory near Chennai.

India’s premium smartphone segment, defined as phones priced at Rs. 30,000 rupees or higher, now contributes a record 17 percent to its overall shipments, according to data from Counterpoint Technology Market Research as of July 31.

With an 18 percent share, Samsung led India’s smartphone market for the third consecutive quarter. The South Korean electronics giant also led the premium segment with a 34 percent share at the end of the April-June quarter this year, according to Counterpoint.

One last point. While India remains an Android smartphone market, Apple dominates the so-called “ultra-premium” segment, with a 59 percent market share. Counterpoint defines ultra-premium as phones priced at Rs. 45,000 or higher. India is also now Apple’s fifth biggest market, according to the market research provider.