Facebook
Twitter
If everything we’re hearing turns out to be true, Wednesday’s Apple event is sure to be a thriller.
I think this would be true even if we only see some of the devices that we’re expecting to see. Indeed, this could be one of the biggest product launches that Apple has ever conducted.
The most widely expected device is the latest version of the iPhone, believed to be called iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.
This new version of the iPhone is expected to have all of the usual iPhone upgrades, such as a better processor and an upgraded camera that may even capture high-resolution 4K video. It’s also expected that it will be lighter and thinner.
We’re also expecting a few improvements to the current iPhone 6 model, such as a less bendable aluminum outer shell, four different colors and Force Touch.
Force Touch, you may remember, is a feature recently added to the MacBook’s track pad, through which pressing the pad lightly has a different result than pushing it hard. The feature could be particularly useful when it comes to mobile gaming.
Apple Drops Hint
It’s important to consider the hint that Apple has given us.
Apple always provides us with some kind of hint in the form of a teaser text and graphic that accompanies each Apple event’s invitations.
This time around the teaser reads, “Hey Siri, give us a hint.” Considering the advances that Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) has made with its artificial intelligence powered personal assistant technology – dubbed Google Now – it makes sense that the Apple event might include a major upgrade to its Siri personal assistant.
The graphic, which shows the top of the Apple logo, could also represent a finger touching a device screen – possibly also alluding to the introduction of Force Touch technology in devices other than the MacBook and Apple Watch.
With the new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus in the “top-end” slot, I’m expecting Apple to move its iPhone 5s down to the “low-end” position, potentially wiping the colorful and plastic-backed iPhone 5c from the market for good.
Don’t Forget the Apple Watch
It’s also worth noting that, at least so far, we haven’t heard all that much about the Apple Watch since its highly publicized launch in April. Sure, it’s a handy fitness tracker and Apple Pay accessory, but it seems that there is a lot more potential from the product that Apple has repeatedly called its “most personal device ever created.”
Whether the only upgrades we see are additional Apple Watch bands, software upgrades that unlock new features or even new hardware, I’m confident we will learn something new about the Apple Watch on Wednesday.
An upgraded Siri personal assistant also seems logical, considering the hint provided to us by Apple, as well as what the competition is up to – and not just Google with its Google Now. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) also recently introduced its own digital personal assistant, the Amazon Echo.
But Wednesday’s announcement is about much more than iPhones, Apple Watches and Siri.
Next Gen iPad?
We’re also expecting an all-new Apple TV set-top box that is connected to the App Store and utilizes Siri to help navigate content libraries.
And Wednesday may also be the day we finally learn about the much-rumored iPad Pro, a larger version of the iPad Air with a screen that is expected to register around 13 inches. A faster processor and a stylus are also rumored to be coming with this latest version of the iPad.
These upgrades could bring much needed changes to the iPad, which has struggled to gain popularity with consumers, despite the fact that the iPad consistently ranks well against its competitors.
More than anything, I expect the Apple event will be more of what we’ve seen over the last several years in terms of product refresh cycles and Apple revelry. If nothing else, it should serve to remind us that Apple is, indeed, still on track despite recent share price declines. The stock is down more than 15% over the past three months and is slightly negative for 2015.
Fresh products and perhaps a few surprises could renew interest in Apple stock, rewarding the company’s loyal investor base and sending the stock back toward its 52-week high, reached in July.
But Apple’s stock isn’t the only one destined to soar. There’s another stock set to soar even higher after today’s event. Much higher. And Apple would prefer you never even know about it. Find out why right here.