iPhone 16 Pro design leaks, goodbye to Apple ID, and confusion over iPhone 16 launch date

Updated August 25 with details on Apple employee briefings ahead of launch.

We take a look at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including iPhone 16 launch date confusion, iPhone 16 Pro design leaks, iPhone 16 comparison, European changes to iOS 18, iPhone superpowers in MacOS, goodbye Apple ID, and Apple Podcasts coming to Android.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of some of the many discussions surrounding Apple over the past seven days. You can also read my weekly Android news roundup here on Forbes.

Confusion over iPhone release date

This week saw intense discussion about the launch date of the iPhone 16 series. Unfortunately, the excitement had to be tempered after the information on which this discussion was based was proven to be false. Here is David Phelan’s comment on the hype:

“First, I’m pretty sure the event will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. It will start at 10 a.m. Pacific time. But I don’t think anything else is true… I think the release date is firmly set for Friday, September 20, but the main event date could be a day or two earlier than the widely anticipated September 10th. We’ll know soon enough.”

(Forbes).

Apple to stick to expected iPhone launch schedule

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter reports that Apple will launch its new devices at an event on Tuesday, September 10. Gurman has a very strong track record of covering Apple’s upcoming hardware and software releases. This week’s report supports the long-expected date for the official unveiling of the new iPhone 16 family. Gurman continues to pick September 20 as the start of retail availability:

“While the date has not yet been announced, the company is preparing for that date, which falls on Tuesday, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The phone will be unveiled on Sept. 20, in line with Apple’s usual approach in recent years.”

These dates follow a well-established pattern for iPhone launches, though there may be one reason Apple might be moving away from September 10. As Forbes contributor David Phelan points out, the televised debate between the US presidential candidates is happening that night. Tim Cook and his team may be tempted to avoid one of September’s biggest news moments to create their own headlines.

(Bloomberg (via Forbes).

Update: Apple Store employees attend pre-launch briefings

Before every iPhone launch, retail employees are called in for training on the new products. This year, there’s a slight difference. Instead of the usual weekend schedule, Apple will hold employee briefings on Thursday and Friday. With Apple moving ahead on its own schedule, could this signal an early iPhone 16 launch? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman Notes new dates on X:

Apple has scheduled an unusual, mandatory meeting for employees at all Apple retail stores on the evening of September 12 or the morning of September 13. This will be a week before the iPhone 16 release — but pre-launch meetings are typically held on Sundays, not during the week.

(Mark Gorman).

iPhone 16 Pro design leaks

Regardless of when the iPhone 16 Pro will launch, it’s becoming clearer as we approach the early September launch date. The latest details cover the important colors in which Apple will sell its new flagship:

“The current Pro model colors are called Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium. The most keen on promoting the fact that the iPhone 15 Pro has titanium in its build will notice. The new lineup appears to be similar, with the gray color likely being a new version of Natural Titanium. And what about the gold color? According to the leak, it will be called Desert Titanium.”

(Forbes).

What’s the difference?

With the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max at the top of the range and the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus at the bottom, Apple is expected to put as much distance between the two lineup’s specs as possible. However, with generative AI being the main attraction this year, they’ll need to be closer than ever:

“Unlike previous years, when Apple worked hard to create a distinction between the regular iPhone and the professional iPhone Pro models, 2024 will see more similarity between the two phones. Both phones will be equipped with the latest Apple Silicon A18 chip and will have more RAM. The increased power and workspace provided by these two phones is needed to run the generative AI (short for Apple Intelligence) software.”

(Forbes).

iOS 18 changes for European customers

The latest iOS 18 release shows the additional steps Apple is taking in Europe to comply with new consumer protection regulations, including choices around default search engines, web browsers, and more:

“For users in the EU, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will also include a new Default Apps section in Settings that lists the default settings available to each user. In future software updates, users will get new default settings for calling phone numbers, sending messages, translating text, navigation, password management, keyboards, and call spam filters. To learn more, see Update apps distributed in the EU.”

(Apple Developer).

MacOS Ready

While the focus is on iOS 18 and the first steps of generative AI on the iPhone, macOS Sequoia is also scheduled to launch in mid-September. Just as iOS 18 will launch AI features until mid-October, macOS won’t either… but a September launch is essential to provide the necessary synergy with iOS:

“Apple plans to release macOS Sequoia at the same time as iOS 18 this year rather than delaying it to October. Delivering both updates at the same time will ensure that cross-platform features are functional and work as intended, such as iPhone Mirroring. A major new feature, iPhone Mirroring, allows you to control an iPhone running iOS 18 with a Mac running macOS Sequoia.”

(Mac rumors).

Apple ID brand disappears

In a branding exercise no doubt driven by some data deep in Cupertino, Apple ID will be renamed Apple Account. And Ryan Christoffel warns that as the change takes place, people will need to be on the lookout for scams that exploit the process:

“Apple IDs are a critical part of accessing a lot of the sensitive and secure data in your digital life. That’s why it’s important to be clear about terminology. For example, phishing schemes may seek to take advantage of users’ confusion during this change.”

(9to5mac).

Finally…

Apple has opened up Apple Podcasts on its website to act as a player, and you can sign in to access your own library and various Top Charts. This also has the fun effect of allowing Apple Podcasts on Android to run as a web app:

“The site is available to anyone with a web browser on any device,” Apple says. It’s available on all major browsers including Safari, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. It’s supported in more than 170 countries and regions in their local language. It doesn’t support text, chapters, or downloads.”

(Pod News).

Apple Loop brings you seven days of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Be sure to follow me so you don’t miss any future coverage. You can read last week’s Apple Loop article here , or you can also read this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit , on Forbes.