Apple will hold its annual mid-September iPhone launch event later this week, and while the iPhone Xs series will be the main focus of the press conference, Apple will also unveil a bunch of hot new products including the new iPad Pro models, the fourth-generation Apple Watch, and a new affordable MacBook. It seemed like we knew all there was to know, but now a new report from a trusted insider brings us even more details these devices that had previously been unreported.
Well-known analyst and Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo explained in a new research note seen by 9to5Mac that the iPhone Xr, which is what he’s calling the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, is launching in “late Sep-early Oct due to quality issues of assembly and display.” This matches what we’ve previously heard. Kuo was among the sources who highlighted the LCD iPhone’s possible delay in the past.
More interestingly, Kuo revealed that the 2018 iPad Pro models will come with Face ID support, just as expected, but also with a massive change that we did not see coming. The tablets will be ditch Apple’s proprietary Lightning port in favor of USB-C, shipping with the new 18W USB-C charger in the box.
The Apple Watch Series 4 will have slimmer bezels and will support electrocardiography (ECG) readings, Kuo said. Also, the watches will use ceramic backs on all models instead of composite glass. Kuo also teased the arrival of a new low-price MacBook that might replace the 12-inch model. The device will have Touch ID authentication, but it apparently won’t feature a Touch Bar. Previous reports said Apple is going to launch an entry-level MacBook or MacBook Air with thin bezels and a 13-inch Retina display this week.
Finally, new AirPods 2 and the AirPower wireless charger are also expected at the event. As for Apple’s next-gen iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max that will be the star of the show, Kuo has already reported on them in great detail so he had nothing new to add in that department.
