Apple Invites Media to September 12 Event at Apple Park: 'Gather Round'

Apple today sent out media invites for its annual iPhone-centric event that will be held on Wednesday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park Campus in Cupertino, California.

The media invites released today give a first look at the theme of the event and feature the tagline "Gather Round," likely referencing the main ring-shaped building at Apple Park.

september12mediainvites
There are a lot of product refreshes that we could see at the fall 2018 event. First and foremost, Apple is expected to be introducing three iPhones this year: a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED device, a larger-screened 6.5-inch OLED device, and a lower-cost 6.1-inch smartphone with an LCD display.

All three iPhones are expected to feature upgraded A12 processors, faster LTE, edge-to-edge displays, and Face ID integration, with Apple doing away with the Home button for its entire 2018 iPhone lineup.

Apple's low-cost iPhone, which could be priced around $700, is expected to use an aluminum frame and a single-lens camera, keeping costs low. The two OLED iPhones, which could cost somewhere between $800 and $1,000, will use stainless steel frames with dual-lens cameras.

2018iphonelineupdummy
Along with fresh iPhones, Apple is expected to introduce the Apple Watch Series 4, which is said to feature a larger display likely implemented through a reduction in bezel size. Longer battery life and improved health monitoring capabilities are also rumored, but beyond that, we don't know much about the new wrist-worn devices.

apple watch series 4 concept

A mockup of what the Apple Watch Series 4 might look like

New iPad Pro models with Face ID, slimmer bezels, and no Home button are in the works, as are refreshed Macs that include a low-cost MacBook and a new Mac mini, but it is not clear if these products will come at the September event.

Apple may use a second October event to unveil new iPads and Macs as it has done in past years where Macs and iPads were introduced in the fall.

benjamingeskinipadprorender3

2018 iPad Pro mockup via Benjamin Geskin

New Apple Watch bands, revamped AirPods with "Hey Siri" support, and the long-awaited AirPower charging mat, which is designed to charge the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods at the same time, will all likely be introduced in September.

Apple's 2018 iPhone keynote event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will live stream the event on its website and on Apple TV, but for those who are unable to watch, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage both on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, Apple Watch 11
Related Forums: AirPods, iPhone

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 2

Wednesday November 12, 2025 3:29 pm PST by
Apple today provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26.2, which adds a few new features worth knowing about. Measure App Apple's Measure app now features a Liquid Glass design for the level, with two Liquid Glass bubbles instead of white circles. Games App There's now an option to sort games in the Games app Library by size, in addition to Name and Recent. CarPlay The...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
apple intelligence erroneous support list

Apple Intelligence Apparently Too Smart for M1 Macs After Listing Error

Wednesday November 12, 2025 2:49 am PST by
Update: It took a day, but Apple has now corrected its Apple Intelligence device compatibility list to show support for the earliest Apple silicon Macs. The original article follows. Apple's website is causing some confusion among Mac owners, and for good reason – its device compatibility listing for Apple Intelligence appears to have dropped support for M1 Macs. The U.S. version...

Top Rated Comments

johnyslats Avatar
94 months ago
Time to overanalyse the image and look for the hidden meaning



Attachment Image
Score: 80 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFather Avatar
94 months ago
Deleted.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yazounet Avatar
94 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
94 months ago
in before someone suggests "gather round" means round apple watches
...
(it'll never happen)
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
verniesgarden Avatar
94 months ago
I'd love to see what the invite-analysers will make of this
obviously it's a reverence to "the wheels on the car go round and round" apple car confirmed
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacNut Avatar
94 months ago
Apple is finally releasing a rotary phone!
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)