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Apple’s “Gather Round” Event: Odds on What to Expect

Don Aguero

by Don Aguero in Entertainment

Updated Apr 11, 2019 · 10:25 AM PDT

Leaked photo of the new iPhone in three different colors.
Photos of the new iPhone leaked online this weekend. Are they the real thing?
  • Apple is preparing for a big event on Wednesday, September 12th.
  • Very little has been confirmed, but a new iPhone and Watch are expected to be unveiled.
  • Photos of the upcoming phone and watch have apparently already been leaked.

Gather round.

Apple will host an event on Wednesday, September 12th, and that’s really all we’re certain of. There will probably be an unveiling of a new iPhone and Watch, and possibly a revamped Macbook Air and Mac Mini. But all that is speculation. The invite Apple sent out only included the time (10 AM PT/1 PM ET), the place (Apple Park), and the phrase “Gather round.”

Leaks and rumors are swirling in the lead up to the event, so let’s put some hard numbers to the gossip.

The invite to the upcoming Apple event.
The invite to the upcoming Apple event.

Apple Special Event

Prop Odds
Odds there’s a technical glitch during one of the product showcases 4/1

The event will be held at Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, California. Paying homage to the man who put the company on the map, the grand unveilings will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater.

It’s where Apple chose to showcase the iPhone X, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 3 last year. During the event, there was a slight technical glitch when the iPhone X Face ID feature failed to recognize Tim Cook. It was a very minor stumble, but tech geeks were quick to pounce.

Prop Over/Under
O/U Pre-recorded Jony Ive videos 1.5

He’s the true hero of Apple and the man Steve Jobs called his “spiritual partner.” Jony Ive, the chief design officer, has been a driving force in Apple’s design aesthetic since the iMac, and we can be sure his touch will be found in the company’s upcoming product.

Odds the following phrases are said on stage during the event Odds
Pixel Density 1/2
World’s most advanced 1/1
Groundbreaking 2/1
The _____ iPhone ever 2/1
One More Thing 5/1
Steve Jobs 10/1
Trillion dollars 20/1
Android 50/1
Lodestar 100/1

“One more thing” was Steve Jobs’ version of “But wait, there’s more!”

It wasn’t that different to your average infomercial pitch, but since it was Steve Jobs, it was considered revolutionary. Since taking over, Tim Cook has used the term as a tongue-in-cheek throwback to Jobs, but his presentation style is quite different to his predecessor’s.

One thing that doesn’t change is the buzzwords. The latest Apple products are always “groundbreaking” and the “world’s most advanced.”

Apple Watch 4 Props Odds
O/U screen resolution 384 x 480
O/U battery life 20.5 hours
Odds it features an Always-on screen 2/1
Odds it has LTE by default 3/1

If the rumors are to be believed, the Apple Watch 4 will boast a resolution of 384 x 480, up from the 3’s 312 x 390 resolution. We should also expect a slight improvement in battery life as well, which was 18 hours with the Apple Watch 3.

An Always-On feature has been one of the most requested for the Apple Watch, but that may create battery life issues. It also makes sense to include LTE network capacity by default, but some consumers may still want the bare bones model.

iPhone XS Props Odds
O/U battery life difference +0.6 hours
Odds it is 5G capable 5/1
O/U cost of biggest model $1450.5 USD

iPhone X gained an extra two hours of battery life over the iPhone 7, according to the official numbers. The iPhone 8, however, did not improve on its predecessor. We probably shouldn’t expect a huge improvement from the X.

The groundwork is being laid for 5G networks, though we shouldn’t expect it to take off until 2020. Apple will probably hold off on offering 5G-capable phones until the technology is more widely available.

As far as price goes, don’t expect iPhones to get any cheaper. The bells-and-whistles model of the upcoming XS could break $1400.

What other will products be revealed by Apple on Sept 12? Odds
New/updated Macbook Air 1/1
New/updated Mac Mini 2/1
New iPad pro 5/1
iPhone SE 2018 9/1
Augmented reality wearable / glasses 15/1
Netflix style video service 15/1
Nike “Colin Kaepernick edition” Apple Watch face 20/1

iPhone announcements are generally met with greater fanfare than their bulkier counterparts, but Apple is definitely due for a roll out of new Macbook Airs and Mac Minis. A “Special Edition” iPhone for 2018 is also an option, and so is a new and improved iPad Pro.

Apple is due to release the Airpower this year but there hasn’t been much word on that lately. Last we heard they were still working on the technology. There’s also Augmented reality glasses, which fell out of favor before they even got going. Like they did with tablets, Apple could open up the market with the Apple Glass.

The Competition

Samsung products in 2018 Odds
Foldable phone 2/1
5G phone 2/1

There’s been talk of a folding phone from Samsung, which would be a seriously big development. But I wouldn’t be too hopeful for a 2018 roll out. There are also plans for a 5G-compatible device, but we’re still in the very early days of 5G networks.

CES 2019 Props Odds
O/U Number of 5G-capable phones unveiled at CES 2019 2.5

Just for the sheer publicity, there could be a 5G capable device released at CES 2019. The South Koreans will probably be the first to experience the technology, so it’s safe to assume that Samsung will be first to the punch.

Which brands will be trending on day of event? Odds
Apple 1/4
Nike 2/1
Samsung 4/1

Apple knows how to trend, we can be sure they’ll do something to light up the internet. Nike have a habit of latching their wagon to trending topics, so perhaps they’ll do something in collaboration with Apple on the day of the event. And there’s always a slim chance that Samsung somehow manages to steal the show.

Leaks

Which brands will be trending on day of the Gather Round event? Odds
Odds the leaked Watch/iPhone XS photos are accurate 1/2
Odds there’s a major Apple event in the next 2 years that is completely unspoiled by leaks 1/1

It’s quite likely that the leaked iPhone and Watch photos are accurate. It’s even possible that the leaks were a coordinated effort by Apple to drum up excitement. At the end of the day, it’s free advertising.

Who will go 6 months without a leak first? Odds
Microsoft 3/2
Apple 2/1
Samsung 3/1
White House 49/1

President Trump

 

Prop Odds
Odds Apple addresses President Trump’s tweet at the Gather Round event 4/1
Odds Apple manufactures a product in the US by 2020 74/1

Never one to let the spotlight pass him by, POTUS inserted himself into the Apple conversation by tweeting that the company should move its manufacturing to the US if it wants to avoid the negative impacts of Trump’s looming trade war with China. Don’t bank on the trillion-dollar company up and leaving China forthwith. It’s worked out pretty well for them so far.

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