Apple Store Goes Offline Ahead of iPhone 16 Launch Event

Apple Store Goes Offline Ahead of iPhone 16 'It's Glowtime' Event

The wait to see what Apple has in store with its line of iPhone 16 products is almost over. You can tell because the Apple Store has gone dark with a "Be right back" message as the company makes updates to its online storefront. That's because today's "Glowtime" event - to begin broadcasting at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST, 3 a.m. AEST) on Apple's website, YouTube and the Apple TV app - will debut the latest versions of the iPhone. The fall event is also expected to introduce new iterations of the Apple Watch and Apple's ubiquitous AirPods. Viewers are also likely to get more details about Apple Intelligence (the company's branding of its generative AI offerings) and iOS 18, which we heard about in detail at WWDC. You can follow CNET's live blog today to get up to speed on all the announcements as they happen. The company typically closes its online store ahead of Apple Events and then opens it back up with information on new products, some of which will likely be available to order immediately once the shop is back online. We don't know yet if the iPhone 16 will be available to order right after after Glowtime.

The Apple Store is down ahead of today's event, where we expect the iPhone 16 to launch

Just like before any Apple event, the Apple Store has been taken down. You won't be able to order anything from Apple online until later today. With today's "It's Glowtime" event kicking off at 10am PST/1pm EST/6pm BST, expect the store to go back up 90-120 minutes afterwards. We're expecting to see an iPhone 16 reveal event in just a few hours, and that's not all. Expect a first look at new Apple Watch models, too, and potentially even new Apple Intelligence features. There's plenty to look forward to this year with the iPhone lineup. Between the arrival of AI features under the Apple Intelligence banner, to the usual camera and chip improvements and the potential for a new Capture button, it could be another solid iPhone year. As for the Apple Watch, the long-anticipated Apple Watch X could offer a drastic change, while we're also expecting an Apple Watch Ultra 3, too! The iPhone 16 event will take place today (September 9), at 10 am PT/ 1 pm ET/ 6 pm BST. The easiest way to watch the iPhone 16 keynote on Monday is through YouTube, with the stream likely to go live 15 minutes before kick-off time. We've also got a page where you can find the stream, and we'll be bringing you all the announcements. If you already have an Apple device, you can watch the Glowtime event on your iPhone, Mac, or iPad through Apple's website, and it'll be streaming on tvOS' Watch Now section, too.

Apple Store is down ahead of iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 announcements - 9to5Mac

Following usual tradition when Apple is launching new hardware, the Apple Online Store is down ahead of the 'Glowtime' Apple event which kicks off at 10 AM Pacific Time today. The company is expected to announce a new iPhone lineup; iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple Watch Series 10 will also be announced featuring a design change and new larger screen sizes, along with a new generation of AirPods, and potentially some other surprises. Assuming Apple follows its normal pattern, the iPhone 16 range will go up for preorder this Friday, September 13. The phones would then start shipping a week later, with an official September 20 release date. The store will show details and specs about the new phones, but you won't be able to buy one just yet. Apple may start sales of the AirPods, or Watches, though. In the past, these devices have sometimes gone on sale immediately following the announcement event. The headline feature of the new iPhones will be a new button, possibly called the 'camera button'. This will allow users to easily capture photos and videos with a physical depression gesture. The button is expected to be capacitive; a half-press will trigger the camera app to focus on the current subject, mimicking the way higher-end dedicated camera shutter buttons work. The iPhone camera button will also be swipeable, enabling seamless zoom. iPhone 16 will also feature a new chip, A18 and A18 Pro, upgraded cameras, and a new array of colors. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus rear cameras have been moved to a new vertical stacked layout, enabling spatial video recording for the first time. Apple is expected to promote Apple Intelligence features in coordination with the new phones, although a lot of Apple's flashiest AI features will not be ready for some time yet. For the Apple Watch, on its tenth anniversary, we are expecting Apple to unveil the Series 10 lineup. This will be composed of two sizes, which are expected to feature thinner chassis and larger screens than their Series 9 counterparts. Sleep apnea detection will also be a key new feature, expanding the Watch's abilities as a health companion. The new AirPods range is expected to feature two models, a high-end and a low-end model, both sitting below AirPods Pro in price. The higher-end 'AirPods 4' is rumored to include some form of active noise cancellation. Apple's high-end headphones, AirPods Max, may also be getting a refresh today including a USB-C port for charging. AirPods Pro are not expected to be updated until sometime in 2025. Updates to iPad and Mac are scheduled for later this year, probably announced at another Apple event in October, so don't expect them to be talked about today. Stay tuned to 9to5Mac for full coverage of Apple's September event, as we bring you live coverage of all the announcements.