Apple Events – an overview of the annual events

Manufacturers of digital and electronic products are facing major changes. The development of new technologies is getting faster and faster, the tasks and solutions are becoming more complex and the users are also becoming more demanding. The US technology company Apple keeps up with this development through regular events and informs users and developers about new products. Events are held every year to accomplish this task.

Apple Keynote in spring and fall

As a rule, the new products are presented twice a year in a so-called AppleKeynote presented. These events are very appropriately titled with the term keynote, because they are decisive for the coming months. In the run-up to this, there are announcements by Apple, but also numerous assumptions by users and analysts about what will be presented and shown at the events and how the company will possibly align itself in the future.

This includes hardware such as the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, iMac, Mac Studio and MacBook as well as Apple's own operating systems such as watchOS, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS or reality OS. In recent years, the keynotes have mostly taken place on days in March/April and September/October.

WWDC in early summer

Early summer is a crucial date for all software companies and developers. At the WWDC, Apple's World Wide Developers Conference, all developers are brought up to date on Apple products once a year - see WWDC appointment. Innovations and extensions to the company's own operating systems iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS are the main topic.

The conference will be held over several days and, in addition to the pure product presentation, also offers added value through workshops and lectures. The new interfaces and programs can be tested and features discovered and you can even get support from high-ranking Apple programmers.

The WWDC is primarily aimed at software developers to better adapt their own products to the Apple infrastructure and to learn about new functions. This event is therefore also important for the orientation of external companies.

Originally, the World Wide Developers Conference took place in San José or San Francisco. In recent years, the conference has moved virtually from Apple Park to Cupertino held. The WWDC usually takes place in June, making it the manufacturer's summer event. In 2021, WWDC celebrated its twentieth birthday and has long since established itself as a permanent Apple event.

Apple iPhone event always in September

The introduction of the new Apple iPhone in the keynote in September every year has now become a must for Apple fanboys. In the other events there are also ideas about changes to Apple's iOS - the operating system that runs on the iPhone. However, the new iPhone model is always only shown in this one annual keynote, which is why it is also referred to as the “iPhone Keynote” or “iPhone Event”.

For most Apple users, the iPhone keynote is likely to be the most important event, because there are many more iPhone users than Mac users and, accordingly, many more people are looking forward to the new iPhone model.

I feel the same way, because as an Apple blogger I usually get the new iPhone and look forward to the improvements and new functions. Most of the time, though, the improved camera is what draws me to a new iPhone. I take all the photos (also for this blog) with my iPhone and do not use any other digital camera.

New Apple Watch also at iPhone event

In recent years, the new Apple Watch model has always been presented at the iPhone keynote in September. Usually this goes well together as both devices work closely together and are linked.

With the Apple Watch comes the new watchOS, which offers new functions, more ease of use and other improvements. This means that in September you can look forward to both a new iPhone and a new Apple Watch.

Sometimes more, sometimes less Apple Keynotes per year

Depending on how big the planned product innovations are, additional events are also held by Apple: iPad, MacBook, iMac and AirPod models are held at some point in the year and do not have a fixed date. The number of keynotes in a year is therefore not limited. Additional events have also been held again and again in recent years.

The complexity and variety of products requires this strategy. In the meantime, the range of products has grown so much that a single event is no longer sufficient. Users can look forward to news and changes throughout the year.

Apple Event: Online or live event

The last few years have increasingly shown that Apple's events are held less live and are mostly pre-produced. The original trigger for this was the corona pandemic, but even now Apple still relies on this type of event. The advantage is clear: you can do multiple takes while recording, then cut everything together for a while and spice it up with animations, crazy cuts and visual effects. The recipe has been very well received by Apple fans in recent years.

The events will be chaired by Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, who will intermittently hand over the floor to the individual experts for the different operating systems or products. The Apple Keynotes have been streamed on the internet at a set time for many years. So all Apple fans sit in front of the TV, MacBook or iPad and everyone sees the presentation at the same time. All events will be put online later and can be viewed with a time delay if you have missed the event.

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He acts as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with technical problems. In his spare time he rides electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with the iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions to current bugs.