Apple announces Sept. 12 event, iPhone 15 unveiling expected

Apple (AAPL) has sent out an invite for its latest product reveal event on September 12th. Many believe the company will be unveiling the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9. Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley discusses the event and what investors can expect.

Video transcript

AKIKO FUJITA: Well, Apple shares moving slightly higher today as the tech giant announced the date for its next major product event officially scheduled for September 12. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch series. According to one analyst, Apple is aiming for the highest end iPhone 15 Pro Max to account for up to 40% of initial shipments for the iPhone 15 series. And this is really good news.

So Seana, of course, that's the higher price point for Apple at a time when we've been talking so much about the global slowdown in smartphone shipments. Apple though, when you look at the iPhone 14 Pro Max, that was the top selling smartphone. So even if they don't necessarily sell more units, if they sell units at a higher price point, that's going to be positive for the company.

SEANA SMITH: And it's supposed to be about 10% to 20% higher than what we saw with the iPhone 14 Pro Max here last year. We know a lot is riding on this unveil, what the demand picture is going to look like. Apple has been struggling now for a couple quarters with falling sales for the last three quarters in a row. They're looking to really boost iPhone demand, boost their sales number. Whether or not the iPhone 15 is going to do it, I don't know.

Akiko, I know you followed this very closely. There's lots of hype just around what lens is going to be used in the iPhone 15 camera. I believe it's the Periscope lens that's believed to be used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. If that's really going to move the needle for demand, given the fact that people are pulling back on spending, I don't know if they will still be willing to pay over $1,000 for an iPhone.

AKIKO FUJITA: Yeah. You know, it feels like increasingly, it is about the camera, right? When you think about the phone, what is it that makes you upgrade? And the camera getting a lot of attention. That specific lens you mentioned expecting a big upgrade going into iPhone 15. But I don't know what you have, Seana. But I'm still at a 12.

SEANA SMITH: You know what? I just upgraded. I was forced to upgrade because my phone broke last month. I was trying to hold off for the 15 not to get the latest model but to get a price break on the model before. But I was forced to pay full price there. Oh, well.

AKIKO FUJITA: Yeah. I'm at a 12. I may be thinking about an upgrade, which is probably around the upgrade cycle for most smartphone users. So we'll see if they upgrade to that Pro Max.