The showcase at Apple's Cupertino California, headquarters comes as the company is mired in a mild slump that has seen its sales drop from last year in three consecutive quarters — with management signaling another downturn is likely during the current quarter that will be capped with the release of its iPhone 15 lineup.
Apple is being forced to start phasing out the Lightning port cables that it rolled out in 2012 with the release of the iPhone 5 because of a mandate that European regulators are imposing in 2024. The shift to USB-C cables may even prove popular since that standard typically charges devices more quickly and also offers faster speeds for data transfers.
Apple also said it will have"excellent offers" for consumers who want to upgrade, including up to $800 off when trading in an iPhone 11 or newer. One new feature on the Apple Watch is something called"double tap," which is a command that users can deploy to answer calls or play or pause music with one hand. By tapping your index finger and thumb twice on your watch hand, the watch will respond to the gesture, Apple said.