Apple doesn’t participate in big industry-wide events such as CES or E3. The most valuable company in the world holds its own events, thank you very much. Several times a year, Apple invites the press and industry professionals to Apple Park to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these ‘events,’ and streams them live online to millions of watchers.
In 2023 there were three such events: WWDC in June, the Wonderlust iPhone event in September and Apple’s second fall event on October 30. Similarly, in 2022 Apple held three events: a spring event on March 8, WWDC on June 6, and the iPhone 14 launch on September 7. In other years Apple has held four events though. Will Apple hold four events in 2024?
Read on to find out what events and new Apple product launches the company has in store for 2024.
When is Apple’s next event?
We were thinking Apple might hold an event in the spring of 2024 at which it would unveil the Vision Pro headset, however, Apple revealed the launch of the Vision Pro, at least in the U.S., via a press release. The Vision Pro went on sale in the U.S. on February 2, with pre-orders starting on January 19. We are still waiting for the Vision Pro to be released outside the U.S.
However, there was one other product we thought Apple might unveil at a spring event, but Apple instead revealed the news of the new M3 MacBook Air via a press release on March 4. The company seems to be favoring press releases rather than a spring event. –indeed that is exactly what Mark Gurman has stated will be in the case in a newsletter on March 3 when he wrote: “New Mac, iPad, Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard updates are coming — but don’t expect a launch event.”
Apple is thought to be ready to launch several products including a new iPad Pro, new iPad mini, and iPad Air, but we expect any of these to be released without an event.
The next event would then be WWDC24, Apple’s annual developer’s conference that is always held in early June, except in 2020 when COVID caused a small delay. Apple has announced WWDC24 will take place from June 10-14, and will start with a keynote on June 10 at 10am.
The keynote is where Apple announces its next major operating system releases: iOS and iPadOS 18, macOS 15, tvOS 18, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2. Expect to hear a lot about AI this year. Apple sometimes announces new hardware at WWDC; we could see new Macs: the Mac mini M3, Mac Studio M3 and Mac Pro M3. We could also see new AirPods, or even a surprise like a HomePod with a display. If the iPads aren’t announced in the spring we expect to see them at WWDC.
What time will the next Apple event start?
When the event starts at 10 am PT that translates to the following times in the countries where most of our readers live. Note that because countries adjust their clocks for daylight-saving on different days around the world there may be differences to the time the event is held.
- U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT), 11 am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1 pm (EST/EDT)
- Canada: as above, and 2 pm (AST/ADT)
- U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST)
- Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST), 8 pm (EET/EEST)
- India: at 10.30 pm (IST)
- Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30 am (ACST/ACDT), 3 am (AEST/AEDT)
- New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT)
How long does an Apple event last?
Apple keynotes usually last between one and two hours and feature CEO Tim Cook along with various other Apple executives. WWDC and the September event tend to be longer keynotes; the spring and late-fall events can be slightly shorter.
When does Apple usually hold events?
Apple holds three or four live or live-streamed events throughout the year where the company unveils its latest products and plans during a keynote address. They are usually held during similar times of the year:
- March/April: Spring event
- June: WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference)
- September: Fall event (aka iPhone and Apple Watch launch event)
- October/November: Late-fall event(s)
This event calendar is by no means set in stone, though, with the spring and October events being less regular. Some years, Apple doesn’t hold a spring event at all, as was the case in 2023.
The summer and September events are more predictable, with software coming at WWDC in June and iPhones and Apple Watches in September. The October event often sees Apple launch new Macs, but this is another one that changes from year to year.
Apple
What Apple events will take place in 2024?
Here are the events we expect to see in 2024, and what could launch.
Spring event 2024
As discussed above, it is looking unlikely that there will be an Apple event in the spring. It is more likely that Apple will reveal new products via press releases.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset hasn’t yet launched in locations including the U.K. Europe, Canada and Australia, so Apple could hold an event to talk about a worldwide launch, but it’s unlikely given that it didn’t even hold an event for the U.S. launch. What else could we see? A new iPad mini and iPad Air as well as the M3 Mac mini. The AirPods could gain USB-C and we might even see a HomePod with a screen. We could even see Apple launch a 14-inch iPad Pro snd other new iPads. However, we may be waiting until June’s WWDC for all of this.
WWDC: June 10-14 2024
WWDC usually takes place in the first or second week of June. In 2023 the opening keynote was held on Monday, June 5. Apple announced three new Macs and the Vision Pro headset as well as revealing the new features coming to the various operating systems in updates later in the year. Apple has announced dates of June 10-14 for WWDC24.
Following the keynote on the Monday, developer events and sessions will run throughout the week. You can read more about WWDC date, times and everything you need to know in a separate article.
- WWDC 2023: June 5-9
- WWDC 2022: June 6-10
- WWDC 2021: June 7-11
- WWDC 2020: June 22-26
- WWDC 2019: June 3-7
- WWDC 2018: June 4-8
- WWDC 2017: June 5-9
Apple uses WWDC each year to unveil the latest versions of its operating systems, so in 2024 we’ll get a preview of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18, and possibly an update to Apple’s realityOS. New hardware sometimes makes an appearance at WWDC as well, so we may see the M3 Ultra Mac Pro and Mac Studio and any of the products we mention as potentials for the spring. Hopefully, we’ll get a date for the global Vision Pro launch if we haven’t already.
iPhone 16 launch event: September 2024
Apple always holds an event in September, and almost always uses this to announce a new iPhone and Apple Watch. (The only exception in recent memory was in 2020, as a result of Covid-related production issues. That year the iPhone was announced in October, but there was still a September event.) Here are the past few Apple September event dates:
- 2023: Tuesday, September 12
- 2022: Tuesday, September 13
- 2022: Wednesday, September 7
- 2021: Tuesday, September 14
- 2020: Tuesday, September 15
- 2019: Tuesday, September 10
- 2018: Wednesday, September 12
- 2017: Tuesday, September 12
October 2024 Event
There could be iPad and Mac events in October and/or November 2024. But this is a long way off so we won’t get into too much detail just yet.
In the past, Apple has held a second fall event on the following dates:
- 2023: Monday, October 30
- 2022: No event
- 2021: Monday, October 18
- 2020: Tuesday, October 13 and Tuesday, November 10
- 2019: No event
- 2018: Tuesday, October 30
- 2017: No event
- 2016: Thursday, October 27
- 2015: No event
- 2014: Thursday, October 16
- 2013: Tuesday, October 22
- 2012: Tuesday, October 23
- 2011: Tuesday, October 4
We expect Apple to launch new iPads and Macs in the late fall/autumn.