Apple iPhone Event: What to Expect

When Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage at the company’s Cupertino, Calif. headquarters on Tuesday, he’ll likely do something Apple has never done before: release two iPhones at once. The introduction of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C is widely rumored and eagerly anticipated at next week’s big Apple event, although it’s unlikely they’ll be the only new devices at the company's first major product launch in almost a year.

Here’s what to expect on Tuesday:

iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S will be an upgrade, and not an entirely new phone. It's expected to come in a variety of new metallic finishes, and include a faster processor.

One of wilder rumors about the 5S is that it may feature a fingerprint scanner. If rumor becomes reality, this significant security upgrade could live next to, or under, the home button. Biometric security of this kind typically works best when it’s coupled with a CPU-level security platform. On PCs, that’s known as Trusted Platform Management, which cryptographically stores keys associated with features such as fingerprint scanners.

The 5S is also expected to feature photography-related upgrades. In addition to a bigger sensor (13 megapixels is a possibility), it’ll likely have a new dual-LED flash. If the phone uses two different colors for the flash, as some reports have suggested, photo color accuracy will greatly improve.

iPhone 5C

The rumored iPhone 5C (which stands for "China" or "Color," as some reports claim) — if it debuts at Tuesday's event — will be Apple’s first-ever budget iPhone. The 5C is expected to come in many colors, and include a plastic body, although its internal components will likely be the same as what's found in the current iPhone 5 (chances are, Apple won't shrink the 5C back to 4S dimensions). As for pricing, reports suggest that it would cost $99 if subsidized, and around $350 if purchased on contract.

Specs aside, a big question on people's minds is why Apple would launch a budget phone in the first place. Most consider the 5C a product designed specifically for the Chinese market, as developing countries present a huge opportunity for mobile companies. But without carrier subsidies and strong policies against piracy and knockoffs, Apple may have difficulty breaking through and maintaining momentum in markets like China.

However, a more affordable iPhone and reported deal with China Mobile, the country's largest carrier, could revitalize Apple in this vast market. And in case you don’t think this phone is about China, Apple has made its intentions clear by holding a special launch event there for the first time, several hours after the U.S. event concludes.

Apple TV

Mashable's senior tech analyst Christina Warren has been studying the iOS 7 update for weeks, and noticed that it includes some features for an updated version of Apple TV. No, not the long-rumored Apple HDTV set — we’re talking about the little black box that has become a huge success, with millions of units sold.

Among the anticipated Apple TV updates: Warren says we should expect interface differences that will pull Apple TV in line with iOS 7’s new, more austere look. The hardware design hasn’t changed much in two years, so we may also see an update there. Perhaps they’ll follow GoogleChromecast's lead, and make it dongle-sized, although that is unlikely.

iOS 7 and iTunes Radio

Thanks to WWDC and multiple interim betas, we already know plenty about iOS 7, except for the exact delivery date. Since the mobile OS ships with all of Apple's new phones, the company will likely announce update availability at Tuesday's event.

It's also expected that Apple will shed light on its new music-streaming service, iTunes Radio, which will ship as a part of iOS 7. To demonstrate the music industry's support for Apple's new service, the company may even present advertising partners and a musical act or two.

Airport Updates

Apple updated its Airport Extreme base station to include 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which supposedly works three times faster than Wireless N, and many industry observers expect it to do the same with the AirPort Express (the iPhone 5S will likely support the new standard as well).

Drawl, Charm and Schiller

While Tim Cook will no doubt open Tuesday's event with his trademark drawl, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller will likely command the most stage time to show off Apple's new hardware. Design head Jony Ive will be in attendance, but won't likely appear on stage. Ive generally prefers being on the big screen, and it's expected that he'll explain Apple's design and engineering magic in at least one highly produced video.

The Unexpected

Apple could also reveal a MacBook Pro update, although that would be out of place at Tuesday's mostly mobile event. It’s more likely that Cook will officially bury the iPod classic, and just maybe reveal a hardware update to the overlooked iPod nano.

Wild cards include the possible debuts of an Apple smart watch and a real Apple HD television set (perhaps with a 4K display!). Although industry watchers are itching for Apple to enter a new product category with one of these devices (or something completely different), it's very unlikely either will make an appearance.

As always, many unanswered questions remain (although not as many as there were before Apple’s vaunted secrecy sprung as many leaks as an Edward Snowden NSA memo). The good news is there are only a few days before we know why Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer promised us a very busy fall.