Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is holding its big iPhone event on September 12. But over the weekend, the company accidentally spilled the beans.
The golden master of iOS 11 leaked and the final version of Apple’s mobile operating system is full of information about what the company will be announcing on Tuesday, including the name of its new flagship smartphone: which will be the iPhone X.
Apple stock was down 1.6% on Friday, showing the usual jitters over whether what Apple actually unveils at the annual event will live up to expectations.
Based on what was revealed in the iOS 11 leak, this might be the year that Apple breaks the streak and sees AAPL stock actually get a post-event bump, instead of dropping.
Here’s everything about the iPhone X and other Apple products that were revealed over the weekend as part of that iOS 11 Leak.
iOS 11 Leak Confirms Both iPhone X and iPhone 8
Going into the Apple event, we were expecting a new flagship iPhone 8, along with an iPhone 7s and 7s Plus. I have a stack of review iPhone cases from a major manufacturer that arrived last week in full iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s packaging, showing Apple’s third-party partners were expecting that, too.
But it looks as though Apple managed to fool us — at least with the naming. According to leak details published on MacRumors, there is going to be an iPhone 8, but it’s what would traditionally have been called the iPhone 7s. It appears that Apple is skipping the “s” designation — which always caused a little confusion.
The new flagship will be called the iPhone X, a long shot possibility that’s been floating around since the start of the year.
9to5 Mac also has details of the iOS 11 leak, and they confirm much of the speculation about the iPhone 8 — or I should say iPhone X — up until now. That includes the OLED display that covers much of the front face, virtually eliminating bezels.
The Home button is gone and with it, Touch ID appears to have disappeared, although both remain on the iPhone 8. Instead, the iPhone X gets advanced cameras (including the vertical dual camera on the back) and facial recognition called Face ID.
Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE
We’ve been expecting AAPL to release a new version of its Apple Watch to take on Fitbit Inc’s (NYSE:FIT) new Ionic smartwatch during the holiday shopping season. The Apple Watch hasn’t significantly moved the needle yet on AAPL stock, but it is the world’s top-selling smartwatch and Apple wants to stay in the lead.
The iOS 11 leak confirms a new Apple Watch Series 3 is on the way, and that it offers LTE connectivity. An image of the new Apple Watch was included in the Master, and it shows a smartwatch that looks identical to the current form factor but with a red digital crown. The setup instructions for the new Apple Watch indicate that it can make phone calls independently with its own LTE connection, and shares a phone number with the owner’s iPhone.
That means Fitbit’s first smartwatch will be going up against an Apple Watch that has the ability to cut the iPhone cord completely — a big advantage to fitness enthusiasts who want to carry minimal equipment for a workout.
New AirPods
While the iPhone X and LTE Apple Watch Series 3 largely confirmed what we already suspected — albeit with a new name thrown into the mix — the iOS 11 leak also included something unexpected. New AirPods. Apple’s wireless Bluetooth earbuds have been selling much better than expected, and it looks like an AirPods 1.2 revision is on its way to keep that momentum.
What About the 4K Apple TV?
Yes, the expected 4K Apple TV also had details leaked. While the current Apple TV features an A8 CPU with 2GB of RAM, the new model Apple is expected to reveal on Tuesday is powered by an A10X Fusion chip with 3GB of RAM. That kind of processing power is plenty for 4K Ultra HD content, but it’s also enough for more graphically intense video games.
Enough for an AAPL Stock Boost?
As I mentioned earlier, AAPL stock has a habit of dropping after Apple’s iPhone events as investors decide the new iPhone doesn’t quite live up to the hype. This year could be different.
Apple is taking the wraps off the iPhone X –an all new ultra-premium flagship– as well as the iPhone 8 series. Between the two, that will be a lot of high margin iPhones going out in an expected upgrade super cycle. The Apple Watch Series 3 should hold off Fitbit while continuing to draw the lion’s share of smartwatch sales. LTE connectivity could be enough to convince some first generation Apple Watch owners to upgrade as well. The 4K Apple TV is expected to re-invigorate a set-top box that used to be a market
The 4K Apple TV is expected to re-invigorate a set-top box that used to be a market leader but has been held back by lack of Ultra HD support. And with AirPods selling like hotcakes, expect new AirPods to be popular stocking stuffers.
It’s definitely looking like AAPL stock is ready for a blowout holiday quarter.
Stay tuned to InvestorPlace for our September 12 Apple event coverage.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
