Every Apple event is an explosion of excitement, from the first announcement to Tim Cook's final flourish as he summarises what's been announced. But there's always a lot that gets caught in the maelstrom, the rumours, the speculation, the supposition - and that can lead to both a sense of excitement and disappointment about the things that weren't announced.
Here we're going to run down the list of everything that Apple didn't announce, and see where that leaves us for the next Apple launch event. For a recap of the products announced or to watch the event yourself, head over to our event recap.
The Apple iPhone 15 Ultra
I wrote enthusiastically about the potential for an iPhone 15 Ultra, something to shift the dial from the awkward Pro Max naming to make this phone truly stand apart. That didn't happen. Well, it did, but the name didn't change, instead we're presented with the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is consistent, if a little disappointing in terms of the name.
I don't mean any disrespect to the iPhone 15 Pro Max - I'm sure it's going to be a great phone - but it's not the Ultra. It's a bit like being Mr Universe when you should be Mr Olympia. The point is that for the first time, the Pro Max model isn't just about a bigger display - it's about a different camera system. That's an important differentiation that customers need to know about, because it's a big reason to buy the ultra model and currently, the name doesn't sell it.
Colour-matched cables for iPhone 15
There was a rumour that Apple was going to be doing colour-matched braided cables to match the range of iPhone 15 colours. That's not the case - all the phones come with a 1-metre USB-C cable. This is also interesting, because it's a change for Apple, replacing the Lightning connector with the more universal USB-C. It's worth noting that the supplied cable only supports USB 2 standards, and if you want the faster data transfer from the iPhone 15 Pro models, you'll need USB 3 support - so a Thunderbolt 4 cable is your best bet.
The U2 chip
Ultra wideband can be a useful for spacial awareness when you still haven't found what you're looking for. But Apple moves in mysterious ways, and the successor to the U1 chip didn't get the name we expected. The second-gen Ultra Wideband chip is in the new models, but there's no sign of U2. Perhaps this is because Apple shoehorned Songs of Innocence into iTunes in 2014 and has never lived it down.
The Apple M3 chip
We know it's out there, we know it's coming, we know it's going to power next-gen Mac and iPad models, but the Apple M3 was absent from proceedings. Those who follow Apple events will know that there's (usually) delineation between product categories and September is always about iPhone first and foremost.
We'd expect the Apple M3 to be announced alongside the launch of new a new MacBook Pro, with some rumours suggesting there might be an October launch for such a device.
The next-gen MacBook Pro 13-inch
It was clear that a lot of people expected to hear something about MacBook at the September event, but that wasn't to be the case. Most of this probably circulates around the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro that sits on M2, but can't match the 14-inch MacBook Pro from 2023. It's clear that some people want the 13-inch model, even though the 14-inch model is almost the same size with a lot less bezel. I think we'll have to wait for the M3 launch to see exactly where Apple goes with the MacBook family.
iPad mini 7
While it seemed unlikely, bubbling under the surface was the rumour that Apple was going to introduce a new version of the iPad mini. Said device isn't expected to get a design change but is expected to move on from the A15 Bionic chip to something newer. That obviously didn't happen, but the current Mini was launched in 2021, so it's due for some upgrades. My fear is that it will get a power boost and a price increase, and it's already too expensive.
An Apple Vision Pro release date
Apple Vision Pro is coming in early 2024. That's as much information as you're getting and if you were hoping to hear a more accurate time frame, you're out of luck. Tim Cook did confirm that it's still coming in early 2024. Rumours have suggested production is proving tricky, so supply might be limited and a more affordable Vision Pro is said to be in development.