According to new rumours Apple could be preparing for a huge launch event on September 9 to unveil the iPhone 6S.
The date and location of the event has been touted by a "trusted source" in a local publication, Hoodline, claiming that Apple will rent out the large Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco from September 4 to September 13.
If true, this would give Apple time to set up (and then dismantle) a large press event to launch the new iPhone, which is expected to be unveiled around that time.
Apple usually holds it iPhone launch dates on a Tuesday, so the suggestion of a Wednesday event is strange. We've not heard anything to suggest that Apple will be swapping from its favoured day, so we're going to do a bit of digging to see what we can find out about Apple's upcoming plans.
However according to the rumours published by Hoodline, there will be multiple street closures in the area surrounding the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Wednesday September 9 from 4am to 12pm – with some streets apparently closing as early as 6PM on Tuesday September 8.
It's worth noting that this report - which would represent quite a departure for Apple - is based on 'a trusted source' citing 'documentation from event logistics indicating that Apple is renting the building' that it was shown - so it's not a normal place to be getting Apple-based info from.
Going large
If the rumours of the street closures are to be believed then it looks like Apple is gearing up for a huge conference, and the fact that the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium can hold up to 7,000 people means that if Apple really is renting out the building, then it is expecting a huge crowd.
The Flint Center in Cupertino, the venue of last year's event, has a maximum capacity of 2,400, so Apple could be planning a much larger event for the iPhone 6S than what the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus got.
Apple TV incoming?
Do you know what could really get a big crowed packed into the hall for the event? A new version of Apple TV.
Its doubtful that Apple would really expect a bigger crowd with an unveiling of a new set top box, but we've previously heard from sources close to Apple HQ that a new Apple TV 2 is on the cards for a September showing, with a new A8 processor and a touch-sensitive remote control as well.
The new box is also rumoured to support Siri and third-party apps from the Apple App Store.
Make way for the Apple Car
Here's a bit of an out-there idea, though. What if all the road closures weren't just to accommodate extra people streaming to the event (or to force people to use San Francisco's trams), but will be to allow Apple to drive its much rumoured smart car up to the event?
OK, this probably isn't that likely at all, but some sites are speculating that some sort of vehicle could make an appearance.
Imagine the scene: a sleek vehicle that looks like it's been plucked straight out of Sir Jony Ive's imagination comes rolling down the emptied streets of San Francisco and pulls up outside where the event is being held.
The driver side door opens, but no one is there! Then the passenger side door opens and out pops Tim Cook to thunderous applause from the Apple faithful, and a shrug of the shoulders from most of the rest of the world.
Of course this is very unlikely, and if anything even remotely like that happened, we'd collectively eat our techradar hats, which we've had made especially for occasions like this. Apple's self-driving car (if it does exist) would be nowhere near launch-ready, but what if - what if - Apple just decided to stick it to Tesla and launch an electric car of its own? IMAGINE.
In truth we're not terribly convinced that Apple will switch from a Tuesday to a Wednesday for the event, so we'd take this news with a pinch of salt. We can't see big things planned for the iPhone 6S given it's only the 'S' variant of last year's phone - but it'll be interesting to see if the Wednesday has an effect on the release date.
Via AppleInsider
