Apple event to focus on new iPhones, Apple TV and Siri
Along with new iPhones, the iconic tech company is expected to show off a new Apple TV system and a bigger role in the home for Siri, its voice-activated digital assistant.
After a series of high-profile Apple launches over the past year — super-sized iPhones, a digital wallet, a sleek smartwatch — analysts say this week's news might not seem as dramatic.
"Apple's master plan is to be ubiquitous," said Jordan Edelson of software firm Appetizer Mobile, explaining why Apple is increasingly designing its iPhone and Siri to interact with cars, televisions and "smart" home systems.
Apple rivals like Google, Samsung and Microsoft are building their own technology for Internet-connected cars and homes.
Based on the iPhone's usual two-year product cycle, industry experts expect this year's models will be the same size with more subtle refinements, such as a faster processor, higher-resolution cameras and new exterior colors.
Apple is expected to unveil a redesigned Apple TV set-top box with new capabilities for apps and games, plus recognition of Siri voice commands to search for shows and retrieve weather forecasts and sports scores.
Even without an Apple TV, new iPhone software will make it easier to set up automated homes, including having lights turn on and window shades go up when you tell Siri on the phone, "Time to wake up."