iPhone 15 launch will keep video format with an invited audience

Apple's expected September launch of the iPhone 15 range will reportedly be a recorded video once more, with an invited audience viewing at Apple Park and getting a hands-on demo.

It's now four years since Tim Cook stood on stage at a fully live iPhone launch to say "Good morning." Then in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic both delayed the iPhone 12 launch to October and forced Apple to present an entirely virtual launch.

Apple kept that format for 2021, and then in 2022 produced a hybrid event. The iPhone 14 range was announced in a by now typically slick video production, but it was also shown to an invited audience at Apple Park.

It's this format that, according to Bloomberg, Apple is preparing to have for the forthcoming iPhone 15 launch in September.

Not that there was any doubt, but Sept 12 event is being prepared as an in-person launch. So recorded video + people watching at the Apple campus + hands on afterwards. Same as the iPhone 14. Here's what to expect https://t.co/mFZbdRMugD https://t.co/ljf0DW95zj
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) August 9, 2023

This is also how Apple introduced the Apple Vision Pro, with an extra marquee set up at Apple Park to house the attendees.

Those attendees were then taken to a special demo area to try out the Vision Pro, and Apple is presumably planning the same in order to provide first-look opportunities for the iPhone 15 range.

Apple has yet to confirm these details, or even the date of the launch, however. It is expected that the iPhone 15 unveiling will take place around September 12 or 13, 2023.

8 Comments

amar99 180 comments · 14 Years

About 1 year ago

Booo. These pre-recorded presentations are such a bore. They border on patronizing. Even if they are more concise, there's no crowd energy which makes them nearly devoid of life.

avon b7 8008 comments · 20 Years

amar99 said:

Booo. These pre-recorded presentations are such a bore. They border on patronizing. Even if they are more concise, there's no crowd energy which makes them nearly devoid of life.

Absolutely agree (if true).

If they are slick, they are sickly slick.

The Vision Pro came over as a group of of lifeless puppets trying their to look human. They all looked terribly uncomfortable.

They would be better off just playing the promo videos and be done with it.

Shipping people in to watch a video of a presentation?

It made sense (through necessity) during the pandemic.

I hope they get back to live, warts and all, shows.

Xed 2871 comments · 4 Years

I wrote on this forum several years ago when Apple moved to this pre-recorded format that they will not move away from this because they have more control and more options for making a better representation for which I'm happy about. Just like I don't need a laugh track to know if something is funny, I don't need an audience's reaction to new technology to know how that technology will work for my needs.

jib 65 comments · 23 Years

I expected this, and I actually prefer the video presentations -- I think they are more informative, and more entertaining than just having someone talk on stage. And I don't need an audience -- I have my own reactions and don't really care what the audience reacts to.

Pancake 45 comments · 2 Years

I prefer this format. It’s clean and more information is actually packed in than before because of faster transitions and lack of hiccups that happen seemingly every live event.