Apple sends invitations for Sept 7 product event

Bloomberg

Apple Inc. invited journalists to an event in San Francisco on Sept. 7 where the world’s most valuable public company is expected to roll out a series of product upgrades.
The invitation showed out-of-focus multicolored lights against a black background. The company is expected to introduce next-generation versions of the iPhone and Apple Watch at the event. The successors to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus will include advanced photography capabilities and upgraded hardware with a design similar to last year’s models, people familiar with the matter said earlier this month.
Apple is facing a revenue decline this year as customers upgrade their smartphones less regularly. The iPhone generates about two-thirds of Apple’s sales, making a product refresh essential to help revive growth in the run-up to Christmas.
The spots of light on the invitation form the top portion of the Apple logo, with the message “See you on the 7th” below. The event will take place at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The Cupertino, California-based company often hints about new products in its invitations. Monday’s invitation may refer to a larger version of the new iPhone that is expected to have a dual-lens camera system to improve photography.
“The real point to make is how little chance of a surprise there is,” said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners LP, adding that two white spots of light in the invitation were indicative of the dual lens, while the event’s date hints at the likely iPhone 7 name. “The company doesn’t seem to be able to generate surprises anymore.”
The upgraded handset will also include a re-engineered home button that responds to pressure with a vibrating sensation rather than a true physical click and the removal of the headphone jack. The new Watch will likely integrate GPS-based location tracking.