Apple expected to unveil iPhone 8 in two weeks

CUPERTINO >> Apple has reportedly scheduled a product launch event for Sept. 12, kick-starting a countdown to when the company plans to announce its much-anticipated 10th anniversary iPhone.

The product launch event is expected to include two other iPhone models along with the new iPhone 8 and a new cellular Apple Watch and a 4K Apple TV, according to the Wall Street Journal. The other two iPhones will likely be new iterations of the current iPhone 7 models, but bigger and with updated hardware.

With the new iPhone 8, analysts are expecting the Apple smartphone’s biggest overhaul in years. The iPhone 8 is rumored to have a new 5.8-inch OLED front display, wireless charging and facial recognition technology. The iPhone 8 is expected to start at $1,000 when it goes on sale, typically a week after its announcement.

The location of the launch event has not been announced.The new Apple Park in Cupertino has the 1,000-seat Steve Jobs Auditorium, but construction on the new campus may force Apple to find an alternative venue for the September event, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Apple’s launch event is also scheduled for a week after Samsung, Apple’s biggest smartphone rival, begins selling its new

Galaxy Note 8 model. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 8 in New York City last week.

In addition to the new iPhones, Apple is expected to launch a “Series 3” Apple Watch that will come with an LTE cellular chip, allowing the Watch to receive calls, texts and emails without being dependent on an iPhone nearby.

Apple TV is also expected to get a reboot after two years, with a faster processor capable of downloading and playing 4K content, which runs twice the resolution of a 1080p high-definition video.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.