Tech
How long is Apple's iPhone event?

Apple's 2022 Keynote Could Be A Return To Longer iPhone Announcements

Better set aside a couple hours, to be safe.

by Jillian Giandurco
KIMIHIRO HOSHINO/AFP/Getty Images

It’s no secret that Apple users have been prepping for the company’s highly anticipated Sept. 7 keynote for weeks, but now that it’s so close, fans are itching to get all the deets — from what products will be announced to how long Apple’s iPhone event will be. In true Apple fashion, the company is staying tight-lipped about what to expect from the event, but if you plan on tuning into the livestream of the 2022 keynote on Wednesday, be prepared to block off at least an hour (maybe even two) if you want to catch the whole thing. Here’s the rundown on what to expect from the annual event.

IYDK, Apple’s fall keynote will take place on Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. PT in Cupertino, California, and the company will likely launch four new versions of its latest iPhone model: the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Max, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Along with an eye-catching lavender colorway, the new model is expected to come stacked with higher photo quality and longer battery life. The new phone will also be unveiled alongside the new iOS 16 update, which will allow users to edit and unsend text messages, customize Lock screens, and so much more.

Obviously, there’s a lot of ground to be covered at the event (this doesn’t even scratch the surface, TBH), so you can probably count on the event taking up a fair chunk of your day. But how long will the 2022 keynote actually be? Though the company hasn’t made any mention of how long the launch will be, you should expect the runtime of the event to fall anywhere between an hour and two hours. Here’s why.

If you look back at the keynotes of years past, the last six have all been well over an hour long. Previous runtimes for Apple’s fall keynote were as follows:

The September 2015 event was even longer, clocking in at around 2 hours and 19 minutes. It’s no secret that the last few events have definitely fallen on the longer side, but if you look closely, the runtimes of the events have consistently gotten shorter over time (with the exception of the 2021 keynote). With a good amount of reported announcements to get through — and the first in-person iPhone event since 2019 —  the September 2022 keynote might run somewhere in between September 2019 and September 2021, hovering around an hour and a half (and possibly extending to 2 hours).

As you prepare for all the new-new coming, make sure to check if your current iPhone will be compatible with the upcoming iOS 16 update. Though the software doesn’t have an official release date yet, the new update could be available as soon as Sept. 7, and you might want to test it out before the iPhone 14 hits store shelves. No matter what your plans are after the big keynote, make sure you set aside at least a couple hours to check out the keynote on Sept. 7, if you want to know the latest Apple happenings as soon as they drop.