Biggest Hits, Misses, and Surprises from Apple’s Fall 2017 Keynote

Apple on Tuesday hosted its first event ever at the brand-new Steve Jobs Theater — its personal, 120,000 square-foot auditorium built into the surface of the Earth at Apple Park. It was there, before an audience of millions watching from all over the world, where the company showcased a wide range of its latest and most advanced products, from a duo of refreshed iPhone 8 handsets, to an all-new iPhone X, an LTE-capable Apple Watch Series 3, and even an updated Apple TV with 4K + high dynamic range (HDR) video playback.

While the event itself was packed with suspenseful moments, surprises, disappointments and flubs; more suspenseful, we think, was the eight or nine month period leading up to it, during which we’d been covering rumors and reports about these very devices Apple showed us. That said, we thought it would be interesting to go back, take a look at some of those more prominent rumors, and compare what "those in the know" had to say in relation to what Apple actually had to deliver. Read on to see our top hits, misses and biggest surprises from Apple’s fall 2017 event. Use the right arrow to learn more.

Top Hits

3 iPhone X

It was back in March of this year when iDrop News was given exclusive insider information about a so-called ‘iPhone Edition’, which was given a fresh life in the form of stunning renders. As fate would have it, these concept images hit the nail on the head (give or take a few minor details) and while the handset was ultimately christened with a different name; the iPhone X Apple unveiled is essentially identical to the high-end, 10th-anniversary iPhone we’d known about all along.

Top Hits

2 Apple TV 4K

It was way back in February of this year when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman issued a report predicting that Apple would update its set-top box by the end of the year. From there on out, a flood of reports corroborating those convictions has surfaced, claiming everything from the existence of a 4K-capable Apple TV, to the company’s coy, behind-the-scenes iTunes video content updating.

It was nevertheless a treat, and a big win for the rumor mill, to see Cupertino showcase its updated 4K/HDR-capable Apple TV at Tuesday's event.

Top Hits

1 Face ID

Some of the earliest iPhone X rumors  conflicted on whether Apple would be able to embed its Touch ID sensor underneath the handset's display glass. More recent reports, err, major leaks, revealed that Apple's engineers instead developed an all-new biometric facial recognition system dubbed Face ID, which as we know went on to completely take the place of fingerprint sensing on the premium, edge-to-edge device.

The good news, at least, is that according to Apple Face ID is much faster, safer, and more difficult to crack than Touch ID, anyways.

Misses

3 iPhone 8/8 Plus

For months leading up to Tuesday’s event, we’d been led to believe that Apple’s modestly-refreshed iPhone devices would be dubbed the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus. Those sentiments, of course, were based largely on the historical nature of Apple's iPhone naming patterns — and we had no reason to believe it would change this year.

Well, a day prior to the event, news broke that the refreshed models might actually be dubbed the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (which, of course, they were) — while the ‘iPhone 8’, as it was known, was actually dubbed iPhone X.

Misses

2 Apple Watch Series 3

A combination of fascinating patent applications, analyst predictions (and perhaps a bit of wishful thinking) had us super-excited about the Apple Watch Series 3, particularly in that it would be a truly innovative and more versatile version of the wearable — and that it may even boast some form of advanced health and diagnostic capabilities, to boot.

Unfortunately, while Apple and its next-genertation wearable will be joining forces with Stanford University’s School of Medicine for their upcoming Apple Heart study, the Watch Series 3 features little more over its predecessor than an LTE chip (if you even want one.)

Misses

1 Few Color Options

During the four- to six-month period leading up to Tuesday's event, multiple rumors surfaced showing evidence of some new and rather unique iPhone X color options, including a gorgeous Mirrored-Glass finish and a copper-tinged 'Copper Gold' finish (pictured above, center), among others.

KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo even chimed in predicting that the iPhone X, then known as the iPhone 8, would be offered in "fewer colors." Unfortunately, it appears that when Kuo implied 'fewer', he really meant fewer, as the top-tier iPhone X is literally offered in just two colors: polished Silver and Space Gray.

Biggest Surprises

3 AirPower

All of Apple’s new iPhone models, as well as the Apple Watch, are capable of receiving power wirelessly via conduction with the universally-embraced Qi standard. Though it’s an extremely useful feature that some Android users have been enjoying for years now, Apple just joined the wireless charging club on Tuesday — and surprise, surprise, they even threw in AirPower towards the end of the event to celebrate the milestone.

We were absolutely not expecting this and had no previous knowledge of its existence, but AirPower will nevertheless provide owners of compatible Apple devices a place to charge them all together, wirelessly, come early 2018 when it launches. Pricing to be announced.

Biggest Surprises

2 AirPods Wireless Charging Case

This one was another 13th hour revelation. Apple will soon release an updated “add on accessory” for its AirPods wireless headphones. It’s essentially a redesigned case that allows AirPods to charge wirelessly through it — as opposed to inside of it via Lightning. The accessory will work with all Qi-enabled charging pads, including Apple’s AirPower.

Biggest Surprises

1 Steve Jobs Theater

By far one of Apple's biggest surprises of the day was hosting its iPhone 8/X/fall products event at the all-new Steve Jobs Theater in the first place. Christened thus so to honor the man "whose spirit and timeless philosophy on life will always be the DNA of Apple," said Tim Cook, Steve Jobs Theater's state-of-the-art, 1,000-seat underground auditorium faces the stage upon which all of Apple's products will be announced moving forward.

Located on-site at the company's sprawling new Apple Park headquarters, the building's exterior, rotunda-style structure is minimalist, and yet a marvel in design at the same time; it's constructed of premium-quality materials like solid glass, marble, concrete, and ultra-light carbon fiber. Unsurprisingly, the facility is also stacked floor-to-ceiling with premium, high-tech amenities meant to exceed the needs of those in attendance, including circular rotating elevators to help escort them into and out of the underground theater, supple Italian leather seating surfaces to keep them cozy, and power outlets built into the chair legs to charge their laptops.

Massive Glass and Carbon Fiber Rotunda Entrance

Not only does Steve Jobs Theater give Apple a beautiful new stage to showcase its latest creations (marking a swift departure from years past when the company leased venues like the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco), the building is clearly, to Apple, much more than just 'an auditorium'. It's homage to Steve, acknowledging that the company wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for his ability to dream and innovate beyond conventional. Check out a few snapshots from inside the Steve Jobs Theater on the following pages.

Circular, Rotating Glass Elevator Shaft from the Outside

...And, from the Inside

Apple's Auditorium Features State-of-the-Art Amenities

Full AC Outlets Built Into Every Chair Leg

Side-View of Steve Jobs Theater's Layout