News

Apple Confirms iPhone 14 Launch Event On September 7th

Expect a refreshed iPhone lineup and new Apple Watches — though there’ll be few surprises due to an abundance of leaks.

Published

4 years ago

August 25, 2022

Nour Nasir

Apple

Apple has announced its next big product launch date. The Cupertino company has invited journalists for a September 7th event at the Steve Jobs Theater, situated on Apple’s main campus.

The launch will be the first in-person event hosted by Apple since the pandemic, at least if we discount the outdoor WWDC keynote from earlier this year. The invite, which contained the tagline “Far out”, is an intriguing choice — perhaps hinting at extended telephoto functionality for iPhones or representing a nod to some kind of satellite connectivity (something bouncing around the Apple rumor mill for a while).

iphone 14 color line-up

Either way, the proliferation of (almost certainly accurate) leaks means that we already know what the new Apple iPhone lineup will look like before the event begins:

iPhone 14 (6.1 inch)
iPhone 14 Plus, or Max (6.7 inch)
iPhone 14 Pro (6.1 inch)
iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7 inch)

If you were expecting an iPhone Mini 14, you will almost certainly be let down. The company is thought to be ditching the model, despite overwhelmingly positive reviews, as sales have been pretty disastrous since its release.

So what can we expect from the lineup? Well, the biggest news would be the release of the iPhone 14 Plus (or Max), a 6.7-inch version of the standard iPhone 14, to match the two sizes offered by the Pro models. Speaking of the flagship phones, Apple is rumored to be beefing up the main cameras of both iPhone 14 Pros, with a much larger 48MP sensor and an autofocus enabled front-facing camera.

What else can we expect from the new handsets?

Rumors are circulating that the infamous notch will be axed in favor of a punched hole for the front camera and a pill-shaped cut-out for the Face ID sensor. Apple is also expected to add an always-on mode for the screen (iPhone Pro versions only) using the variable refresh rate of the screen to preserve the battery by slowing it to 1Hz.

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As well as the refreshed iPhone lineup, three new Apple Watches may be announced at the event. The Apple Watch Series 8 is rumored to look just like the Series 7 but will include a body temperature sensor. There are also hints that a cheaper SE watch will also surface, along with a high-end model featuring a larger battery and chunky screen.

Although there are rumors of new Macs, iPads, and Airpods, we’re not expecting to see anything revolutionary materialize at the same event.

News

Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform

Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.

Published

24 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Joanna Melki

lebanon ministers meet visa over national digital payment platform

Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.

The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.

Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.

Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.

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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.

“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.

Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.