Apple is poised to reveal its next big thing Tuesday, Sept. 9 in a crucial attempt to prove its technological tastemakers still have the power to mesmerize the masses. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
Almost a year to the day since Apple launched the iPhone 5s and 5c, the consumer tech giant is on deck for another major product announcement on Tuesday. The company’s decision to launch its latest offerings at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, however, suggests that Apple is keen to recapture the groundbreaking announcements of its past.
The event near the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. is widely expected to mark the debut of the iPhone 6, and, possibly, an Apple iWatch. The choice of the Flint Center on the De Anza College campus in Cupertino also indicates that Apple has something big up its sleeve.
The Flint Center has a seating capacity of around 2,300, significantly more than the 755-seat Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, often the backdrop for Apple launches. The Flint Center also dwarfs the intimate Town Hall Theater at Apple’s headquarters, venue for the iPhone 5s and 5c launch last September.
With Apple CEO Tim Cook coming under pressure to crank up the innovation engine, the choice of venue could be an important nod to the company’s heritage, underlining the importance of Tuesday’s launch. The last time Apple unveiled a product at the Flint Center was back in 1999, when Steve Jobs launched the iMac SE. Some 15 years earlier, the tech icon also gave the world its first glimpse of the Mac at the Flint Center.
Further fueling expectations about major Apple news is the construction of a mysterious white structure next to the Flint Center. Three storeys high and clad in white plastic, it’s not clear whether the temporary building will form part of Apple’s keynote presentation on Tuesday or whether it will be a massive demonstration area for a slew of new products.
True to form, Apple is keeping specific details of its announcement under wraps, and security was extremely tight when FoxNews.com visited the De Anza College campus on Monday. With the campus crawling with security guards, many of the areas near the Flint Center were off limits, particularly the intriguing white plastic structure.
Rumors have also been swirling that rock giants U2 will perform at the Apple event. Citing three people briefed on the plans, the New York Times reported on Monday that U2 will play a part in the launch and reveal an integration with Apple products connected to the group’s next album.
Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Music, obviously, plays a key role in Apple’s history, and the company has rounded off major product launches with a big headline act before. The Foo Fighters, for example, performed at the end of the iPhone 5 launch in September 2012.
Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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