Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9

Apple on Thursday sent out invites for a press event on Sept. 9 in its hometown of Cupertino, Calif.

The company provided few hints about what will be announced beyond saying "Wish we could say more." That could indicate something related to Siri, Apple's digital voice assistant. Generally, Apple is expected to introduce its newest iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 6. The company also could show off awearable at the event.

The event will come a year after Apple introduced the iPhone 5S and 5C and a week after arch rival Samsung is set to unveil its Galaxy Note 4 phone-tablet hybrid, or phablet. Apple has added a new iPhone every year since former CEO Steve Jobs introduced the smartphone line in 2007, and new iPhones have been unveiled in the fall since 2011.

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Samsung ad challenges Apple's iPhone 5s to take 'ice bucket challenge'

The short, 15-second spot is voiced entirely by the Galaxy's British S-Voice variant. "I am the Samsung Galaxy S5, this is my ice bucket challenge," it intones. "Gosh that's freezing." 

Samsung has repeatedly touted the handset's waterproof housing when comparing it against Apple's iPhone. Apple has repeatedly been rumored to have a new waterproof option in the works, but it has yet to materialize in a shipping device.

As is the custom for the ice bucket challenge, Samsung will also make a donation to the British Motor Neurone Disease Association charity. One executive at Samsung UK's advertising agency, Cheil UK, told AdAge that it was the "perfect opportunity for the brand to do something that was meaningful but also unexpected."

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Samsung Uses Ice Bucket Challenge To Troll Apple, HTC, Nokia

By now you’ve likely seen videos of people dumping buckets of ice water on their heads as part of the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” a viral stunt designed to raise money and awareness for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) research. Tech CEOs, celebrities and ordinary people have all doused themselves in the name of a good cause, or perhaps just to ride the crest of the latest hip meme.

The popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge has given rise to something of a backlash, as well as a backlash to the backlash. Whatever you think about it, clearly there’s marketing gold here just waiting to be exploited. That whooshing sound you hear is Samsung’s UK-based marketing team saddling up to ride out to meet the challenge.

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