This year hasn't been a big year for smartphones. Sales are down, globally, in part because of a lack of innovation; smartphones are pretty mature right now. That doesn't mean they're going away, but we haven't seen a radical new application for them since Snapchat and Uber.

Apple defined the smartphone era, and I'll be looking for hints of what it envisions for its next act when I head to Cupertino on Sept. 12. There, we expect to see three new iPhones, possibly called the 9, the Xs, and the Xs Max. If rumors hold true, Apple will eschew visible hardware changes like in-display fingerprint sensors and pop-up cameras. Instead, the phones' biggest step forward may be in their A12 processor, which could have up to 40 percent better graphics capabilities.

That's the first hint. I'll be looking to see how much those graphics capabilities go towards new augmented reality technology. Apple iOS 12 will include a new version of ARKit, and I think some capabilities are being held back to show off on the new chipset. AR is part of Apple's potential 5G strategy. Another slab with a notch isn't that interesting—what Apple will do in a 5G world is really interesting.