After weeks of anticipation, Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event finally arrived, unveiling several new products. These include the four-model iPhone 16 series, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4. Modest updates were announced for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and AirPods Max. Here’s a brief overview of what was discussed.
Apple Watch Series 10 and updated Apple Watch Ultra 2
It’s astonishing to believe, but the Apple Watch has now been around for a decade. The all-new Apple Watch Series 10 boasts a larger display and a sleeker design. The OLED display is 40% brighter than its predecessor and 10% thinner and lighter. To mark the 10th anniversary, a jet-black model has been introduced. Additionally, rose gold and silver aluminum options are available. The Series 10 also features titanium finishes for the first time, replacing the stainless steel versions. These are available in natural, slate, and gold.
The watch is available in 42mm and 46mm variants and is equipped with a new S10 chipset featuring a 4-core Neural Engine engineered for enhanced performance, power efficiency, and intelligence. Once again, the regular Apple Watch maintains its impressive battery life, lasting up to 18 hours between charges.
Health is once again a major focus of the new watch. Apple is introducing sleep apnea tracking in response to the millions who suffer from this condition, with 80% unaware of it. The watch will play a crucial role in detecting it. This feature will also be available on the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, representing a significant development.
This year, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is not being replaced. Instead, it is being slightly updated with a new color option: Black Titanium. The Natural Titanium model is still available. Also new this year is a Hermès version of the Apple Watch Ultra.
You can order the new Apple Watches now with the first shipments expected to arrive on September 20.
AirPods
The AirPods 4 have been released with several new features powered by the H2 chip. These earbuds offer better bass, improved highs for audio, and Personalized Spatial Audio. They come with a USB-C charging case, the smallest to date.
Apple has also introduced another version of AirPods with noise cancellation, featuring the same design as the original. This is the first time ANC has been used on the open-ear design of AirPods. Transparency mode and adaptive audio are also included.
Once again, the AirPods offer 30 hours of battery life between the earbuds and case.
The new regular AirPods 4 cost $129, while the ANC version costs $179. Orders can be placed now, and shipments will arrive on September 20.
There is also news about the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max. The top-selling AirPods Pro 2 will introduce a hearing aid feature. It includes a new hearing test to personalize the user’s hearing profile, which benefits individuals with hearing loss. Additionally, the latest Media Assist feature enhances specific speech and instrument frequencies for a better listening experience during phone calls and while listening to music.
The AirPods Max, first introduced in December 2020, will not receive a design update or improved internals. However, they will now be available in new colors, including midnight, blue, purple, orange, and starlight, while still maintaining the original price of $549. Additionally, they will feature USB-C charging capabilities for the first time.
New AirPods models arrive on September 20, although you can preorder your favorite now.
iPhone 16 Series
As expected, the company announced the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. A lot of the discussion focused on Apple Intelligence.
The regular iPhone 16 series features several hardware updates, starting with five new colors with a customizable Action Button like the one on the iPhone 15 Pro series. There’s also a new Camera Control button.
The Action button gives users quick access to various functions with a press. For instance, users can promptly open the camera, flashlight, or controls; toggle between Ring and Silent modes; identify music with Shazam; start Voice Memos, Focus, Translate, and accessibility features such as Magnifier; or utilize Shortcuts for additional options.
The Action button can also access in-app features, such as helping users unlock and lock their cars with FordPass.
The Camera Control button is also set to debut on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max and is arguably the standout feature of the entire iPhone 16 series. According to Apple, it will “enhance the iPhone camera experience.” This button features a tactile switch that delivers a satisfying click experience, a high-precision force sensor for initiating a light press gesture, and a capacitive sensor that enables touch interactions.
Camera Control can perform various functions, such as quickly launching the camera and starting a video recording. A new camera preview assists users in framing shots and adjusting other control options to enhance the final product. Furthermore, developers will be able to integrate Camera Control into third-party apps.
The iPhone 16 features a new A18 chipset that performs machine learning twice as fast as before. The CPU is 30% faster than the chip found on the iPhone 15 and more efficient with 30% less power.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus include significant camera updates. The new 48MP main camera can capture 24MP photos using pixel binning. The 12MP telephoto camera offers a 2X zoom and improved aperture, and there’s also a new ultrawide camera with autofocus.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus start at $799 and $899, respectively, and will be available in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, and the devices will be available beginning Friday, September 20.
iPhone 16 Pro Max
The final new products announced were the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. These new phones have larger displays: 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively. The Pro Max is the most significant and enormous date, and the bezels are more minor.
This year, a new color choice called Desert Titanium is available. The models are also offered in Natural, White, and Black Titanium. They feature an all-new A18 Pro chipset, which is faster and more efficient than ever. It includes a new 6-Core GPU that runs 20% faster than the A17 Pro, and the CPU is 15% faster with less power usage.
The cameras on the Pro models have been updated on both the hardware and software sides. They now feature a 48MP Fusion Camera, a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, and a 12MP 5X Telephoto Camera. Adding a Camera Control button is expected to be significant for photographers using the iPhone 16 series.
The most exciting new camera feature is focused on Camera Control and visual intelligence. This technology lets users use the phone’s camera system to learn about nearby objects and places.
For example, users can press and hold Camera Control to get information on a restaurant’s hours and ratings or automatically import the date and time of an event on a flyer into the Calendar app. The new tool will even tell you the type of dog in front of you.
Camera Control will also provide access to third-party tools with specific expertise, such as searching on Google to find where to buy an item.
The video capabilities of the iPhone 16 Pro series have been upgraded. The new 48MP Fusion camera features a more efficient quad-pixel sensor and Apple Camera Interface. As a result, it can now record video in Dolby Vision at a stunning 4K120 frames per second. This represents the highest resolution and frame rate combination ever seen on an iPhone and a first for smartphones.
A new 48MP Ultra Wide camera also features a quad-pixel sensor with autofocus, allowing users to take higher-resolution 48MP ProRAW and HEIF images when capturing framed, wider-angle shots or getting close to their subjects with macro photography.
Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro’s 5x Telephoto camera allows users to capture action farther away. This feature was also on the iPhone 15 Pro Max but not the iPhone 15 Pro.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will start on Friday, and the first shipments will be available from September 20, just like the regular iPhone 16 models. They start at $999 for the iPhone 16 Pro and $1,199 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Apple Intelligence
At the “It’s Glowtime” event, Apple talked about Apple Intelligence, a technology announced in June. Some features have been released to developers, while others are still pending. Regardless, all iPhone 16 models will support Apple Intelligence, and iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users will also have access.
During the presentation, Apple highlighted Private Cloud Compute, a feature that stores or shares user data. Camera Control includes various AI features for enhanced photo-taking.
Apple Intelligence encompasses new tools for writing, images, Siri, and more. The rollout of Apple Intelligence features will begin in the United States and other regions in the coming months and expand to more countries next year. Apple Intelligence is free and available only in English, but support for other languages is planned for the future.
What wasn’t announced
We did not see any new Macs or iPads at this event. This likely means Apple will hold another special event in the coming weeks. At that event, we should expect to see new versions of the iPad and iPad mini, updated MacBook Pro and iMac models, and a tweaked Mac mini. Though less likely, we could also see a fourth-generation iPhone SE announced.
