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Apple held an event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it unveiled its annual updates to mobile devices. The lineup includes four new iPhones 16 with Apple Intelligence, an Apple Watch Series 10 with a brand-new design and a bigger screen, a new pair of AirPods, and more.
Apple has announced the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, which the company said “is built from the ground up” for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16 features a new capacitive button on the side of the device to make it easier to capture photos and videos; Apple calls this the ‘Camera Control’. The new dedicated Camera Control button is touch-sensitive. All you need to press the Camera Control to take a photo or slide your finger along the Camera Control to adjust the zoom level. Apple is also launching new visual artificial intelligence features that can be quickly accessed through the Camera Control.
The action button, previously exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro, is also coming on iPhone 16, replacing the mute switch. The iPhone 16 features a 6.1-inch screen size, while the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. Both phones are powered by the A18 chip, which is up to 30 per cent faster than the iPhone 15 with its A16 Bionic innards. The phones also feature a new 48-megapixel camera, 4x the resolution of iPhone 14, and a bigger battery. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus start at $799 and $899 price points, with 128 GB storage as standard. You can order an iPhone 16 beginning this Friday.
As expected, Apple is updating the Pro iPhone lineup with the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. They feature premium designs, better screens, and improved cameras compared to the standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models. The 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display, both with the “thinnest borders on any Apple product,” according to Apple, which called them “by far our best iPhone displays ever.” The titanium frame is nearly half the weight of stainless steel and is “more scratch-resistant than other forms of titanium.”
The iPhone 16 Pro series has a new triple camera setup with a 48 MP wide-angle, 48 MP ultra-wide angle , and a 12 MP 5x telephoto lens, and these are also the first set of iPhones capable of recording 4K videos with up to 120fps.
Both phones are powered by the A18 Pro chip, with second-generation 3-nanometer transistors and a new 16-core neural engine that powers Apple Intelligence. The new iPhone 16 Pro Max has “the best iPhone battery life ever,” according to the company. The 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are also getting the new Camera Control, the same touch-capacitive button also seen on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The devices will be available in four finishes: white, black, natural, and “desert.”
The Series 10 features the thinnest design ever—10 per cent thinner than the Series 9—and the largest display yet, even bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra, with up to 30% more screen area. It will also display an additional line of text for messages, mail, or news. Both the display and case have a wider aspect ratio and rounded corners. The Series 10 display is up to 40 per cent brighter when viewed at an angle to improve visibility.
Alongside these updates, Apple introduced the first-ever glossy aluminium finish for the Apple Watch in jet black, polished using silicon nanoparticles to create a specialized surface shine. Other finish options include rose gold and silver aluminium. A new titanium finish option weighs up to 20 per cent less than previous models and is “carbon-neutral,” replacing the stainless steel finish from previous generations. The watch also maintains up to 50 meters of water resistance.
Additionally, users can charge their watches to up to 80% battery in 30 minutes, making the Series 10 the fastest-charging Apple Watch to date, with an 18-hour battery life. Apple has also incorporated a neural network into the Series 10 that suppresses background noise to make conversations sound clearer.
Apple Watch Series 10 also introduces new ways to track workouts. For kayakers, canoers, and rowers, the Apple Watch workout app can track routes and rowing activity, with the addition of a Tides App and new depth and water temperature sensors.
Apple said its Apple Watch Series 10 will be able to alert users to sleep apnea, which is a disorder that can cause people to stop breathing while they’re asleep. The condition impacts more than 1 billion people worldwide, Apple said.
The company said 80 per cent of people with sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Apple’s Series 10 uses an accelerometer to measure breathing disturbances while users are sleeping, and it analyzes this data every 30 days. This feature was built using an extensive dataset, Apple said, and the company expects clearance from the FDA and other regulators “very soon.”
The Apple Watch Series 10 launches on September 20. Users can pre-order it beginning Monday. It starts at $399. It starts at $499 with cellular.
Apple’s Watch Ultra 2 now comes in a new satin black titanium version. Otherwise, it’s still the same Apple Watch. The Ultra 2 retains the same design, offering only a slightly faster chip, a brighter display, and improved ultra-wideband technology. Apple claims it has the “most accurate GPS in a sports watch.” The watch starts at $799, and customers can pre-order it today. It will be available on September 20th.
.Apple is also bringing the AirPods 4 to the market. The company said it used 3D modelling and laser topography to develop the shape of its “most comfortable AirPods ever.” The company said the headphones are a massive improvement in audio quality, and the “best-sounding AirPods ever.” They are powered by the H2 chip. The buds also have personalised spatial audio. The AirPods 4 charging case is compatible with USB-C, and it’s the smallest case ever. You can also charge the case wirelessly. AirPods 4 will be available for $129, and AirPods 4 with active noise cancelling will be available for $179.
The AirPods Max are getting new colours like orange, purple, and starlight, and features USB-C charging. They’re still $549 and are available to order beginning Monday. The updated AirPods Max will launch on September 20.
Although Apple didn’t announce a new AirPods Pro, it did promise to bring new health capabilities. For instance, Hearing protection will be turned on by default across listening modes and will be available to all users. For those who have not had their hearing checked in the last five years, the company announced a clinically validated hearing test with AirPods Pro and iPhone that takes just five minutes to complete. AirPods Pro will also have a clinical-grade, over-the-counter hearing aid feature. After users take the hearing test, AirPods Pro can easily turn into a personalized hearing aid, Apple said.
