New iPhones, new AirPods and some incremental updates: Apple’s September event is done and dusted. But what exactly did the tech giant announce?
iPhone 16
As expected, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max during the event in Cupertino.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are getting the A18 chip, leaping two generations according to Apple. This will help it to run Apple Intelligence features when they become available.
Apple has added the action button to the iPhone 16, which can be customised to different functions such as starting a recording or triggering the torch.
The iPhone 16 Pro models are getting the higher powered A18 Pro chip, a second generation 3nm chip that has been built for power and efficiency, and for running AI.
A new 48 megapixel Fusion camera comes with a faster quad-pixel sensor capable of 4K video at 120 frames per second, recording in Dolby Vision. Both Pro models get the 5x telephoto zoom too.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max gets a jump in battery life too, with Apple promising the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have the hbest battery life the iPhone has had to date.
Both the standard iPhone and the Pro models will get the camera control, a dedicated button that will open the camera, swipe through controls such as zoom or image
Pricing stays the same as the iPhone 15 range.
Apple Watch
Series 10 of the Apple Watch is thinner but has a bigger, more advanced display that gives you roughly 30 per cent more screen space. The new watch faces are 42mm and 46mm, are 40 per cent brighter than their predecessors, and make it easier to read at a glance or type a code on the display.
A new titanium version replaces the stainless steel watch, shaving almost 20 per cent off the weight of the wearable.
Apple has also developed a new Sip, the S10, which is more compact and has a built-in four-core Neural Engine to power intelligent features such as double tap gestures, on-device Siri, dictation, and automatic workout detection, the updated Smart Stack that adds tiles as you need them, and the Translate app.
The Series 10 can play back audio through its speaker, so you can listen to podcasts, audio books or music on the Watch if needed. It also improves call quality, using the four-core neural engine to suppress background noise during calls to make sure your voice is crystal clear.
The shrunken components mean there is more room for a larger charging coil so the Watch 10 will charge faster. Apple has also added water depth and temperature sensing.
Apple Watch is also getting sleep apnoea notifications, but that is awaiting approval from the appropriate regulators.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is getting a new colour, but no feature updates this time around.
AirPods
There were updates for AirPods, some new features for AirPods Pro and a minor change for the AirPods Pro Max.
AirPods 4 have an improved fit, smaller stems and a more compact charging case with USB C charging. Sound quality has been improved, with better bass and crisper highs. The open fit ear buds also use the H2 chip to enable intelligent audio, such as voice isolation.
Another new version of the AirPods offer active noise cancelling, along with transparency mode, adaptive audio that blends transparency mode and active noise cancelling depending on the environment you are in, and conversation awareness, which will automatically lower the volume of your media when you start to talk to someone nearby.
The AirPods Pro, meanwhile, are pitching for a new job as a hearing aid. The buds work with the iPhone to monitor hearing loss through regular hearing tests, and can act as a preventive measure to filter out loud noises, or act as a clinical grade hearing aid to boost voices.
The AirPods Max now come in new colours, and have a USB port in place of the previous lightning
