Apple Event Recap: iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and Airpods 4 Announced

At its “It’s Glowtime” event on Monday, Apple made a splash with its latest smartphone and wearable innovations. The tech titan unveiled the iPhone 16 lineup, now featuring advanced on-device AI capabilities that Apple CEO Tim Cook promises will “raise the bar for what an iPhone can do.” The refreshed AirPods 4, now available in entry-level versions, are set to include potential hearing aid and hearing test functions. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 10 made its debut, hinting at new sleep apnea detection features. In a separate announcement, Apple revealed that iOS 18 will be available starting September 16.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus

Apple has just introduced the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, and let’s just say, they’re not holding back. The new iPhones come with the A18 chip, a camera system so advanced it might just start taking selfies on its own, and the Action Button, which promises to make your phone even more of a multitasking wizard. Battery life? It’s practically got a power bank in it.

The iPhone 16 lineup features an all-new A18 chip that’s faster, more efficient, and ready to handle the latest AAA games without breaking a sweat. Plus, it sports a 48MP Fusion camera system that’s like having two lenses in one and a new Ultra Wide camera for those macro shots of your pet’s eyelashes. You can even capture spatial photos and videos to relive your best moments with more depth than your average family drama.

Also new is Camera Control—a feature that’s got more gadgets and gizmos than a Bond villain’s lair. It lets you snap photos, record videos, and fine-tune your shots all with a click, slide, or tap. And if you’re into AI, Camera Control will soon help you find restaurant hours, add events to your calendar, or identify your neighbor’s new dog breed with a click and hold. Think of it as your personal digital assistant who’s always ready to snap the perfect shot.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are built to last with an industry-leading durability that might just survive a nuclear fallout. Featuring a 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display respectively, the new Super Retina XDR screen is as vibrant as a fireworks show on the Fourth of July, with up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. The design is sleek and sturdy, boasting an updated internal structure that accommodates a larger battery and better heat dissipation.

The Action Button, making its debut on these models, is like a magic wand for your phone. Need to open the camera, check the weather, or activate Voice Memos? Just press and go. It even integrates with FordPass for unlocking your car. How’s that for tech magic?

And speaking of magic, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will be available in five eye-popping colors: black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders start on September 13, with the phones hitting shelves on September 20. The iPhone 16 kicks off at $799, while the Plus starts at $899.

In Apple’s ongoing quest to save the planet, the iPhone 16 lineup is made with over 30% recycled materials and 100% recycled cobalt and lithium in the battery. Apple’s also pushing toward carbon neutrality with renewable electricity powering their facilities.

So, if you’re ready to take your smartphone game to the next level, mark your calendar. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are here to redefine what your phone can do.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are here, powered by the new A18 Pro chip, which promises to make your old phone look like a flip phone from the 90s. This latest lineup boasts bigger screens, fancy Camera Control, and battery life so impressive it might just outlast your relationship with it.

With displays stretching 6.3 inches on the iPhone 16 Pro and a whopping 6.9 inches on the Pro Max, these devices are practically cinema screens for your pocket. The new 48MP Fusion camera with a speedier quad-pixel sensor takes 4K120 fps videos in Dolby Vision—because who doesn’t want to capture their cat’s every pounce in ultra-high resolution? Plus, there’s a 48MP Ultra Wide camera and a 5x Telephoto lens on both models, making your smartphone a veritable Swiss Army knife of photography.

The design? Think titanium—strong, sleek, and light enough to make your old phone feel like it’s been on a diet of heavy metals. And the battery life? The iPhone 16 Pro Max offers the longest-lasting juice of any iPhone to date, because we know how you feel about your phone dying in the middle of a binge-watch session.

In terms of intelligence, these new Pro models are brimming with Apple Intelligence. This tech marvel is designed to make your life easier while keeping your secrets, well, secret. It even helps you navigate your world with a new Camera Control feature—just press, swipe, and snap like a pro. Later this year, you’ll even be able to use it to identify breeds of dogs or add events from flyers directly into your calendar.

The A18 Pro chip inside is a powerhouse, handling everything from mind-blowing graphics to real-time photo adjustments. It’s so advanced, it might just make your laptop jealous. The chip also boosts efficiency, so your phone can run the latest games and apps without breaking a sweat—or a battery.

The iPhone 16 Pro lineup isn’t just a technological wonder; it’s also environmentally savvy. Apple’s commitment to going carbon neutral by 2030 means these phones come with recycled materials and are shipped in plastic-free packaging. So, while you’re updating your apps, you’re also doing your part for the planet.

For those eager to get their hands on these new gadgets, pre-orders start September 13, and they’ll be available in stores on September 20. Pricing kicks off at $999 for the iPhone 16 Pro and $1,199 for the Pro Max.

Apple Watch Series 10

Apple has unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10, marking a significant upgrade to the world’s best-selling smartwatch. The new model is the slimmest Apple Watch ever and features the largest and most advanced display to date, offering improved readability and usability. Key new features include enhanced sleep apnea notifications, faster charging, and advanced water depth and temperature sensors. The Series 10 is available in both aluminum and polished titanium finishes, including a striking jet black option.

The Series 10 boasts several notable advancements, including a thinner profile that’s nearly 10% slimmer than previous models, and a lighter build. The upgraded S10 SiP chip and 4-core Neural Engine enhance performance and power efficiency, supporting daily features and improved safety functions like Crash and Fall Detection. The watch also offers faster charging capabilities, with 15 minutes of power providing up to eight hours of use, and it supports a new wide-angle OLED display that is 40% brighter at wide angles.

In addition to its physical and performance upgrades, the Series 10 introduces new health and fitness features, including sleep apnea notifications that leverage advanced machine learning. The watch also includes a new Tides app for tracking tidal information and depth and temperature sensing for aquatic activities. Available for pre-order today, with retail availability starting September 20, the Series 10 is priced from $399, with an array of new bands and finishes to choose from.

Airpods Pro 2 and Airpods 4

Apple has unveiled its latest AirPods models, including the redesigned AirPods 4, colorful AirPods Max, and the innovative AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods 4 come in two versions: a standard model and one with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). They offer improved comfort and sound quality with an open-ear design, featuring new acoustic architecture and advanced features powered by the H2 chip. The AirPods Max now boasts five new colors—midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange—and supports USB-C charging for added convenience.

The AirPods 4 are available for pre-order starting at $129, with the ANC model priced at $179. They will be available in stores from September 20. AirPods Max, priced at $549, are also available for pre-order now and will be in stores from September 20. Additionally, new subscribers to Apple Music can enjoy three months free with any AirPods purchase.

AirPods Pro 2 introduce a pioneering all-in-one hearing health experience. These headphones include features such as Loud Sound Reduction to help prevent hearing damage, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and an over-the-counter Hearing Aid capability. This suite of features is designed to assist users with mild to moderate hearing loss and will be available this fall in over 100 countries.

The new AirPods models also emphasize environmental responsibility. AirPods 4 incorporate recycled materials and have reduced packaging volume, aligning with Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic from packaging by 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The AirPods Pro 2’s hearing health features will require a compatible iPhone or iPad running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and are expected to receive global health authority approval soon.

Apple’s New AI Features Set to Launch Next Month

Apple is gearing up to introduce its cutting-edge AI system, Apple Intelligence, with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 next month. This new suite of features will debut first in the U.S., with localized versions rolling out to English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, and the U.K. by December, and further language support, including Chinese and French, arriving next year.

Apple Intelligence will enhance user experience with a host of new tools. These include refined Writing Tools for text editing across various apps, a revamped Photos app with a Clean Up tool for removing unwanted photo elements, and smarter notifications that summarize key information. Siri will also see a makeover, featuring a new design and improved flexibility, with enhanced capabilities for understanding and responding to user commands, and the ability to be accessed through text on all Apple devices.

In addition to these updates, upcoming features will include playful tools like Image Playground and Image Wand, which create and enhance images based on user input. Siri will gain even more context-awareness, and users will be able to integrate ChatGPT into their Apple experiences, all while maintaining strong privacy protections. Apple emphasizes that their AI processes data on-device whenever possible and employs Private Cloud Compute for more complex tasks, ensuring user data is never stored or shared.

Apple Intelligence will be available as a free update for iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro models, and iPad and Mac devices with M1 chips or later. In the EU, the feature will initially roll out on Macs only. For more information or to get started, keep an eye on your software updates next month.