Apple Inc. is set to launch its latest iPhones and set the stage for a new artificial intelligence platform at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, on September 9. The event, titled “It’s Glowtime,” will feature the iPhone 16 line, major updates to Apple Watch and AirPods, and Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI tools including an updated Siri digital assistant. The company’s AI technology is still a work in progress, with many key features not arriving until next year.
The event will breathe new life into products that generate around 60% of Apple’s annual revenue and drive consumer spending on services, which is an increasingly vital source of sales. Apple has just begun to emerge from its longest sales slump in decades.
The company will introduce four new iPhone models: the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will look like last year’s versions, with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screen sizes and aluminum cases. They will gain faster processors and 8 gigabytes of memory, supporting Apple Intelligence and other features. The lower-end phones will get the same Action button as the Pro models and vertically stacked rear cameras that support spatial video recording, which can be viewed with Apple’s Vision Pro headsets.
Apple has announced the release of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, which will retain the iPhone 15 Pro line design but with a noticeable change in display sizes. The smaller model will have a screen size of 6.3 inches, while the larger model will have a screen size of 6.9 inches. Both models will support Apple Intelligence with 8 gigabytes of memory and speedier chips with an enhanced neural engine optimized for AI.
Both iPhone 16 Pro models will also get camera upgrades, including a move to a 48-megapixel lens for the ultrawide-angle camera and 5x optical zoom on the telephoto lens. The most significant camera enhancement is a dedicated, touch-sensitive button on the right side of the phone for taking photos and video, which will be the biggest selling point for the new iPhones, other than AI. It will work similarly to a shutter button on a DSLR camera, allowing a user to lightly press it to focus on a subject and then press harder to take a picture.
Apple is also shaking up its color palette, with the Pro models now coming in gold titanium to replace blue titanium, while the black, white, and natural options will still be available. The non-Pro versions will trade in yellow for white and get new shades of green, pink, and blue.
Apple is preparing two new AirPods models to replace the entry-level, second-generation earbuds and mid-tier, third-generation model. Both models will look similar to the AirPods Pro and include a new case, USB-C charging, and improved audio quality. The new mid-tier version will have a higher-end case with a speaker, making it easier to locate with Apple’s Find My feature.
One major new feature is a bigger push into hearing health, with Apple working to turn the AirPods into a replacement for hearing aids and a device for conducting hearing tests. The company is preparing to announce the enhancements, codenamed Yodel, but they have suffered some delays and may not be available until later.
For the first time in two years, Apple is preparing to update all of its Apple Watch models at once. There will be a new low-end Apple Watch SE, a mid-level Series 10 model, and an Ultra 3. The biggest upgrade to the Apple Watch line will be with the Series 10 model, which marks the decade anniversary of the product’s introduction in 2014.
While new AI features are coming to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, it is unlikely that the watches will receive major Apple Intelligence capabilities. Any AI technology will likely be tied specifically to a future health coach service. A major new health feature is coming: sleep apnea detection, which will build on existing sleep tracking. While Apple has been preparing to announce it, the enhancement may not be available on day one of the new model going on sale.
In addition to these updates, Apple is working on transitioning its entire Mac line to M4 chips, starting with the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac.
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