Apple introduces iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10 and AirPods 4
Apple has introduced the iPhone 16 series, with all models featuring built-in artificial intelligence features.
Every fall, we can expect the release of Apple’s latest iPhone lineup as reliably as the leaves change color and pumpkin spice lattes return to cafes.
And so it is. Apple announced the upcoming iPhone 16 models at its “Glowtime” event on Monday. In addition to the phones, the Apple Watch 10 and Ultra were announced, as well as upgrades to the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. The technology company also provided updates to iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence.
Some years, the lineup announced is only slightly different from the previous year. Maybe an improved camera or some new colors? At roughly the same price, of course. Would a set of purple AirPods Max be tempting? Yes. But what else is on offer besides new shades?
This isn’t an Apple-specific question. Most personal technology companies are guilty of a release cadence that consists of small changes rather than huge shifts. That’s not surprising, because consumers as a whole can be a fickle bunch. Apple shares experienced some ups and downs on Monday, falling nearly 2% during the Apple event before recovering to close up 0.04%.
Is a company whose slogan in the late 90s/early 2000s was “Think Different” still different enough? Or are consumers satisfied with what they expect?
“There’s a growing sense that smartphone updates have become a bit boring,” said Ben Wood, principal analyst and CMO at CCS Insight. “Apple is not immune to this trend and is turning to software and AI to breathe new life into its most important product, reignite consumer interest and drive upgrade purchases.”
iPhone 16 series
Apple announced its latest iPhones on Monday, including the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus and the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Prices start at $799 and pre-orders for the devices begin on Friday.
“The iPhone 16 series is hugely important for Apple at a time when consumer demand for new smartphones is slowing,” Wood said.
New to the latest models is a camera control button on the side of the device. Apple has also adopted the action button from the iPhone 15 Pro into the new lineup. The Pro and Max phones also have slightly larger screens.
Perhaps the focus for potential groundbreaking developments in the future will be on what lies under the hood of products rather than on their external design.
“Perhaps this is the first time ever that there has been a focus on services for the launch of the new iPhone,” said Paolo Pescatore, technology analyst and founder of PP Foresight. “This is significant because it underscores the ongoing struggle of consumer providers to differentiate themselves in the race to deliver AI offerings.”
Updates for the Apple Watch
The technology company introduced new Apple Watch models: Series 10 and Ultra 2. Both products have larger, thinner displays, but are otherwise quite similar to their predecessors.
“The lack of updates to the watch line beyond the Series 10 speaks to the fact that it has become incredibly difficult to improve smartwatches on an annual basis,” said Wood.
The new watches will be available starting September 20th, with pre-orders starting at $399 for the Series 10 and $799 for the Ultra 2.
An important health feature that will be available in the upcoming watchOS is sleep apnea notifications.
Sleep apnea means that a person temporarily stops breathing while sleeping. This condition can significantly affect sleep and mental health, and harm a person’s overall health. The Apple Watch can now track breathing activity and help detect sleep apnea.
Apple Intelligence
Apple is entering the era of artificial intelligence: Apple Intelligence. The technology company announced Apple Intelligence at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. At Monday’s event, Apple detailed the feature’s integration and how it will work with Siri and other apps, for example to help users write emails or search and curate photos.
“Apple is doing what it does best: simplifying the user experience to deepen engagement. Novel features powered by Apple intelligence will resonate with iPhone users because they not only build on the way they currently use their devices, but take the experience to a whole new level,” Pescatore said.
The iOS 18 update will be available for iPhones on September 16, but Apple Intelligence apparently will not be part of that update. Users will learn more about Apple Intelligence when iOS 18.1 rolls out next month, Apple said in a press release about upcoming AI features.
Questions about Apple Intelligence and privacy have been raised since the WWDC keynote, but there wasn’t much additional information during Monday’s event.
“Apple will lean on its hardware, software and platform integration to launch a coherent AI focus, and we expect advertising and marketing for these products to focus heavily on safe AI use cases within Apple’s ecosystem,” said Emarketer analyst Gadjo Sevilla.
AirPods updates
Updates to Apple’s headphone range include two versions of the AirPods 4 – with and without active noise cancellation – new colours for the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro 2 models with improved hearing protection.
AirPods 4 start at $129 (for the non-noise-cancelling model), and pre-orders are open now. Pre-orders are also available for the Max model, which costs $549. All new headphones will launch on September 20.
One of the most interesting announcements at the event revolved around hearing-based features, including hearing protection, hearing profiles, and hearing tests for AirPod Pros and iPhone. AirPods could be used as over-the-counter hearing aids this fall.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday that it has approved “the first over-the-counter hearing aid software device, Hearing Aid Feature, intended for use with compatible versions of Apple AirPods Pro headphones.”
Hearing Aid Feature, a purely software-based medical application, can be customized to the user’s needs and “amplify sounds for people ages 18 and older with mild to moderate hearing impairment,” the announcement said.
The FDA estimates that approximately 30 million adults in the United States have some degree of hearing loss. In 2022, the FDA introduced a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
Sound off: Why is no one suddenly using headphones in public anymore?
“Apple’s decision to add hearing aid capabilities to AirPods Pro is another step toward holistic health tracking,” said Wood. “The idea that consumer headphones can offer hearing aid capabilities may sound unrealistic, but over-the-counter hearing aids have become increasingly popular in recent years and AirPods Pro would bring this technology to a more affordable price.”
According to the National Council on Aging, over-the-counter hearing aids cost anywhere from $99 to over $3,000 per pair.
