Apple held its biggest event of the year this week, and I drove to Cupertino to witness it all and get hands-on with the new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods.
Why drive, you ask? I did it for the Google event and find the time in the car therapeutic. I’m always going going going for my (multiple) jobs and it’s centering to be in a car by yourself with some audiobooks, podcasts and talk radio to keep you company.
And because I have to charge my EV, I’ve gotten very used to the stop at Harris Ranch along the way. It took three visits, but I even fell hook, line, and sinker for the wafts of brisket lingering in the air. It was delicious.
First Up
Apple launched new iPhone 16 models, AirPods 4 and Apple Watches. Let’s break down what you need to know - most of this stuff is available Friday, September 20.
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus get some modest upgrades. Apple talked up the camera a bit, but my advice is that it will probably be slightly better than what you currently have. That’s been the case pretty much every year.
The 16 base models are also getting the Action Button, which made its debut on the Pro models last year. The Action Button replaces the mute/ringer switch on the left side of the phone and can be programmed to do pretty much anything you want. You can launch an app, create a shortcut, or just stick to the ringer/silent switching.
On the other side of the phone is another new button Apple doesn’t call a button. They refer to it as Camera Control. It’s really a touch-sensitive button. You can press to activate the camera, press again to take a photo, or press and hold down to capture a video. You can also lightly press to activate camera functions or swipe to cycle through settings.
If it sounds a bit complicated, that’s because it is. I suspect it will take some getting used to, and at the very least, you can ditch the camera icon on your home screen since you now have a dedicated way to quickly open the camera.
iPhone 16 starts at $799, Plus models are $900. They come in glowtastic colors including ultramarine, teal, pink, white and black.
iPhone 16 Pro
When it comes to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, you’re getting bigger screens than ever before. Pro is 6.3 inches (up from 6.1) and Pro Max is 6.9 (up from 6.7).
The phones do feel a tiny bit bigger in hand, but Apple pushed the screen further to the edges to try to reduce the overall size.
I like that Apple made the specs of these two phones identical except for screen size and battery. This year, both models offer a 5x optical zoom.
This means you don’t have to sacrifice features if you like a phone that fits in your pocket. Google did the same thing this year with the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Samsung is now the odd manufacturer out since they save their best features for the Ultra version of their flagship S line. We’ll see what they do next year.
Also improved on the Pro models is the ultra-wide camera. It’s now 48 megapixels, the same as the main sensor. You can also capture video at a wild 4K 120 frames per second. This means video will look super smooth, even if you slow it down later.
There’s also better heat dissipation, so your phone should stay cooler even when you’re using it a lot or charging. And four studio quality microphones, which will make everything sound better in your videos, whether you’re capturing your newborn’s cooing or a social media short.
And yes, the Pro models also feature the Camera Control (button). Honestly, in my initial hands on I thought the camera control was in a bit of an awkward place. It’s fine for activating the camera but I still preferred tapping the on-screen shutter button to take a shot. Maybe that will change as I get used to it more.
The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999, the Pro Max at $1199. Colors are more muted: black, white, natural and desert titanium, which resembles rose gold pink.
No price increases this year, which is nice, but these phones start at a measly 128 gigabytes, which is nowhere near how much storage you need on a powerhouse like this. You’ll want to go 256 gigabytes storage minimum, which adds $100 to the prices.
Keep in mind, there is sort of a pricing game going on here. If you buy the 16 Pro with base storage, you’re paying about $7.81 per GB, but if you spend that extra $100, you’re now paying $4.29 per GB, which is significantly less. It’s a way better value to go a notch up and less headaches with storage issues later.
Two more improvements across the board: all the phones have slightly bigger batteries, better battery life, and faster wireless charging, but you might need a new wireless charger to get that.
Apple Watch 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2
If you can believe it, Apple Watch has been around for 10 years. These watches are on wrists everywhere, and they’re one of those devices you don’t really upgrade unless there’s a good reason. You broke it, the battery doesn’t last as long, or you want a new feature.
This year’s Apple Watch 10 still looks the same, but look closer, and it’s much thinner and lighter, and the screen is brighter from an angle. When I say thinner, you can notice that it sits lower on your wrist without a noticeable back bump.
The screens are also a mm bigger, up to 42 and 46 mm. Older bands will still work, though.
Charging is faster, too. You can now get 8 hours of use in a 15-minute charge, which is handy if you want to wear the watch to bed to track your sleep.
The Apple Watch series 9, 10, and Ultra 2 will be able to detect Sleep Apnea. This is a condition where you sort of stop breathing while you sleep. It’s apparently undiagnosed in many people and treatable. If your watch detects you have signs, it will alert you and give you a PDF with all your stats you can bring to your doctor.
Also new is a Tides app, which shows surf conditions at your favorite beaches.
For the first time ever, you can now use the built-in speaker on the Apple Watch 10 and the Ultra 2 to listen to audio like music and podcasts. Previously, you could only interact with Siri through the speaker and take phone calls. Apple redesigned the speaker grill a bit for this, too. You’ll notice it now has holes instead of a grill.
As for colors, Apple Watch 10 comes in a really slick looking polished jet black, rose gold and silver on the base models. Step up to titanium and you can get natural, gold and slate. Apple Watch starts at $399.
As always, my advice on whether to go cellular. Most people are fine with WiFi watches, but go cellular if you are often out and about without your phone. For instance, you like to run or hike without carrying your phone. You’ll still get calls, texts, and streaming audio.
There’s no Apple Watch Ultra 3, but they are now making the Ultra 2 in an excellent-looking titanium black color. It’s pretty great looking. That’s $800.
AirPods
Finally, let’s talk AirPods.
AirPods 4 are the new entry-level model at $129, and for the first time, you can choose active noise cancellation for $179.
The AirPods 4 are super tiny—both the case and the buds themselves. They fit nicely in my ears and stay in. The big difference here is that they are an open-ear design, as opposed to the AirPods Pro, which seal out your ears and provide 2x the active noise cancellation.
However, I think a lot of casual users will prefer the way an open-ear design feels. It’s less underwater if that makes sense. Another difference is that you get a wireless charging case with the $179 model.
AirPods Pro 2 are getting a software update to function as hearing aids. The FDA just approved them for this functionality, which will open up hearing assistance to many, many people who might not get regular hearing aids. Apple assures me these are clinical grade, as in just as good as something that might cost thousands of dollars.
The Health app will include a hearing test. I tried it out, and basically, you can test your hearing in a few minutes in the comfort of your home by tapping on the screen when you hear different frequencies. You will then see the results of your assessment, and the app will adjust the AirPods accordingly.
The hearing aids work with both sounds in the real world and anything you play through your phone like movies and music.
Remember this is only available on the AirPods Pro 2, which retail for $249. (They’re even cheaper on Amazon right now)
Apple Intelligence (AI)
One miss: Apple won’t launch its Apple Intelligence on the same day these new Phones are available. It’s rolling out in beta over the next few months. AI features will work on the iPhone 15 Pro models and later.
iOS 18
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t feel pressure to upgrade if your current phone is working just fine. New phones are great but not completely necessary if you can’t identify something you are longing for that your current model doesn’t do. With that said, the iPhone XR and later models (and the iPhone SE 2) will get a free software update to iOS 18 on Monday, September 16.
My advice is to wait at least a day after to download it. That gives the nerds like me some time to play with it and ensure no major issues on the final release.
Here’s a handy PDF with a look at all the new features.
TV Segment Recap
OK, now that you’ve read all about them, here is my hands-on look at some of the most prominent new features of these Apple products.
While I was in Cupertino, I talked to some other tech folks to get their take on the new iPhone. The common theme: it’s a nice upgrade if and when you need a new phone, but a lot of the best new features seem geared towards Pro users and not the average person.
In last week’s newsletter, I talked about the immersive U2 film at the Sphere. Here’s my quick recap for TV.
Throwback Tech
Hard to believe, but I’ve been attending Apple events for over a decade now. Here’s a look back at how the iPhone has evolved over the years and when Siri was brand new.
Feedbag
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On my radio show this weekend:
📱 Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler test-drives Apple Intelligence and explains the quirks in the iPhone 16's new AI features.
📱 Top tech YouTuber iJustine discusses the new iPhone 16 and other recent Apple product announcements.
🕹️ YouTube creator Jon from GenXGrownUp explores 80s nostalgia, retro gaming, and the revival of classic brands in the modern tech landscape.
Tune in to KFI AM 640 11 AM Saturdays over the air or stream live on iHeartRadio or one of our 350+ radio stations nationwide.
That’s all for now. Have a great weekend.
Rich