Apple unveils new iPhone 16, AirPods 4 and Apple Watch 10
The new iPhone 16 Pro models have larger displays and better battery life, while the new AirPods upgrades focus on comfort.
The new iPhone 16 and 16 Plus now have a customizable action button (located on the side of the phone), which you can use as a flashlight, voice memo recorder, camera and more. The iPhones also have a new camera button on the side that you can use to quickly take pictures and videos as well as adjust camera settings on the fly by swiping and clicking on the button’s touch sensor. Speaking of cameras, the 16 has a 48-megapixel camera, which is 4x the resolution of the iPhone 14, according to the brand.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus start at $799 and $899, respectively, and are available for preorder on September 13.
Apple 16 Pro and Pro Max (at 6.3-inch and 6.9 inches), have slightly larger displays than all previous iterations of the iPhone Pro-models. The Pro model display has a thinner border for a better viewing experience, according to the brand, which will be good for watching movies or general use. There are also four new color options: white, black, natural and desert, which leans toward a gold-like hue.
As far as performance, the Pro model has an improved battery compared to last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and faster processing speeds. It also has the new camera control button mentioned above, as well as a new 48-megapixel camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 5x telephoto camera, all of which provide higher quality images and a better zoom.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1,199 and are available for preorder on September 13.
Apple’s also updating one of our favorite smartwatches (the Series 9) with a thinner design, which should make it more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. The watch will also update once per second when you turn on Always On mode instead of once per minute like in previous models. This means you can have more accurate health data as well as weather updates and more. The Watch Series 10 starts at $399 and is available on September 20 in various finishes.
There weren’t any major updates to the Ultra 2 besides a new satin black finish and a titanium black Milanese loop strap. It is available for preorder starting September 20.
Apple’s biggest focus area for its two new AirPods — AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with noise-canceling — was comfort. By using 3D modeling, these are the brand’s most comfortable AirPods model yet, according to Apple. It also has a major improvement in audio quality and improved spatial audio, according to the brand. Both of the new AirPods cases, which come in a slightly smaller case than its previous models, support wireless charging and are USB-C compatible. The base model AirPods 4 retails for $129 and AirPods 4 with noise-canceling retails for $179. You can order both models starting on September 20.
I am an editor at NBC Select who writes and edits stories on various tech topics including smartwatches, Bluetooth speakers and projectors. I have covered major shopping holidays and other events for over five years. I also frequently test new tech products including, headphones, speakers and computers.
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