Apple iPhone event 2024: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, AirPods, and Apple Intelligence

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Welcome to Laptop Mag's coverage of the September 2024 Apple iPhone event. During the September 9 'It's Glowtime' event, Apple unveiled a new iPhone 16 lineup alongside the latest Apple Watch and AirPods models.

You can catch a recap of events as they happened below, with our live blog containing build-up coverage and our coverage of the event in full. However, if you want to dive straight in and learn more about the products Apple revealed during its presentation, we've got you covered.

Not only will you find a rundown of events on this page, but you can also find our follow-up coverage below, where we go in-depth on the day's iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods reveals.

"It's Glowtime" Apple iPhone event: Coverage

Apple's 'Glowtime' event saw the iPhone 16 series showcased in full alongside new Apple Watch 10 and AirPods Pro 2 models. You can learn more about all of these devices below, or continue further down the page for a complete recap of Apple's livestreamed presentation.

• The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are Apple's biggest, fastest, and most AI-infused phones yet
   

• Apple's iPhone 16, 16 Plus add 'Camera Control' button and a faster A18 processor
   

• 5 features that prove the iPhone 16 is a sweeter deal than the iPhone 16 Pro
   

• Apple's iPhone 16 event left out the one device I'd ditch my Android phone for
   

• The AirPods Pro 2's first-of-its-kind hearing aid feature is here to end your reliance on subtitles
   

• The Apple Watch Series 10 is brighter, thinner, and can help detect sleep apnea

The build-up to today's Apple iPhone event begins now! We're live and will be offering quick rundowns of everything surrounding the latest iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10/Ultra, and AirPods, which are expected to be revealed later today! Stay tuned.

Let's start things off with a brief look at the device that will no doubt draw a lot of attention today: the iPhone 16.

While iPhone Pro models will, generally speaking, gain a lot more attention due to their higher specs and advanced hardware, this year's iPhone 16 is bound to catch the eye of many as it reportedly sports a new look, offers new colors, and will hopefully retain the same affordable price tag.

We've seen plenty of leaks emerge about the iPhone 16 ahead of today's event, including those that hint towards the handset's reported specs and pricing. Check out a brief rundown of the base iPhone 16 models below.

Beyond its specs, the iPhone 16 is said to feature a new re-deigned camera island that switches out the previously diagonal layout for a vertically stacked set of lenses. Why the change? The answer may be linked to Apple's mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro.

Last year, the iPhone 15 Pro received an update that saw its ultrawide and telephoto lenses switch places. We caught early wind of this change thanks to one reliable tipster's claims in May 2023.

At the time we weren't sure exactly why Apple intended to make such a switch, given that it would make no real aesthetic difference to the phone or its photography. However, as we would later find out, it was all to do with further taking advantage of the Vision Pro's ability to view spatial photographs.

The revised camera layout for the iPhone 15 Pro models allowed them to take spatial photos and video, perfect for playback on the Vision Pro headset.

The iPhone 16's redesigned camera array, should (in theory) now be positioned in a way to allow similar spatial photography opportunities when the device is turned to landscape, making it an affordable option for those looking to add another dimension to their digital snaps.

The iPhone 16's new camera layout won't be the only visual change we expect to see revealed today. Another change for the iPhone 16 could see Apple wave goodbye to its pastel colorways for the most part, bringing in some deeper hues thanks to blue and teal/green additions that join the lineup's black, white, and pink options.

These new, bolder colors are likely the result of Apple bringing the iPhone 15 Pro's color-infused back glass to its base models this year, allowing for stronger tones and a more striking, stand-out look for the handsets.

If you're hoping for any further upgrades to coincide with the iPhone 16's rear-camera shakeup, then we may have some bad news for you, at least for this year.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we shouldn't expect much change in the specs of the iPhone 16's cameras to the iPhone 15 that came before it. That means seeing a return of the same 48MP main lens met with a 12MP ultrawide array and the same 12MP selfie camera.

Those seeking an upgraded photography experience from the base iPhone may want to skip this year's offering, as it's reported that the base iPhone 17 will at least feature a 24MP upgrade to the handset's selfie camera.

Perhaps the upgrade that will have the biggest impact on the iPhone 16 is its rumored increase to RAM, which will see the device take the leap from 6GB to 8GB — in turn seeing the handset able to support the AI features included with the upcoming Apple Intelligence suite for iOS 18.

This upgrade would mean that all models of iPhone 16 will be compatible with the upcoming feature, as would the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, which also offer 8GB of RAM. However, that also suggests that the vast majority of iPhones won't support on-device Apple Intelligence.

That said, Apple may offer cloud computing options for lower-specced handsets, though whether or not they'll gain access to all Apple Intelligence features this way remains to be seen.

Thankfully, it would appear from everything we've seen so far that both the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will retain their $799 and $899 asking prices.

However, for a further glimpse at what you might be able to expect in terms of pricing, we've rounded up a look at some of the deals we expect to see after the handset is revealed later today.

We'll be updating this list when official news breaks, but if you're already locked in on wanting to purchase this year's iPhone, then check out our predictions of the best deals and discounts that early adopters can expect to see.

The stars of today's showcase will most likely be Apple's iPhone Pro models. This year's iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max handsets will once again be among the best smartphones on the market thanks to some impressive upgrades over last year's models.

We've once again been lucky enough to steal a glimpse at each handset's rumored specs and pricing, and it's all pointing to yet another solid refresh for Apple's premium iPhones. Let's take a quick look at what we can expect.

Without context, you'd assume that the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models are unchanged, retaining same titanium chassis, overall design, and triple-lens rear camera array. However, if you should place them next to last year's Pro and Pro Max models, then the differences would become instantly apparent.

Both the Pro and Pro Max have had something of a growth spurt over the last 12-months, granting each a bigger chassis and display.

The iPhone Pro 16 will now feature a 6.3-inch display over the iPhone 15 Pro's 6.1-inch offering. The iPhone 16 Pro Max shows similar gains, housing a whopping 6.9-inch display over the 15 Pro Max's 6.7-inch screen.

Interestingly, while the chassis of each handset is slightly bigger to accommodate these bigger displays, their dimensions change as little as possible, with a portion of that additional screen space is gained from the trimming of each display's bezels, granting these iPhone 16 Pro model's their slimmest screen borders to date.

Those larger sizes also won't impact their weight a great deal either, with the biggest shift in heft found on the iPhone 16 Pro which is said to weight 194 grams, where previously the iPhone 15 Pro weighed 187 grams. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is only four grams heavier than its 221-gram iPhone 15 Pro Max counterpart.

Size won't be the only thing changing for the iPhone 16 Pro models, there's also a new colorway inbound if recent rumors turn out to be true.

After making the switch to titanium last year, Apple has had to make compromises over which colors it can produce its premium handsets in. This is because of the PVD coating process required to ensure the titanium frames retain both color and durability.

The new color is reportedly referred to as "Desert Titanium," and can be seen on the iPhone 16 Pro render in the above image. This new colorway will join white, black, and titanium options according to reputable tech tipster Majin Bu, who shared an early look at the iPhone Pro's lens colors on X last month.

iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to receive some love on the camera front from Apple, with each rumored to be gaining a sizable upgrade to their ultrawide lenses.

It's reported that both Pro and Pro Max models of the iPhone 16 will gain a 48MP ultrawide lens (over the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 12MP lens), and both devices will now offer 5x optical zoom across their tetraprism lenses (the first time this will be available on the Pro model).

These upgrades could also feature a glass-plastic hybrid lens that allows up to 20% more light into the iris, allowing for the capture of much better photos in low-light conditions.

Rumored to feature exclusively on the iPhone 16 Pro Max is a new "super periscope" camera, an upgrade to the tetraprism lens that would see the 5x optical zoom capabilities of this device boosted beyond its standard range.

This upgrade could see the iPhone 16 Pro Max outfitted with a 5x optical zoom, but capable of clear and crisp results akin to higher magnifications.

Last year saw iPhone 15 Pro models gain an all-new Action Button. This year it's reported that every iPhone 16 model will receive that new feature, though to keep the Pro and Pro Max handsets one step ahead, they're reportedly set to receive a new 'capture' button.

This new switch will allow iPhone Pro users a more DSLR-like image capture option, that lets you half press the button to activate focus, and fully press to instantly snap your subject.

On the surface, it's a strange addition, especially considering the iPhone's Action Button is already capable of acting like a shutter switch for the phone's camera, and the idea of needing to manually set the zoom doesn't seem all that useful when taking into account the iPhone's speedy auto zoom.

However, much like the Action Button, the new Capture button may offer customization options that allow it to perform multiple roles depending on how a user wants it to perform.

While base iPhone 16 models appear to be locked in on last year's pricing, the same likely isn't true for at least one of the iPhone 16 Pros.

According to a recent rumor that appears to show the specs and pricing of all iPhone models, the iPhone 16 Pro will receive a $100 price increase, taking its starting price from $999 to $1,099.

It would seem that not only is the gap between the iPhone Pro and Pro Max closing in terms of features, but that its pricing is following suit. Will the iPhone 15 Pro still be a compelling purchase next to the Pro Max which is only $100 more expensive?

With the practically guaranteed iPhone 16 models out of the way, we turn our attention to a few devices that are a little bit more out of left field.

Both the iPhone SE 4 and iPad mini 7 are devices that have been long-rumored and long-awaited by budget buyers of the Applesphere. The iPad mini 7 has been rumored to feature at the last few Apple showcases specifically, though nary a word on a new model has been mentioned, let alone revealed as a product decisively on its way.

Could Apple sneak another iPhone into this year's lineup? Or show a little love for the littlest of iPads at its "Glowtime" event?

The dates align for the iPad mini 7 more than they do the iPhone SE 3, but with a global smartphone sales slump to contend with, it wouldn't be a terrible decision for Apple to bring its budget smartphone to market early and reap the rewards of its redesigned and respecced mid-ranger.

Nothing in life is impossible. But that's not to say that it isn't highly, highly unlikely.

We do know that the Apple Watch will feature alongside the iPhone 16, though we aren't certain if this will be referred to as the Apple Watch 10 or Apple Watch X, similar to how the iPhone celebrated its 10th anniversary by adopting the X moniker.

This new Apple Watch is said to be subject to a major design update according to trusted sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This could involve a thinner chassis and a larger screen, with reports of a 49mm model appearing online more recently.

Hypertension and sleep apnea sensors are reported to feature in this new Apple Watch, and Apple may seek to introduce a new blood oxygen sensor after being forced to disable its previous version due to a patent dispute that arose last year.

The Apple Watch SE typically gets a biannual release, and with 2022 being the last time we saw this budget-friendly wearable, we are likely (though not guaranteed) to see it at this year's event.

Interestingly, the new Apple Watch SE 3 is said to feature a plastic chassis in a range of bold and vibrant colors that make it both durable and more appealing. This plastic chassis could also help keep the cost of the smartwatch down, with reports suggesting its pricing may begin at just $200.

We're unlikely to see an Apple Watch Ultra 3 at this year's event, but rumors point towards the Apple Watch Ultra 2 making an appearance.

Don't hold out hope for any under-the-hood changes, but the Apple Watch Ultra 2 may show off a long-awaited colorway to spark some fresh interest in Apple's premium smartwatch.

The Watch Ultra's titanium chassis has served Apple well, but rumors of a black titanium option being in the works have had many wearable lovers waiting for their moment to pounce.

That moment may well be during this year's showcase, long after the colorway was originally meant to feature as a day-one option following the launch of the Watch Ultra 2 during this very event last year.

Speaking of watches, there's now just one hour to go before Apple's "Glowtime" special iPhone event kicks off in full.

Remember, if you can't watch the event live, we'll be covering everything revealed during the livestream right here for you to catch up on. We'll also be posting follow-up coverage during and after the event, so keep your eyes peeled for more content from Laptop Mag throughout the day.

If you're looking to pass some time until then, why not check out some of our wider iPhone coverage while you wait?

• iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Will it be worth the upgrade?

• iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Will the next iPhone be worth upgrading?

• iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: Which big phone is the best?

Every Apple fan's favorite pair of wireless earbuds are also likely slated for an upgrade.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a fourth-gen pair of AirPods will come in two tiers: a stripped-down budget version and a mid-tier premium variant. Notably, the new mid-tier AirPods may come with a speaker that enables Find My location tracking. With a tap of a button, the AirPods would be able to emit a noise, making them easier to find.

That's a bit of trickle-down from AirPods Pro that I'm sure standard AirPods owners would appreciate — after all, who among us hasn't forgotten their AirPods case at a bar or two?

Apple's official event livestream is starting now! If you can't watch live, don't worry. We're covering all the highlights, so stay tuned!

Apple is kicking things off with a short promo video. The iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods are front and center. Various uses for this tech trio are taking the spotlight with features like dictation, medical alerts, and fitness. Now on to Apple Park...

Tim Cook is here to open up today's event. As expected, it will focus on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. It sounds like AI (Apple Intelligence, in this case) will also play a star role.

Cook is starting things off with the Apple Watch with an emphasis on life-saving and life-changing features. A new design is incoming...

It's here: an Apple Watch redesign!

Well... kind of. The Apple Watch Series 10 retains the same classic look of the Apple Watch but it now has a larger display. The ultra-thin design that was rumored for the Series 10 isn't here just yet.

Jeff Williams, Chief Operating Officer, takes over for Cook to share more.

The Apple Watch Series 10 has a slightly larger display than the Ultra and a 30% larger screen than the Series 6. It also has a wider aspect ratio and more rounded edges. Plus, it features Apple's first-ever wide-angle OLED display! Williams notes that it's 40% brighter than previous Watch displays when viewed from an angle.

To highlight the Series 10's snazzy new display, Apple is also launching a new "Flux" watch face.

In some good news for fans of black tech, the Apple Watch Series 10 will come in a sleek new "Jet Black" colorway. It's noticeably darker and bolder than the classic Space Gray.

The Series 10 is thinner than previous Apple Watches, but not drastically. It's about 10% thinner than the Series 9. It's always nice for wearables to be thinner and lighter, though, so even a minor decrease is still a welcome update. The speaker was completely redesigned to fit into this narrower chassis and you can now use it to play media like music or podcasts directly on your watch, which is definitely convenient.

The Series 10 is also the "fastest-charging Apple Watch ever." It can recharge up to 80% battery in just 30 minutes.

Titanium is replacing stainless steel in the Watch materials line-up. It's 20% lighter than stainless steel and will come in three colors: gold, silver, and dark gray (not to be confused with the new "Jet Black" polished aluminum). Williams also notes that Apple's titanium is carbon neutral. Neat!

The Series 10 will come with Apple's new S10 processor. Williams is highlighting machine learning features like crash detection and fall detection. The S10 will also use AI to reduce background noise during calls on Apple Watch.

In more AI news, watchOS 11 will also include the Translate app and new AI-powered watch faces.

The Series 10 is getting a long-awaiting feature: sleep apnea monitoring. The Watch monitors breathing disturbances while you're sleeping to detect sleep apnea.

Dr. Sumbul Ahmad Desai, Apple's VP of Health, explains, "[Sleep apnea] is a potentially serious condition where breathing stops repeatedly and causes disrupted sleep. Sleep plays such a vital role in our overall health and well-being, and people with sleep apnea can experience excessive daytime tiredness, have difficulties concentrating, and be more irritable."

Dr. Desai also notes that an estimated 80% of people with sleep apnea are undiagnosed. Apple's new sleep apnea detection feature on the Apple Watch Series 10 is designed to help address that issue.

It's worth noting Samsung beat Apple to the punch with this feature. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra, announced at its Galaxy Unpacked event back in July, includes a sensor capable of detecting and monitoring sleep apnea. It's also FDA-approved already, but Apple's version is still awaiting FDA approval.

The Series 10 includes a depth sensor, which will be helpful for swimmers and divers. It can also detect water temperature. While the Apple Watch still might not be ideal for deep water SCUBA diving, it will include some new features specifically for snorkeling. You can also create "float plans" for water-based workouts and monitor tides.

Now on to Apple Watch Ultra!

Stan Ng, VP of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing, takes over for Williams. He recaps all the existing highlights of the Ultra and mentions that watchOS 11 will include offline maps.

It looks like we're not getting an Apple Watch Ultra 3 just yet, but the Ultra 2 is getting a minor update this year with a new black colorway. It's more polished and matte than the glossy "Jet Black" for the Series 10, but it still looks great. Plus, it can be paired with a new titanium strap inspired by SCUBA diving gear. The trail loop, alpine loop, and ocean loop bands will also be available in new colors this year.

Now back to Tim Cook to cover AirPods!

We're getting an all-new generation of AirPods. Cook turns things  over to Kate Bergeron, VP of Hardware Engineering, to tell us more.

The AirPods 4 have a light redesign with a slightly different shape, although they maintain roughly the same design as the current generation. They will include the new H2 chip and new acoustic architecture, which will power personalized spatial audio.

Plus, there will be a version of the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), which is great for anyone who commutes with their AirPods or just wants to block out distractions. Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness will help automatically adjust volume based on surrounding noise levels.

In a welcome, convenient update, the AirPods 4 will come with a USB Type-C charging case! You can charge it wirelessly, too, and there is now a speaker on the case for Apple's Find My feature.

AirPods Max are getting a minor update, too. Five new colors will be available this year, featuring USB Type-C charging! The new colors include black, lilac, starlight, orange, and a light blue-green.

Apple is bringing some new features to the AirPods Pro with an emphasis on health and fitness. The AirPods Pro 2 will include a new Hearing Protection feature that will help protect your ears from loud environmental noise. The feature is on by default.

Apple is also introducing a Hearing Test feature that allows you to check your hearing directly from your iPhone using the AirPods Pro 2. You can view and track your results through the Health app. This could make hearing tests much more accessible to many people.

Speaking of accessibility, the AirPods Pro 2 will have a built-in Hearing Aid feature! It will use the results from the Hearing Test feature to customize performance and automatically adjust volume settings on your Apple devices.

The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features will be available later this fall in a software update for iOS 18.

It's finally time for the star of today's event: the iPhone 16!

Kaiann Drance, VP of iPhone Product Marketing, is up to tell us all about it. We're getting some bold new colors, including pink, green, and ultramarine blue. They're a breath of fresh air after years of pastels!

The iPhone 16 is also getting a tougher, brighter display. It will be available in two sizes: 6.1-inches and 6.7-inches.

As expected, the iPhone 16 has a new action button on the side. You can customize it to perform different actions and even assign multiple actions for different times in the day. There's also a dedicated camera control button on the right side of the iPhone 16 below the action button.

The iPhone 16 is jumping two generations forward to the A18 chipset! As expected, Apple Intelligence seems to be a major reason for this leap forward in processing tech.

Sribalan Santhanam, Vice President Silicon Engineering Group at Apple, notes that the A18 is 30% faster than the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 15. Plus, the GPU in the A18 is faster and more power-efficient than the A16, which should come in handy for mobile gaming.

Craig Federighi, Senior VP of Software Engineering, is here to tell us more about Apple Intelligence on iPhone 16. It's worth noting, Apple Intelligence was announced at WWDC 2024 in June but hasn't launched yet and won't be in the initial release of iOS 18.

Federighi recaps most of the details about Apple Intelligence we got at WWDC 2024. There is a helpful update, though: Apple's Private Cloud Compute will be independently verified, which may be reassuring for anyone who's still concerned about their data privacy and security with Apple's new AI platform.

Federighi also dives back into image playground, generative emojis, the writing assistant in Apple Intelligence, upcoming photo editing features, notification summaries, and a much-needed Siri update, as covered at WWDC 2024.

Federighi also announces that the first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta starting in October, however, some languages won't get support until next year.

The iPhone 16 is getting a unique Apple Intelligence feature called Visual Intelligence that uses the new camera control button. You can use it for things like visually searching for images or adding an event to your calendar. It looks like a handy AI image search tool. Federighi even notes that it will be able to use ChatGPT (with a helpful reminder that this feature will never use third-party tools without notifying you first).

Next up, we're getting some more details on the new camera control button. You can use it to quickly snap photos or start recording, much like a physical camera shutter button. We've seen this type of button on other phones in the past, but it's cool to finally see it on the iPhone.

Different taps and press-and-hold gestures open various functions from the camera control. Third-party apps, like Snapchat, can also use this button for shortcuts.

The iPhone 16 features a 48 MP main camera and a 12 MP telephoto lens. It will include a new feature that allows you to blend high-detail and light-detail photos.

A new ultrawide camera now allows you to capture macro photography on the iPhone 16.

Plus, you can capture spatial videos and photos on the iPhone 16, which are viewable in 3D on the Apple Vision Pro, a feature that was formerly only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

As unveiled at WWDC 2024, the Photos app is getting a redesign, as well, complete with some new AI photo editing features.

Next up, gaming on the iPhone 16.

Apple made some thermal updates to the iPhone 16, which unlock 30% faster sustained performance and better ray tracing. You can now even play AAA games on the iPhone 16, which was formerly only possible on the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max.

Honor of Kings World will be the next AAA game to come to iOS, joining a growing number of titles like Assassin's Creed: Mirage and Resident Evil 4.

As expected, Apple is maintaining its existing starting prices for the iPhone 16. So, the base iPhone 16 will start at $799 and the iPhone 16 Plus will start at $899. (That means the prices of previous generations will drop.)

Now it's time for the iPhone 16 Pro.

It got a light design update with a larger display, thinner bezels, an always-on display, and a Grade 5 titanium chassis. It will come in four colors: black, light, natural, and desert gold titanium.

Apple Intelligence is once again a star feature in Apple's iPhone 16 Pro presentation. Most of the core Apple Intelligence features will be available across the iPhone 16 line-up, but if you want the best AI performance possible, the Pro models will have more computing power.

The iPhone 16 Pro will feature the A18 Pro chip, which includes a 16-core neural engine for AI tasks. Apple Intelligence runs 17% faster on the A18 Pro and games run 20% faster compared to A17 Pro. The 6-core CPU is 15% faster but uses 20% less power, so we can expect even longer battery life. According to Apple, the A18 Pro is the fastest CPU in any smartphone (but we'll have to wait for benchmark results to confirm that).

Photography is always a highlight on Apple's Pro models and the iPhone 16 Pro is no exception.

This year's Pro models will feature a new 48 MP fusion camera, 48 MP ultra-wide camera, and 12 MP 5X telephoto lens. The new camera control will be especially helpful on the Pro, allowing photographers to quickly access advanced functions and settings.

You can also use new photographic styles to quickly apply a different aesthetic to your photos, much like the styles available for portrait photos. You can change the photographic style before or after you capture a shot.

On the video side of things, the iPhone 16 Pro will include a new Cinematic Slow Motion feature and support 4K video at 120 frames per second. Conveniently, you will also be able to capture 4K videos directly to external storage, which will be helpful for professional videographers.

The iPhone 16 Pro will be able to capture Spatial Audio, which you can listen to with AirPods Pro or an Apple Vision Pro headset. It will also have support for a new Audio Mix feature that allows you to adjust audio in videos using different presets like "studio" or "cinematic." This will help you isolate and enhance the audio quality in videos captured on the iPhone 16 Pro.

The Voice Memos app is getting a bit of an upgrade for music recording. You will now be able to play and adjust different audio tracks and have an existing recording playing while capturing a new one (i.e. singing along to a music track you've already recorded). Neat!

The iPhone 16 Pro will start at $999 and the Pro Max will start at $1199. All of the new iPhones announced today will be available for pre-order on Friday and will arrive in stores on September 20.

That wraps things up for today! Our coverage of today's Apple event is just getting started, though!

Stick around for more updates as we unpack all of the details on the iPhone 16 line-up, the new AirPods, and the Apple Watch Series 10. We will also have a full recap here, so if you missed today's event, you can get a quick overview of all the highlights.