The most anticipated Apple event of the year has finally happened and it’s a mix of yes and okays. There are new products of course, but there are crucial updates as well. What are they? Look no further as here’s everything you need to know about the latest in the Apple Ecosystem. Don’t worry, we’ll keep things simple.
New Health features
The Apple Watch can now detect Sleep Apnea – the condition where one’s breathing stops and starts while sleeping. It makes use of the Watch’s accelerometer and is compatible with Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2. The Watch will analyze data every 30 days and will notify you of moderate to severe Sleep Apnea so you can consult your doctor.
Meanwhile, the AirPods Pro 2 can now help you with your hearing degradation. There’s a new feature called Hearing Protection that will actively reduce the amount of noise going to your ear. It also comes with a new Hearing Test feature in compatible iPhones and iPads so one can check if they have hearing problems already. If there is and you’re not ready to go for a medical-grade hearing-aid, you can use the AirPods Pro 2 if you’re just on mild to moderate hearing loss.
New AirPods 4
The AirPods Max can now be charged via USB-C and has 5 new colors in Starlight, Orange, Purple, Blue, and Midnight. But as for the attainable ‘Pods, it has a totally new version.
The AirPods 4 is now available in two versions – the standard model and the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) variant. Both are run by the new H2 chip that works with a smarter set of features like Voice Isolation during calls, gesture interaction with Siri, and a new stem for controlling audio.
Its design has been revised to feature divided smaller vents instead of one big vent of the previous iteration. The charging case has also become smaller but delivers the same 30hrs capability of the older model, but is now blessed with USB-C charging. Those who opt for the ANC model will get a wireless charging case.
The updated AirPods Max is still at PHP 32,990, the standard AirPods 4 at PHP 8,490, while the AirPods 4 with ANC and wireless charging case is at PHP 11,490.
Apple Watch Series 10
Like in the AirPods space, the higher Watch Ultra 2 got a color update in its new Black Titanium finish. Apple will also release Watch bands for it to match its sleek color.
As for the standard model, there’s a new Apple Watch Series 10 that is thinner and 10% lighter than its predecessor among other things but retains its 18-hour battery life.
The screen is now 30% larger, made possible by the slimmer bezels and is complemented by new Watch faces that utilize this bigger screen estate. It also has a wide-angle LED display, making it 40% brighter when viewed from an angle. Charging is faster with up to 8hrs of use in just 15mins, and can go up to 80% in 30 minutes.
A new feature is the depth gauge and water temperature sensor that’s useful for water activities. The water depth gauge can detect up to 6 meters from the surface that’s great for shallow diving, snorkeling, or pool playing. There will also be a new Tides app to help you see if there’s a high or low tide.
The new Apple Watch Ultra 2 still starts at PHP 54,990 while the new Apple Watch Series 10 starts at PHP 26,490.
Apple Intelligence coming to iPhone, iPad and Mac on October
Apple is rolling out its AI or ‘Apple Intelligence’ into the first batch of products namely the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Users will be able to have a lot of assistance in different apps like making a video out of photos in the Photos app, making transcriptions in Notes out of recordings and calls; it can even make summaries of your call, and Siri will be much improved. As with all things AI, it will develop into your liking the more you use it.
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
Apple has skipped the A17 name and jumped to the A18 Bionic processor for this generation of standard iPhones, saying the leap is equal to the jump in processing power. As mentioned previously, the new phones now have deeper integration with ‘Apple Intelligence’ across its apps and Sire. There’s also a new button called Camera Control that will allow easier documentation of your life, along with a new Action button which can be personalized.
The camera gets a huge boost with the 48mp Fusion camera that can do 2x ‘Telephoto’ with a single lens. Macro has also been enabled on the Ultra Wide camera, giving the standard iPhones more functionality without the added price of the Pro series. Battery life has also been boosted to last from 20 and 26 hours for the regular and Plus model, to 22 and 27 hours respectively.
Prices begin at PHP 54,990 and PHP 62,990 for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus respectively.
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
Thinner bezels have resulted in a slightly bigger display for the iPhone Pro models. The former 6.1-6.7-inch screen sizes are now bumped to 6.3-6.9-inches. Just like the standard models, the Pro gets deeper integration with “Apple Intelligence” and the new Camera Control feature. It also received the 48mp Fusion sensor for the rear camera, but still has a separate Telephoto camera in its array. You can now also shoot Dolby Vision at 4K 120fps, and have spatial photos and videos.
With the new A18 Pro chip, the new Pro models have a significant jump in battery life from 23 and 29 hours for the Pro and Pro Max, to 27 and 33 hours respectively. MagSafe wireless charging has also been improved to 25 watts with a 30w adapter or higher.
The top tier iPhones now begin at PHP 69,990 and PHP 84,990 for the 16 Pro 128GB and 16 Pro Max 256GB respectively. Apple has started shipping the new products worldwide as of writing.
You may check with your network provider or preferred seller about pre-orders and reservations.
Photos from Apple
