Apple’s huge September occasion (tagline: It’s Glowtime) gave us rather a lot to chew on. The corporate launched new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional fashions, Apple Watch Sequence 10 with the primary design change in a very long time, the Apple Watch Extremely 3, two new AirPods 4 fashions, and an replace to AirPods Max.
As typical, the corporate left some particulars out of its hour-and-a-half presentation or glossed over a few of the issues you must in all probability know. There’s not sufficient time to cowl every little thing, in spite of everything.
Listed below are a few of the attention-grabbing particulars we’ve uncovered whereas digging into the specs and options of those new merchandise.
All iPhone 16 fashions have Wi-Fi 7
It wasn’t introduced nevertheless it did seem on the “features card” within the presentation: iPhone 16 (common and Professional) has Wi-Fi 7 assist. What’s it good for? Higher velocity, much less wi-fi congestion, and decrease latency. In different phrases, better-performing Wi-Fi, extra typically.
You in all probability don’t have a Wi-Fi 7 entry level but, however if you do, your new iPhone shall be prepared for it. You possibly can learn extra about Wi-Fi 7 right here.
The iPhone 16 Professional Max lasts a very long time.
Apple promised longer battery life–the longest ever, actually. Is that an hour extra? Six hours extra? 12 %? They didn’t say.
The spec sheets give us some thought, although. We go into the expanded battery life specs for all of the iPhone 16 fashions on this article, however the quick reply is: You need to get a superb hour or so of battery life in typical each day use—and when you’re upgrading to an iPhone 16 Professional Max, you’ll get a whopping 4 hours extra of use.
Macworld
You’ll have to attend for the best function
A whole lot of the issues Apple talked about will not be coming when the merchandise launch. Many are coming in software program updates later this 12 months, and others are even additional away.
We’ve talked about how Apple Intelligence is a staged launch, beginning with some options in iOS 18.1 (coming in October) and extra in iOS 18.2 and 18.3. It’s a giant promoting level of the iPhone 16, and it gained’t be there proper when the telephone drops. That additionally goes for the brand new Visible Intelligence function, the place you long-press the Digicam Management to get AI-powered data on no matter you’re taking a look at. Apple spent a few minutes showcasing the function, so you could have missed that little bit on the finish the place Craig Federighi mentioned, “It’s coming to the Camera Control later this year.”
These new listening to take a look at and listening to assist options for the 2nd-gen AirPods Professional? Additionally coming later this 12 months.
AirPods Max has a 5-year-old chip
Apple lastly up to date the AirPods Max, however you’ll discover that Apple isn’t calling this the “second-generation AirPods Max” or “AirPods Max 2.” That is extra like when Apple up to date the second-gen AirPods Professional’s cost case from Lightning to USB-C—it’s a little bit completely different however principally the identical.
it primarily implies that AirPods Max aren’t getting the newer H2 chip that’s within the AirPods Professional and AirPods 4. Nor did it get a brand new design or new options. All new consumers will get are new colours and a USB-C port as an alternative of Lightning for charging functions solely. However you’ll nonetheless must pay $549 for the pleasure.
The AirPods Max look new however they’ve the identical previous chip.
Apple
Quicker Wi-fi charging has caveats
Apple introduced quicker wi-fi charging for the iPhone 16s, however there are some necessities.
Qi2 charging and common MagSafe charging is proscribed to fifteen watts. If in case you have a 30W USB-C energy adapter and one of many new MagSafe chargers, solely then are you able to cost wirelessly at as much as 25W. No less than the charger now is available in each 1-meter and 2-meter variations (for $10 extra after all).
Outdated bands nonetheless work with the brand new Apple Watch
The brand new Apple Watch Sequence 10 encompasses a new design that’s thinner, lighter, and a little bit greater with a bigger show and extra rounded edges.
Apple didn’t specify this in its presentation, however the connection factors to bands haven’t modified. All (or most) of these Apple Watch bands you’ve collected over time will work simply effective with the Sequence 10.
The Apple Watch Sequence 10’s new design nonetheless helps previous bands.
Apple
The place’s JPEG-XL?
A rumor acknowledged that Apple could assist the superior JPEG-XL format within the new telephones, nevertheless it was absent from Apple’s presentation.
In accordance with MacRumors, code in iOS 18 means that the iPhone 16 Professional will assist capturing photographs in JPEG-XL (along with all the opposite anticipated codecs). Unusual that it’s not on Apple’s spec sheet, so we wouldn’t rely on this one till Apple formally declares it.
No mmWave 5G outdoors the U.S.
All 4 iPhone 16 variants assist these super-fast (and tremendous short-range) mmWave 5G networking in the USA, however Apple is nonetheless not increasing assist for this facet of 5G to different international locations.
There are mmWave networks in Japan, Singapore, Australia, and different international locations in restricted areas, however the brand new iPhones won’t assist them. Sub-6GHz 5G networks are supported everywhere in the world, nevertheless.
Emergency SOS by way of satellite tv for pc continues to be free
When Apple unveiled Emergency SOS by way of Satellite tv for pc with the iPhone 14 in 2022, it promised two years of free service. Then final November, Apple prolonged the service for an additional 12 months, till November 2025. With the iPhone 16, the service continues to be accessible totally free for 2 years—however in some unspecified time in the future, the invoice will come due. Apple has by no means mentioned how a lot it’ll price, however with a number of new options—together with sending pictures and video—there is perhaps sticker shock.