If you happen to missed it, Apple unveiled all the brand new iPhones we anticipated, a brand new Apple Watch which may steal a whole lot of the headlines (larger, thinner, higher!) and a shocking new push for its wi-fi headphones, with three new fashions and a software program replace for AirPods Professional that brings the corporate into a brand new product class, via software program alone.
We’ll chew over these under, however first up: the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Professional. There’s a shocking parity of recent options within the two gadgets this yr. The iPhone 16 will get an motion button (left edge, above the amount buttons) and a brand new digital camera button, too.
Nicely, it’s greater than only a button. With all kinds of sensors and tech crammed inside, you’ll be able to alter controls and settings within the digital camera — suppose zoom, publicity and aperture — with light slides and presses. Apple is already planning an replace for a half-press to focus the digital camera and a full press to seize.
Why did Apple redesign the iPhone 16 digital camera module? The cynic in me thought this alteration, with lenses stacked vertically, was only a determined indicator to point out that folk had the latest iPhone, however there’s a motive. Apparently, this association means the cameras can work in tandem to seize spatial video and pictures.
The iPhone 16 Professional (and Professional Max) each get an array of upgraded taking pictures options. There may be (fortunately!) parity between the 6.9-inch Professional Max and 6.2-inch Professional, with the smaller Professional getting 5x optical zoom this yr. The ultra-wide-angle digital camera has been upgraded from 12 megapixels to 48 megapixels in each Professional fashions. The iPhone 16 Professional can shoot video in 4K at 120 fps, so you’ll be able to change to and from slow-mo footage after the actual fact — no slow-motion recording mode obligatory.
The iPhone 16 Professionals have a bigger battery, delivering us that perennial line: the “best iPhone battery life ever.” Nevertheless, on Apple’s personal specification cheat sheet, it will get somewhat extra particular, saying it was the “Best iPhone battery life on Pro Max.” That’s one thing to scrutinize in opinions. However after final yr’s shift to USB-C, the lightness of a titanium construct and an motion button shouldn’t be fairly as convincing an improve.
Having mentioned that, what am I doing? I presently juggle an Apple iPhone 15 Professional Max and a Pixel 9 Professional XL, that are too massive for me. Final yr, I leaned on the iPhone 15 Professional Max, as an alternative of the iPhone 15 Professional, for 5x digital camera zoom… and nothing else.
This time round, just like the iPhone 14 sequence, there are just about equivalent specs throughout the iPhone 16 Professional duo — which is the way it needs to be — so I’m lining up a pre-order for a black iPhone 16 Professional, with 1TB of storage. I would change my thoughts.
If you happen to’re a Professional Max type of iPhone proprietor, I feel you could possibly in all probability wait a yr, but it surely’s additionally a good time to improve to the bottom iPhone 16. It will get these new buttons, it’ll work with Apple Intelligence in a number of months and it has a reasonably beautiful lineup of colours.
We’ve obtained hands-on impressions on all the things under.
— Mat Smith
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The most important tales you might need missed
Apple Watch Sequence 10 hands-on: Greater, lighter and thinner than ever
Apple’s AirPods Professional replace turns them right into a scientific grade listening to support
The whole lot Apple revealed on the iPhone 16 launch occasion
Are you able to discover 9 p.c?
Apple’s wearable had the most important spec leap at its occasion yesterday, with the most important show and thinnest design ever on an Apple Watch. The wide-angle OLED show is even a bit bigger than the Apple Watch Extremely 2. Apple claims the display screen is 40 p.c brighter when checked out from an angle, because of that new OLED tech, and it’ll present a second hand ticking away even when your wrist is down. The corporate claims an 18-hour battery life, which somebody must remind Apple is not a full day.
And an additional ANC choice to confuse buyers.
Apple launched its fourth-generation AirPods this week, as rumors steered. They’ve a redesigned bud form that’s supposed to suit extra ear shapes. The brand new entry-level AirPods even have the H2 chip to energy options like Spatial Audio. The charging case has a USB-C port, and it’s the smallest AirPods charging case thus far. To throw a wrench into the works, Apple introduced a second mannequin supporting lively noise cancellation and Transparency mode. To not be confused with the AirPods Professional, which nonetheless exist.
Google lastly obtained it proper, particularly with the battery life.
Spare a thought for Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low. As we bundled her right into a aircraft for Cupertino to report on all that Apple stuff, she was wrapping up her evaluation of Google’s Pixel Watch 3. Whereas we had in contrast Google’s newest wearable to Apple’s Watch Sequence 9, we expect Apple has some wearable competitors right here, because of strong battery life and a complete and intuitive suite of health-tracking options.
In underneath 9 minutes.
Sony has introduced a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation stream at 11AM ET right now on the PlayStation YouTube channel. All indications level towards this being the official unveiling of the PS5 Professional. Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS5, will host the stream, which is able to concentrate on the PS5 and improvements in gaming expertise. For lower than 10 minutes.
