Apple held its highly anticipated “Glowtime” event on Monday, unveiling a range of new hardware offerings ahead of the holiday season. The event showcased the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4, along with several software updates and features.
The iPhone 16 series took center stage at the event, featuring the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as well as the more advanced iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models. The phones come in a variety of bold colors and boast several design enhancements, including a customizable Action button and a new Camera Control button. The camera systems have also been upgraded, offering improved photo and video capabilities. The new iPhones are powered by the A18 processor, which enables faster performance and enhanced machine learning capabilities.
In addition to the iPhone lineup, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 10, which features a thinner design and a larger screen. The watch offers fast charging and up to 18 hours of battery life. Notable features include sleep apnea notifications, audio playback through improved speakers, and a built-in depth gauge and water temperature sensor.
Apple also unveiled the AirPods 4, which come in two models: one with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and one without. Both models feature an H2 chip for better sound quality, personalized spatial audio, and gesture-based Siri controls. The AirPods 4 also come with a USB-C charging case and offer up to 30 hours of battery life.
During the event, Apple highlighted its in-house generative AI features, known as Apple Intelligence. These features include auto-writing, proofreading, emoji generation, and conversational prompts for searching photo galleries. Apple also introduced Visual Intelligence, its answer to Google Lens, which provides personalized insights and information based on photos taken with the new iPhone 16 lineup.
The event also touched on the upcoming release of iOS 18, which will be installed on the new iPhone 16 models and available for download on older iPhones starting September 16. The new software includes features such as RCS support, scheduled messages, customizable app placements on the home screen, and a redesigned Control Center.