Apple introduces Airpods 4, iPhone 16 and Apple Watch 10

Apple hat am Montag in Kalifornien seine neue iPhone-Kollektion mit der Versionsnummer 16 und die Apple Watch 10 vorgestellt. Der Kopfhörer Airpods Max und die Airpods-Ohrhörer erhalten ein Update. Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) ist abermals ein wichtiges Thema für den Konzern.

Wie im Vorjahr gibt es vier neue iPhones, eine Standardversion und eine Pro-Reihe. Das iPhone 16 und 16 Plus kommen mit Bildschirmdiagonalen von 6,1 und 6,7 Zoll und einem Aluminiumgehäuse. Sie erhalten den neuen A18-Prozessor, um für Apples KI, Apple Intelligence genannt, gerüstet zu sein. Auch die Assistentin Siri soll deutlich besser arbeiten als ihre aktuelle Kollegin.

The two standard devices also get the programmable action button on the left side of the case, which was previously reserved for the Pro models. Furthermore, the arrangement of the rear camera eyes has been modified to be better equipped for recording spatial videos. These videos can be played with Apple’s Vision Pro computer glasses.

The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have a slightly larger display, growing from 6.1 to 6.3 inches in the smaller version and from 6.7 to 6.9 inches in the Pro Max. The edges are also thinner, so the casing only grows imperceptibly. The new A18 Pro processor with more cores and an improved neural engine supports Apple Intelligence in the best possible way, the company says.

The ultra-wide-angle camera now works with 48 instead of 12 megapixels, and the 16 Pro now also has the five-fold zoom that was previously reserved for the Pro Max device. Both Pro models record videos in 4K at up to 120 frames per second, previously it was 60. Four built-in studio microphones should allow spatial audio recordings.

A new touch-sensitive button on the right side works like the shutter button on a conventional camera: light pressure fixes the autofocus, and a firm pressure takes the photo. The button works capacitively, so it can be used for other functions if you lightly swipe your finger over it, such as zooming in on image playback or starting AI functions. You take a photo of an object and the AI ​​provides background information.

The iPhone 16 have 128 gigabytes to one terabyte of storage and are available in several colors. As usual, their casing is made of aluminum or titanium. Prices start at 950 euros and go up to 1950 euros. They will be in stores on September 20th.

The Airpods earphones without the Pro addition were introduced in 2021 and are now coming as the fourth generation and are supposed to offer better sound. Phone calls can be accepted by nodding or rejected by shaking your head. The charging case has been made smaller and can be charged with the Apple Watch charger.

A more expensive version has background noise cancellation like the Airpods Pro and the corresponding case has a small speaker for locating in Apple’s Find My network. The Airpods 4 will be available in stores from September 20th. Prices are 150 and 200 euros.

The Airpods Pro, which have been available for some time, are getting new health functions related to hearing and hearing protection. Apple is using its findings from in-house hearing studies and is offering a hearing test as an app. You can then use personalized hearing profiles with the Airpods Pro, which then work like a hearing aid.

The bulky high-end headphones Airpods Max came onto the market in 2020 and are now being replaced by a version 2 with new colors. The Lightning connector is being replaced by USB C.

The Apple Watch celebrated its tenth anniversary on the day of the keynote. A new Apple Watch Series 10 was presented in Cupertino on Monday. It is the thinnest Apple watch, has the largest OLED display and charges its battery the fastest. It also offers more precise sensors, a depth sensor for snorkelers and more powerful speakers. It costs between 450 and 850 euros, has an optional built-in cellular network and will be available in stores from September 20. The cases are made of aluminum or titanium, and there is a small and a large model variant.

The most important innovation is the detection of sleep apnea. This breathing disorder is characterized by a repeated reduction or complete cessation of breathing. Such pauses in breathing can occur several hundred times a night and last for minutes. This results in a drop in the oxygen concentration in the blood and a reduced supply to the organs. The most common symptoms are daytime tiredness, unrefreshing sleep and fatigue. Devices from other manufacturers have been able to detect sleep apnea for some time.

Apple had to remove the detection of blood oxygen saturation from new watches following patent disputes at the beginning of the year. It remains to be seen whether this function will return with the products now being introduced.

The company’s top model, the Apple Watch Ultra version 2, will not be changed, but it is now available not only in a light titanium case, but also in a black color variant. The price of 900 euros remains the same.

With its AI functions, Apple is lagging behind other manufacturers such as Google or Samsung. In return, they are supposed to work more efficiently with data and respect privacy. The functions introduced in the summer are initially only available for the English language. In July, Apple also announced that certain Apple Intelligence functions would not be available in the EU for the time being. This is based on the justified concern that the Digital Markets Act applicable here could lead to Apple being forced by the EU to make services and functions available to other providers at the expense of security and data protection.

The first version of iOS 18 will be missing a number of Apple Intelligence components, such as the integration of Chat GPT. Apple had already announced this before Monday’s keynote. The summary of messages and web content as well as the prioritization of important emails and the automatic transcription of phone calls will only be available with iOS 18.1. The AI ​​for image generation will be delivered later.