New York, United States.- Apple Inc unveiled a new version of its smartwatch with a larger screen and the ability to detect sleep apnea, at an event on Monday that will also include the iPhone 16 smartphone.
The Series 10 version of the watch has 30 percent more display area, even with a thinner design, Apple said during a presentation dubbed “It’s Glowtime,” which was streamed from its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The sleep apnea feature will be available in more than 150 regions, Apple said. The new watch is about 10 percent thinner than the Series 9 version. It also comes in a new titanium model that is lighter than the aluminum models. The device starts at $399 and goes on sale Sept. 20.
Artificial intelligence is expected to be a major theme at the event, which began at 10 a.m. local time.
The company has been preparing an artificial intelligence toolset called Apple Intelligence that it hopes will entice consumers to buy upgraded devices. Customers will need a recent iPhone — Apple’s flagship product — to handle these capabilities. Apple Intelligence will include an updated Siri digital assistant and the ability to create custom emoji with text prompts. The event’s “Glowtime” theme is a reference to the look of Siri’s new interface. But much of the technology won’t arrive until the next few months, potentially limiting its impact on iPhone sales. The iPhone launch is typically Apple’s biggest announcement of the year. The device accounts for about half of the company’s annual revenue and helps drive additional sales in the form of accessories and services. The tech titan is also expected to unveil its AirPods earbuds. Apple doesn’t typically hold its iPhone event on a Monday, but holding it earlier allows the company to get a head start on an eventful Tuesday: A U.S. presidential debate is scheduled for that day, and the European Commission is set to announce whether Apple has to pay $14 billion in taxes. Apple is playing catch-up in the world of generative artificial intelligence, where technology peers such as Alphabet Inc’s Google and Microsoft Corp have made inroads. Monday’s unveiling is partly a pitch to consumers (and Wall Street) that Apple should be taken seriously on AI. But the company’s AI technology is still in its early stages. Apple Intelligence has faced numerous delays, and many key features won’t arrive until next year. For now, the technology is focused on summarizing messages and notifications, rather than matching the capabilities of rival systems.
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