Apple September 2024 launch announcement: iPhone 16, Air Pods 4, Apple Watch 10
Apple has launched a gleaming new range of iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods but rumours are a once ubiquitous product is for the scrap heap.
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Apple has launched a slew of new products – the iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10 and Air Pods 4 – at its annual razzmatazz product announcement in Silicon Valley.
Speaking at its Apple Park HQ overnight on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook said the new iPhone 16, powered by artificial intelligence, “raises the bar” for the leading smartphone.
And, not immodestly, Apple has claimed its new watch has a feature that could “help more than a billion people”.
The new iteration of the phone needs to be good, Apple has annual smartphone sales of $350 billion worldwide riding on it.
But rumours are a seminal Apple product will be quietly getting the axe.
PRE-ORDER APPLE’S NEW RANGE HERE
Twelve years after Apple’s EarPod wired headphones were introduced they may well be on the way out. They have been all but eclipsed by the wireless Apple AirPods.
Website MacRumours has reported that huge US retailer Target has listed the three EarPods variants as “non carry forward”. That’s code, it says, for “soon to be discontinued”.
If Target, essentially the US’ Kmart, isn’t going to carry them in stores it’s very possible that it is time to say goodbye to the once ubiquitous EarPods.
Launched in 2012 as standard kit with the iPhone 5, they have been updated regularly even with the popularity of AirPods.
They’re liked by many due to their low price point, ease of use and superior microphone.
But there was no mention of a discontinued item today. Instead the focus was all on a gleaming range of new Apple products.
AI iPhone 16 ‘raises the bar’
“iPhone 16 raises the bar for what an iPhone can do,” said Mr Cook at Apple Park, south of San Francisco.
Not visually though, as it’s a dead ringer for the 15.
But AI is a key inclusion in the 16 with all models sporting the A18 chip which was previously only on the Pro. While the 16 Pro gets the A18 Pro chip.
Apple, which calls AI “Apple Intelligence,” says the new tech will open up new features including one that someone has already labelled as “insane”.
For instance, with AI the Siri chatbot can now decipher some garbled sentences, the way people sometimes speak, and have more of an understanding of what the person really meant.
AI will also now enable people to create their own emojis simply by putting in key words. It will also help make your texts and messages less slapdash and more professional.
And if you ever lost a photo or video you’ll now be able to put key words into the phone and AI should be able to locate the content, even if it was taken years ago.
On the side of the phone is the camera control button, except it’s not a button at all. Rather it’s a notch but with hepatic feedback it feels like one.
This can be used to open the camera, take images, start videos and edit photos without going into the phone itself.
But it can also do something very fancy indeed which is already blowing minds. It’s called “visual intelligence”.
If you’re out and you see something you want to know more about you can point the phone and press camera control. Aim it at a shop and the phone will look online and tell you what that business sells and when it's open. Or point at a dog and it will tell you what breed it is. At a gig poster and it will add the event to your calendar.
“Apple just announced its new Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16. It looks insane,” said one social medial user.
“Visual Intelligence takes it to a whole other level”.
Although it may be familiar as its features are similar to Google Lens. But, warning, Apple says visual intelligence will be a feature not now, but “later this year”.
Teh Action Button also finds its way down to the lesser models which enables functions including opening the cameras and turning on the torch.
The 16 and 16 Plus camera system features a 48mp Fusion camera with a 2x telephoto option. Pro 16’s come with an 48mp ultra wide camera for higher-resolution photography, including macro; a 5x telephoto camera and “studio quality” mics.
iPhone 16 starts at $1399 and iPhone 16 Pro starts $1799. You can pre-order at the Apple Store from this Friday, September 13, with availability from 27 September.
Apple Watch feature could ‘help more than a billion’
The Apple Watch has been relaunched with its biggest display yet – 30 per cent more “active screen” – on the thinnest, lightest version of the device.
The Apple Watch series 10 has achieved this by further miniaturising some of the tech inside. Apple claims that it has reduced the size of the interior speaker by 30 per cent but with no loss of sound. The watch is also more rugged, the company said, and has an 18 hour battery life.
You can wear the 10 up to a depth of 50 metres without damage, so measuring your regular swim will be walk in the park. Or your walk in the park could be measured swimmingly.
It also claims to have a new feature that could be a game changer.
“The series 10 can also alert you to a health condition that impacts over a billion people worldwide,” said Apple in Cupertino. That condition is sleep apnoea.
The watch can use its accelerometer to now detect breathing disturbances overnight. You can then view these values to understand your sleep. But the Watch will also alert you when sleep apnoea may have occurred.
The souped up Apple Watch 2 will also now come in a striking black titanium finish.
Apple Watch 10 starts at $649. It can be pre-ordered now from the Apple Store with availability from September 20.
AirPods’ nifty conversation feature
The new generation of the Air Pods comes in two versions: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
The company also says it has adjusted the design based on 50 million ears sizes to create its “best open-ear AirPods design ever”.
Apple said both feature “an entirely new acoustic architecture,” amplifying sound and with dynamic head tracking for the most immersive media experience”.
Higher end AirPods feature new noise cancelling technology and “conversation awareness” which means the volume should automatically dim if it detects someone is talking to you.
AirPods Max, the chunky headphones from Apple, come in new colours.
AirPods 4 will cost $219, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $299 and AirPods Max with USB-C charging come in at $899. All launch on September 20 but can be pre-ordered from the Apple Store.
When will the new Apple products be available in Australia?
Shoppers can get their hands on the new products from around 20 September with pre-ordering on some products good to go now. They will be available to buy from the usual retailers including in store and online at Apple and online at Amazon Australia.
Best Apple offers on current products
- 33 per cent off the Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) with Charging Case, $147 (down from $219)
- 24 per cent off the Apple 2021 iPad (10.2-inch iPad Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Silver (9th Generation), $417 (down from $549)
- 21 per cent off the Apple AirPods Max – Sky Blue, $709 (down from $899)
- 16 per cent off the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with MagSafe Case (USB‑C), $334 (down from $399)
- 16 per cent off the Apple AirTag 4 Pack, $138.67 (down from $165)
- 15 per cent off the Apple 2021 iPad (10.2-inch iPad Wi-Fi, 256GB) - Silver (9th Generation), $677 (down from $799)
- 9 per cent off the Apple 2022 MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip, $1459 (down from$1599)
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