Apple has officially unveiled all models and color options for its new flagship, the iPhone 16 series. The American tech giant also announced the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and a new hearing aid mode feature for the AirPods Pro 2. Here is a summary of all the announcements made at Apple’s latest event.
iPhone 16: Redesigned from Scratch
Apple has officially announced the iPhone 16, which it claims has been redesigned from the ground up for “Apple Intelligence.” The new iPhone 16 includes a new camera control button on the side of the device, specifically designed to make photography and videography more convenient. This feature is called “Camera Control” by Apple. Additionally, the action button, previously exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, is also present in the iPhone 16, replacing the mute button.
Scratch-Resistant Screen
Apple claims that the iPhone 16 features the toughest glass they’ve ever made to protect against screen scratches. The iPhone 16 comes with a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Plus offers a larger 6.7-inch screen. The new Camera Control button is touch-sensitive; users can press it to take a photo or swipe along the button to adjust the zoom level. Apple also introduces new visual AI features that are quickly accessible via the Camera Control button.
New A18 Processor and Performance Boost
Apple also introduced its new A18 chip, which includes a six-core CPU, a five-core GPU, and a sixteen-core Neural Engine for faster AI performance. The company highlights that the A18 chip has a new memory subsystem designed to handle data traffic as quickly as possible. Compared to the A16 Bionic chip, the A18 offers up to a 30% increase in single-core CPU performance.
Longer Battery Life
Apple promises longer battery life for iPhone 16 users thanks to the efficiency gains of the A18 chip and a larger internal battery. However, specific figures to support this claim have not been disclosed yet.
Apple Intelligence: AI-Powered New Features
Apple announced that its new AI platform, “Apple Intelligence,” will begin beta testing in October with iOS 18.1. Initially available to English-speaking users in the U.S., this package will gradually expand to more languages and regions. Apple commits to making Apple Intelligence available in Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish by 2025.
Which Devices Will Be Supported?
When Apple Intelligence is launched, it will be available for free to users of the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Pro. Additionally, Mac and iPad users with M1 or later processors will also have access to these features. The company has not yet confirmed which parts of Apple Intelligence will be available and when, but rumors suggest that features like Genmoji and Image Playgrounds will be rolled out in December.