iPhone 16 Unveiled: "Glowtime" Apple Event

The September 2024 Apple event is here, and with it came one of the biggest tech announcements of the year: iPhone 16. The event began with a montage of Apple customers and the different features they love, whether it's crash detection on the Apple Watch or FaceTime to keep in touch with the grandkids. The celebratory note continued throughout the presentation, where we saw a slew of exciting announcements from Tim Cook and the rest of Apple's team.

Glowtime began by reintroducing us to Apple Intelligence, which formed the undercurrent of the entire presentation that began with the Apple Watch. The device has practically become ubiquitous, with people using them to stay connected, reach fitness goals and even get life-saving health alerts. The new Apple Watch Series 10 has the biggest display and thinnest design yet. The larger display means you can make the font larger and it's easier to do various commands like texting or pausing your workout. With a durable ionic glass front, the watch can take on new challenges. Beneath this front crystal is Apple's first wide-angle OLED Display, with each pixel emitting more light at wider angles so it's easier to read, and blends more seamlessly with your daily movements. The display is also incredibly efficient. Series 10 is also the fastest-charging watch ever so you can get back to your day faster. And with a new glossy black finish, it's the most stylish Apple Watch yet. (If black isn't your thing, it's also available in Rose Gold and Silver.) There are also new titanium finishes for those looking for the sleekest, toughest option.

But that's not all we learned about the new Apple Watch. With new, more advanced sensors, it offers the best health insights yet. Coming this month, a new feature will detects signs of sleep apnea and create a report to bring to your doctor. The new Vitals app helps identify changes in your daily health status, including heart rate and respiratory rate, so you can be aware of sudden changes in your body. Looking for other health metrics? Series 10 is the perfect partner for workouts. A new water temperature sensor gives more information about swim workouts, expanding the reach of Watch's fitness capabilities. Or check out the new Tides app, ideal for snorkeling. There are other non-fitness perks, too, like letting your loved ones know when you've reached your destination. Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 and is available starting September 20. You can also pre-order yours today.

These features sound awesome, but if you're looking for an even more rugged watch, Apple Watch Ultra 2 also got a design upgrade. Made of 95% recycled titanium, these watches are incredibly durable. New band options are stylish, with some even designed for scuba diving. Ultra 2 is available in a new Black shade and Natural, so you can pick the option that best suits your style. (Did we mention there are luxurious Hermes band options, too?)

Up next are the updated AirPods. AirPods 4 are newly redesigned to fit a variety of ear shapes thanks to advanced modeling for unmatched comfort these are supposed to be the most comfortable AirPods yet. They're also the most advanced, thanks to the H2 chip. With this chip, there's a huge improvement in audio quality with a new acoustic architecture in the buds. New to AirPods 4 is Personalized Spatial Audio, which uses dynamic head tracking to immerse you in three-dimensional sound like never before.

And for the very first time, AirPods 4 will offer Active Noise Cancellation to reduce environmental noise like airplanes and traffic. We're also excited about the new hands-free feature that lets you respond to Siri by nodding your head yes and shaking your head no. Both the buds and case are IP54 dust, sweat and water resistant, making them the perfect partner for any commute. As with the other products announced, AirPods 4 are available September 20 but are currently available for pre-order. The standard model retails for $129, while the upgraded model with ANC retails for $179.

Additionally, the AirPods Pro 2 are getting a big upgrade that focuses on hearing health. They focus on prevention, awareness and assistance to preserve your hearing. On the prevention front, AirPods Pro will feature Hearing Protection, with passive noise reduction. As for awareness, AirPods Pro 2 offers a clinically-evaluated hearing test to check if you have any hearing loss; you'll be able to see your hearing test results in the Health app, where they're stored privately and securely. And for assistance? AirPods Pro will have a clinical-grade OTC hearing aid feature. This is a big step for accessibility. These hearing-focused features will be available in 100+ countries via software update later this year. 

The event culminated with what we've all been waiting for: iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. The next generation of phones gets a bold new look with aerospace-grade aluminum, 85% recycled materials in the enclosure and all new colors: Ultramarine, Teal and Pink, as well as white and black. They're water and dust-resistant and, for added durability, feature a new glass ceramic formulation; the newest iteration of Ceramic Shield is 50% tougher than the first generation. An exceptional display with up to 2,000 nits gives you a great viewing experience in any condition. It's available in 2 sizes, too: 6.1" for iPhone 16 and 6.7" for iPhone 16 Plus.

One of the biggest upgrades is the new, customizable Action button, which allows you to do various functions with a push, like translating or making voice memos. You can add shortcuts like adding the flashlight at night; the possibilities are endless, and so is the convenience. Another major update is Camera Control, a new button that lets you perform functionalities like zooming with a click or a slide of your finger. The camera is further upgraded on iPhone 16 as a tool for intelligence. There are new intelligence features powered by Apple silicon to take your experience to the next level. New capabilities include the groundbreaking Apple Intelligence. 

With Apple Intelligence, iPhone 16 delivers high-performance compute, large memory and bandwidth and energy efficiency. Behind it all is the all-new A18 Chip. The 16-core neural engine is ideal for the most complicated tasks, and is 2x faster for machine learning. Why is this so important? Apple Intelligence uses machine learning to deliver the most cutting-edge experiences. The chip also offers more system memory bandwidth. The 6-core CPU powers almost everything on the phone, including Apple Intelligence. Additionally, A18 features a new 5-core GPU to aid with photography and graphics-intense gaming, and is more efficient than the predecessor A16. Siri also gets a major upgrade on iPhone 16: she can better understand language, even if you misspeak and correct yourself. Siri can even offer you step-by-step instructions on how to do certain tasks on your phone.

One of the most exciting additions to iPhone 16 is Apple Intelligence. This suite of advanced technologies adds greater personalization with the power of generative models. Apple Intelligence can understand and create language and photos, and can even take action on your behalf. Despite this, your privacy is still protected thanks to personal context; your phone can understand your personal usage behaviors to enhance your experience for your unique needs. With Private Cloud Compute, you can maintain your privacy while still giving you access to the best learning models; your data is never stored or shared with Apple. Plus, independent experts will be able to verify this privacy promise. Apple Intelligence also offers writing tools, whether you need to adjust the tone of a message or proofread a review you've written. And of course, you can now create custom emojis. Image Playground also integrates into apps for custom imagery.

Not to be outdone, the Apple event also unveiled the iPhone 16 Pro. This model features the A18 Pro chip for even more power. Plus, there's massive battery life. The Grade 5 titanium design is both incredibly durable and incredibly light, and it comes in new colors: black titanium, white titanium, natural titanium and Desert Titanium. Internal design improvements help extend the battery life, whether it's the recycled substructure or back glass optimizations. iPhone 16 Pro has the largest display and thinnest borders yet, giving you a new way to type and view content. The Pro models are available in 6.3" and 6.9" sizes so you can find your perfect match; no matter which you pick, Apple's newest phones are splash, water and dust resistant for greater longevity.

Like the standard 16, iPhone 16 Pro features Camera Control with shortcuts to make taking photos and videos simpler. Plus, 4K 120 fps Dolby Vision will let you unleash your inner cinematographer. Advanced features, like the ability to adjust playback speed after capture, gives you control over your video content like never before. Whether you're a filmmaker or content creator, the iPhone 16 Pro makes an amazing partner. The iPhone 16 Pro is available for pre-order starting September 13, and releases September 20. Prices start at $999. Apple Intelligence comes to iPhone in the fall.

Sometimes you're stuck in a situation where you don't have signal. What if something happens? iPhone 16 Pro is here for you. If you don't have service or can't connect to Wi-Fi, your phone can connect you to a satellite for help. You can even get Roadside Assistance via satellite if your car breaks down in an unfamiliar area. The best part? You'll get this feature for free for the first two years you have your iPhone 16 Pro. The new generation of phones gets other safety features previously seen on Apple Watch Ultra. Emergency SOS via satellite calls 911 for you when you don't have signal, and you'll get Crash Detection, too. 

We're excited to get our hands on the new iPhone 16 and check out Apple Intelligence for ourselves. Which feature are you most excited for? Which color is your favorite? Plus, the hearing aid capabilities of AirPods Pro 2 are big news for accessibility. Let us know which new release you're most excited for.