Apple today announced the debut of a new Ceramic Apple Watch, which is positioned as the high-end "Apple Watch Edition." With the introduction of the new glossy white Ceramic Apple Watch, Apple has discontinued the previous-generation 18-karat Gold and Rose Gold Apple Watch Edition models. Gold Apple Watch Edition models are no longer available for purchase from the Apple Online Store.
Pricing on the original Apple Watch Edition collection started at $10,000 and went as high as $17,000, and the quiet discontinuation of the Gold and Rose Gold models suggest they did not sell well enough to justify keeping them in the lineup.
The new Ceramic Apple Watch Edition is priced more affordably at $1,249 for the 38mm model and the $1,299 for the 42mm model. While the Gold and Rose Gold Apple Watch Edition models shipped with several band options, the Ceramic Apple Watch Edition is available with a single "Cloud White" Apple Watch Sport Band.
The Ceramic Apple Watch Edition will be available for pre-order alongside the other new Apple Watch Series 2 models on September 9.
Apple today quietly updated its AppleCare+ repair program for the iPhone, introducing a new $29 screen replacement option and raising the incidental repair fee to $99 for all iPhones.
With AppleCare+, iPhone users receive no-questions-asked coverage for two incidents of accidental damage, subject to a service fee. Previously, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users had to pay a $99 fee for each replacement, while iPhone SE and iPhone 6 and earlier replacements were priced at $79.
Apple is now charging a $99 service fee across the board for repairs regardless of device, but at the same time, there's a new option that will save many iPhone users money -- screen repairs for a service fee of just $29.
Repairs for iPhones that need to be replaced or repaired due to a damaged screen will now be more affordable, while more significant repairs for the latest devices will continue to cost $99. Those with an iPhone SE or an iPhone 6 and older will now need to pay $99 instead of $79 for major repairs, but will also save money with the cheaper screen repair option.
AppleCare+ is priced at $129 for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and extends iPhone coverage for two years. AppleCare+ for the iPad is unchanged.
Immediately following its media event today in San Francisco, Apple invited members of the press to a special hands-on area to get a closer look at the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The first real-life photos and videos of the smartphones are now beginning to surface around the web, showcasing the improved cameras, new black colors, no headphone jack, and more.
The Vergeshared pictures of the iPhone 7 in both the new Black and Jet Black colors, providing a glimpse of the new matte and glossy finishes in action. The two new colors complement the existing options of Gold, Silver, and Rose Gold. Jet Black in particular will be limited to 128GB and 256GB models of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, while the other four colors will be available for all storage capacities.
In the article, the website described the iPhone 7's capacitive home button as "awful," adding that "it doesn't feel like a button at all."
Another thing I tried: the new home button, which uses a "taptic engine" to give you physical feedback when you press it — it's pressure sensitive too, so it can tell if you really mean to press it or just tap it. And it's awful. On a MacBook trackpad, you get this uncanny feeling that you're actually hitting a button. On the iPhone, the whole bottom of the phone just sort of "kicks." It's not bad haptics like you remember, with weird vibration, it's just a new kind of bad haptics. It doesn't feel like a button at all. It's a bummer.
CNET prepared a quick hands-on video with the iPhone 7 Plus in Rose Gold, showing off its dual cameras, no headphone jack, stereo speakers, repositioned antenna bands, and capacitive, force-sensitive home button.
SlashGear, meanwhile, provided a hands-on look at Apple's new wireless AirPods with charging case and Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. AirPods will be available for $159 in late October, while the Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter is included in the box with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The adapter is $9 as a standalone purchase on Apple's online store and retail locations.
More hands-on videos and first impressions should follow in the coming hours and days.
Alongside the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has released a selection of new iPhone cases that come in new fall colors. Designed to fit the iPhone 7 with its larger camera and the iPhone 7 Plus with its dual camera setup, the cases are available in the standard leather and silicone materials for each device.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus cases are not yet available for purchase, but should become available for pre-order on Friday, September 9 when pre-orders begin for the two new smartphones.
To match the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus cases, Apple has also updated its line of Smart Covers and Cases for the iPad, offering them in the same silicone colors.
iPad Smart Covers and cases for the iPad mini 4 and 9.7-inch iPad Pro are now available in 16 different colors as some of the older shades have also stuck around. The new iPad accessories are available for order today and will deliver by September 10.
After wrapping up its keynote presentation on the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 earlier today, Apple this afternoon posted a full video of the event on its website, so that anyone who missed the keynote can catch up on their own time. As usual, Apple is expected to upload the video to YouTube and iTunes at some point later in the day.
Alongside the keynote, Apple also shared a few feature-specific videos that debuted during the keynote today. The short videos showcase the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, AirPods, Apple Watch Series 2, and even include a 2-minute recap of everything the company revealed during its September event.
In addition to the videos posted online, you can catch up with all of the news surrounding the iPhone 7 event by checking out our list of keynote highlights below, which encompass all of MacRumors' event coverage shared today. Included are detailed articles on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch Series 2, feature spotlight and launch dates for iOS, macOS, and watchOS, and more current posts that'll be updated throughout the day.
Following today's iPhone-centric event, Apple has quietly announced that Japanese carrier SoftBank is the latest Apple SIM partner. Apple SIM has also expanded to three additional countries and territories: Guam, Kenya, and Mauritius.
Apple SIM is embedded in the latest cellular iPads and enables users to easily switch between different short-term data plans from select carrier partners without needing multiple SIM cards. It is particularly useful for traveling abroad.
Through an existing partnership with GigSky, Apple SIM is available in over 140 countries. Other Apple SIM partners include AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in the United States, EE in the United Kingdom, Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Three in Hong Kong, and au by KDDI in Japan. AlwaysOnline Wireless also offers pay-as-you-go LTE data plans in at least 45 countries, with the option to pay by hour, day, or megabyte.
Apple SIM can be purchased from Apple retail stores in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus come in a new "Jet Black" color that features a gorgeous high-gloss shine and nearly invisible antenna bands, but that glossiness comes with a caveat -- it's going to scratch.
On all of the iPhone 7 pages that mention the new Jet Black device, Apple has a small footnote that says that while the surface of the device is as hard as other Apple products, the shine may show micro-abrasions. Apple recommends customers who are concerned about the abrasions protect their Jet Black iPhones with an iPhone case.
The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use. If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone.
The disclaimer about scratching on the Jet Black iPhone suggests Apple will not be replacing Jet Black iPhones that become marred with abrasions, as it is a known side effect of the glossy finish.
Alongside Jet Black, Apple is offering the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus in a matte "Black" shade that replaces Space Gray, so customers looking for a darker shade who don't want to worry about scratches should consider that device.
Apple today announced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which both come without a headphone jack. To make up for the lack of a headphone jack, the iPhones will be shipped with a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter and EarPods that feature a Lightning connector.
Apple also plans to sell its Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter and its new Lightning EarPods on a standalone basis for iPhone 7 buyers who want extra accessories.
The EarPods with Lightning Connector are priced at $29, the same price as the EarPods with a 3.5mm Headphone Plug. The Lightning EarPods are also unavailable for purchase at the current time, but should be available alongside the iPhone 7.
Apple today also announced wireless Bluetooth earbuds called AirPods, which will be sold on a standalone basis starting in October. AirPods will be priced at $159.
Apple plans to begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus on Friday, September 9. The two devices will officially launch a week later, on Friday, September 16.
Apple today quietly updated its lineup of older iPads, increasing the minimum storage on the iPad Air 2, the iPad mini 4, and the iPad mini 2 and lowering the prices of the maximum storage tier. The iPad Pro has also been updated with new pricing options, with Apple making storage increases more affordable.
The iPad Air 2 is now available in 32 and 128GB configurations, priced at $399 and $499, respectively, for the WiFi only models. Previously, Apple offered a 16GB model for $399 and a 64GB model for $499. Cellular models continue to be priced at $130 more than WiFi models.
The iPad mini 4 is now available in 32GB and 128GB configurations at the same price point as the iPad Air 2, $399 and $499. Apple previously sold a 16GB iPad mini 4 for $399, a 64GB model for $499, and a 128GB model for $599.
The iPad mini 2 is now only available in a 32GB capacity, priced at $269. Apple has done away with the 16GB model and has dropped the price of the new 32GB model to the price the 16GB model used to be sold at.
As for the iPad Pro, Apple has dropped the prices on higher storage tiers by up to $100. Pricing on the iPad Pro is as follows:
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of tvOS 10 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of tvOS 10 that will be released to the public. Apple has not yet shared when tvOS 10 will officially launch, but iOS 10 and watchOS 3 are coming on September 13 and macOS Sierra is coming on September 20, so either of those dates is a possibility.
tvOS beta software is more difficult to install than iOS or macOS beta software. Installing the golden master version of tvOS 10 requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes or Apple Configurator. Once a beta profile has been installed on the device through iTunes, new beta updates will be available over the air.
tvOS 10 builds on features initially introduced with tvOS last October, bringing expanded Siri capabilities like topic-based search, Live Tune-In for automatically accessing live channels, and options for managing HomeKit accessories.
Single-Sign On allows users to sign in and authenticate cable credentials just once instead of requiring authentication in all cable-supported apps, games are now able to require controllers, and there are new features for Photos and Music.
A dark mode offers a better visual experience for darker rooms, universal apps are automatically downloaded, and there's a new Apple TV remote for iOS devices that mirrors the Siri Remote.
Following today's iPhone-centric event, Apple has seeded the golden master (GM version) of watchOS 3 to developers. The golden master version of watchOS 3 is the version of the software that will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 13.
The software update can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on an iPhone by going to General --> Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be on the Apple Watch charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. watchOS 3 also requires an iPhone running iOS 10 to install.
watchOS 3 introduces significant changes to the watchOS operating system. A new dock, accessible by pressing the side button, replaces Glances and houses 10 favorite first and third-party apps. Apps in the dock are kept continually up to date and are stored in memory for a new instant launch ability.
New Activity Sharing options allow Apple Watch owners to share workout and activity information with friends, and there are new fitness features for Wheelchair users. A Breathe app guides users through daily deep breathing sessions, an Apple Watch can unlock a Mac, and Apple has added apps for Reminders, Find My Friends, and accessing one's heartbeat.
Additional watch faces support complications, there are three new watch faces to choose from, including a new Activity watch face, and an SOS feature will make sure an option to get help in an emergency is always right at your fingertips. On the iPhone, there's a new Face Gallery for customizing Apple Watch faces, and watchOS 3 allows the Apple Watch to be located via Find My iPhone for the first time.
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of macOS Sierra to developers after eight rounds of betas. The golden master represents the final version of macOS Sierra that will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 20.
The golden master update can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center, where a new download code must be redeemed for a full download of the macOS Sierra GM.
macOS Sierra is a major update that brings Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to conduct voice searches to quickly find files, look up information, and more. New Continuity features offer an "Auto Unlock" option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch and a "Universal Clipboard" for copying text on one Apple device and pasting it on another.
Deeper iCloud integration allows files stored on the desktop or the Documents folder of a Mac to be accessed on all of a user's devices, and Photos features deep learning algorithms for improved facial, object, and scene recognition. There's also a Memories feature for displaying photo collections, and Messages has rich links, bigger emoji, and "Tapback" response options.
Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, optimized storage, and revamped emoji are also available.
macOS Sierra will be officially released to the public on September 20 and it will be available for free to all users with a compatible Mac. For full details on all of the new features included in the update, make sure to check out our macOS Sierra roundup.
Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 10 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 10 that will be released to the public, and it comes after a beta testing period that saw Apple release eight iOS 10 betas.
The iOS 10 golden master is available as an over-the-air download to those who installed the first eight betas or the beta configuration profile and it's available for direct download via Apple's Developer Center. The iOS 10 golden master version is iOS 10.0.1.
iOS 10 is a major iOS update with a ton of new features and design tweaks, including a new Lock screen experience with 3D Touch-enabled notifications, a more easily accessible camera, a redesigned Control Center, and a new widgets screen. According to Apple, iOS 10 is the company's biggest iOS update ever released.
The Messages app in iOS 10 has been overhauled with features that include background animations, bubble effects, Digital Touch, handwritten notes, Tapback replies, predictive emoji, and a dedicated App Store, and Photos has gained new facial and object recognition capabilities along with a Memories feature for rediscovering forgotten moments.
iOS 10 will be released to the public on Wednesday, September 13, three days ahead of the official launch date of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. For full details on iOS 10, make sure to check out our iOS 10 roundup.
At today's event held at the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, Apple announced the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the Apple Watch Series 2, and shared release dates for iOS 10, watchOS 3, and macOS Sierra.
Both iOS 10 and watchOS 3 will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 13, three days before the September 16 release date of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus will both ship with iOS 10 while the Apple Watch Series 2 will ship with watchOS 3.
macOS Sierra will be released to the public one week later, on Tuesday, September 20, according to Apple's macOS Sierra webpage.
Apple has not yet provided a release date for the tvOS 10 operating system that has also been in beta testing since June. The tvOS 10 website simply says "Coming Soon."
Apple and Beats today announced a new line of wireless Beats by Dre headphones powered by Apple's new W1 chip. The chip allows the new headphones, like Apple's new AirPods, to take advantage of easy, instant pairing to an iPhone.
The new Beats Solo3, Powerbeats3 and BeatsX can be paired to an iPhone by powering them up and holding them near an iPhone. The headphones will pair with your iPhone and simultaneously connect to your Apple Watch and Mac.
The Solo3 and Powerbeats3 are updates to Beats' two signature lines of headphones: the over-the-head casual listening Solo line and the athletically-focused Powerbeats line. The BeatsX, however, are a new line of headphones aimed at being a more mobile everyday pair of headphones.
All three headphones come with Fast Fuel, a fast-charging solution that can deliver more power with 5 minutes of charging. 5 minutes of charging delivers 3 hours of playback for the Solo3, 2 hours of playback for the BeatsX and an hour of playback for the Powerbeats3.
The Solo3 headphones are available for $299 on Apple.com. The Powerbeats3 and BeatsX will be available for $199 and $149, respectively, later this year.
Apple today announced the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus at its "See You on the 7th" media event in San Francisco.
The new iPhones feature a 64-bit four-core A10 Fusion processor, stereo speakers positioned on opposite ends of the device, a flush Force-sensitive home button with a Taptic Engine for haptic feedback, and IP67-standard water and dust resistance – but no headphone jack. Wired Lightning in-ear EarPod headphones and a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter are included in the box. Apple is offering Siri-enabled wireless earbuds called AirPods as a separate accessory, available for $159 in late October.
The iPhone 7 features a faster, more energy efficient 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization, six-element f/1.8 aperture lens, an artificial light compensating flicker sensor, Quad-LED True Tone flash, and enhanced tone mapping. The device also has a 7-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera with wide color capture and auto-image stabilization.
The iPhone 7 Plus differentiates itself from the 4.7-inch handset with a dual-lens 12-megapixel camera featuring all the same features, but is much more advanced, including a wide-angle lens and a separate telephoto lens that combine to create 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom features. The ISP dual-lens camera is also capable of producing live shallow depth of field shots and "bokeh" effects in preview mode.
Depth of field shot taken with the iPhone 7 Plus dual-lens camera
The smartphones are crafted from anodized aluminum and have a stainless steel Apple logo, and come in a new glossy jet black color, as well as simple "black" (with a black Apple logo), alongside silver, gold and rose gold. The antenna bands are aligned along the edges of the handsets, instead of across the rear like on the previous models, and the volume buttons are positioned directly on the side of the handset (as opposed to inside a recess as per the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus).
Both devices also benefit from a 25% brighter "cinema standard" Retina HD display with wider color gamut, improved color management, and 3D Touch. Audio has also been improved with the new speakers, which include increased volume and better dynamic range.
The A10 Fusion four-core processor powering the two devices delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance, up to 50% faster graphics performance, and better efficiency compared to the A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Both the new smartphones come with improved battery life, faster wireless, and the improved water resistance means the iPhones stand up to splashing and even short periods of immersion in water.
Pre-orders begin Friday September 9 and the devices are available to buy in more than 25 countries from September 16. iPhone 7 starts at $649 and comes in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. The iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769, also in 32GB/128GB/256GB capacities. All come pre-installed with iOS 10, which is also available for download on September 13.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are also available through the iPhone Upgrade Program, starting at $32/month and $37/month in the United States respectively. Apple said the iPhone Upgrade Program will be expanding to the United Kingdom and China.
Apple and Nike today announced the Apple Watch Nike+, an aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 that comes with a perforated rubber Nike band and watch face. The two companies say the new watch is the "perfect running partner" and comes with deep Nike integration.
The Apple Watch Nike+ comes with all of the improvements that the Apple Watch Series 2 does, which includes built-in GPS, a brighter display, water resistance and a new dual-core processor. However, it also has new abilities that make it easier for frequent runners to run, including watch faces that instantly launch new runs and exclusive Siri commands. Siri can be used by Apple Watch Nike+ users to both start and stop runs.
Nike's Run Club app is integrated into the Apple Watch Nike+, offering daily pieces of motivation via smart run reminders, challenges from friends, and alerts when there's good running weather outside. The running display also offers quick, glanceable data on pace, distance and heart rate. There are also a couple of social features, allowing users to "fist bump" fellow runners from the Watch and shared-run summaries.
The Nike Sport Bands are exclusive to the Apple Watch Nike+ and are not sold separately. They come in four color options: Black / Volt, Black / Cool Gray, Flat Silver / White, and Flat Silver / Volt.
The Apple Watch Nike+ will be available in 38 mm for $369 and 42 mm for $399 from Apple.com, Nike.com, Apple Stores and select Nike retail stores. It'll be available to pre-order on September 9 in 32 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, France, Germany, China, Mexico and more. The Apple Watch Nike+ will release in late October.
Apple today announced the second generation Apple Watch, which it's calling "Series 2," confirming a handful of previously rumored features on the wearable device. Series 2 is swimproof and water resistant up to 50 meters, so users can "wear their watch with confidence in the water." The company also confirmed that Series 2 has built-in GPS so users can get more accurate pace and distance readouts during running workouts.
Apple's announcement was focused on the fitness features of Apple Watch Series 2, particularly attempting to craft intelligent and user-friendly swimming workouts on the wearable device. The new algorithims it has developed are for pool and open water swimming sessions, with Series 2 able to "count laps, track average lap pace and auto-detect stroke type to accurately measure active calorie burn."
“We’re thrilled with the response to Apple Watch and how it’s changed people’s lives. We are committed to fitness and health and think our customers will love the new capabilities of Apple Watch Series 2,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “With a powerful new dual-core processor, water resistance 50 meters and built-in GPS, Apple Watch Series 2 is packed with features to help our customers live a healthy life.”
Thanks to the built-in GPS, Apple Watch Series 2 can record precise distance, pace, and speed readouts during outdoor runs and bike rides, all without needing to take an iPhone along during the workout. The connected iPhone Activity app will allow users to delve into even more detailed information about their workout session after they're finished.
With a dual-core processor and all-new second-generation S2 chip, Apple Watch Series 2 is up to 50 percent faster than the first generation. A new GPU also improves the device's overall graphics performance, allowing for a display that's 2x brighter (ranked at 1,000 nits) than the first Apple Watch, so it's easier to read in bright sunlight.
In addition to aluminum and stainless steel models, the company is introducing a new ceramic Apple Watch Edition in Series 2, which has a pearl-like, smooth white color. Apple briefly touched upon a new set of Hermès bands, as well, including versions of Single Tour, Double Tour, Cuff, and Double Buckle Cuff.
Although specific casing prices and band collections have yet to be divulged, the company did confirm that Apple Watch Series 2 will start at $369, and the ceramic Apple Watch Edition will start at $1249, with pre-orders taking place on September 9 and an official launch on September 16. Apple Watch Hermès starts at $1149, and Apple Watch Nike+ starts at $369, but ships in October.
Beginning Friday, September 16, Apple Watch Series 2 will be available in: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK and the US.
As a side note, the company is also now calling generation one "Series 1," and will have models starting at $269, with a processor upgrade to put it on the level of Series 2. The same order and launch dates of September 9 and September 16 apply for Series 1.
