MacRumors

The all-new Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available to order in the U.S. and more than 40 other countries, with pricing set at $799. The high-end Apple Watch will launch in stores and begin arriving to customers on September 22, but some configurations are already facing lengthy shipping delays as of late Wednesday.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 hero 230912
A quick spot check of Apple's online store in the U.S. reveals that models with an Alpine band in Blue in Medium/Large sizes face 2-3 week shipping estimates for orders placed on late Wednesday, while models with the Trail Loop in Orange and Beige for both S/M and M/L sizes face an even lengthier 6-7 week delay at this time. That said, there are still at least a half-dozen band options available with September 22 launch day delivery overall.

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra offers all of the features of the original Ultra, plus a faster new S9 SiP chip, a new double tap gesture, Apple's brightest display ever, expanded altitude range, quicker on-device Siri, Precision Finding for iPhone 15, and new capabilities for water adventures.

Apple Watch Ultra is advertised as having up to 36 hours of battery life per charge during normal usage, and up to 72 hours of normal usage with Low Power Mode enabled – up 12 hours from the previous generation.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Ultra 2
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Following its iPhone 15 event on Tuesday, Apple released a few related accessories, including a USB-C to Lightning adapter and a one-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable. It turns out the company has also made available a new 60W 1-meter USB-C Charge Cable ($19) and a 240W 2-meter USB-C Charge Cable ($29), designed for charging iPhone 15 models, iPads, and Macs.

USB C 60w 240w charge cable
Apple advertises the new woven charge cable with USB-C connectors on both ends as "ideal for charging, syncing, and transferring data between USB-C devices." It supports charging of up to 240 watts and transfers data at USB 2 rates.

Compatible with all iPhone 15 models and Apple's latest iPad and Mac models, the cable can be paired with a compatible USB-C power adapter to charge the devices from a wall outlet and take advantage of fast-charging capabilities.

While the new standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are equipped with a USB-C port, data transfer over a cable remains limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps, which is equal to the Lightning port on previous iPhones.

The higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are also equipped with a USB-C port, but those devices support USB 3 data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps over a cable. For this reason, Apple made its previously-existing Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable available in a shorter one-meter size for $69.

(Thanks MacRumors forum member BeatCrazy!)

Tag: USB-C

Alongside iPhone 15 price drops in the United Kingdom compared to last year's iPhone 14 models, Apple has also reduced the cost of its iPhone Battery Servicing program for several earlier models.

uk iphone battery servicing
The biggest savings can be found for ‌iPhone 14‌ models. Prior to Tuesday's iPhone 15 announcement, Apple charged £105 for ‌iPhone 14‌ battery replacements, whereas now it lists £95, or a £10 reduction.

New batteries for iPhone XR through ‌iPhone‌ 13 models are now £85 compared to £89 previously, and new batteries for iPhone SE through ‌iPhone‌ X models are now £65 instead of £69.

Apple's new battery replacement charges for all models offered through its ‌iPhone‌ Battery Servicing program are as follows:

  • ‌iPhone 14‌ models - £95
  • ‌iPhone‌ 13 models - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ 12 models - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ 11 models - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ XS models - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ XR models - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ X - £85
  • ‌iPhone‌ 8 - £65
  • ‌iPhone‌ 7 - £65
  • ‌iPhone SE‌ - £65

With the exception of the starting price of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, Apple on Tuesday made UK prices of the newly announced ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max models at least £100 cheaper across all configuration options than the equivalent ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models when they were launched last year. Similar reductions were also reported across other European countries.

In addition, Apple cut the price of AirPods Max, from £549 down to £499, as well as updated second-generation AirPods Pro, from £249 down to £229.

In the US, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max was the only device to see a price increase, rising $100 to $1,199 because of Apple's decision to drop its 128GB storage option and make 256GB the new minimum storage configuration. Apple increased prices more aggressively for the phones in some other markets, including Canada and India.

The first Geekbench scores for the iPhone 15 Pro have confirmed Apple's performance improvement claims for its new A17 Pro chip over last year's A16 Bionic chipset found in the iPhone 14 Pro.

iphone 15 pro gray
As spotted by MySmartPrice, the benchmarking platform has recorded an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro tested in the wild with the model number iPhone 16,1 and a six-core CPU with a base frequency of 3.78GHz.

In the test result, the device scored 2,908 and 7,238 points in the single-core and multi-core tests, while last year's ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro scored 2,642 and 6,739, respectively.

Meanwhile, an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max with the model number iPhone 16,2 scored 2,846 and 7,024 points in the single-core and multi-core tests respectively. That also compares favorably to last years ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro Max, which scored 2,546 and 6,631 points in the same respective tests.

The Geekbench results also recorded 8GB of RAM for both ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, compared to 6GB of RAM in last year's Pro models, corroborating previous reporting.

Apple's A17 Pro chip is made with a first-of-its-kind 3-nanometer process. The A17 Pro has a six-core CPU, for 10% faster CPU performance and 20% faster GPU performance. It also has a two-times faster 16-core neural engine to accelerate machine learning such as more accurate autocorrect or pulling a subject from an image. It can process up to 35 trillion operations per second.

In addition, the A17 Pro contains a brand new GPU with an Apple-designed shader architecture. Apple says it is the biggest redesign in the history of Apple GPUs, with a focus on performance and efficiency, running complex applications, and new rendering features.

The ‌‌iPhone 15‌ Pro‌ starts at $999 for 128GB of storage, while the ‌‌iPhone 15‌ Pro‌ Max starts at $1,199 for 256GB of storage. All of the new ‌iPhone 15‌ models are available to pre-order starting Friday, September 15, and will launch on Friday, September 22 in more than 40 countries and regions around the world.

The new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all support DisplayPort for up to 4K HDR video mirroring and video output to an external display or TV, according to Apple's tech specs for the devices.

iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote
DisplayPort support is built into the USB-C port on all iPhone 15 models, meaning that the devices can output video at up to 4K/60Hz natively to a DisplayPort-equipped external display or TV with a supported USB-C to DisplayPort cable. Alternatively, you can use Apple's $69 USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter to mirror video from any iPhone 15 to an HDMI-equipped TV or display at up to 4K/60Hz, but HDR is not supported this way.

On previous iPhones with a Lightning port, video mirroring is limited to 1080p with Apple's Lightning-to-HDMI or Lightning-to-VGA adapters.

Unfortunately for fans of the Stage Manager feature on select iPad models, the iPhone does not yet offer an extended display mode.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

The new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with a customizable Action button that replaces the traditional mute switch on previous iPhones. By default, the button is set to toggle between Ring and Silent modes, but it can also be assigned to a different action for quick access to the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, and more.

iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate
One of the options for the Action button will be the Translate app, allowing you to quickly start translating between two languages without having to open the app. However, fine print on Apple's website says the Translate option will not be available for the Action button until later this year, suggesting that it will be enabled in a future iOS 17 update.

A recap of the other options that will be available for the Action button immediately:

  • Ring/Silent
  • Focus
  • Camera
  • Flashlight
  • Voice Memos
  • Magnifier
  • Shortcuts
  • Accessibility

You must press and hold the Action button to launch the assigned action.

iPhone 15 models can be pre-ordered starting Friday, September 15 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and will launch on Friday, September 22.

In iOS 17, Apple is overhauling its entire offering of ringtones and text tones, debuting more than 20 new sounds that can be used for phone calls, texts, alarms, and more. Almost all of the Ringtones listed in the Sounds & Haptics menu are new, so there are plenty of options to choose from.

ios 17 ringtones
The new ringtones include Arpeggio, Breaking, Canopy, Chalet, Chirp, Daybreak, Departure, Dollop, Journey, Kettle, Mercury, Milky Way, Quad, Radial, Scavenger, Seedling, Shelter, Sprinkles, Steps, Storytime, Tease, Tilt, Unfold, and Valley. Reflection continues to be the default ringtone option.

Compared to the old ringtones, many of the new ringtones are longer in length and sound more modern. Apple has moved all of the prior ringtones to the "Classic" section so they are still accessible for those who prefer options like Illuminate, Night Owl, Constellation, and Twinkle.

Ringtones activate when the iPhone rings and the mute function is disabled, plus they can be set as alarm sounds. You can have different ringtones for each person in your Contact app, and you can use separate ringtones if you have multiple lines on one ‌iPhone‌.

Apple has also introduced more than 10 new Text Tones that can be used for incoming text messages. The Text Tones also replace the prior options, with those older sounds moved to the Classic interface. The updated Text Tones can be used for New Voicemail, New Mail, Sent Mail, Calendar Alerts, and Reminder Alerts in addition to texts.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

With the iOS 17 release candidate that came out yesterday, Apple added a new "Grid Forecast" section to the Home app. The feature is designed to use your location to tell you when "clean" energy is available to use, so you can be mindful of when you're using energy.

ios 17 grid forecast
According to Apple, the energy sources that are used to power a home can change throughout the day. When the forecast reads "Cleaner," it means that the available energy sources may have lower carbon emissions. When it reads "Less Clean," available energy sources that are powering the grid may emit more carbon into the atmosphere.

Apple suggests that users can take advantage of this forecast to decide when to use electricity in situations where energy usage can be timed. Choosing to run the washing machine, the dryer, or the dishwasher during the "Cleaner" time will cut down on carbon emissions.

The Grid Forecast is based on each person's location, and Apple says that it is relative to the energy sources available on the grid in a particular place. According to Apple, even in areas with limited renewable generation, relatively cleaner energy may still be available. Apple does not provide information on where its energy information is sourced.

You can get to the Grid Forecast in iOS 17 by opening up the Home app and tapping on the "Energy" option at the end of the top navigation bar. You will see the current energy status and a time when it will shift. A Grid Forecast icon is also available at the top right of the Home app.

Grid Forecast is not a metric that is available in Automations, so it cannot be used to activate smart home devices at select times. The Grid Forecast is available on all Apple devices in the Home app, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Alongside the iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, Apple yesterday debuted a new version of the AirPods Pro 2 with a USB-C charging case. The swap to USB-C instead of Lightning is the primary new feature, but Apple also updated audio quality in a way that may upset some of its customers.

AirPods Pro Case With USB C
As we highlighted yesterday, the new ‌AirPods Pro‌ feature additional dust resistance and support for 20-bit 48kHz lossless audio when connected to the Vision Pro headset. At the time, it seemed unusual that Apple would limit a key audio feature to the new ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 when the original version is just a year old, but that's exactly what Apple has done.


According to the latest PowerOn newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple confirmed that Lossless Audio will not be available on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 with Lightning charging case, and it is indeed a feature limited to the new USB-C ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2.

Apple in a press release announcing the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 with USB-C charging case touted the new audio feature, calling it the "perfect true wireless solution" for Vision Pro.

AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C) will enable Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency to deliver the perfect true wireless solution with Apple Vision Pro. The H2 chip in the latest AirPods Pro and Apple Vision Pro, combined with a groundbreaking wireless audio protocol, unlocks powerful 20-bit, 48 kHz Lossless Audio with a massive reduction in audio latency.

When Apple Vision Pro is available early next year in the U.S., customers will be able to enjoy the most advanced wireless audio experience in the industry with the new AirPods Pro for exceptional entertainment, gaming, FaceTime calls, and so much more.

Customers who want to be able to use Lossless Audio with Vision Pro for this audio experience will need to purchase the new ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2, which are available for $249. The Vision Pro headset itself is set to be priced at $3,500.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

The upcoming iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma updates for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac include a couple of new sign-in methods for an Apple ID account.

iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ID Feature 3
First, it is now possible to sign into an Apple ID with any phone number or secondary email address on file with the account. We were able to sign into an Apple ID with a phone number on the Apple ID website using a Mac running macOS Ventura, so it's unclear if this feature specifically requires the new software updates or is simply a backend change.

Second, starting with an iOS 17 update coming later this year, there will be a new Apple ID proximity sign-in feature. This will allow you to bring an existing signed-in and trusted iPhone or iPad into proximity with a new device being set up, pair the devices by scanning an on-screen "particle cloud," and complete sign-in automatically.

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma also added passkey support to Apple IDs.

Apple announced that iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 will be released on Monday, September 18, while macOS Sonoma launches Tuesday, September 26.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma

Apple's iOS 17 Release Candidate build that was released yesterday includes code that reveals the new requirements for recording ProRes video with an iPhone 15 Pro directly to external storage.

iphone 15 pro max camera
During yesterday's event, Apple said that the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro could record up to ProRes 4K at 60 fps to external storage thanks to the new USB-C port. The code reveals that ProRes 2.8K at 60 fps is also supported when recording to external storage devices. This is a significant improvement over the iPhone 14 Pro, which only supported ProRes 2.8K and 4K at 30 fps, and did not allow for recording directly to a storage device. Also, according to the code, external storage devices must be formatted to either exFAT or APFS for this feature to work, but there is no word on whether there are disk speed requirements.

ProRes is a high-quality video codec that is often used by professional filmmakers, and video recorded in the ProRes format takes up a lot of storage space. Recording 4K 60fps ProRes video is a feature that Apple was only able to add because of the new A17 Pro chip and the option to connect to an external storage drive.

The external storage requirement for recording 4K 60fps video prevents iPhone users from filling up their onboard storage, and the formatting requirements prevent users from experiencing poor performance when recording to external storage devices. Users who want to record ProRes video to an external storage device will need to make sure that the device meets Apple's requirements.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

During its event this week, Apple announced that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature a more repairable internal design, with a redesigned frame that allows for the back glass panel to be easily removed from the devices.

iPhone 15 Pro Internal Chassis
Apple already applied this change to the lower-end iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus last year, making them the first iPhone models that can officially be opened from both the front and back sides of the device for repairs since the iPhone 4S, released in 2011. The internal redesign did not extend to the iPhone 14 Pro models.

Removable back glass will likely result in significantly lower repair fees for iPhone 15 Pro models with cracked back glass for customers without AppleCare+ coverage. Apple's out-of-warranty fees for the more repairable iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with back glass damage range from $169 to $199, compared to $499 to $549 for iPhone 14 Pro models. Apple has yet to disclose repair fees for the iPhone 15 series on its website.

iFixit's Kyle Wiens last year said the iPhone 14 represented "the most substantial iPhone redesign" since the iPhone X given the increased repairability. He added that the changes were "such a big deal that it should have been Apple's big announcement—the iPhone has been redesigned from the inside out to make it easier to repair."

The entire iPhone 15 series can be pre-ordered starting this Friday, September 15 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and the devices launch on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple yesterday released new firmware for the second and third-generation Siri Remotes, and the update appears to enable the tvOS 17 feature that is designed to allow an iPhone to locate a misplaced Apple TV remote.

siri remote find my
With the new firmware, tvOS 17, and iOS 17, if a ‌Siri‌ Remote becomes lost, the ‌Apple TV‌ remote control available in the Control Center on an ‌iPhone‌ can be used to locate the missing remote.

Users will see a Find My-like interface that guides them toward the remote, with the size of the onscreen circle increasing to guide movement in the correct direction.

Find My for the ‌Siri‌ Remote is available on the second and third-generation ‌Siri‌ Remotes. The updated firmware is necessary, and there is no established method for getting the ‌Siri‌ Remote to update. The ‌Apple TV‌ will need to be up to date, on, and connected to the ‌Siri‌ Remote to initiate, but there is no way to force the new firmware to download.

Prior to the launch of the latest ‌Apple TV‌ 4K, there were rumors that Apple would build ‌Find My‌ functionality into the ‌Siri‌ Remote. That didn't happen, but this new tvOS 17 option is essentially the same thing. The new ‌Siri‌ Remote feature has not been available previously as it required new firmware to function.


Locating the remote through the Control Center is possible because of deeper integration between the ‌iPhone‌ and the iPad with the tvOS 17 and iOS 17 updates. Locating the ‌Siri‌ Remote is a feature that is limited to the ‌Apple TV‌ 4K models released in 2021 and 2022.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Apple today released an iTunes 12.12.10 update for Windows users, and the new software adds both security improvements and support for new devices that include the iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models.

itunes for windows
iTunes for Windows is not updated on a regular basis, and this is the first new software release since May when Apple addressed a major security vulnerability.

Following the update, Windows users should be able to connect the new iPhone models to their PCs for device management purposes.

iTunes has been phased out on the Mac for several years now and it has been replaced with Finder and the TV app, but Apple has continued to keep the Windows version available.

iTunes for Windows can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store or from Apple's website.

Related Forum: Mac Apps

With the imminent launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, popular third-party Apple accessory companies have introduced all-new accessories for Apple's latest smartphones. Today we're tracking all of the new accessories that you can already get on sale, thanks to deals from Casely, Hyper, OtterBox, Pad & Quill, and Satechi.

iphone 15 pro hands onNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

There are a few iPhone 15 case sales in the list below, including 15 percent off at Casely, 15 percent off at Pad & Quill, and 25 percent off at OtterBox. For the latter sale, you'll need to purchase a screen protector or power accessory for your iPhone 15 first and then you'll get 25 percent off an OtterBox case.

Otherwise, you'll find multiple sales on charging accessories compatible with the new line of iPhones, with up to 30 percent off Hyper accessories and 20 percent off Satechi accessories. Given that the iPhone 15 is the first iPhone to support USB-C, this is a good opportunity to purchase quality USB-C chargers and cables.

  • Casely - Take 15 percent off sitewide with code IPHONE15
  • Hyper - Take up to 30 percent off charging accessories
  • OtterBox - Take 25 percent off iPhone 15 cases when buying a screen protector or power product
  • Pad & Quill - Take 15 percent off iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max wallet cases
  • Satechi - Take 20 percent off iPhone 15 accessories with code IPHONE
  • ESR - Take 22% percent off iPhone 15 accessories with code AFFNEW22
  • Verizon - Take 20 percent off select cases, chargers, and screen protectors for iPhone 15 devices and 25 percent off MagSafe chargers

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple announced that iOS 17 will be released on Monday, September 18 for the iPhone XS and newer. The free software update includes a wide range of new features, but not all of them will be available right away, according to Apple.

General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple
Below, we have listed three features that Apple's website says are "coming later this year" as part of a future update, such as iOS 17.1 or iOS 17.2. In addition, Apple shared a PDF this week outlining even more iOS 17 features that are now labeled as "coming later this year," and we have listed those additions below.

Journal App

Journal App iOS 17
An all-new Journal app will allow iPhone users to reflect on their day and memories, complete with text, photos, music, audio recordings, and more. The app will provide personalized suggestions based on recent on-device activity.

Collaborative Apple Music Playlists

apple music collaborative playlist
A new Collaborative Playlists feature for Apple Music will allow multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist.

AirDrop Transfers via Internet

airdrop ios 17
If you send content like an image or video to another user via AirDrop, the transfer will be able to continue over an internet connection if you leave AirDrop range, so long as both you and the recipient are signed in to an iCloud account.

More Features Coming Later This Year

  • React to a message with any sticker through the Tapback menu in the Messages app.
  • A catch-up arrow for group conversations in the Messages app.
  • Sync additional settings with Messages in iCloud, such as Text Message Forwarding, Send & Receive accounts, and SMS filters across devices.
  • Play or pause a podcast or Apple News+ audio story in the Apple News widget.
  • Favorite Songs playlist in Music app.
  • Intelligent form detection and enhanced AutoFill for PDFs.
  • Audio Focus feature for Apple Fitness+ that prioritizes the volume of either the music or the trainers' voices depending on your preference.
  • Apple ID proximity sign-in with an existing signed-in and trusted iPhone or iPad when setting up a new Apple device.

Apple is already testing both iOS 17.1 and iOS 17.2 internally, according to our website's analytic logs. iOS 17.1 is likely to be released in October, while iOS 17.2 should be available in December, based on Apple's previous software release cycles.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

The Apple Watch Series 9 replaces the Apple Watch Series 8 in Apple's smartwatch lineup, so how different are the two successive smartwatch generations?

Apple Watch Series 8 vs Series 9 Buyers Guide
In 2022, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 8, introducing features like body temperature sensing and Crash Detection. The Apple Watch Series 8 has now been discontinued by Apple, and as year-old models, prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to upgrade to a discounted Series 8‌ or the latest Series 9‌.

The Apple Watch Series 8 and Series 9 share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the Series 8 to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the new Apple Watch brings to the table.

Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Series 9
Retina display with up to 1,000 nits of brightness Retina display with up to 2,000 nits of brightness
Display can get dimmer in dark rooms and at night (down to 1 nit of brightness)
Double Tap gesture to stop a timer, play and pause music, snooze an alarm, answer and end a phone call, take a photo with the Camera Remote, open the Smart Stack, and scroll through widgets in the stack, all without touching the display
S8 chip (based on A13 Bionic chip) S9 chip (based on A15 Bionic chip: 60% more transistors, 30% faster)
Neural Engine 4-core Neural Engine (up to twice as fast)
Siri processed in the cloud via internet connection ‌Siri‌ processed on-device for requests that do not need information from the internet, resulting in quicker and more reliable responses
‌Siri‌ can access health and fitness data
Dictation 25% more accurate dictation
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
Precision Finding for iPhone 15 models, providing distance and direction, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance to a misplaced iPhone
HomePod integration: When a user gets within four meters of a playing ‌HomePod‌, the Apple Watch launches Now Playing to control playback. If nothing is playing, media suggestions appear at the top of the Smart Stack.
32GB storage 64GB storage
Aluminum models available in Starlight, Midnight, Silver, and (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum models available in Starlight, Midnight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and Pink

Overall, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a very minor upgrade over the Series 8, with the S9 chip, Double Tap, and Precision Finding for ‌iPhone 15‌ models being the most significant changes. As a result, it is very difficult to recommend upgrading.

Most Apple Watch Series 8 users will not be able to justify upgrading to the Series 9, but some customers coming from an older device could still have good reason to preference the latest model, namely those who heavily use a ‌HomePod‌, plan to buy an ‌iPhone 15‌ model and can take advantage of Precision Finding, need additional storage for downloaded media, or think one-handed use with the Double Tap gesture would be useful.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is very similar to the Series 8, so most customers who have an older Apple Watch model and are looking for an upgrade may prefer to look for a discounted Apple Watch Series 8. If the Series 8 can be found for a substantially lower price, it remains a solid buy for most users with an older model. To understand how the Series 8 stacks up against its predecessor, see our other buyer's guide from last year.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Apple this week unveiled four new iPhone 15 models at its "Wonderlust" event. As always, there were many rumors leading up to the event that gave us an idea of what to expect from the devices, but not all of them were accurate.

iPhone 15 Rumor Report Card 2
Below, we have recapped some of the bigger hits and misses from the iPhone 15 rumor mill.

Hits

Misses

Honorable Mention

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra is not available in Black Titanium.

Apple Watch Ultra Black Feature
With so many rumors shared leading up to the iPhone event, this list is far from comprehensive, so feel free to discuss other hits and misses in the comments section.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone