The new iPhone 16 models that Apple introduced today support upgraded MagSafe charging. With a 30W charger, the iPhones can charge at up to 25W, an improvement over the prior 15W limit.
For the first time, the iPhone 16 models support fast charging over MagSafe. Users can expect up to a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes when using a 30W or higher adapter paired with one of the new MagSafe Chargers. Fast charging is also available with a 20W or higher adapter paired with a standard USB-C cable.
Qi2 wireless charging is supported as well, but that is limited to 15W charging, so iPhone 16 users will get faster charging speeds with official MagSafe chargers.
A 30W power adapter will need to be purchased separately, as Apple does not include power adapters with the purchase of an iPhone anymore. Apple does, however, include a USB-C cable.
The new iPhone 16 models will be available for pre-order starting on Friday, September 13, with a launch to follow on Friday, September 20. There are two new MagSafe chargers in 1-meter and 2-meter sizes.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 11 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the seventh beta was released.
To install the watchOS 11 update, developers need to open the Apple Watch app, go to the Software Update section under "General" in Settings, and toggle on the watchOS 11 Developer Beta. An Apple ID linked to a developer account is required.
Once beta updates have been activated, watchOS 11 can be downloaded under the same Software Update section. To install software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life and it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger.
watchOS 11 introduces a new Vitals app that aggregates health metrics collected during sleep like heart rate and respiratory rate, providing day-to-day health insights to track whether something has changed. There's also a Training Load feature for monitoring the intensity of workouts and how that impacts the body over time.
The Smart Stack has been updated with new widgets and support for Live Activities and Translate, plus it is better able to suggest widgets based on time and daily routine. The Photos watch face includes suggestions for the best images to use, and the Check In safety feature now works with Workouts.
Activity Rings can be customized to change the goals for each day, and there is an option to pause for rest days or when ill without losing an activity streak. Double Tap now works for navigating through apps with one hand, and Apple Maps lets users create their own walking and hiking routes.
Apple today released the release candidate version of an upcoming visionOS 2 update to developers, with the beta coming a week after the ninth beta.
Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.
visionOS 2 is able to take the depth information from 2D photos and turn them into 3D photos using advanced machine learning. Apple says that the feature is meant to add depth to photos to make memories more immersive.
There are new hand gestures for activating the Home View and Control Center, and the Home View is also now customizable with apps able to be rearranged. Travel Mode now includes support for trains, and Guest User profiles are now saved for 30 days so guests don't have to do the setup process every time they try out the headset.
Later in the year, Mac Virtual Display will support higher resolution and larger sized virtual displays, which Apple says will be equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side. With an AirPlay update, the Vision Pro can serve as an AirPlay receiver, so content from the iPhone, iPad, or Mac can be shared to the headset.
The Mindfulness app can track and respond to breathing patterns using the camera for an improved meditation experience, and the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth mice with visionOS 2.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of the upcoming tvOS 18 refresh to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the eighth beta came out.
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 18 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.
tvOS 18 adds an InSight feature to the TV app, and it is able to provide real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and music. Enhanced Dialogue has been refined with machine learning and computational audio so it is better able to boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it is now available on built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices.
Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV's volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn't match the device language.
Other new features include 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors, new screen savers and improved controls for swapping screen savers, and support for Live Captions during FaceTime calls through an iPhone or iPad.
The iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18 updates will launch on Monday, September 16, Apple said today during the "It's Glowtime" Apple event.
Apple's operating system updates will come out five days ahead of when the new devices are set to be available on Friday, September 20. The release versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia will not include Apple Intelligence features, with Apple set to introduce the first Apple Intelligence capabilities in an update coming next month.
We are expecting to see final release candidate versions for all of the new software today.
Apple today announced that iOS 18.1 will be released to the public at some point in October. The software update will add the first Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone 15 Pro models and all four new iPhone 16 models.
iOS 18.1 is already available in beta for developers, and it includes Apple Intelligence features such as writing tools for proofreading text, notification summaries, suggested replies in the Messages app, the ability to record and transcribe phone calls, and a new "Clean Up" tool in the Photos app that can quickly remove objects from a photo.
Apple Intelligence will initially be available with device and Siri language set to English only, and the features will have a "beta" label even on the publicly released version of iOS 18.1 that is coming out next month. Apple said support for additional languages, including Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish, will be added next year.
Apple today announced the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max—its latest flagship smartphones—featuring larger displays, an all-new Camera Control button, and the A18 Pro chip.
The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch display—the biggest iPhone display ever. The borders around the display are the thinnest of any Apple device. The titanium frame now features a new blasted finish and comes in a refreshed selection of color options: a darker Black Titanium, brighter White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium.
The devices are powered by the new A18 Pro chip, made using 2nd-generation 3nm technology. It offers a 16-core Neural Engine with 17% more memory bandwidth, making Apple Intelligence tasks up to 15% faster compared to the previous generation. The 6-core CPU features two performance cores and four efficiency cores, providing 15% faster performance and 20% more efficiency. Additionally, the 6-core GPU is up to 20% faster than the A17 Pro, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting in games. Faster USB-C speeds and twice the data processing for video encoding are also supported.
The iPhone 16 Pro features a new "Fusion" 48-megapixel camera with a 2nd-generation quad-pixel sensor, enabling zero shutter lag for 48-megapixel ProRAW and HEIF photos. The ultra-wide camera has a 48-megapixel quad-pixel sensor with autofocus for the first time, and the 5x tetraprism telephoto camera is now available on both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Apple has overhauled Photographic Styles to allow real-time adjustments to colors and shadows, adapting specific tones in the image. Styles can be personalized more deeply, with new black-and-white and natural options, and can be applied during live previews or after capturing the photo.
The 48-megapixel Fusion camera on the iPhone 16 Pro also supports 4K120 fps video capture in full HDR, which can be used in slo-mo or regular video mode. Playback options include 120, 60, 30, or 24 fps, with intelligent audio treatment for wind noise reduction. The ability to capture spatial audio allows for more immersive recordings, particularly when paired with AirPods or Apple Vision Pro.
The Camera Control is a dedicated, flush sapphire crystal button with haptic feedback dedicated to camera app functions. Clicking the Camera Control launches the camera app. Clicking again takes a picture, while clicking to hold records video. The Camera Control also offers touch gestures, allowing it to distinguish between a click and a lighter press. A light press reveals a new clean preview to help users focus on framing the shot, while a new overlay allows for quick access to camera functions like zoom and switching between lenses. Users can press lightly twice to see other controls and slide to the preferred one. Camera Control will be updated later this year to lock focus and exposure with a half-press.
The Camera Control also gains Visual Intelligence, a new Apple Intelligence feature exclusive to the iPhone 16 lineup. Visual Intelligence is invoked by the Camera Control, allowing users to point their iPhone's camera at something and pull up contextual details such as information about a restaurant, as well as take actions like filling out a calendar event.
With improved microphones, the iPhone 16 Pro supports Spatial Audio capture during video recording, for a more immersive experience when using AirPods or Apple Vision Pro. A new Audio Mix feature uses machine learning to identify and separate background audio and speech. For example, "In-Frame Mix" isolates the voice of the person on camera. "Cinematic Mix" handles audio like a movie, with on-screen audio in front and environmental noises in the surroundings. There are also updates coming to the Voice Memos, allowing you to layer a track on top of existing recordings.
Battery life is improved with up to 33 hours on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, enhanced by a new mechanical architecture and advanced power management, with 20% better sustained performance due to improved heat dissipation.
The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 for 128GB and $1,199 for iPhone 16 Pro Max for 256GB. They are available for pre-order on Friday and launch on September 20.
Apple today announced the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, with a key new feature being the Camera Control on the side of the devices.
As rumored, the Camera Control is positioned below the power button, and you can control various features in the Camera app by pressing or swiping on it. The control sits flush on the iPhone's frame and delivers haptic feedback. Clicking the Camera Control launches the Camera app, and holding it starts a video recording. You can also use the Camera Control to quickly access zoom and other capabilities through a new on-screen overlay.
Other features include the Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models last year, a "big boost" in battery life, brighter and more durable screens, Wi-Fi 7 support, and an A18 chip with up to a twice as fast 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence. The devices have color-infused back glass, with vibrant Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, White, and Black finishes available.
Apple says the A18 chip offers up to 30% faster CPU performance compared to the A16 Bionic chip in the previous-generation iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. The chip supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics rendering in games.
Apple Intelligence is available on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, meaning that the generative AI features will be supported across the entire iPhone 16 lineup, after previously being limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The new Camera Control on the devices will work with a new Visual Intelligence feature that lets you get details about things in your camera's viewfinder, be it a restaurant, a bicycle, a document, or a pet.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have vertically-aligned rear cameras, including a 48-megapixel Main camera that doubles as a 12-megapixel Telephoto camera, and a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera. The vertically-aligned cameras can combine to capture spatial photos and videos for playback on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus start at $799 and $899 in the U.S., respectively, with 128GB of base storage. The devices are available to pre-order this Friday, September 13 and launch on Friday, September 20.
Apple today introduced the AirPods 4, which will come in two models: a base model for $129 and a model with Active Noise Cancellation for $179.
AirPods 4 feature a big improvement in sound quality with dynamic head tracking for a more immersive media experience. Both models include the H2 chip and support features like Voice Isolation and Siri Interactions, the latter of which lets users nod or shake their head to respond to Siri announcements.
For more controls, AirPods 4 feature a force sensor on the stem to play or pause media and mute or end phone calls. The case for the AirPods 4 is the smallest case yet on any AirPods model, and it features USB-C charging with up to 30 hours of total battery life.
In regards to the second AirPods 4 model, it features Active Noise Cancellation with upgraded microphones and advanced computational audio helping to reduce environmental noise. This model also has a Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, and Conversation Awareness.
Users can also use an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger to refuel the AirPods 4 charging case on the higher-end model, and it includes a speaker for Find My capabilities.
For both AirPods 4 models, Apple has refined the design of the AirPods to create the most comfortable AirPods ever, resulting in a shape that "naturally fits even more users around the world."
Both AirPods 4 models are available to pre-order now in the United States, and will be available starting September 20.
Apple today announced that the AirPods Max are being updated with a USB-C charging port and new color options, including Midnight, Blue, Purple, Orange, and Starlight.
In addition, Apple said the AirPods Max are gaining support for Personalized Spatial Audio with the upcoming iOS 18 software update.
The updated AirPods Max will be available to pre-order for $549 starting today, and the headphones launch on Friday, September 20.
Apple did not announce any other changes for the AirPods Max during its event.
Apple first released the AirPods Max with a Lightning port in December 2020, and the changes announced today are very minor, to the point that Apple does not appear to be referring to the new headphones as AirPods Max 2.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is now available in an all-new Satin Black finish, alongside the existing Natural titanium casing. The new black titanium finish is achieved through a custom blasting process, and it features a diamond-like carbon coating that enhances its scratch resistance and durability. The back crystal is made from dark zirconia to match the striking new look.
In addition to the new finish, Apple has introduced a new Titanium Milanese Loop for the Apple Watch Ultra, designed for both water activities and stylish everyday wear. The lightweight, corrosion-resistant band is woven from aerospace-grade titanium, featuring a dual-button parachute-style buckle. It is available in both Natural and Satin Black finishes.
Apple is also extending its collaboration with Hermès to the Apple Watch Ultra, introducing a new Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2. This edition features a titanium buckle and a specially designed Hermès Maritime watch face. The Hermès Ultra 2 includes a new En Mer band made from high-density textured knit, providing durability for water sports while retaining a premium feel.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with a suite of new features in watchOS 11, including sleep apnea notifications, a Vitals app for key overnight health metrics, and a new Tides app for open water activity tracking. The Action button now offers expanded customization options, allowing users to switch actions with a long press, including options like Voice Memos, Shazam, and Stopwatch.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2, and the new Titanium Milanese Loop are available for pre-order today, starting at $799, with launch on September 20.
Apple at its event today announced the Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a wide-angle OLED display that is larger than the Apple Watch Ultra, with the company describing it as the "biggest display and thinnest design ever."
The Series 10 is 9.7mm thick, which is nearly 10% thinner than Series 9, and it weighs 20% less than the Stainless Steel Series 9. The Aluminum cases also weigh up to 10% less, while the Series 10 also comes in Grade 5 titanium, replacing stainless steel.
Apple says it's the fastest-charging Apple Watch ever, reaching an 80% charge in 30 minutes. It uses a new neural network to reduce background noise when making calls with the watch.
Apple says the latest Apple Watch model can play music and podcasts directly through the speaker for the first time. It also includes a new depth gauge (good to 20 feet) as well as water temperature for pool and open water swims, as well as a new metal back that integrates the antenna into the housing.
Series 10 can also alert you to sleep apnea conditions, where breathing stops repeatedly during the night. Apple says the algorithm was developed using machine learning and clinical data, and then validated in a large clinical trial.
The new Apple Watch Series 10 comes in Jet Black and Rose Gold, joining the existing Silver Aluminum color. The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399, and $499 for cellular models, and are available to pre-order today ahead of a launch on Friday, September 20.
Apple's "It's Glowtime" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the iPhone 16 lineup and some updated Apple Watch and AirPods models unveiled, and perhaps some other announcements.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the event unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
Apple's "It's Glowtime" media event kicks off at 10:00 am Pacific Time today with members of the media in attendance for what is expected to be another pre-recorded presentation. We know that some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event as it's being broadcast are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until the event video is available for on-demand viewing so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Apple's recent virtual events have been made available to view almost immediately following the conclusion of the broadcasts, and we expect similar timing for today's event.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events as they occur refrain from making any posts about Apple's announcements in this thread.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes the iPhone 16 Pro will start at $999 in the U.S., meaning there would be no starting price increase over the iPhone 15 Pro.
"I don't expect the Pro entry price to be raised from $999," said Gurman.
This prediction runs counter to a report last week from Taiwanese research firm TrendForce that claimed the iPhone 16 Pro would start at $1,099 in the U.S. with 256GB of storage. This meant the iPhone 16 Pro would not have been available with 128GB of storage for $999 like the iPhone 15 Pro is, but Gurman believing that the $999 price point will stick around suggests that a 128GB configuration will remain available after all.
Apple has offered at least one Pro model or equivalent tier of the iPhone at a starting price of $999 in the U.S. since the iPhone X was released in 2017.
$999 or $1,099? We'll find out for sure in just a few hours. Apple's event kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and we'll have live coverage of the announcements.
Architecture and design publication Dezeen today shared photos of an all-new event-focused building at Apple Park called "The Observatory."
"The Observatory" is built into a hillside near Steve Jobs Theater, and it will be used for new product demonstrations following Apple's special events, according to the report. It is set to open following the iPhone 16 event today.
The building has a domed entrance above the ground with a sky-facing oculus, along with a "portal-like" window with views of the Apple Park campus.
"With its stunning views of the campus greenery and the mountains ringing the horizon, The Observatory truly is an extension of Apple Park, showcasing the best of California and the best of the natural environment around us," said John De Maio, Apple's global head of design for real estate and development.
More details about the building's design and materials used can be found in Dezeen's article.
Apple may be planning to introduce a redesigned version of the popular Milanese Loop Apple Watch band at the "It's Glowtime" event later today.
Images of what purport to be replicas of an official redesigned version of the Milanese Loop have begun circulating on Asian social media platforms over the past week. The alleged new version of the band features a clasp instead of a magnet and seems to come in a 49mm size designed for the Apple Watch Ultra. The current Milanese Loop is only available in 41mm and 45mm sizes. A clasp like this would be a more secure solution for the Milanese Loop without compromising adjustability since the magnet used on the current version is liable to slipping, which loosens the band.
The Milanese Loop Apple Watch band was introduced alongside the original Apple Watch in 2014 as part of Apple's premium range of bands. Inspired by traditional 19th-century Milanese watch bands, it features a unique mesh design made from woven stainless steel to offer both flexibility and durability. Initially available in Silver and later in Space Black, the Milanese Loop has remained a staple of Apple's watch band lineup across all Apple Watch generations.
Apple is expected to introduce the third-generation Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch Series 10, and a new dark color option for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 at the "It's Glowtime" event later today, so the introduction of new bands is likely. Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" today claimed that despite some rumors suggesting that the Apple Watch's band system could change this year, it will remain the same with compatibility carried forward.
MacRumors will have in-depth coverage of the Apple event, which kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, including a live blog on our website and posts via @MacRumorsLive on X. For a full rundown of everything we expect to see, be sure to check out our guide.
