At today's "California Streaming" event, Apple introduced refreshed versions of the iPad mini and the low-cost iPad, which was something of a surprise as we were expecting new tablet announcements later in the year. Both the iPad mini 6 and the iPad 9 are available for pre-order starting today, with orders up and live following the conclusion of the event.
The iPad 9, which replaces the eighth-generation version, continues to be priced at $329. It features an A13 chip, up to 256GB of storage, and a new 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front-facing camera that supports Center Stage for video calls.
Compared to prior versions, it includes sRGB support and a True Tone display, with no improvements to the rear camera. It continues to feature thick bezels and a Touch ID Home button.
The iPad mini 6, priced starting at $499, features a much more significant redesign. The new iPad mini is basically a smaller version of the iPad Air with an 8.3-inch all-display design, slim bezels, and a Touch ID power button.
It too features a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage, and it can be purchased with up to 256GB of storage. It's equipped with Apple's latest and fastest A15 chip, which is also the chip used in the new iPhone 13 models.
The iPad mini comes in unique new colors that include pink, purple, space gray, and starlight, while the iPad 9 is available in space gray and silver.
Both the iPad mini 6 and the iPad 9 models will be delivered to customers starting on September 24, which is also the launch date for the new iPhone models.
Thanks to the larger display on the Apple Watch Series 7, users can now use a full keyboard right on their wrist. Users will be able to tap or slide across letters to type, in which case watchOS will use "machine learning to predict the word you’re typing."
The new Apple Watch Series 7, which comes in larger 41mm and 45mm sizes, features larger displays compared to the Series 6 thanks to smaller bezels.
Alongside a full keyboard, Apple says it has redesigned the buttons and menus across watchOS to make it easier to tap on the larger displays. Due to reported production issues, the Apple Watch Series 7 will be available later this fall, with no specific date currently given.
Apple today announced that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are available with up to 1TB of storage, which is the largest storage capacity ever offered in an iPhone. The storage option is not cheap, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max with 1TB of storage priced at $1,599 in the United States, making it the most expensive iPhone ever.
Four storage capacities are available for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, including 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Key features of the iPhone 13 Pro models include a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, a smaller notch, a faster A15 Bionic chip, longer battery life, several camera improvements, expanded 5G connectivity, and more.
All four iPhone 13 models will be available to pre-order starting this Friday, September 17 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and all the devices will launch one week later on Friday, September 24. There's a new Sierra Blue color available for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max in addition to the existing Silver, Gold, and Graphite finishes.
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of iOS and iPadOS 15 to developers for testing purposes, with the updates coming two weeks after Apple released the eighth betas.
Registered developers can download the profile for the iOS and iPadOS betas from the Apple Developer Center, and once the profile is installed, beta updates will be available over the air.
iOS 15 is a major update that introduces a slew of new features focused on cutting down on distractions and spending more time with friends and family.
FaceTime has a revamped interface with new SharePlay features for listening to music, watching videos, and sharing your screen with your friends and family members, though this is delayed until after the launch of iOS 15. In Messages, if something like a url, photo, news article, or song is shared with you, you can see the content in Apple's dedicated apps through a new Shared With You Feature.
Focus lets you create custom notification modes that hide irrelevant apps and notifications when you're doing things like working or spending time with your family so you can better focus on the activity at hand, and there's a new notification summary that de-prioritizes less important notifications so you're not constantly inundated with information.
Maps includes a new 3D view in select cities that lets you see 3D landmarks, there are immersive AR directions when walking, and driving directions are better than ever, especially at complex interchanges.
Safari has been redesigned with a new look that moves the Tab Bar to the bottom of the interface (though this is optional), plus it now supports Tab Groups for improved organization, and extensions can be used in Safari for iOS devices for the first time. Later this year you'll be able to add your ID card to the Wallet app in some U.S. states, and Apple is making it easier to add key cards for hotels, smart home locks, and more to the Wallet app.
Spotlight is better than ever and can bring up more tailored search results, and Photos has a "Live Text" feature that lets you take a photo of something with text like a receipt to translate it into typed text on your iPhone. Photos can also identify landmarks, books, plants, and pets, so you can snap a photo of a plant and get information on what it might be.
Apple has also added multiple privacy improvements, such as a new App Privacy report coming to the iPhone that will let you know how often apps access sensitive info like your location, a Mail feature that hides your IP address, and Siri processing that's done on device.
For a complete overview of everything that's new in iOS 15, we have a dedicated roundup that walks through all of the new features, and Apple has been adding feature refinements throughout the beta testing period. The sixth beta, for example, overhauled the design of Safari and added a toggle to disable changes introduced in earlier betas. In the seventh beta, Apple said that iCloud Private Relay will be introduced as a beta feature at launch.
The Release Candidate versions are the versions that will be provided to the public when iOS 15 sees an official release. iOS 15, iPadOS 15, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8 will be released on Monday, September 20.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of the upcoming watchOS 8 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming one week after Apple released the eighth watchOS 8 beta.
To install watchOS 8, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone. It's not recommended to install watchOS 8 on a main Apple Watch as the software may be unstable at this early date.
watchOS 8 has several new features that are extensions of new features introduced in iOS 15. There are improvements to Wallet that allow it to hold keys for unlocking hotel, car, and home doors, plus Apple will let U.S. users add their IDs to Wallet later this year.
Apple overhauled the Home app, and for the Workout app, there are new Tai Chi and Pilates workout types, and the Breathe app has been renamed to Mindfulness thanks to a new Reflect session that invites users to get into a positive state of mind. When sleeping, the Apple Watch now measures respiratory rate.
Focus mode from iOS 15 syncs to the watch so users can stay on task, and in the Messages app, Scribble, dictation, and emojis can be combined within the same message, making it easier to communicate. Dictated text can be edited, and GIFs can be sent right from the watch.
There's a new Portrait watch face, and the Photos app has been updated with support for Memories and Featured Photos. A new Find My app lets items be located right on the wrist, and there are also new updates for Music, Weather, Timers, and more, along with a new Contacts app.
watchOS 8 is set to be released on Monday, September 20.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of the upcoming tvOS 15 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week released the ninth beta.
Developers can download the new tvOS 15 beta by downloading a profile onto the Apple TV using Xcode.
Apple shared little about tvOS 15 when it was unveiled, but there are some new features that are coming to the operating system. SharePlay, a FaceTime feature that lets multiple users watch TV shows or movies together, will integrate with tvOS, and there's a new "For All of You" recommendation engine that suggests shows everyone might enjoy.
A Shared With You section also displays movies and shows that were shared with you through the Messages app so you remember to check them out. When paired with AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, the Apple TV supports Spatial audio for a theater-like surround sound experience, and there's a new feature for automatically connecting your AirPods through Smart AirPods routing.
Hey Siri commands can be used to launch Apple TV+ shows, and two HomePod mini speakers can be paired with the Apple TV 4K for stereo sound. If you have HomeKit cameras, you can also now view multiple cameras at the same time on the Apple TV.
With the launch of the new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple has refined its iPhone lineup and has discontinued the iPhone XR and the iPhone 12 Pro.
The iPhone 12, iPhone 11, and iPhone SE are still around as lower-cost options, with all models getting a price drop. Apple's full lineup continues to be priced starting at $399:
The iPhone 13 models feature 128GB of starting storage, which is up from 64GB, with no increase in the price. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max can be ordered with up to 1TB storage. The new iPhones will be available for preorder this Friday and will officially launch on September 24.
iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 will be released on Monday, September 20, Apple announced today during its "California streaming" event.
iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 include a number of improvements and features, including redesigned notifications, Focus mode, Live Text, and more. iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 were previewed in June and have been in beta testing over the summer.
Apple today did not announce a release date for macOS Monterey, given we're likely to see its release later on in the fall alongside new Apple silicon Macs.
Apple today announced that the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max will all be available to pre-order this Friday, September 17 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and all four devices will launch one week later on Friday, September 24. These dates apply to customers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, and more than 30 other countries and regions.
All of the iPhone 13 models will subsequently be available in Turkey on Friday, October 1, followed by Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, and select other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 8, according to Apple.
Starting prices are the same as they were for the iPhone 12 lineup, including $699 for the iPhone 13 mini, $799 for the iPhone 13, $999 for the iPhone 13 Pro, and $1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Notably, the Pro models will be available with up to 1TB of storage, which is the largest storage capacity ever offered in an iPhone.
Key features across the iPhone 13 lineup include a faster A15 Bionic chip, camera improvements, longer battery life, and a smaller notch. The two Pro models also feature a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.
Apple today announced that the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini start with 128GB of storage, which is double the base 64GB offered for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.
The storage capacities available for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max also have a new 1TB storage option. Pricing continues to start at $699 for the iPhone 13 mini, $799 for the iPhone 13, $999 for the iPhone 13 Pro, and $1,099 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Key features across the iPhone 13 lineup include a faster A15 Bionic chip, camera improvements, longer battery life, and a smaller notch. The two Pro models also feature a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.
Apple continues to offer a 64GB storage option for the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone SE, which remain available to order on its website.
Apple today announced the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max at its "California Streaming" event, featuring brighter Super Retina XDR displays with ProMotion, improved rear cameras, a more powerful variant of the A15 Bionic chip, up to 1TB of storage, a new Sierra Blue color option, and more.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max come in the same 6.1 and 6.7-inch display sizes as the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. The new devices feature a 20 percent smaller notch for more display area, a brighter Super Retina XDR display, and ProMotion for refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz.
The stainless steel frame has a custom finish that is resistant to abrasion and corrosion. There is also a new Sierra Blue color option, along with Graphite, Gold, and Silver.
Both devices sport the A15 Bionic chip with a six-core CPU and a five-core GPU for a significant performance improvement. This variant of the A15 chip contains one extra GPU core than the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13's A15 chip.
Due to the efficiency improvements of the A15 Bionic chip and larger batteries, the iPhone 13 Pro's battery life lasts 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max lasts 2.5 hours than iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The rear array contains new Telephoto, 77mm Ultra Wide, and Wide lenses with larger sensors and apertures, and sensor-shift stabilization for reduced camera shake. The iPhone 13 Pro features a 6x optical zoom range thanks to a new 3x Telephoto camera. The Ultra Wide camera also now features autofocus and offers a new macrophotography mode that can take close-ups up to 2cm away from an object.
A new "Cinematic mode" is able to blur the background of video in real-time, track objects and people, and rack focus. Night Mode is also now available on all of the rear cameras.
Photographic Styles bring individual preferences to local photo edits in real-time. Styles work across scenes and subject types and users do not need to define it every time they shoot. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can shoot also video in ProRes up to 4K at 30fps for high color fidelity and efficient encoding.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max can connect to more 5G bands using custom antennas and radio components. Both devices also feature up to 1TB of storage, the most ever offered in an iPhone.
The iPhone 13 Pro starts at $999, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at $1,099. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max pre-orders open on Friday 17 September, with devices first arriving to customers on Friday, 24 September.
Apple today announced that its subscription-based Fitness+ workout service will be launching in 15 additional countries later this year, including Austria, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.
"We are excited to be introducing new workouts that bring Fitness+ users more options to stay active and motivated, plus immersive guided Meditation experiences that are approachable for all and easy to fit into your day," said Jay Blahnik, Apple's senior director of Fitness Technologies, in a press release accompanying the announcement.
Apple Fitness+ first launched in December 2020 in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. The service provides access to a library of workout videos updated on a weekly basis through the Fitness app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. The service is priced at $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year in the United States, with pricing varying in other countries.
Apple has announced several new features coming to its Apple Fitness+ subscription service, including new workout types, group workouts, and more.
Apple is adding pilates workouts as a new workout type, as well as guided meditations. Not only that, Apple is bringing group workouts to the service that will function via SharePlay, allowing users to join in the same workout over iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV via AirPlay.
Apple is also adding seasonal themes to its workouts, beginning with workouts to people get ready for the snow season, based on skiing and snowboarding.
Apple Fitness+ videos are also getting a service-wide resolution upgrade, with 4+ as an streaming option. Apple is also bringing Fitness+ to 15 new countries, with workouts in English and subtitles.
Apple today announced the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13, both featuring a smaller notch, repositioned rear-cameras, improved performance, and more while maintaining the same 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch sizes of their respective iPhone 12 predecessors.
The new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, as rumored, includes a smaller notch allowing for more display area. In specific, Apple said that the notch is 20% smaller. Staying on the front, the new Super Retina XDR display is 28% brighter with 1200 nits peak brightness.
Inside, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are powered with the brand new A15 Bionic chip. Built on the 5nm process, the A15 Bionic chip features a 6-core CPU with two high-performance and four high-efficiency cores. Embedded into the A15 Bionic chip is a new 16-core Neural Engine, capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second.
On the back, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini include a new and more advanced dual-camera system. The wide 12MP sensor allows for 47% more light, a 26mm focal length, and on the Ultra Wide camera, the new iPhones include sensor-shift technology from the "Pro" iPhones.
With video, Apple is introducing "Cinematic mode," which uses the power of A15 to automatically blur the background during a video, allowing the subject to stay in focus. During filming, users can tap on different subjects to shift focus.
Carrying over from the iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini features Ceramic Shield, IP68 water resistance, and five new colors, including pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and red. The iPhone 13 mini starts at $699 with 128GB of base storage, up from the previous 64GB. The iPhone 13 starts at $799, and both will be available for pre-orders on Friday, September 17, and will begin shipping on September 24.
Apple today announced the Apple Watch Series 7 at its "California Streaming" event, featuring a new larger design, a new Retina display, thinner borders, better durability, faster charging, and more.
The Series 7 comes in 41mm and 45mm size options, up from 40 and 44mm of previous models, and features a new casing that has a flat base and "softer, more rounded corners," while the screen uses 50% stronger crack-resistant crystal, its strongest ever. Apple says the narrower borders allow the display to maximize screen area, while minimally changing the dimensions of the watch itself.
The touch sensor has been integrated into the OLED panel to reduce display thickness and borders, and Apple says a "subtle wraparound effect" is created by refracted light at the edge of the display for a more seamless integration with the case. Aside from offering greater readability and ease of use, the Series 7 also includes two unique watch faces — Contour and Modular Duo — designed specifically for the new device.
Apple says it has completely reengineered the display to reduce borders by 40%, which allows for nearly 20% more screen area than the series 6, and over 50% more screen area than Series 3. The screen borders alone are just 1.7 mm — 40 percent smaller than those on Apple Watch Series 6. Apple also says the always-on display is 70% brighter indoors when your wrist is down.
The Apple Watch Series 7 also has an IP6X certification, which makes it dust and water resistant, with a WR50 swim proof resistance.
Apple says the Series 7 charges up to 33% faster than previous models, thanks to an updated charging architecture and fast-charging USB-C cable, allowing it to go from zero to 80% charge in 45 minutes, providing eight hours of sleep tracking.
Interface wise, Apple says buttons have been redesigned to take advantage of the larger display, while a new QWERTY keyboard lets you tap or slide from letter to letter with QuickPath.
The new Apple Watch is available in five aluminum colors including midnight, starlight, green, blue, and (PRODUCT)RED. Stainless steel models are available in silver, graphite, and titanium is also available in multiple colors. Apple Watch Series 7 is also compatible with existing watch bands.
"Apple Watch Series 7 delivers significant improvements — from our largest and most advanced display, to enhanced durability and faster charging — making the world's best smartwatch better than ever before," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. "Powered by watchOS 8, Apple Watch brings useful new capabilities to help customers stay connected, track activity and workouts, and better understand their overall health and wellness."
Apple Watch Series 7 prices start from $399 and will be available later this fall.
Apple today announced the sixth-generation iPad mini, featuring a massive redesign with a larger display, an embedded Touch ID sensor in the Power Button, improved performance, a USB-C port, and 5G.
The new iPad mini features a completely new design, dismissing the Home Button in favor of a full-screen design with an 8.3-inch display. The display features wide color, an antireflective coating, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone. Featuring an A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini is up to 40% faster in CPU performance compared to the previous generation, with an even bigger 80% increase in GPU power.
iPad mini gets a huge performance boost from the new A15 Bionic chip, with its incredibly efficient design that delivers all-day battery life.1 The 6-core CPU delivers a 40 percent jump in performance, and the 5-core GPU delivers an 80 percent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini. A15 Bionic on iPad mini handles even the most demanding tasks — from graphically rich games to pro apps used by designers, pilots, doctors, and more. With its powerful performance and compact design, iPad mini is the ultimate tool users can take anywhere.
For the first time for iPad mini, the new iPad features 5G technology, offering customers even faster performance, with download speeds of up to 3.5Gbps. Even with 5G, Apple says the new iPad mini still features "all-day battery life."
The new iPad mini also features a USB-C port rather than Lightning. Borrowed from the iPad Air, announced last year, the new iPad mini features a Touch ID sensor embedded into the Power Button.
On the front, the new iPad mini features a new Ultra Wide front camera with a 12MP sensor, allowing for Center Stage from the iPad Pro. With Center Stage, the iPad mini will automatically keep users in the frame as they move around. The back camera also features a 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels and a larger aperture.
Compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil, the new sixth-generation iPad mini starts at $499 and will be available for pre-orders starting today and will be available on Friday, September 24.
Apple today announced a new ninth-generation iPad at its "California Streaming" event, which features an A13 Bionic chip offering up to 20% faster performance, a True Tone display, an upgraded front camera, and more.
The new iPad features an upgraded 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage, which uses machine learning to automatically detect people in the frame, panning and zooming to keep them in view during FaceTime calls. The feature recognizes when other people join or exit a call, adjusting the camera position to fit everyone in.
With the A13 Bionic chip, Apple claims the new iPad is up to three times faster than the top-selling Chromebook and six times faster than the top-selling Android tablets.
All models will ship with iPadOS 15, which introduces a new Home Screen design with integrated widgets and the App Library, system-wide fast note-taking with Quick Note, new features for FaceTime calls, a redesigned Safari experience, new tools to reduce distractions, and more.
The new iPad starts at $329 or $299 for education customers, while the Wi-Fi plus cellular model starts at $459. Additionally, the iPad now starts with 64GB of storage, and there's also a new 256GB storage option available. All models can be ordered starting today on the Apple online store with availability starting on Friday, September 24.
The Unicode Consortium today released the list of new emojis that are coming in the Emoji 14 update, giving us a look at the new characters that we can expect to see introduced on Apple devices later this year.
As outlined by Emojipedia, the finalized list includes 37 new emoji along with 75 skin tone additions for a total of 112 new characters.
New faces include melting face, saluting face, face with open eyes and hand over mouth, face with peeking eye, face with diagonal mouth, and dotted line face, while new emojis include biting lip and bubbles.
There are several new hand emojis, such as heart hands, rightwards hand, leftwards hand, palm down hand, palm up hand, hand with index finger and thumb crossed, index pointing at the viewer, along with an update to the handshake emoji.
Nest with eggs, empty nest, x-ray, crutch, playground slide, wheel, ring buoy, hamsa, mirror ball, jar, identification card, and low battery are new items, while plants and animals will include coral and lotus. As for fantasy characters, we can expect a new troll emoji, and eggs, beans, and pouring liquid make up new food items.
Now that the emoji candidates are finalized and have been released, Apple is free to implement the new characters in a future iOS update. The images above are interpretations of what the emoji can look like, but Apple will design its own.
We can expect the new emoji characters to be introduced in an update to iOS 15 later this year. Apple last debuted new emoji with the iOS 14.5 update released in April.
