MacRumors

Apple added a "Repair Assistant" feature in iOS 18 that is designed to allow iPhone users to configure replacement parts after a repair. The Repair Assistant works with genuine Apple components, and it makes sure that an ‌iPhone‌ is functional and working as intended if it's been repaired with an Apple part.

A replacement display, for example, can be configured with the Repair Assistant to make sure that True Tone, auto brightness options, and other features are accessible. For the battery, the configuration process ensures Battery Health reporting works properly.

The feature is able to be used to configure parts that were installed prior to ‌iOS 18‌'s release. Users who have had a third-party battery replacement that used an Apple battery, for example, can configure it as a genuine Apple component.

After installing ‌iOS 18‌, if you have a part that is able to be configured, it will show up under Parts and Service in the About section of the Settings app. Users who have not had a repair will not see this section.

Apple says that Repair Assistant is able to be used with ‌iPhone‌ 12 and later models. Batteries, cameras, displays, and more can be configured using the tool.

Repair Assistant was first highlighted by Apple back in April. At the time, Apple said that it would be introduced in the fall, and would provide a way for used genuine Apple parts to be employed for fully functional repairs.

As part of this change, Apple is extending Activation Lock to ‌iPhone‌ parts to deter stolen iPhones from being disassembled for components.

For iCloud Mail users, there are several features coming in iOS 18 that make email management easier. Apple outlined the new functionality in its recently released iOS 18 features list, which covers more than 250 additions to the operating system update.

iCloud Mail Cleanup

There are new cleanup tools that can be accessed for ‌iCloud‌ Mail from the Mail app, iCloud.com, and ‌iCloud‌ Mail settings.

Manage Old Emails

Time-based rules can be added for removing emails that are no longer needed to save storage. The rules use the Mail categories that will be coming in a later ‌iOS 18‌ update for cleanup actions like automatically deleting or archiving promotional emails that are unread and over a year old.

Unsubscribe and Delete

‌iCloud‌ Mail can help you unsubscribe from senders in bulk, sending future emails from those senders to Trash.

‌iOS 18‌ is set to be released on Monday, September 16, but the ‌iCloud‌ Mail functionality may not be added until a later ‌iOS 18‌ update.

With the iOS 18 update, Apple added new features to almost all of its built-in apps, including the Camera app. The ‌iOS 18‌ Camera app includes a few small but useful improvements for timed photos, portraits, and more.

Timers

Along with the existing 3-second and 10-second timers, there's now an added 5-second timer that provides more flexibility.

Flash Settings

Flash settings can be adjusted by touching and holding on the flash button in the Camera app. It brings up Auto, On, and Off options.

These settings could be accessed in the flash options when tapping on the carrot to get to different photo controls, but a long press is quicker. A tap still turns flash off and on.

Music When Taking Photos and Videos

When you're taking a video music playing on your iPhone will no longer be paused and will continue playing. In the Settings app, there's an "Allow Audio Playback" toggle that you can turn on that ensures music will continue playing on the ‌iPhone‌'s speaker when a video is recording.

In prior versions of iOS, using the Camera app to capture video automatically paused any audio playing.

Apple also says that music will continue to play via Bluetooth connections when capturing a photo or video.

Next-Generation Portrait Enhancements

On the iPhone 15 and later models, ‌iOS 18‌ adds Portrait Lighting controls and support for Night mode portraits when in Photos mode.

For context, Apple last year added next-generation Portraits functionality that automatically captures portrait information when using the standard photo taking mode. Previously, you needed to use the specific Portrait mode to get a Portrait shot, but that's no longer the case.

The new feature lets you take a photo without changing modes, and then choose to add depth of field Portrait effects afterward.

Read More

Additional information on new features that Apple has added in ‌iOS 18‌ can be found in our iOS 18 roundup.

With the fourth-generation AirPods, Apple has eliminated the Setup Button located on the back of the Charging Case in other AirPods models. Rather than using a physical button, Apple has instead opted for a hidden capacitive button.

The hidden button for pairing and resetting the AirPods 4 is located at the front of the Charging Case, according to Gear Patrol. To initiate pairing mode, the ‌AirPods 4‌ Charging Case can be opened up and then double tapped at the front where the hidden control is located. This hidden button is also used for factory resetting, and Gear Patrol said that either a triple tap or long press and hold gesture initiates a reset.

The status light on the ‌AirPods 4‌ Charging Case is also more discreet. There is no obvious LED dot when the case is not charging or closed, and the light simply appears under the white plastic when the case is opened up or placed on a charger.

There are two versions of the ‌AirPods 4‌, one with ANC and one without. Pricing starts at $129, and pre-orders are available now. The ‌AirPods 4‌ are set to launch on Friday, September 20.

Ahead of the release of the new iPhone 16 models, Apple has seeded the third beta of iOS 18.1 for the devices. iOS 18.1 beta 3 was actually released in late August for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but now there's a version for the ‌iPhone 16‌ models. iOS 18.1 beta 3 for the ‌iPhone 16‌ has a build number of 22B5034o, up from the 22B5034e version released for other devices.

iOS 18.1 introduces the first Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode, notification summaries, and more, and it is expected to see a public launch in October. The initial launch version of iOS 18 will not include any ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features.

A version of iOS 18.1 available for the ‌iPhone 16‌ models means people who are currently running iOS 18.1 on their ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro will be able to transfer their iCloud backups when the ‌iPhone 16‌, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max launch next Friday. Transferring data from one iPhone to another requires that both devices run the same version of iOS, which can be a hassle when betas are involved.

Apple has likely provided ‌iPhone 16‌ review models to media sites, so the early release of the beta will allow reviewers running iOS 18.1 to set up their test ‌iPhone 16‌ devices.

‌iOS 18‌ will be released on Monday, but the iOS 18.1 beta testing process will continue on for several more weeks.

The iOS 18 Photos app features a new video speed control option that can be used to change the frame rate of your videos after they're captured.

Apple mentioned the option to change video speed in post processing when it introduced the new iPhone 16 models, but it turns out it's a feature that's available for older iPhones running ‌iOS 18‌.

Added in the ‌iOS 18‌ Release Candidate, the Playback Speed editor can be used to slow down playback speed of a high frame rate video. There are 240, 120, 60, 48, 30, and 24 frames per second options to choose from.

There's always been a feature for adjusting the speed of select parts of Slo-mo videos, but Playback Speed is a separate control. You can get to it by opening up the editing interface for a video, and then tapping on the timer icon at the top right.

Apple's iPhone 16 Pro models support 4K 120fps video in Slo-mo and Video modes, and the Playback Speed feature can be used for making adjustments after you shoot a video. From Apple's keynote event:

You can use 4k 120, in Slo-mo or Video mode, and now you don't have to make that upfront decision on frame rate. You can adjust the playback speed after capture. In the new Photos app, there's a quarter speed playback, a new half speed option that really adds a wonderful, dreamy effect, or you can bring it back to normal speed. There's also a 1/5 speed option that corresponds to 24 frames per second playback. These playback speeds are great for easy on the go editing.

‌iOS 18‌ with the Playback Speed feature is set to be released to the public on Monday, September 16.

While the focus is currently on iOS 18 and iOS 18.1, Apple is already working on iOS 18.2 as well, and the update is expected to include several new features.

Below, we recap everything that we know about iOS 18.2.

iOS 18.2

Apple has been internally testing iOS 18.2 for at least a few months now, based on evidence of the software version in our website's analytics logs.

iOS 18.2 will likely be released in December, as that is when Apple said that it will be making Apple Intelligence available in localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K., and support for those languages will likely be added in that update. Apple released iOS 15.2, iOS 16.2, and iOS 17.2 in December over the years.

Expected Features

Apple Intelligence in More Countries

As mentioned, iOS 18.2 should expand Apple Intelligence to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. for the first time.

In the U.S., Apple Intelligence will be available starting with iOS 18.1 on the iPhone 15 Pro models and all four 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.

Image Playground and Genmoji

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said two more Apple Intelligence features that were previewed earlier this year will be added in iOS 18.2, including Image Playground for generating images and Genmoji for generating custom emoji.

Here is how Apple describes Image Playground:

Produce fun, original images in seconds with the Image Playground experience right in your apps. Create an entirely new image based on a description, suggested concepts, and even a person from your Photos library. You can easily adjust the style and make changes to match a Messages thread, your Freeform board, or a slide in Keynote.

Here is how Apple describes Genmoji:

Make a brand-new Genmoji right in the keyboard to match any conversation. Provide a description to see a preview, and adjust your description until it's perfect. You can even pick someone from your Photos library and create a Genmoji that looks like them.

ChatGPT Integration With Siri

Apple said that ChatGPT will be available through Siri before the end of the year, so this integration will likely go live with iOS 18.2.

With user permission, Siri will be able to show ChatGPT answers directly in response to questions and other prompts. ChatGPT will also be an option for Apple's system-wide Writing Tools feature, allowing users to generate text and images. Apple said ChatGPT will be powered by OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model on its platforms.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to use ChatGPT for free, without creating an account, and ChatGPT Plus subscribers will be able to connect their accounts to access paid features on these devices. Apple said OpenAI will not store ChatGPT requests made from its devices, and it said users' IP addresses will be obscured.

Hearing Health Features on AirPods Pro 2

During its iPhone 16 event this week, Apple announced new hearing protection, hearing test, and hearing aid features that will be available on the AirPods Pro 2 starting "this fall" in more than 100 countries and regions, including the U.S., Germany, and Japan. Based on this timeframe, and since these features are not yet included in the iOS 18.1 developer beta, it is possible they will be released as part of iOS 18.2.

More

iOS 18.2 will likely include these additional new features:

• Transactions, Updates, and Promotions categories in the Mail app
• Robot vacuum cleaner support in the Home app

Apple's internal design changes that improve thermal regulation in the iPhone 16 models also have the added benefit of making the battery easier to access for service, a feature that will help Apple comply with European regulations.

In its press release for the ‌iPhone 16‌, Apple confirms that the new internal design better dissipates heat while also making battery service easier.

The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier.

Earlier this year, a report from The Information suggested that Apple would introduce a new battery replacement method in the ‌iPhone 16‌ models as required by a new European law. The EU is requiring smartphone manufacturers to make sure batteries can be replaced by users with easily accessible tools by June 2025.

We'll need to wait for a teardown to confirm other battery changes, but The Information's report also said that Apple would use a different type of adhesive that's easier to remove. Apple typically uses adhesive strips to hold the battery in place, and the adhesive is tough to deal with. The new method could involve an electrically induced adhesive debonding technology.

Using low voltage electricity to remove a battery would require a battery encased in metal, and images of an alleged ‌iPhone 16‌ battery with a metal casing leaked late last year. Metal around the battery has the added benefit of improving thermal regulation. These internal battery changes will be able to be confirmed after the ‌iPhone 16‌ models are released.

Apple's mention of an easier to service battery is only in the ‌iPhone 16‌ press release, and not in the press release for the iPhone 16 Pro, so it is not clear if all models have the same battery-related changes. Apple did, however, change the thermal design in both models, with the changes described during the keynote event.

For the ‌iPhone 16‌:

We updated the main logic board, centralizing the chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. We also added a thermal substructure to dissipate heat made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. As a result, the iPhone 16 delivers up to 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming.

For the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌:

iPhone 16 Pro maximizes thermal capacity with a new machined chassis made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, which is bonded to the titanium frame using solid state diffusion. It's combined with a graphite clad aluminum substructure, creating an innovative architecture that enables up to 20 percent improvement in sustained performance. This is crucial for efficiently running advanced on device features like Apple Intelligence and high-performance gaming.

On the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ product page, Apple also says that it made "back glass optimizations" for further heat dissipation. Apple's ‌iPhone 16‌ page doesn't add much, but says that there's a new internal design for improved heat dissipation.

It is worth noting that the EU law has some exemptions that might be relevant to Apple. Devices with an IP67 water and dust resistance rating that retain 83 percent battery capacity after 500 full charges and 80 percent after 1000 charges do not need to have easily replaceable batteries. Apple's iPhone 15 models meet the criteria for 1,000 charges, and it is likely the ‌iPhone 16‌ models do as well, but Apple has not provided data on the 500 charge requirement. It is worth noting that there are still some requirements that Apple needs to meet even if its iPhones comply with these exemptions.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones in general:

• Fasteners shall be supplied or reusable.
• The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, or a set of tools that is supplied with the product or spare part, or basic tools.
• The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a use environment.
• The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a layman.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones that meet its exemption criteria:

• Fasteners shall be removable, resupplied, or reusable.
• The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, basic tools, a set of tools supplied with the product or spare part, or commercially available tools.
• The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a workshop environment.
• The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a generalist.

The new ‌iPhone 16‌ models are set to be available for pre-order this Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with a launch to follow on Friday, September 20.

An early benchmark result for the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max appears to have surfaced on the Geekbench 6 website.

The single result shows that the A18 Pro is up to 18% faster than the A17 Pro chip. During its iPhone 16 event, Apple said the A18 Pro is up to 15% faster than the A17 Pro, so the result is within the ballpark of that claim.

Here are the Geekbench 6 results for comparison:

• A18 Pro single-core score (one result): 3,409 single-core score (+18%)
• A17 Pro single-core score (average): 2,896 single-core score
• A18 Pro multi-core score (one result): 8,492 multi-core score (+18%)
• A17 Pro multi-core score (average): 7,192 multi-core score

With a multi-core score of 8,492, the A18 Pro's performance is equivalent to the M1 chip in the 2020 model of the Mac mini, according to the Geekbench 6 website.

All in all, the latest high-end iPhones offer modest year-over-year performance gains over the previous models, as is typically the case. With the A18 Pro chip, Apple said the iPhone continues to have the fastest CPU available in any smartphone.

Apple held its iPhone 16 event this week, with the presentation running just over 90 minutes. If you missed the event, or want to revisit the key announcements, Apple shared a recap video with highlights on its YouTube channel.

New products announced during the event include the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 10, two AirPods 4 models, and updated AirPods Max with a USB-C port and new color options. There is also a new Black Satin titanium color option for the existing Apple Watch Ultra 2.

We also shared our own 13-minute recap of Apple's event that you can watch below.

Are you buying an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro? Apple shared a new "Guided Tour" video that explains new features available on those devices.

All four iPhone 16 models support Apple Intelligence, which is launching with iOS 18.1 in October. Apple shared a video about that too.

After watching these videos, consider checking out our list of everything that Apple announced during the event for more coverage.

The iPhone 16 and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus launch later this month, offering 35 changes and improvements over their predecessors. Here's everything that's different.

While Apple's latest models bring a variety of enhancements, the most significant change is support for Apple Intelligence, a new AI system that transforms how you interact with your device by offering smarter notifications, text summarization, and contextual information. The ‌iPhone 16‌ also features the Action Button and Camera Control button, which provide more intuitive ways to access key functions.

But beyond these headline features, how much of an improvement does the ‌iPhone 16‌ really offer? This guide breaks down the differences between the iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 16‌ models to help you understand all of the changes and determine whether these enhancements are enough to justify making the switch from an ‌iPhone 15‌.

This guide focuses on the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌, but to learn about how the iPhone 16 Pro improves on the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, see our other comparison guide.

Design and Displays

The ‌iPhone 16‌ introduces several design and display upgrades over the ‌iPhone 15‌. The shift to vertically arranged cameras facilitates spatial video capture and looks more modern. Durability is also improved with the next-generation Ceramic Shield, which is twice as strong as the previous version. Additionally, the customizable Action Button replaces the traditional Ring/Silent switch and a new Camera Control button streamlines photography.

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 16‌
Diagonally arranged rear cameras	Vertically arranged rear cameras
~2–4 nits minimum brightness	1 nit minimum brightness
Ceramic Shield front glass	Next-generation Ceramic Shield front glass (2x stronger)
	Improved thermal design for better heat dissipation
	Easier battery service
Ring/Silent switch	Action Button
	Camera Control capacitive button with sapphire crystal cover
Available in Green, Blue, Pink, Black, and Yellow finishes	Available in Teal, Ultramarine, Pink, Black, and White finishes

Artificial Intelligence

The ‌iPhone 16‌ includes support for ‌Apple Intelligence‌, a significant upgrade absent in the ‌iPhone 15‌. This artificial intelligence system enhances the iPhone's ability to understand and process personal context, offering features like Visual Intelligence, which can recognize objects and scenes through the camera and provide relevant information, such as restaurant or product details.

‌iPhone 16‌
‌Apple Intelligence‌ (including priority notifications, text summarization, system-wide writing tools, audio transcription, Genmoji creation, personalized suggestions, and more)
‌Visual Intelligence‌, allowing users to pull up contextual information about objects or scenes in front of the camera (such as restaurant details or product info)

‌Apple Intelligence‌ features like priority notifications, text summarization, and system-wide writing tools can significantly enhance the experience of using the device, making the ‌iPhone 16‌ a substantial upgrade over the ‌iPhone 15‌ in this area.

Chip, Memory, and Connectivity

The ‌iPhone 16‌ brings notable improvements in performance and connectivity over the ‌iPhone 15‌, driven by the A18 chip built with TSMC's 3nm process, which is more efficient and powerful than the ‌iPhone 15‌'s A16 chip. The 6-core CPU is up to 30% faster, while the upgraded 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for running generative models, doubling the speed of machine learning tasks. In terms of graphics, the ‌iPhone 16‌'s 5-core GPU delivers a 40% boost in performance and introduces hardware-accelerated ray tracing, enhancing gaming and visual effects.

Memory and connectivity also see significant upgrades, with the ‌iPhone 16‌ offering 8GB of RAM, a 33% increase over the ‌iPhone 15‌, and the introduction of Wi-Fi 7 and Thread networking for better wireless performance and smart home integration.

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 16‌
A16 Bionic chip (TSMC's "N4P" enhanced 5nm process)	A18 chip (TSMC's "N3E" enhanced ‌3nm‌ process)
6-core CPU	6-core CPU (up to 30% faster)
16-core Neural Engine	Upgraded 16-core Neural Engine optimized for generative models (runs ML models 2x faster)
5-core GPU	5-core GPU (up to 40% faster)
	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
6GB memory	8GB memory (+33%)
Wi-Fi 6	Wi‑Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO
	Thread networking technology

The performance gains with the A18 chip and enhanced GPU are particularly meaningful for users who engage in gaming, video editing, or other graphics-heavy tasks. The hardware-accelerated ray tracing will greatly benefit gamers, making the ‌iPhone 16‌ capable of rendering more realistic lighting and shadows. Meanwhile, the Neural Engine upgrade doubles the speed of machine learning tasks such as ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

For everyday users, the jump from 6GB to 8GB of memory ensures better multitasking and future-proofing, while Wi-Fi 7 and Thread networking will improve connectivity speeds and compatibility with smart home devices. The ‌iPhone 16‌'s improvements are substantial for users who demand higher performance and future-ready wireless tech, though those who use their devices more casually might notice less immediate impact.

Camera

The ‌iPhone 16‌ enhances the already impressive camera setup from the ‌iPhone 15‌. The Ultra Wide camera has been upgraded with an ƒ/2.2 aperture, providing better low-light performance compared to the ƒ/2.4 aperture on the ‌iPhone 15‌. The ‌iPhone 16‌ also introduces Macro photography and Macro video recording, enabling users to capture detailed close-up shots, while the Camera Control button brings new levels of ease and precision to shooting photos and videos.

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 16‌
48-megapixel Main camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture	48-megapixel Fusion camera with ƒ/1.6 aperture
12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with ƒ/2.4 aperture	12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture for improved-low light performance
	Anti-reflective coating on Fusion camera lens
	Macro photography and Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse
Photo­graphic Styles	Next-generation Photo­graphic Styles
	Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps
4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps	4K Dolby Vision video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps	1080p Dolby Vision video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps
Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps	Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps
QuickTake video	QuickTake video (up to 4K at 60 fps in Dolby Vision HDR)
	Camera Control button features: Launch the Camera App: Pressing the Camera Control button immediately opens the camera app. Capture Photos: A single press of the button captures a photo, providing a quick and tactile way to take pictures. Record Videos: A press and hold action allows you to start recording a video. Half-Press for Focus and Exposure (upcoming feature): A light, half-press will lock focus and exposure, allowing you to reframe the shot without losing focus. Trackpad-Like Control: The capacitive sensor on the button acts like a trackpad, enabling gestures to control zoom, cycle through filters, or switch between lenses by sliding your finger across the button. Third-Party App Integration: The Camera Control button can also be used to trigger third-party camera apps, giving more flexibility to users who prefer other photography tools. Camera Function Overlay: A light touch gesture reveals a clean preview and quick access to key camera controls like zoom or exposure settings. Visual Intelligence Activation: The Camera Control button is integrated with ‌Visual Intelligence‌, allowing users to pull up contextual information about objects or scenes in front of the camera.

Audio Recording

The ‌iPhone 16‌ brings several enhancements to audio recording over the ‌iPhone 15‌. While the ‌iPhone 15‌ offers stereo recording, the ‌iPhone 16‌ introduces Spatial Audio recording, providing a more immersive sound experience, particularly with playback on the Apple Vision Pro headset. Additional features like wind noise reduction and the new Audio Mix function further improve the quality and flexibility of recorded audio, making the ‌iPhone 16‌ a more capable device for capturing high-quality sound.

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 16‌
Stereo recording	Spatial Audio and stereo recording
	Wind noise reduction
	Audio Mix

Battery Life and Charging

The ‌iPhone 16‌ brings noticeable improvements in battery life and charging efficiency compared to the ‌iPhone 15‌. With up to 22 hours of battery life on the ‌iPhone 16‌ and 27 hours on the ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, the new models offer a modest boost. In addition, MagSafe wireless charging is now significantly faster, supporting up to 25W with a 30W adapter, a 66.67% increase over the ‌iPhone 15‌'s 15W limit.

‌iPhone 15‌	‌iPhone 16‌
iPhone 15: Up to 20 hours of battery life iPhone 15 Plus: Up to 26 hours of battery life	iPhone 16: Up to 22 hours of battery life iPhone 16 Plus: Up to 27 hours of battery life
‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher	‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher (+66.67%)

Release Date

The ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus will be available for pre-order starting on Friday, September 13, 2024, with the official launch and availability in stores beginning Friday, September 20, 2024.

Is It Worth Upgrading?

The ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus, while bringing some notable improvements, offer what might feel like an incremental upgrade over the ‌iPhone 15‌ and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus for most users. The most significant advancements come from ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and the introduction of the Action Button and Camera Control, both of which provide new ways to interact with the device.

‌Apple Intelligence‌ is arguably the most important new feature, as it enhances the ‌iPhone‌'s ability to understand user context and assist in everyday tasks like prioritizing notifications, summarizing texts, and pulling real-time information through ‌Visual Intelligence‌. For users who rely heavily on their phone for productivity and communication, this AI-driven functionality is a meaningful addition. The Action Button and Camera Control button are welcome hardware changes, offering customizable, quick access to key functions and improved control over photography and videography.

Outside of these features, however, the upgrades feel more conservative. The performance gains with the A18 chip, new Neural Engine, and GPU architecture offer incremental improvements in speed and efficiency, which will benefit high-performance tasks like gaming, but may not be immediately noticeable for everyday users. The camera updates, including better ultra wide low-light performance and Macro photography, are valuable for photography enthusiasts, but they don't dramatically alter the overall camera experience for casual users. Similarly, the improvements in battery life and charging speeds are useful but relatively minor, providing a modest boost over the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup.

For users with an ‌iPhone 15‌, the upgrade might not feel substantial unless you're looking to take full advantage of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ or the new buttons. If your phone usage revolves around basic tasks, the ‌iPhone 15‌ remains an excellent device, and upgrading may not be necessary. However, if you're someone who is interested in AI or more intuitive camera controls, the ‌iPhone 16‌ offers enough to justify the switch. Overall, the ‌iPhone 16‌ is a step forward, but the upgrades are relatively modest.

Will you be skipping the iPhone 16 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 17 Pro rumors for you.

Below, we recap key new features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far:

• 24MP front camera for all iPhone 17 models: All four iPhone 17 models will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple supply chain analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu. For comparison, all four iPhone 16 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.
• 48MP rear Telephoto camera for iPhone 17 Pro Max and maybe iPhone 17 Pro: An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto camera is rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, compared to the 12-megapixel Telephoto camera on iPhone 16 Pro models. This change has not been ruled out for the iPhone 17 Pro too, but it might not come to the smaller Pro model until the iPhone 18 Pro.
• 12GB of RAM for iPhone 17 Pro Max: An increased 12GB of RAM is rumored exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and this would benefit Apple Intelligence and multitasking performance. There is 8GB of RAM in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
• A smaller Dynamic Island for iPhone 17 Pro Max: Another change rumored exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a "much narrowed Dynamic Island," as a result of hardware changes to the Face ID system.

iPhone 17 Pro models should launch in September 2025, so there is still plenty of time to go, and additional details will surface over the coming months.

'iPhone 17 Air'

There have been rumors from several credible sources about Apple planning to release a redesigned, significantly thinner iPhone 17 model, which could be called an iPhone 17 Air. There have been conflicting rumors about the design and specifications for this device, but most sources have agreed that it will have around a 6.6-inch display. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expects the device to be equipped with a standard A19 chip, a Dynamic Island, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G modem.

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Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18.

The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more.

The first Apple Intelligence features won't be available until iOS 18.1, which will be released in October, according to Apple. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model with device and Siri language set to U.S. English, with support for additional languages to follow over the course of the next year.

The list also includes some smaller features and changes that were lesser known or unannounced until now, such as the following:

• CarPlay now supports Spatial Audio in compatible vehicles. This works with Apple Music and select third-party apps.
• Spatial Audio is also now supported when using AirPlay to stream audio to a HomePod and select third-party AirPlay-compatible equipment.
• You can now add and locally control Wi-Fi-based Matter accessories in the Home app without needing a home hub.
• iOS 18 expands Live Voicemail to additional languages and countries, including English (U.K., Australia, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Puerto Rico), Spanish (U.S., Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico), French (France), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Mandarin (China, Taiwan, Macao), Cantonese (China, Hong Kong, Macao), and Portuguese (Brazil).

A similar list of all new features is also available for iPadOS 18.

Apple said iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will be widely released to the public on Monday, September 16.

Apple updated the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max with larger displays this year, increasing the size. The ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ has a 6.3-inch display, up from 6.1 inches, while the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max has a 6.9-inch display, up from 6.7 inches.

According to Apple, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models now have the thinnest borders on any Apple product, thanks to a reduction in bezels. Some of the increase in display size comes from the bezels, but the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models are a little taller and a tiny bit wider than their predecessors.

• iPhone 16 Pro Max - 6.42 inches tall, 3.06 inches wide, 8.25mm thick, 227 grams.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max - 6.29 inches tall, 3.02 inches wide, 8.25mm thick, 221 grams.
• iPhone 16 Pro - 5.89 inches tall, 2.81 inches wide, 8.5mm thick, 199 grams.
• iPhone 15 Pro - 5.77 inches tall, 2.78 inches wide, 8.5mm thick, 187 grams.

Though the size has increased, there are actually few other changes to the display technology. Apple is still using its Super Retina XDR Display with ProMotion for the Pro models, and the brightness and peak brightness haven't changed. All models have 1000 nits max brightness, 1600 nits peak HDR brightness, and 2000 nits peak outdoor brightness.

• iPhone 16 Pro - 2622x1206 resolution at 460 ppi
• iPhone 15 Pro - 2556x1179 resolution at 460 ppi
• iPhone 16 Pro Max - 2868x1320 resolution at 460 ppi
• iPhone 15 Pro Max - 2796x1290 resolution at 460 ppi

What is new is a 1 nit minimum brightness. Apple added this to the Apple Watch too, and said on that device that it would allow for a more frequently updated always-on display with a second hand. Some of that same benefit may be available on the iPhone, and it may be one of the reasons why Apple was able to increase battery life.

While the iPhone 16 display also supports 1 nit minimum brightness, it does not have an always-on display or support for ProMotion.

Both models also have a new second-generation Ceramic Shield coating that Apple says is 50% tougher than the prior-generation Ceramic Shield coating used in the iPhone 15 models.

Apple is adding sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the Apple Watch Series 9. Given that sleep apnea is a breathing disturbance, it's easy to assume that it requires the blood oxygen sensor, but Apple actually uses an entirely different method to detect it.

Breathing Disturbances, the name for the new Apple Watch metric, uses the built-in accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist that are associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep.

The Apple Watch collects 30 days of data and then analyzes it, alerting users if there are consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. Users will see Elevated or Not Elevated readings under the Breathing Disturbances section of the Health app, and the data can be used to share with a doctor to get information on the next steps for sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.

While aggregating data for sleep apnea detection requires 30 days of information, users can see an overall look at their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app to assess the restfulness of sleep. Breathing patterns can be interrupted by alcohol, medications, and sleep position.

With sleep apnea, breathing momentarily stops during sleep, which stops the body from getting adequate oxygen and often has the effect of waking a person up. It can be a difficult condition to diagnose because it occurs during sleep, and Apple says that more than 1 billion people are estimated to be impacted worldwide.

Apple says that its sleep apnea notification algorithm was created using advanced machine learning and an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests, and then it was validated in a clinical study. Every participant identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea.

Apple expects sleep apnea detection to get marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities in the near future, and it will be available this month in more than 150 countries.

Apple introduced new second-generation 3-nanometer chips for both the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro models, bringing notable improvements in performance. The ‌iPhone 16‌ and 16 Plus have an A18 chip, while the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ and Pro Max have an A18 Pro chip.

The chips are similar, but there are some differences to be aware of, along with differences in the ‌iPhone 16‌ and 16 Pro thermal design.

A18 and A18 Pro Shared Features

• Built on second-generation 3-nm process with smaller transistors.
• 6-core CPU with four performance cores and two efficiency cores.
• Upgraded 16-core Neural Engine optimized for running large generative models.
• Upgraded memory subsystem with 17 percent more memory bandwidth.

A18/iPhone 16 Features

The A18 has a 5-core GPU rather than the 6-core GPU in the A18 Pro.

The ‌iPhone 16‌ models have a new thermal design. Apple says that it updated the main logic board, centralizing chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. There's a recycled aluminum substructure that dissipates heat for 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming.

The A18 also adds hardware accelerated ray tracing, a feature that was available in the iPhone 15 Pro models with A17 Pro, but is new to the standard iPhone lineup. Hardware accelerated ray tracing is useful for gaming, and the ‌iPhone 16‌ models can run all of the console-quality games that Apple touted for the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models last year.

A18 Pro/iPhone 16 Pro Features

The A18 Pro has the same 6-core CPU as the A18, as well as the same Neural Engine, but it has one more GPU core for a 6-core GPU instead of a 5-core GPU.

According to Apple, the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ maximizes thermal capacity with a machined chassis that uses 100 percent recycled aluminum. It is bonded to the titanium frame using solid state diffusion, and it is combined with a graphite clad aluminum substructure. The new thermal architecture enables a 20 percent improvement in sustained gaming performance compared to the A17 Pro.

A18 Performance

Compared to the A16 Bionic chip, the A18's CPU is 30 percent faster, and it offers the same performance while using 30 percent less power.

The GPU is 40 percent faster than the A16 Bionic GPU, and it is also more efficient. It offers the same performance using 35% less power.

The new Neural Engine is 2x faster for machine learning than the Neural Engine in the A16 Bionic chip.

A18 Pro Performance

The 6-core A18 Pro CPU is 15 percent faster than the A17 Pro CPU, and it delivers the same performance using 20 percent less power. Apple says that it is the fastest CPU in any smartphone, with next-generation ML accelerators that are directly programmable for high-efficiency, high throughput and low latency computations.

The 6-core GPU is 20 percent faster than the GPU in the A17 Pro, and hardware accelerated ray tracing is 2x faster.

The upgraded Neural Engine is faster and more efficient than the Neural Engine in the A17 Pro. Apple says that Apple Intelligence features run 15 percent faster on the A18 Pro than the A17 Pro.

There is a new advanced display engine for ProMotion, a new video encoder, and a new image signal processor. Combined, they process twice the amount of data for fast video encoding and improved efficiency.