Everything you need to know about the new iPhone 16, AirPods and Apple’s AI features: NPR
The new iPhone 16 will be unveiled on Monday at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.
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Apple unveiled a number of new offers for customers on Monday – including the latest versions of the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.
Apple has struggled recently with iPhone sales, which make up the majority of the company’s revenue. In May, Apple reported a sharp quarterly decline in its iPhone sales. This was the largest drop in iPhone sales since the height of the company’s pandemic-related production delays.
With these latest offerings, including more details about the Apple Intelligence program, Apple aims to strengthen the company financially and signal to consumers that the company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence.
Most of the items will be available in stores starting September 20. Here’s a full list of what Apple launched on Monday:
The Apple iPhone 16 is shown during a new product announcement on Monday at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.
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iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
The new phones feature improved camera setups, a larger battery, new colors and a faster processor, the company announced. The iPhone 16 variants are Apple’s first iPhones built specifically for Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI system. The iPhone 16 Pro Max measures 6.9 inches, which Apple says is the largest display yet.
The phones can be pre-ordered starting Friday and will be available from September 20th.
The phones feature a physical camera control button on the side of the phone that, according to Apple, allows users to open the camera, take a photo and start recording with just one click.
By clicking and holding the camera button, users can take a photo of a restaurant and get information about it or point the camera at a dog to learn its breed, Apple said.
The 16 Pro also allows recording videos in 4K resolution at 120 frames per second and has better audio recording capabilities, the company said.
More about AI
Apple is generally considered slow in the AI race, especially compared to its competitors OpenAI, Google and Microsoft.
But now the 16 iPhone variants are equipped with the so-called Apple Intelligence.
Siri and Writing Tools will leverage the AI capabilities built into ChatGPT, giving users the ability to rewrite, correct grammar and summarize texts, notes and emails, Apple said.
The AI tools allow users to create their own AI images, modify old photos, or search for a hard-to-find image in an album by entering a description.
Apple Intelligence will launch next month – in US English only – with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features to be added later.
AirPods are shown during new product announcements on Monday at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.
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Apple Watch and AirPods
It’s been almost 10 years since Apple launched the very first version of its smartwatch. On Monday, the company unveiled its latest – and slimmest – version. The Apple Watch Series 10 also offers the largest display to date, according to the company.
Apple has introduced new models and promised a more comfortable design for its AirPods: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with so-called active noise cancellation.
The AirPods Max are available in several colors and have a USB-C charging port.
The launch of the AirPods Pro 2 ($249) promises users the first “endless hearing health experience.”
The company says it offers hearing protection, a hearing test and a hearing aid feature. However, the hearing test and hearing aid features still need to be approved by global health authorities.
