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It's a wrap: New iPhones, Apple Watches and more

It's a wrap: New iPhones, Apple Watches and more

Did Apple's Wonderlust event live up to the hype?

Leander Kahney
September 12, 2023

Even though 95% of today’s Apple event was correctly predicted by the rumors, you can’t help but be impressed watching it.

It’s a slick affair, with clever camera shots, transitions and effects, and great set-pieces. It made San Francisco look wonderful (it is!), and showcased some of Northern California’s beautiful (if overcast) landscapes.

But the products! I know a lot of people will complain they’re incremental and boring, but Apple continues to make huge strides in performance and features — at the same time as making its devices more environmentally friendly.

Take the new Apple Watch Series 9, powered by an even-more-powerful CPU that now boasts a mind-bending 5.6 billion transistors! That’s more than 5 BILLION TRANSISTORS, just for a watch! It’s bonkers. Of course, this is a watch that reads the blood flow in your wrist to detect the new double tap gesture to control the device. Plus, it’s Apple’s first carbon-neutral product, a milestone achievement in its own right.

The new iPhones get even more powerful chips. The A17 is the first 3nm chip in a smartphone, and it’s so powerful it rivals chips in high-end desktop PCs. Gaming performance is now on par with dedicated game consoles.

All this technology allows iPhones to be integral to high-end workflows used in Hollywood. Shooting a blockbuster? Forget pricey RED cameras, just get an iPhone 15 Pro Max!

Also in today’s newsletter:

The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best Apple Watch and it just got a decent spec bump. No black titanium finish, but it does have a nice new Modular Ultra watch face.
Read about the new double tap gesture in Apple Watch Series 9 here.
This is when we’ll be getting iOS/iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma, currently in beta.
On the day Apple switched to USB-C, it’s also 11 years to the day that Lightning replaced the 30-pin connector.
In non-Apple news, I hope this powerful new portable speaker from Ultimate Ears sounds as great as the company’s other speakers.
And these vacuum-tube-powered headphones are supposed to sound great. Yes, you read that right — headphones with vacuum tubes!

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max pack new features, but only 1 higher price tag

Apple's Pro series iPhone 15 handsets rolled out with expected higher price tags plus a nice array of upgrades.

iPhone 15 adds Dynamic Island and 48MP camera, dumps Lightning port

The just-launched iPhone 15 and 15 Plus include multiple features previously reserved for Pro models.

This is when you can get iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10

After months of beta testing, iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10 are finally ready for public release on September 18.

^{A message from the}^{Cult of Mac Deals team}

The aloSIM eSIM is on sale for half off, only $25

Stay connected abroad for less when you get the aloSIM lifetime eSIM plan and $50 of data credit for just $24.99.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is here with a brighter display, faster S9 SiP

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is official with a 95% recycled titanium chassis, a brighter display, a faster S9 SiP and new watch bands.

Apple Watch Series 9 gets big power boost and new double tap gesture

Apple Watch Series 9 brings a faster S9 chip that boosts performance, improves SIri and brings a new way to perform common functions.

Apple’s new FineWoven material for watch bands and iPhone cases makes leather obsolete

It’s eco-friendly, feels “suedelike” and features 68% recycled materials.

^{A message from Bluetti}

Back up your home's power with new Bluetti EP800 energy storage system

Bluetti is set to electrify the power products industry with its potent new EP800 energy storage system for backup and solar power.

Apple Vision Pro remains on track for launch 'early next year'

Tim Cook kicked off today’s event saying the headset is still “on track to ship early next year.”

Apple updates AirPods Pro 2 and EarPods with USB-C

The earbuds themselves remain largely unchanged, but the AirPods Pro 2 charging case and wired EarPods switch from the once-inescapable Lightning port to the universal USB-C standard.

Tim Cook stares down 'Mother Nature' as Apple touts first carbon-neutral products

A stern Olivia Spencer visits Apple Park for an environmental progress report and goes away less pissed off.

Is the world ready for vacuum-tube wireless headphones?

As you might guess, the headphones don't pack your granddad's big ol' vacuum tubes in them, but a modern equivalent.

Get big, 360-degree sound with UE's new EpicBoom portable speaker

Ultimate Ears' popular lineup of Bluetooth speakers just got bigger and louder with the oval-shaped EpicBoom.

Today in Apple history: Lightning replaces 30-pin dock connector

On September 12, 2012, the Lightning connector replaced Apple's proprietary 30-pin dock connector, which debuted on the 2003 iPod Classic.

One more thing ...

❝

We’re trying to make great products for people, and so we have at least the courage of our convictions to say ‘we don’t think this is part of what makes a great product, we’re going to leave it out.’ And we’re going to instead focus our energy on these technologies, which we think are in their ascendancy and we think are going to be the right technologies for customers. That’s what a lot of customers pay us to do, is to try to make the best products we can. And if we succeed, they’ll buy them. And if we don’t, they won’t. And it’ll all work itself out.

— Steve Jobs, 2010.

Today’s poll

What did you think of the Wonderlust event?

Results from yesterday’s poll: How excited are you about the Wonderlust event?

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