Apple’s annual September event has just wrapped up, covering a lot of ground – not least the iPhone 16 lineup.
We’ve devoured the keynote, sifted through Apple’s press releases, and plucked out the most important bits for your reading pleasure. Consider this your water cooler cheat sheet to the biggest talking points of Apple’s latest event. A recap of every new product, without the 98-minute runtime of the live stream. Let’s go.
iPhone 16 / 16 Plus
Apple describes the latest models as “built from the ground up” for AI, but broadly speaking, they’re the same as last year. You’ll find the same basic design in the same 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes.
What differs is the impressive new A18 chip, a more vibrant display, improved battery life, an upgraded 48MP “fusion camera,” and – this is the big one – two new physical buttons. It inherits the customizable Action button from last year’s Pro model, also adding a multifunctional Camera Control you can swipe, tap, and press for a quick camera adjustments like zoom and focus. It looks neat.
Of course, the big draw for those upgrading from older models is the compatibility with Apple Intelligence. Only this year’s iPhones and last year’s iPhone 15 Pro have the necessary processing power. That makes iPhone 16 the best value entry point to AI features like the improved Siri, image generation, and writing tools.
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will be available to preorder this Friday, with availability from September 20. It’ll set you back $799 for the base 128GB version, rising if you choose the larger Plus model or increase the storage. This year they’re available in white, black, pink, teal, and a rather fetching ultramarine.
iPhone 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max
Those opting for the more expensive models will be rewarded this year with thinner bezels, larger displays, better battery life, and a new micro-blasted titanium chassis.
Specifically, iPhone 16 Pro now boasts a 6.3-inch display, with the 16 Pro Max increasing to 6.9-inch. That might sound like a small gain on paper, but it’s noticeable. Cameras and audio capture are much improved too, with the ability to record Cinematic slow-mo video and Spatial Audio for the first time. Like the baseline iPhone 16, it’ll run Apple Intelligence like a dream and it’s got a new Camera Control below the power button.
But the most impressive feature of these phones is also the thing the average people will probably notice the least: the incredible new A18 Pro chip, which continues to ratchet up performance compared to last year. Tech geeks like us will be impressed, but in practice, it boils down to slightly faster AI operations and improved graphics for high-end gaming. For basic everyday use, A18 Pro is like driving a Ferrari to the local store.
These models will be available to preorder this Friday, with availability from September 20. iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999, while iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1199. There are four titanium finishes to choose from: white, black, natural, and desert.
Apple Watch Series 10
To celebrate the tenth-generation Apple Watch, the company has beefed up its wearable in all kinds of ways. You’ll find a wide-angle OLED display that’s 30% bigger than the previous generation and 40% easier to see from an angle. It’s also more power efficient, charges faster, and is thinner than ever.
Series 10 starts at $399 ($499 with cellular capabilities) and is available to pre-order immediately ahead of its September 20 release. You can order it in black, silver, and rose gold.
Meanwhile, there’s no new Apple Watch Ultra to be seen, but last year’s Ultra 2 has been given a new satin black finish and updated bands to match.
AirPods 4
The fourth-generation AirPods are here, pinching several of the best features from AirPods Pro. Confusingly, Apple has done this by splitting the lineup further with two distinct variants of AirPods 4. You’ll have to shell out for the pricer version for Active Noise Cancelation and Transparency Mode, but it still works out cheaper than AirPods Pro. Either way, these new buds are designed to be more comfortable, with better sound quality, shorter stems, and Find My support for the wireless charging case.
AirPods 4 are $129 or $179, depending on whether you need the extra features. Both variants are available from September 20.
Meanwhile, AirPods Pro 2 will offer some impressive hearing health features following a software update later this year, and AirPods Max now charge with USB-C and come in some new colors.
Apple Intelligence
Of course, Apple Intelligence is the big new technology underpinning much of the iPhone 16 hype. Unfortunately, it’s not quite ready to go yet despite being used as a selling point for those devices.
Apple confirmed that Apple Intelligence will arrive in beta testing when iOS 18.1 releases next month. We’ve been testing iOS 18.1 for several weeks already, and many of the best AI features are still missing. Apple says these will be released piecemeal into 2025, so don’t expect all the promises of Apple Intelligence to be a reality for some time.
To start with, this beta access will be available in US English only – though users worldwide can simply change their language settings. Further language support for AI will arrive in December.
Software Releases
Apple also quietly announced that all its new software updates – including iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, and macOS Sequoia – will be released to the public on September 16.
Keep an eye on Settings > General > Software Update for the new release – or turn on news alerts from our Tips & Tricks app to be notified as soon as it goes live. Apple’s automatic updates often take several days to kick in, so we might be your best shot at a day-one download!