This year’s Apple event in September was all about the iPhone. Although the company also presented innovations related to the Apple Watch, the stage clearly belonged to the company’s own smartphones. Not only have they gotten better, but some of them are also cheaper.
As always in September, Apple invited people to Cupertino to update its most important product categories – the iPhone and the Apple Watch. “It’s going to be a great day,” said CEO Tim Cook when welcoming us. He definitely kept his full-bodied promise regarding his own portfolio.
Careful product care for the Apple Watch
It started with the new Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. With a new S9 chip, the watches are not only faster, but also have all sorts of additional functions. The most exciting thing is a new gesture: With the so-called doubletap, in which you quickly bring your index finger and thumb together twice, you can control the watch without having to touch it. This means you can take calls without having to have your other hand free.
Siri is also getting better. Thanks to the new AI processors, the most important Siri requests can be processed directly on the watch and are no longer sent to Apple. Collaboration with iPhones also benefits: The new Apple Watches can no longer just ping newer iPhones, but can also show exactly where they are. Similar to what we know from Airtags.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also offers a few other functions. The display is now even brighter, it now offers 3000 nits maximum brightness. Thanks to sensors, it can automatically switch to night mode when it gets dark. Small bonus: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 costs 899 euros and has therefore fallen in price, the Apple Watch Series 9 also falls by 50 euros to 449 euros.
New hardware
iPhone 15, Watch Ultra 2 and more: The Apple innovations at a glance
iPhone 15: Premium from last year
The most important functions of the new iPhone 15 are those that were already available in the Pro model last year. The new display in 6.1 inches (iPhone 15) or 6.7 inches (iPhone 15 Plus) is based on OLED technology for the first time in the standard model, so it can now show even richer black. And: It now also offers the Dynamic Island. Last year it was reserved for the premium models, but it now also displays additional information on the entry-level iPhone and takes up less space in the normal state.
When it comes to the camera, the iPhone is also partly on par with last year’s Pro models. Thanks to the 48 megapixel camera, it not only offers higher resolution images, but also some other camera tricks. This allows the device to combine more details with high resolution and better colors. For example, it can achieve a 2x optical zoom without needing another lens.
This is all possible because, unlike last year, the iPhone 15 also gets a new chip – but not a completely new one. The A16 was installed in the Pro models last year and now activates many of the premium functions in the base model as well.
A new ultra-wideband chip brings numerous new functions. It can be connected to devices three times as far away and can now find Airtags and nearby friends from even further away. The chic new pink color is also new. Like the other colors, it is inserted directly into the aluminum using a new production process instead of being applied later.
But there are also completely new features. The smart microphones can block out background noise if desired. Apple is also expanding the satellite emergency call it introduced last year. Roadside assistance via satellite no longer only allows you to make emergency calls, but can also be used for broken down vehicles. The feature is free for two years, there is no information about prices after that. It is also not yet known whether and when the function will come to Germany.
One of the most important innovations has been waited for a long time, but it is still well known: iPhones are now finally coming with the standard USB-C connection instead of using their own socket. Since the Airpods now also have a corresponding case, the Lightning port has now finally disappeared from the portfolio
iPhone 15 Pro: A clear top model
The star of the evening was the new iPhone 15 Pro, or more precisely the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It starts with the design. Apple is the first smartphone manufacturer to use a titanium housing. This not only makes the devices more robust, but also lighter. Even the edge of the display has shrunk. To properly showcase the look, Apple is introducing new colors: The iPhone 15 Pro is available in titanium gray, white, space gray and a chic dark blue. However, there is no bright color.
The fact that the Max stands out again is due to the camera. It is the first iPhone to have a so-called prism lens. This directs the light around the device, allowing up to five times optical zoom. Together with a three-dimensionally moving stabilizer, it is clearly the most advanced iPhone camera. The cameras generally offer an even larger sensor. It enables up to four times as much resolution as before. The new Photonic Engine creates detailed photos from several images.
However, one of the most important innovations is only likely to come into full effect in the future: In a combination of two lenses, the camera can film three-dimensional videos; Apple speaks of “spatial video”. But this only becomes important when the right product is available: The videos are intended for Apple’s Vision Pro data glasses.
Aside from the camera, the simply Pro also has a lot to offer. The new A17 Pro processor is so fast that even upcoming console games like “Assassins Creed Mirage” can suddenly run on the iPhone without any restrictions.
There is a minor change on the side. Instead of the mute switch, there is now an “action button”. If you press it, it mutes as usual. If you want more, you can choose from a range of functions that are placed on the button – from the camera shutter button to the flashlight.
Even with USB-C, the Pro models have an advantage: A USB-C optimization built into the chip allows transmission at up to 10 gigabits per second. This means up to 20 times faster data transfers and functions, such as video recording directly to a hard drive.
Apple remains true to itself when it comes to sizes: the iPhone 15 Pro has a 6.1-inch display, while the Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display.
The price this year is as follows: The 15 Pro starts at 1,199 euros, the large Max model at 1,449 euros. The iPhone 15 starts at 949 euros. This means that the prices of almost all iPhones have been reduced, except for the top model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, even the smallest version has twice the memory ex works – 128 gigabytes are no longer available here.
An ode to the environment
At first glance, the innovations are actually quite reasonable – after all, USB-C and telescopic lenses have been available on Android smartphones for years. Nevertheless, Apple manages to offer completely new possibilities together with the new chips. The decision to now be able to offer many Pro functions in the basic models is also entirely appropriate given the numerous new features of the premium iPhones. One consequence, however, is that the portfolio has stretched significantly. Depending on the model, you get very different functions. It remains to be seen whether customers are willing to pay the increased prices.
Apple’s efforts to curb the environmental impact of its own business received a surprising amount of attention. In a very funny clip, Cook, Apple’s environmental boss Lisa Jackson and their team justified themselves to the snarky Mother Nature about the measures they are taking to reduce their carbon footprint, remove plastic from packaging and reduce electricity and water consumption. In recent years, the group has moved towards green production on a large scale through numerous product redesigns, recycling and optimizations.
One of the consequences: Apple will no longer offer leather products from today. Instead, they are relying on a new fabric look that the company calls “Fine Woven”. Even the collaboration with the luxury brand Hermés now relies on fabric bracelets. The popular leather cases are now also being replaced by fabric.