Apple ‘Glowtime’ occasion – dwell stories forward of the iPhone 16 launch. Plus AirPods, Apple Watch and extra

There’s additionally chatter of an Apple Watch Ultra 3. Given the Apple Watch Ultra 3 was solely launched final yr, I’m just a little skeptical Apple with kickout an improve so quickly But there’s scope for brand spanking new Apple Intelligence options, so who is aware of… 

Expect improved specs if there’s a third-generation Apple Watch Ultra and new issues, and hopefully some battery life enhancements. There’s additionally a rumored microLED show tipped for it however info on that’s scant. 

I think the larger adjustments for the next-gen Apple Watches, together with the Ultra, will come through watchOS 11, which is about to have the power to trace coaching masses, vitals,  supply smarter stacking of knowledge, improved personalization and extra. In truth, I’d day iths the Watch improve to look out for, particularly in case you have an older however nonetheless recent-ish Apple Watch. 

Now for some wearables. The most pertinent of them is more likely to be the Apple Watch 10, It’ll probably begin at $399 / £399 / AU$649, include a boosted chip, a thinner case, probably have an Action button just like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and, based on Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there will be two sizes to select from: 45mm and 49mm. 

Hopefully, there will be enhancements to battery life and certain extra well being options that probably faucet into generative AI. But total, do not count on the Apple Watch 10 to usher in dramatic adjustments over its predecessor. 

My reply to Barlow’s considerations is that Apple would probably use some type of meta knowledge or watermark to point a picture has been made or manipulated by AI. After all, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 telephones try this. 

As for Genmoji, I’m not so positive. Perhaps there will be some intelligent picture detection to stop pictures of individuals getting used except they’re given an iPhone to take a selfie snap as proof of approval. It does increase some fascinating questions. 

Then once more folks can simply steal images from the likes of Instagram and use them with AI instruments, so maybe this can be a larger challenge that is past Apple. 

Hmmm… I’m undecided I’ve the reply to Barlow’s question or one which I can speculate on. It’ll be disappointing if there are no important AI options on the brand new iPhones, however Photo Clean Up could possibly be a standout one. 

Over to Barlow for his ideas and the way the characteristic might open a query of belief: 

“Apple’s new Photo Clean Up characteristic produces pictures that look completely reasonable. We’re impressed, however now we dwell in an AI-generated world the place you may by no means be fairly positive if the picture you’re seeing is actual or pretend. Should there be some type of warning that comes with images which were manipulated by Apple Intelligence options?” 

And my colleague additionally query the usage of the upcoming Genmoji characteristic: 

“I ponder what security options Apple will put in place to stop folks making Genmojis of family and friends with out their permission, and is that one thing it could actually truly police?” 

Over to my colleague and AI Senior Editor Graham Barlow, who has posed a couple of fascinating questions: 

Will the iPhone 16 launch with out Apple Intelligence?

We’re anticipating the iPhone 16 to launch with iOS 18.0, which seems to return with none of the much-lauded Apple Intelligence options. We’ll have to attend for iOS 18.1 for these, after which iOS 18.2 for the total Siri 2.0 expertise, however how will Apple announce this staggered roll out? Should you begin queuing now on your iPhone 16, or wait till iOS 18.1 comes out for a fuller AI-powered expertise?

Now for Apple Intelligence. We obtained a very good glimpse at Apple’s foray into generative AI at WWDC 2024, however we’re hoping to see how sensible options will come to next-gen iPhones, Apple Watches and extra. 

But the issue is, is right down to what merchandise will be capable of assist what sensible options…

And that is the premised smarter Siri. 

The improved Siri is about to be a part of iOS 18, and it could possibly be one of many extra transformative of iPhone updates lately. 

While I’m not the largest person of digital assistants, I’ve discovered Siri to be one of many worst. So the promise that it could actually do extra, be smarter and use generative AI to be extra proactive moderately than reactive in what it serves up, actually has my consideration. 

Equally, I’m anticipating a complete host of nips and tucks to iOS to all add as much as an enormous change. I feel iOS 17 is fantastically slick and optimized however issues like not with the ability to place house display screen apps the place I need them is low-key staggeringly irritating. iOS 18 guarantees to repair that. 

Ok, in order that’s been fairly the iPhone 16 dialogue, which is not stunning as they’re set to be the largest, most common merchandise Apple will certainly announce when it is Glowtime.  

But now it is time to discuss iOS 18 and extra. Speaking of the previous, which is at present in a berta, we are going to get the total launch of iOS 18 with the brand new iPhones. And it’s going to usher in a load of options from a redesigned Photos app, superior house display screen customization, upgraded to the Control Center, Wallet and the Mail app, and a complete lot extra. 

Our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff already described the iOS 18 beta as a “breath of recent air” so the discharge must be good. But for me, I’m all about one other improve… 

Now for the iPhone 16 value dialog. Going by the rumors to date, it seems to be like there could possibly be a gentle value improve on the playing cards. That would imply the iPhone 16 would sit someplace between the iPhone 15’s beginning value of $799 / £799 / AU$1,499 and a beginning value of round $899 / £899 / AU$1,649. But I think the it and the Plus with monitor with their predecessors’ pricing. 

Same goes for the anticipated iPhone 16 Pro value, which is able to most likely begin at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max beginning at $1,199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,199. 

iPhones are already considerably expensive so I am unable to see Apple jacking up the beginning costs, particularly if it desires folks to get into utilizing AI options. 

In phrases of different digicam upgrades for the Pro telephones, the iPhone 16 Pro Max might additionally get a brand new primary sensor, one which the smaller Pro will not have. While the digicam’s decision will apparently follow 48-megapixels it might have bigger 1/1.14-inch sensor. 

There are additionally stories that the ultra-wide digicam for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will leap as much as 48MP from 12MP. And that a number of of the iPhone 16 Pro’s lenses may have a brand new sort of coating. 

Finally, there are some hints that the the iPhone 16 Pro Max would possibly get a ‘tremendous telephoto’ digicam. This would prolong the zoom vary from the present 5x to 10x or past. However, that rumor is a tad tenuous. Check out the rumored digicam specs desk for the iPhone 16 Pro under.  

Zoom zoom! One of the tipped iPhone 16 Pro digicam upgrades is it might get the 5x optical zoom periscope digicam of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

As an enormous fan and present person of the 15 Pro Max, I do recognize the flexibleness of a 5x telephoto digicam – it’s not overly lengthy just like the 10x zoom discovered on the Galaxy S23 Ultra however it’s additionally extra versatile than a 3x zoom; I feel Samsung realized that and dropped the 10x for a 5x zoom within the Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

However, I do nonetheless want the extra compact dimension of a non-Max iPhone, so I’m enthused by the rumours that the iPhone 16 Pro might get the 5x digicam; extra zoom in a telephone that may be largely used one-handed, what’s to not like? 

Time to speak iPhone 16 cameras. But do not maintain your breath as we’re not anticipating any huge upgrades. According one leaker, the iPhone 16 may have the identical 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide digicam as its predecessor, and can as soon as once more have two rear cameras. 

The huge upgrades are more likely to come on the software program facet, ideally with improved picture processing serving to ship extra dynamic images; generally iPhones can lean too arduous on pure colours and produce often flat pictures. 

I’m not too fussed on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus not sporting any main digicam {hardware} upgrades, as I feel two cameras that carry out nicely in point-and-shoot eventualities are loads for most individuals. Sure the perfect digicam telephones supply extra, however you may pay for the privilege and never all the time end up leaning on the likes of a 5x telephoto zoom. 

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Over to the potential iPhone 16 Pro design and we could possibly be trying on the telephones getting bigger shows. We’ve repeatedly heard that the iPhone 16 Pro Max may have a 6.9-inch display screen, making its show 0.2 inches larger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s, and that the iPhone 16 Pro may have a 6.3-inch display screen, a leap up from the 6.1-inch show of its predecessor. 

This change will apparently be achieved by having slimmer however taller telephones with trimmed-down bezels, which is a-ok in my ebook. And I really feel to be actually ‘Max’ the iPhone Pro Max does want a show enhance. 

Both iPhone 16 Pro fashions are additionally tipped to have a so-called ‘Capture button’ which is supposed to behave as a digicam shutter button but additionally a way to bodily set off focusing with the likes of a half-press. This has me intrigued and could possibly be a method to make the Pro telephones really feel extra tactile and content-creation targeted (pun partially supposed). 

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So I’ll have inadvertently glossed over this earlier, however by way of the rumored iPhone 16 design adjustments, it has been tipped that the usual and Plus fashions might have a vertical rear digicam association and sport an Action button.

I am unable to say the latter will get my coronary heart racing, as I’ve all the time appreciated the diagonal orientation of the rear cameras on the earlier fashions; a vertical structure is a tad uninteresting and the identical as many different telephones. But the potential addition of an Action button does have my consideration.

While the quantity up button might work as a digicam shutter set off, the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro fashions simply feels higher for this. But I even have it configured to change on the digicam flash to behave as a fast torch; it is a minor factor however in real-world use is commonly vastly useful and avoids me needing to faucet away at a show. So bringing such a characteristic to the extra reasonably priced iPhones would get a thumbs up from me.

Unfortunately, there isn’t any phrase on charging upgrades. So even with final yr’s transfer to a USB-C port, bringing an finish to Lighting port iPhones aside from older fashions, Apple does not seem poised to up {the electrical} throughput the newer ports can assist. 

That could possibly be a pity as sooner charging is among the 4 issues we reckon the iPhone 16 Pro must beat the iPhone 15 Pro and one of many 7 upgrades we wish from the iPhone 16. 

On the battery facet of issues, three out of the 4 tipped iPhone 16 fashions are anticipated to have an even bigger battery, with the Plus lacking out. 

That info relies on leaked battery capacities from Weibo person OvO Baby Sauce OvO, who claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will apparently have a 4,676mAh battery, which might make it 5.7% bigger than the 4,422mAh cell contained in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. And the iPhone 16 Pro will reportedly have a 3,355mAh battery, which is up simply 2% from the three,290mAh iPhone 15 Pro. 

The normal iPhone 16 is tipped to have a 3,561mAh battery, which is up 5.8% from the iPhone 15’s 3,367mAh cell. But he poor Plus might get a smaller battery coming in at 4,006mAh, whereas the iPhone 15 Plus sports activities a 4,383mAh energy pack. 

Of course, take this with a dose of skepticism and do keep in mind that dimension is not the whole lot on the battery facet; effectivity and optimization is sort of as essential at getting a telephone that has {the electrical} juice to get you thru greater than a day’s price of use. 

On the iPhone 16 Pro specs facet, it is predicted that the usual and Max Pro fashions may have a brand new chip, probably the aforementioned A18 Pro. But to assist energy AI instruments, 8GB of RAM has additionally been tipped for the iPhone 16 Pro fashions. 

While I feel there’s some cool potential to AI options, I’m extra enthused concerning the additional energy an new A-series Pro chipset might deliver to the desk. The A17 Pro might deal with real console-quality video games, albeit with restricted body charges and lower-end settings. So I’m hoping a brand new chip for the Pro iPhones will enhance upon that and provides a real efficiency enhance to the likes of Death Stranding, which obtained ported over to iOS. 

Right sufficient about colours and my peculiar preferences. Let’s discuss specs. 

As you may see in our rundown of the tipped iPhone 16 specs, not a number of change is predicted externally. But underneath the hood, so to talk, we are able to count on a brand new chip, probably one which’ll have sufficient energy to drive Apple Intelligence options. So meaning Apple might equip the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus with the present A17 Pro chip or maybe a rumored A18/A18 Pro chip. 

My hope is Apple will intention to make use of the identical chip for all 4 tipped iPhone 16 fashions so there is a diploma of parity between all of them, which means they’re going to be able to run with new AI options. And that ought to then support the adoption and use of such sensible instruments, given the massive attain of iPhones. 

Take a take a look at the rumored specs desk under. 

Speaking of colours, we have a roundup of rumored iPhone 16 colours and the tipped iPhone 16 Pro colours. 

As somebody who maybe lack a little bit of creativeness in terms of colours, the Space Black shade that is been hinted at for the iPhone 16 Pro could possibly be the colour for me; it is more likely to take after the Space Black iPhone 14 Pro. 

Equally, I’d like to see the return of the darkish inexperienced colour Apple cooked up with the iPhone 13. As I write this I’m carrying a watch with an analogous coloured leather-based strap and simply adore how the colour seems to be near British Racing Green; however I’m a Brit so in fact i will take a elaborate to that. 

Another rumor that caught my eye and has considerably turned my abdomen is one claiming the iPhone 16 Pro will are available in a so-called ‘Desert Titanium’ colour. 

This shade appears to take a seat in between gold and bronze. But whereas actual bronze can develop a patina from age, which makes it mellow moderately properly in my humble opinion, it will not try this on a titanium chassis. From my expertise utilizing the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the titanium on the telephone does not appear to scratch not to mention stain and age in the identical approach because the metal on the moderately pretty iPhone 13 Pro. 

So I’m not satisfied that ‘Desert Titanium’ is the colour iPhone followers have been ready for. But I’m ready to be proved flawed, if certainly this rumor does come to fruition.  

I really feel the digicam high quality of the fashions you may discover on our greatest telephones checklist are so excessive (not less than for smartphones) that there is not a lot to distinguish the highest fashions in addition to a desire for sure images kinds.

However, video seize could possibly be the subsequent frontier for telephones to actually battle it out in. And Apple has lengthy led the way in which, so it is promising to see that the Cupertino crew might embrace 4K at 60fps video seize to place the next-gen Pro iPhones according to the on-paper capabilities of the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra however add some Apple video processing magic on high of it. 

For extra on the cameras we’re anticipating to see from the higher-end iPhones, try our rundown on the iPhone 16 Pro digicam rumors and predictions. 

Right then, let’s begin on the newest leaks or rumors. And they arrive within the kind a storage bump and improved video recording tipped for the iPhone 16 Pro fashions. 

This comes courtesy of analysts at PatternForce who’ve claimed that each the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max are going to begin at 256GB of storage this yr. That could be a bump for the smaller telephone, and a change I’d actually welcome; after all of the iPhone 15 Pro begins at 128GB of storage, which appears a tad miserly for a telephone of its value. 

On the video recording facet, 9to5Mac ‘s sources declare the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max shall be able to capturing footage at a 4K decision at 120 frames per second. That’s a lift from the 60 frames per second on the present fashions. So for content material creators, such a functionality could possibly be a worthy improve. 

Good morning, good afternoon, and good night, wherever you might be. We’re just a little over 24 hours away from the September 9 Apple occasion, which is able to virtually actually be one of many greatest tech product launches of the yr. 

I’m right here to offer you a rundown of what to anticipate, the juiciest rumors to date, what I need to see, and extra. So let’s do that!