Category: Technology

Apple’s premium smartwatch is getting its first major upgrade. The company showed off the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2, the first update for the high-end watch meant for extreme athletes and others with more specialized fitness-tracking needs.

As expected, the second-gen device will keep the same 49-millimeter form factor as the original, but still sport some significant upgrades. Notably, the Ultra 2 comes with a new extra-bright 3,000 nit display to make the screen easier to read in any lighting conditions. In darker settings, the display’s night mode will activate automatically thanks to its ambient light sensor.

The Ultra 2 will be among the first watches to get Apple’s new S9 chip, which will power the new “double tap” gesture, and upgraded Siri functionality. As with the Series 9, the gesture allows wearers to answer calls, snooze alarms and perform other tasks by quickly pinching their thumb and forefinger together.

As with the original Ultra, the second-gen device boasts a longer battery life than its smaller Series 9 counterpart. According to Apple, the Ultra 2 will top out at 36 hours of battery life on one charge, but can last up to 72 hours in low-power mode. That’s a slight improvement over last year’s model, which could go 60 hours in low-power mode and 36 hours on one charge.

When the Ultra launched last year, one of its standout features was its depth-tracking abilities meant for scuba divers and other underwater activities. Now, the onboard depth app has been upgraded to automatically save past dives so you can track depth history directly from the watch.

The Ultra 2 will also get the same software upgrades as the Series 9, thanks to watchOS 10. Among the upgrades are new cycling workout-tracking features and new, more powerful widgets, as well as an upgraded compass app.

Apple noted it switched to 99 percent recycled materials in the Ultra 2, part of its broader push to less the environmental impact of its products (the company claims the Ultra 2 is “carbon neutral” when paired witht he company’s new Alpine loop band).

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available now for pre-order, and will ship on September 22.

Developing…

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-ultra-2-has-an-extra-bright-display-and-s9-chip-174156027.html?src=rss 

Apple is switching from Lighting to USB-C for the port on the entire iPhone 15 lineup, but the company isn’t stopping there. During today’s Apple event, the company announced it would also be swapping out the wired charging jack on the second-generation AirPods Pro that debuted last year. You can use a USB-C cable to charge the AirPods Pro case from an iPhone 15 too. You can already pre-order the latest AirPods Pro with USB-C case for $249 and it will be available on September 22.

Along with swapping out the charging port, Apple has also added dust protection for both the case and the earbuds. While they were both IPX4 for water resistance in the past, now they’re both rated IP54. Apple also revealed that the USB-C case can be uses for low-latency lossless audio when paired with the Vision Pro. Thanks to the H2 chip, you can expect 20-bit 48 kHz sound when the company’s headset launches next year. 

The second-gen AirPods Pro are a big improvement over the company’s first version, with better audio quality and active noise cancellation (ANC) performance. Apple’s earbuds and headphones have the most natural-sounding transparency mode of any we’ve tested, which is a huge boost for both video and voice calls. You can hear yourself so well you don’t need to shout, and at times, it sounds like you aren’t even wearing them. Conveniences like hands-free access to Siri, seamless switching between iCloud-connected devices and the added volume control also come in handy. 

Apple is also getting ready to add three new features to the latest AirPods Pro with iOS 17. Adaptive Audio will fine-tune ANC and transparency mode to your environment. This tool “dynamically blends” the two as you move from one spot to the next and encounter varying degrees of ambient distractions. Personalized Volume, according to Apple, uses machine learning to predict your desired listening level based on your activity over time. And lastly, Conversation Awareness will lower the volume while also focusing on voices and reducing background noise. It’s triggered when you start speaking, so you don’t have to press a button to use it. 

In addition to those main items, Apple’s pending update will further improve seamless switching between various devices synced to your iCloud account. This includes jumping from iPhone to MacBook Pro when you have a video call, for example. Speaking of calls, you’ll soon be able to mute/unmute by pressing the stem on the AirPods Pro. This feature will also be available on the first-generation AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and the third-gen AirPods. We expect the software-based updates to arrive soon, but there’s no word yet on exactly when that will be.

Apple has also updated its wired Earpods with USB-C. A pair of those costs $19 and will be available this week.

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-airpods-pro-now-come-with-a-usb-c-charging-case-175348512.html?src=rss 

Today at its annual fall iPhone event, Apple announced its next two flagship handsets in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And while their overall design looks similar to last year’s devices, there are a handful of interesting new features that could make them worthy upgrades. 

Starting with their displays, screen sizes are staying put at 6.1 and 6.7 inches respectively while Apple’s Dynamic Island is being used again to house the phone’s selfie cam and FaceID sensors. However, their bezels are noticeably thinner, resulting in a slightly larger screen-to-body ratio. On top of that, thanks to their new grade 5 titanium frames, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the lightest Pro handsets Apple has ever made while also offering improved durability compared to the stainless steel chassis on the previous models. The company says the back glass on the iPhone 15 Pro is also easier to replace due to a new substructure. And on the side of the phone, there’s also a new Action button that uses haptic feedback to give you more control over the device’s settings and controls. 

As for performance, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be powered by Apple’s latest 3nm A17 chip and a USB-C port that’s faster than what you get on the standard model due to support for up to USB 3 speeds. Apple says its A17’s GPU is 20 percent faster than before with even better power efficiency. And for the first time ever on an A-series chip, the A17 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

For photography, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max feature a new 48-megapixel main camera with a larger sensor, while portrait pics are getting an upgrade thanks to a feature that captures depth information automatically so you don’t need to select the mode yourself. For even more detailed shots, the iPhone 15 Pro line can combine adjacent photo pixel to create new 24-MP super-high-resolution images. Meanwhile in darker environments, Apple says its improved Smart HDR does a better job of capturing bright colors with brighter highlights and wider dynamic range.

But perhaps the biggest photo upgrade is the new 5x telephoto zoom lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The new optical zoom is based on a new tetra-prism setup to deliver increased range over the 3x optical zoom on the smaller iPhone 15 Pro. Apple has also come up with a new way to record spatial videos on the iPhone 15 Pro range by capturing footage using both the main and wide-angle cameras at the same time. Footage can be shared between iPhones or viewed on Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

The iPhone 15 Pro will start at $999 with 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max will start at $1,199 with 256GB of storage. Both models will be available in four colors (black, white, blue and natural titanium) with pre-orders starting on Friday, September 15, followed by an official on-sale date of September 22.

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This story is still developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/iphone-15-pro-has-a-titanium-case-an-action-button-and-usb-c-181257580.html?src=rss 

We figured the iPhone 15 Pro would feature some sort a new A17 chip, but Apple surprised us by debuting its first “Pro” chip today. The A17 Pro is Apple’s most powerful mobile silicon yet. The 3 nanometer chip features 17 billion transistors and a six-core CPU. Apple claims its two performance cores are 10 percent faster than the A16, while its four efficiency cores offer far better performance per watt. The 6-core GPU is also 20 percent faster than before, and it features advanced graphics features like hardware accelerated ray tracing.

The A17 Pro seems particularly useful for game developers. Apple announced that Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village are coming to the iPhone, while The Division Resurgence will also launch next year. 

The real question, though, is why Apple is calling this the A17 Pro. Does that mean we’ll see a stripped down version of this chip in next year’s iPhone 16? It certainly gives Apple more leeway in the future — instead of trying to justify why the A17 Pro may lose features when it heads to cheaper hardware, the company can trot out a slightly slower chip that’s still an upgrade from the A16.

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-unveils-a17-pro-a-3nm-chip-powering-iphone-15-pro-182113747.html?src=rss 

September typically brings crisper weather and new iPhones, and this year is no different. Apple unveiled the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro today, and as rumors suggested, the company has finally done away with its storied Lightning port in favor of a USB-C connector. While iPhone 15 models now support the Dynamic Island and come in fun colors, the iPhone 15 Pro handsets sport titanium designs and the new A17 Pro processor. Apple also revealed the latest models of its wearable, the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Ultra, both of which sport an upgraded chipset for better performance. Here’s everything you need to know about how to pre-order the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, along with everything else Apple announced today.

Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

The latest iteration of the iPhone looks much the same as the previous model, with the biggest difference being the new USB-C charging port on its bottom edge that replaces the age-old Lightning port. The USB-C ports support charging and data transfer, and practically, they allow users to power up most of their Apple devices — think MacBooks, iPads and now iPhone — using the same cable.

Another new feature for the base iPhones is Dynamic Island, which was previous only available on the Pro handsets. The floating black-pill section at the top of the iPhones’ displays hides the front-facing camera and the FaceID sensor, while also showing things like alerts and animations unique to apps you’re using.

Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have the same screen sizes as their predecessors: 6.1-inch and 6.7-inches, respectively, and they both have Super Retina XDR displays that can reach up to 2,000 nits of brightness. The revamped camera array includes a 48-megapixel main rear camera with a 12MP telephoto lens, plus a TrueDepth front camera. Both models run on Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, the same found in last year’s iPhone 14 series, and will support an all-day battery life.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

As with the standard models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max handsets eschew Lightning in favor of USB-C charging ports. But new for the Pro models only is a titanium design that makes both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max much lighter than their predecessors. Apple claims it managed to shrink the overall dimensions of both handsets without affecting screen size; you’ll find a 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro and a 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Another noticeable design change is the new Action button that replaces the side mute toggle switch. Apple essentially made it a more customizable tool on the iPhone, allowing users to pick the action they want associated with a button press. Muting the iPhone remains an option, but you can change it so a button press allow you to quick access to your phone’s camera, flashlight, accessibility tools and more.

As far as cameras go, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 48MP main camera with a larger sensor than that found on the standard iPhone 15 models, and it provides improved low-light performance and the ability to shoot higher resolution photos at different focal lengths. There’s also a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom capabilities, which is the most on any iPhone yet. The entire rear array can also capture spatial video, which Apple is billing as a perk for those who want to get the Vision Pro when it becomes available next year.

The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on Apple’s latest A17 Pro chipset, a new GPU and a dedicated USB controller that’s not present on the standard models. The new GPU is noteworthy for its six-core design and hardware-accelerated ray-tracing capabilities, both of which should improve overall gaming experiences on the new iPhones.

Apple Watch Series 9

If you were expecting a lot of changes on the latest Apple Watch, you’ll unfortunately be disappointed. The new Apple Watch Series 9 is almost identical to last year’s version, but it runs on a new S9 SiP, which is the biggest chipset upgrade for Apple’s wearable since 2020. It will provide a general performance boost and things like smoother watchOS 10 animations and quicker Siri request processing. The Series 9 also has a new four-core neural engine that should help process machine learning tasks more quickly, and enable new features like the Double Tap gesture. The Watch will also be able to ping your iPhone and help you find it with on-screen directions and haptic feedback (aka Precision Finding) thanks to the new, built-in ultra wideband chip.

Otherwise, the Series 9 will be available in the familiar sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and come in pink, starlight, silver, midnight and Product Red aluminum case colors.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Similarly to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra got an incremental update for 2023. The new model runs on the updated S9 SiP and features all of the perks of the Series 9, including on-device Siri command processing and Precision Finding for iPhone with the new, built-in ultra wideband chip. The externals are mostly the same, but Apple changed the display architecture here so the Ultra 2’s screen can hit up to 3,000 nits of brightness. That should make it even easier to view watch faces, complications and more in direct sunlight.

Otherwise, the Ultra 2 is the same GPS + Cellular, 49mm wearable as it was last year, with the biggest screen on any Apple Watch and the longest battery life of any Apple wearable too.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C

Apple didn’t spend much time talking about the newest version of its Pro earbuds, probably because the major upgrade here is USB-C. The new AirPods Pro have a charging case that now features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, following the iPhones as another Apple gadget to ditch Lightning entirely. On top of the new connector, the upgraded earbuds will have improved dust resistance and lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-pre-order-the-new-iphone-15-182250679.html?src=rss 

Apple held its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, dubbed “Wonderlust” for 2023. Alongside the new iPhone 15 and next generation Apple Watch, the company announced that iOS 17, which the new generation of devices will use, will be available as a free software update on Monday, September 18. 

The public preview for iOS 17 has been available for download since June and has already shown off a number of design refinements including user-definable outgoing call screens so you can pick what people see when you call them and an option to send incoming calls to voicemail and read a transcription of them instead. Users will also be able to send quick voice or video messages if someone doesn’t pick up their Facetime calls as well as mute/unmute themselves through their AirPods. The system’s spellcheck has also been improved for fewer “ducking” autocorrects.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-17-will-be-available-as-a-free-update-on-september-18-183529945.html?src=rss 

The iPhone 15 Pro is getting a performance boost thanks to a new chipset. That’s not too much of a surprise since Apple upgrades its phones’ components every year. One thing we didn’t expect, however, is the games that the A17 Pro will be able to support. 

Apple said during its iPhone event that Resident Evil Village, this year’s Resident Evil 4 remake, Death Stranding and the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Mirage are all coming to its mobile devices soon. As Apple notes, this will be the first time that a console-level Assassin’s Creed game will be available natively on iPhone. Expect to see Mirage on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in the first half of next year. The other three games will be available on the devices by the end of 2023.

Apple seems to be making a bit more of a push into games lately, after bringingRE Village and No Man’s Sky to Mac last year, followed by Death Stranding. Whether folks will be willing to play (or pay full price for) major titles like these on iPhone is a different matter. The fact Apple is getting major publishers like Capcom and Ubisoft onboard for its gaming endeavors is certainly notable, though, especially as we look toward the debut of the Apple Vision Pro.

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/assassins-creed-mirage-death-stranding-and-resident-evil-village-are-coming-to-iphone-15-pro-183325896.html?src=rss 

It’s September, which means the air is thick with the promise of fall, school is back in session, and Apple just revealed a new Apple Watch. This year, the company is showing off the Apple Watch Series 9. The Series 9 features a new processor, the S9 chip, and a quad-core neural engine, which promises 18-hour battery life and overall performance boosts. On the software side, watchOS 10 is poised to be the biggest UI overhaul in Apple Watch history, with a renewed focus on widgets, and a slew of app and input updates.

The new neural engine enables offline Siri access, which means you won’t need your iPhone nearby to interact with Apple’s digital assistant on the Series 9. The engine also processes AI tasks twice as fast as the previous iteration, and it powers new gestures. The Series 9 has a 30 percent faster GPU, and it uses a new, second-generation ultra wideband chip that unlocks precise object location for other UWB devices.

With watchOS 10, Apple is returning to its wearable roots. The original Apple Watch UI revolved around Glances, which offered a carousel of widgets and other features, but the company eventually transitioned to an app-first UI. WatchOS 10 puts widgets front-and-center once more, in a style similar to the existing Siri watch face. Rotating the digital crown opens a smart stack of widgets, and apps like timers, stopwatches and podcast players will populate as widgets when they’re in use.

Other watchOS 10 upgrades include the ability to view FaceTime video messages and join Group FaceTime audio, track power and heart rate data during cycling sessions, and update your emotional state in the Mindfulness app using the digital crown. The software update also adds useful features to the Compass app, including a pin that will automatically drop near the last place you had cellular connection, which will be particularly useful while hiking and camping. Physical controls are changing with watchOS 10, too — press the side button to open the Control Center and double-press the digital crown to see recently used apps.

Of course, you won’t need a shiny new Series 9 to take advantage of these new features. The watchOS 10 update will be available on Apple Watch Series 4 and later models.

The Apple Watch hasn’t seen a significant design update in years, with incremental hardware and software changes in each new model since the Series 6 in 2020. This makes the S9 processor upgrade in the Series 9 notable. Bundle that with the rollout of watchOS 10, and it’s a mildly exciting year for Apple Watch wearers.

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-watch-series-9-can-handle-siri-requests-without-your-iphone-171920001.html?src=rss 

Apple has spent a significant amount of its keynote today talking about its environmental bonafides, and part of that is the fact that it will no longer sell leather accessories, including things like iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands. The company noted that while leather is popular for things like watch straps, it has a serious impact on the environment, particularly at Apple’s scale. 

Instead, Apple is introducing a new product called FineWoven that’ll replace its leather straps. Visually, they do look quite similar to the leather bands it used to sell — the leather loop and “modern buckle” styles will still be available, just in this new FineWoven material. We haven’t gotten to the iPhone yet, but presumably we’ll hear about FineWoven cases for that device as well. 

Apple has long had a partnership for the Apple Watch with Hermès, a company known for high-end fashion products including a wide variety of leather products. The collaboration will continue, but Hermès straps won’t be leather going forward either. It looks like they’ll be made of custom Hermès canvas, rubber and other textiles. 

Developing…

Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-removing-leather-from-all-its-products-for-environmental-reasons-173559661.html?src=rss 

Apple added a new gesture to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 that the company believes will change how you use your wearable. Double Tap lest you control various system functions by tapping your thumb and index finger together twice in quick succession — no need to touch the display or free up your other hand.

The company gave several examples of the feature in action. You can use Double Tap to answer or end calls, snooze alarms, play / pause music or start and stop timers. Apple COO Jeff Williams said it’s especially useful for times when your other hand isn’t free, like when walking a dog or carrying groceries.

Williams added that you can use Double Tap to call up the Smart Stack, watchOS 10’s new scrollable series of widgets you can also reach by twisting the Digital Crown from your watch face.

Apple says Double Tap requires the faster Neural Engine S9 SIP, so older models won’t be able to use it. The S9 will be found in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, both of which debut next month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/double-tap-adds-versatile-gesture-control-to-the-apple-watch-series-9-and-apple-watch-ultra-2-173610798.html?src=rss