Yesterday Apple made their big annual fall announcement. Every September they announce the specifics of this year’s iPhone, as well as the finalization of this year’s version of iOS. Both of which typically get released to the public the following week. There are usually a few other announcements sprinkled in there, too.
Not part of the announcements but related, the major U.S. cellular carriers are offering very enticing offers to upgrade, so you’re probably better off choosing one of those instead of Apple’s trade-in offer. For example, with T-Mobile’s offer you can trade in an iPhone 12 Pro for $999 making the new iPhone 14 Pro free (plus taxes). You can get the carrier deals direct from the carrier or through Apple’s website.
If you want to view the entire hour-and-a-half event here is the video. Or scroll down to read my quick recap or watch the short promo videos for each new release.
As always, here is my concise rundown: what, when, and how much. Plenty of other bloggers are going into the specifics of new features and reactions, but here are the basic details.
iPhone 14 / iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 from $799, deliveries begin September 16
iPhone 14 Plus from $899, deliveries begin October 7
Preorders begin September 9 at 5am Pacific (8am Eastern), prepare your preorder now
In the past, there was a standard-sized iPhone and a mini. If you wanted a large screen you had to buy the Pro. Now the iPhone mini has been dropped and the sizes mirror the Pro lineup.
The most significant upgrades this year are related to the camera. Including an improved auto-focus for the front camera, significantly better low light performance and quality, and Action Mode for improved image stabilization on videos.
Also introduced is Emergency SOS via Satellite (coming November), which allows you to text with emergency services even when you do not have cellular service and to continue to share your location via Find My. This is a subscription service which will be free for two years. Though pricing has not been announced.
Crash Detection will call emergency services automatically when your phone detects that you were involved in a car crash.
Battery life has been improved by an hour over the iPhone 13 model.
US models will not have a SIM tray, requiring the use of eSIM, which all major US carriers have supported for several years.
It is worth noting iPhone 14 is powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the same chip used in iPhone 13. However, the new A15 does have a slightly better GPU and most non-pro users probably weren’t fully utilizing the A15 anyway. And the target customer is not people with an iPhone 13 already.
iPhone 14 Pro / iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro from $999
iPhone 14 Pro Max from $1,099
Orders begin September 9 at 5am Pacific (8am Eastern), prepare your preorder now
Deliveries begin September 16
In addition to all of the features of the iPhone 14, the Pro line also includes the Dynamic Island, Always-on display, and 48-megapixel camera.
The Dynamic Island is the replacement for the notch. It’s significantly smaller and blends in with the notification system and with the new Activities feature so you can continue to monitor sports scores or your Uber arrival while using other apps.
The Always-on display uses the same technology as Apple Watch so that you can see the time, widgets, and activities without touching your iPhone.
The 48-megapixel camera (up from 12!) allows for amazingly clear photos, better low light photos, more optical telephoto options and true 48-megapixel photos when using ProRAW.
AirPods Pro 2
$249, deliveries begin September 23 with free Memoji engraving
Orders begin September 9 at 5am Pacific (8am Eastern)
The new AirPods Pro 2 utilizes the new H2 chip and better sensor placement for twice as good noise cancellation, and for Adaptive Transparency which can dynamically reduce high decibel noises. In addition to touch controls there is now swipe sensing for adjusting volume. And battery life is extended by 33%.
The case itself has several new features. The case battery offers six additional hours. Find My can use precision finding to locate your case. The case has a built-in speaker for locating and for charing notifications. It has a loop to attach a lanyard. And you can now charge using your Apple Watch charger.
Apple Watch Series 8
GPS from $399
Cellular+GPS from $499
Available September 16, available to order now
apple.com/apple-watch-series-8
This is a minor update over the Series 7. There are, however, two new major features. Crash Detection can automatically connect you with emergency services when it detects the wearer has been involved in a car crash. And the temperature sensor can be used to monitor deviations from your baseline temperature. This is being touted as a major feature for women’s health because body temperature is very useful for tracking ovulation.
Apple Watch SE
GPS $249
Cellular+GPS $299
Available September 16, available to order now
The second-generation Apple Watch SE is 20% faster than its predecessor and includes Crash Detection. Not a lot to report here, but its a small but welcome upgrade for their basic Apple Watch. The model with cellular is perfect for children who are not yet ready for a full smartphone.
Apple Watch Ultra
$799, deliveries begins September 23
Available to order now
This is an entirely new product line, offering incredible Apple Watch features to serious athletes. The flat screen is surrounded by a titanium case, offering better protection than the curved glass. The customizable Action button and larger crown make it easier to control while wearing gloves. Increased volume and advanced microphone array allow better cellular use in outdoor conditions. 36 hour battery life. L5 GPS allows more accurate location even around skyscrapers. Hike backtracking automatically turns on when it detects that you have left the road. Double the water resistance of the standard Watch allows you to use it as a diving computer. All models include cellular connectivity.
iOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16
apple.com/ios/ios-16
apple.com/watchos/watchos-9
Will be released on September 12. Typically the release is at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern. In general, it’s safe to upgrade pretty much right away. Usually if there are huge problems they are discovered within hours.
iPadOS 16, macOS 13 Ventura
apple.com/macos/macos-ventura-preview
apple.com/ipados/ipados-16-preview
Will be released in October. In general, I recommend waiting until Thanksgiving or the new year to install macOS upgrades unless there is a need-to-have feature.
Miscellaneous
- iPhone 13 Mini reduced to $599
- iOS 15.7 and macOS 12.6 to be released soon, probably next week
- AppleCare+ now allows unlimited repairs, not just two
- Apple Watch Series 3 discontinued
- Apple Fitness+ to no longer require Apple Watch beginning this fall
- Lots of new Watch bands and cases released
- Larger sized Watch bands are compatible with Apple Watch Ultra
- International roaming on Watch Series 5 and later coming soon