On September 9, 2024, Apple introduced new products under the motto "It's Glowtime". The term "Glow" alludes to the visual representation of the Siri interface and the introduction of Apple Intelligence. In the future, Siri will display a glowing ring of light around the edge of the screen on the new iPhone 16 series when it is activated. Although Apple Intelligence is impressive at first glance, many users will be disappointed that the functions are not fully available immediately - especially for users in Germany.
In addition to the iPhone 16 series, Apple also launched the Apple Watch Series 10, the new AirPods 4 and introduced innovations to the AirPods Max and the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
In this article we summarize the most important information and show you what you can look forward to.
Apple Watch Series 10
The new Apple Watch was launched with the largest display It is said to be up to 30% larger and almost 10% thinner than its predecessors. The Apple Watch is powered by the new S10 chip, which has a new Neural Engine with four cores. This leads to a longer battery life and improved performance, which is particularly important for the new health features. These include the sleep apnea detection, which detects breathing disorders during sleep thanks to an improved algorithm and alerts you accordingly. There is also good news for all water sports enthusiasts. The new depth indicator, water temperature sensor and Tides app for tides make the Apple Watch Series 10 particularly interesting for those who enjoy swimming, snorkeling or other water sports. Last but not least, the Apple Watch 10 with improved fast charging The smartwatch charges to a good 80% in 30 minutes. If you are considering whether it is worth buying the Apple Watch 10, you can find out more in our buying guide Find out more about the new smartwatch.
AirPods 4
The new AirPods 4 are now finally available with the noise cancellation available for a surcharge of around €50. However, the AirPods 4 retain their open design, which means that unlike the AirPods Pro, they are inserted directly into the ear without a silicone attachment. Significant improvements can be found in the interaction with Siri. You can respond to Siri's requests by nodding or shaking your head. Also interesting is the new Conversation Awareness, which automatically reduces the volume of the music or video as soon as the wearer starts speaking. This allows the user to hear their own voice and ambient noise better without having to remove the AirPods. Last but not least, the charging case is now also equipped with a USB-C connection and continues to support the wireless charging. Whether the AirPods 4 are for you or whether another model suits you better, you can find out in our AirPods Standard Series Buying Guide read it.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
The new iPhones have a 6.1-inch (iPhone 16) or a 6.7-inch (iPhone 16 Pro) OLED display, just like the previous model iPhone 15 or 15 Plus. Nothing has changed in terms of brightness either. Just like its predecessor, the iPhone 16 (Plus) offers brightness between 1 and 2000 nits.However, the iPhone 16 has a new microlens technology, which means that energy consumption does not increase significantly even at high brightness. This means the display consumes less power. The new A18 chip also delivers 30% faster performance than the A16 chip in the iPhone 15 and 50% faster performance than the A15 chip in the iPhone 14 and 13. The 48 MP camera is equipped with a better low-light performance which means that better photos and videos can now be taken even in low light. Also worth mentioning are the Camera Control button and the new one Action Button. Find out what else the iPhone 16 has to offer and whether it is worth buying for you in our buying guide.
iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
Unlike the standard iPhone 16 series, the display of the Pro series has been slightly enlarged. The iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch and the iPhone 16 Pro Max a 6.9-inch display. A18 Pro chip inside the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max provides a 15% faster CPU and a 20% faster GPU compared to the predecessor. The Pro series is equipped with a 48 MP main camera, one 48 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and one 5x optical zoom. It also supports 4K video recordings at 120 fpsIn terms of battery life, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is expected to best runtime an iPhone. Everything else that is important, you can find out here in our buying guide.
Apple Intelligence
With the upcoming updates to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple Intelligence will be available for compatible devices next month. These are the iPhone 16 series, the iPhone 15 Pro series and all iPads and Macs with M1 processors or newer. However, Apple Intelligence will initially only be available to a limited extent. From December 2024, availability will expand to other English-speaking countries such as Australia and Canada, with support for Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish only following in 2025. The function will not be available in Germany for the time being. It is also striking that an incomplete beta version is being released first. Unlike Google's competition with its latest Google Pixel 9 The new iPhone will not receive the complete AI package, but only parts of it. Functions such as the generation of images and emojis as well as the ability to include the screen content in Siri requests will therefore have to wait some time.
AirPods Max and Apple Watch Ultra 2
At the Apple Event, Apple announced some updates to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the AirPods Max. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a new design: a satin black color option and an elegant titanium Milanese bracelet. There is also an exclusive Hermès editionHowever, no major technical upgrades were made.
Even with the AirPods Max, you will look in vain for technical upgrades. At most, the USB-C port, which now contributes to the standardization of Apple's charging ports, could be interesting.The AirPods Max now also come with new colors (Midnight, Blue, Purple, Orange and Starlight) and a personalized spatial audio, but there were no further changes.
Conclusion
The Apple event on September 9, 2024, under the motto "It's Glowtime," brought some exciting innovations, although the expected major technical updates were missing for a few products. The focus was particularly on the new Apple Intelligence, which, disappointingly, will initially be incomplete and not available in all countries. Users in Germany in particular will be disappointed, as most functions will not be available here for an indefinite period of time. It remains to be seen how and when Apple will fix these limitations - we remain excited about the next developments.
The new products at a glance:
Apple Watch Series 10
- Larger display (up to 30% larger)
- Thinner design (almost 10% thinner)
- Powerful S10 chip with Neural Engine
- Improved health features (sleep apnea detection)
- New water sports functions (depth indicator, water temperature sensor, Tides app)
- Improved fast charging function (80% in 30 minutes)
AirPods 4
- Noise cancellation (optional for an additional charge)
- USB-C charging case
- Open design (without silicone attachment)
- Innovative Siri interaction (via head movement)
- Conversation Awareness (automatic reduction of volume during conversations)
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
- 6.1-inch (iPhone 16) and 6.7-inch (iPhone 16 Plus) OLED display
- microlens technology for better energy efficiency
- A18 chip (30% faster performance than A16, 50% faster than A15)
- 48 MP camera with improved low-light performance
- Camera Control button and new Action Button
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
- 6.3-inch (iPhone 16 Pro) and 6.9-inch (iPhone 16 Pro Max) OLED display
- A18 Pro chip (15% faster CPU, 20% faster GPU than predecessor)
- 48 MP main camera, 48 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, 5x optical zoom
- 4K video recordings at 120 fps
- Best battery life of an iPhone (iPhone 16 Pro Max)
Apple Intelligence
- Available from iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1
- Initially incomplete beta version
- Not available in Germany until 2025
AirPods Max and Apple Watch Ultra 2
- New colors for AirPods Max (Midnight, Blue, Purple, Orange, Starlight)
- USB-C port on the AirPods Max
- New color option for Apple Watch Ultra 2 (Satin Black) and exclusive Hermès edition
