Apple’s California Streaming event kicked off on Tuesday, September 14 from Apple Park and featured the launch of the iPhone 13, the next generation of the iPad, and the Apple Watch Series 7. While we didn’t see the announcement of the AirPods 3, Apple announced a plethora of new lines for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Keep reading for the details.
What was announced:
iPad and iPad Mini
Apple announced its next generation of iPad today. You can expect an A13 bionic chip boasting a 20% higher performance than its predecessor that makes it up to three times faster than Chromebooks. In addition, iPad OS 15 will be implemented into this iPad, helping to deliver stronger camera options for both the front- and rear-facing cameras, which will feature Center Stage technology. Apple has also implemented True Tone, which allows for automatic adjustment for the light in the room so your eyes will feel less tired after long bouts of use. It was also announced that it will work smoothly with the Apple Pencil and Apple keyboards for note-taking and drawing.
For $329 ($299 for educators), you can expect 64GB of storage and all-day battery life. It will be available next week.
Also announced was the iPad Mini. It will come in starlight, purple, pink, and space gray, with a liquid retina display that expands to an 8.3-inch screen. It also comes with up to 80% higher GPU performance and up to 40% higher CPU performance. TouchID is integrated into the power button for extra security.
The camera comes with 12MP camera lenses in the ultrawide front- and rear-facing cameras. It features the ability to film in 4K and an improved speaker system for filming and listening on the go. It also comes with 5G capabilities and a USB-C port, and works with the second-generation Apple Pencil, which can attach magnetically to the side of the device.
The iPad Mini will cost $499 and comes in Wi-Fi and cellular configurations. It will be available next week.
The Apple Watch Series 7
The Apple Watch Series 7 was announced, replacing the Apple Watch Series 6 as Apple’s top smartwatch for 2021 and into 2022. Featuring Watch iOS8, the Watch comes with improved cycling updates and more accurate fitness tracking. You can expect ECG and blood oxygen tracking features. The new retina display shows another 20% increase in screen area, and the borders are 40% thinner and just over 1mm in size.
The case and the display have been smoothed out and show a seamless integration into the watch. The display offers 70% brightness increases, so you don’t have to struggle to see the time. The screen can fit up to 50% more text on the screen, and will have new keyboard options for typing out texts. A new modular face will allow users to customize the interface.
In terms of durability, the front crystal is stronger and more robust, and it will boast dust-resistant IP6 certification and WR50 water resistance. You can expect 18 hours of battery life and charging that is 33% faster than its predecessor. Just 45 minutes will provide hours of battery life.
The watch will come in a plethora of colors: Midnight, starlight, green, blue, product red, silver, black, and titanium. There will also be leather options. To offset the environmental impact, Apple will use 100% recycled materials in the watch’s composition.
The Series 7 will be available later this fall for $399.
Apple Fitness+
In conjunction with the Watch, Fitness+ will feature a plethora of different options for building your exercise routine. It’s currently available in six countries with an expansion into 15 more coming later this fall.
Pilates is also being added to Fitness+, along with Guided Meditations for an immersive video experience. The same meditations will also be available in audio form so you can meditate from your Watch Series 7.
Apple also announced a shared experiences app, Fitness+ Group Workouts with Shareplay. While the metrics will be on your screen, you will be able to work out with up to 32 of your friends.
The first high-refresh-rate iPhone 13
To the surprise of no one, Apple launched its iPhone 13 during the September 14 event. The iPhone 12 launched to great success last year, going on to sell over 100 million units at a time when competitors like Samsung were struggling with their equivalent flagships. Apple hopes to repeat that success with the iPhone 13.
The design is comprised of an aluminum frame coming in five colors: Pink, midnight, starlight, product red, and gray. Upcycled plastic water bottles serve as the exterior shell, which sports IP68 water resistance and a highly sturdy ceramic glass display.
Apple is slimming it down and beefing up the battery to create a phone that looks better and lasts longer. The A14 Bionic chip will be replaced by a more powerful A15, which is 50% faster than any other phone on the market. Fifteen-billion transistors will also make sure the iPhone 13 runs faster than its competitors’. A four-core GPU will enable gaming with up to 30% faster graphics. The device will launch on iOS 15 and feature 5G in over 60 countries.
The iPhone 13’s more subtle changes are in its display and camera. Apple incorporated a 120Hz refresh rate into the 1200-nit OLED display of the iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13, making them the first high-refresh panels. Cinematic Mode and Rack focus are also coming to the iPhone 13, so you can shoot high-quality films with easy focus shifting on the subjects.
The bigger batteries could also help offset some of the potential battery drain from the smoother displays. You can expect up to 2.5 hours longer usage on the iPhone 13 and 1.5 more hours per day on the iPhone 13 Mini. Smart Data Mode will conserve battery life to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed, increasing the battery life.
Siri’s audio requests will not leave your phone, and new security features will prevent your data from reaching third-party companies. MagSafe will also be incorporated into the 13 line. With MagSafe, you can also use your phone to help locate your wallet.
As with the iPhone 12, Apple will launch the phone in two versions — the $799 iPhone 13 and the $699 iPhone 13 Mini. Storage starts at 128 GB, with optional increases to 512GB.
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 13 Pro’s shell comes in four colors: Graphite, gold, silver, and a new sierra blue. A newly designed front features a camera that’s 20% smaller. The ceramic shield on the front is industry-leading and offers IP68 water resistance. A stainless steel trim on the back surrounds three new cameras.
This phone also is joined by the Pro 13 Max, and both boast Apple’s own A15 Bionic chip with two high-performance cores and four new high-efficiency cores for up to 50% faster graphics. The custom display engine offers a Super Retina XDR display a claimed 20% improvement and refreshes as fast as 120Hz. The smart chip adapts the frame rate to match the speed of the user for optimal surfing and gameplay.
You can expect 6.1-inch and a 6.7-inch size for the Pro and the Pro Max, respectively. A 77mm telephoto lens, f1.8 ultra-wide camera lens, and a solid f1.5 aperture wide lens will offer a wide range of available photoshoot options. Macrophotography will also be featured on the cameras for a detailed close-up of up to 2 centimeters.
In terms of the video capabilities, Apple said these phones are its the strongest yet, and users will be able to alter the focus and bokeh of the camera lens after shooting. Macro Slow-Mode option is another feature that will be available on this line of iPhone. On top of these features, you can also expect 4K filming at 30 frames per second in the ProRes feature.
While the specs weren’t discussed, the battery will last up to 2.5 hours longer in the Pro Max and 1.5 hours in the Pro. If you need a larger storage option, the Pro line will feature up to 1TB of storage, joining the 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options. The iPhone 13 Pro will cost $999 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max will cost $1,099. You can pre-order starting Friday, September 17, and they’ll be available on September 24.
