It is that time of the year again: as major Apple keynote event, which revealed some big products, like the new iPhone 13. We've broken down the most notable takeaways from the digital event in real-time below.
As usual, Apple was incredibly tight-lipped prior to the event, which can be rewatched below. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Apple has streamed virtual keynote presentations from the Apple Park campus, with CEO Tim Cook, other key Apple staff, and the occasional celebrity appearance.
First up: the iPad is getting a revamp, with iPadOS 15, a new bigger camera, and loads of new tech, including functionality borrowed from iPad Pro, like Center Stage. The new ninth-gen iPad also has more storage, too, up to 256GB.
Similarly, iPad Mini is getting boosted hardware to better handle everything from gaming to machine learning. Both now feature 12mp cameras and upgraded audio tech, like fuller-sounding speakers. Both new iPads are available immediately.
Apple Watch came next. There's a new Apple Watch Series 7, which features a screen that's 20%~ wider than Series 6, with thinner borders to maximize the screen. The dimensions are mostly the same, though the case and display have been rounded further. Available in autumn for $399, the Series 7 timepieces are brighter and more durable, too, and can be upgraded with a new Hermès watchband.
Watch OS8 is powering it inside, sporting some new cyclist-friendly tracking tech that can even sense falls. Apple doubled down on the Watch's health and lifestyle components, diving deep into its workout capabilities.
Then, the new iPhone. Unsurprisingly, iPhone 13 ($799) and iPhone 13 mini ($699) look like most of Apple's other new phones, with a super sleek facade, jazzy new colors, and over a dozen cases in silicone and leather alike. They're higher-def, brighter, aligned with 5G, more efficient, and packed with 128 gigabytes of storage.
The core iPhone 13 will be available in five new vivid colors, from red to pink to blue, with flat-edged, water-resistant, and "incredibly durable" screens. They also boast diagonally-arranged cameras on the rear and a souped-up front-facing camera that takes up less space than prior devices.
"Frankly the competition is still playing catch-up to our chips," Apple's spokeswoman said. Big talk but Apple stands by its claim with new A15 Bionic hardware, which grants Apple devices enhanced machine learning, 8-core CPU, and "faster [processing] than the competition."
Larger 1.7-micron pixel cameras take in less noise and more color, with the 12mp "ultra-wide" lenses soaking in maximum texture and color.
Auto-identifying rack focus informs Apple iPhone 13's new Cinematic Mode, allowing for stunningly high-end videos. Not to get too dramatic, or anything, but the film-quality DolbyVision digital videos that Apple showcased in its presentation look pretty remarkable — hard to believe it was all captured by smartphones.
With faster chips, elevated screens, and souped-up cameras, you'd think iPhone 13's batteries might give out sooner, huh? Not so: expect an hour and a half to two hour extra battery life on iPhone 13 mini and regular, respectively, when compared to iPhone 12.
Apple also reiterated heightened privacy concerns on iPhone, from Siri security to Face ID to anti-IP-tracking services.
That's not all, though: Apple debuted iPhone 13 Pro ($999) and Pro Max ($1,099), its new top-of-the-line smartphones.
It's "our most Pro design," Apple said, evidencing this by starting with the bespoke vapor-treated steel bands that wrap the device. iPhone 13 Pro will be available in graphite, gold, silver, or sierra blue.
Again, the phone is tough, water-resistant, and rich in power. A15 Bionic also powers the Pro, with "our most [powerful] 5-core GPU."
iPhone 13 Pro has the "fastest... performance of any smartphone," Apple said. It also has the "longest battery life ever in an iPhone." Inside, the phones boast storage ranging from 128 GB to a whopping terabyte.
The Pro's Super Retina XDR display is brighter than ever and more responsive than any other smartphone, thanks to Apple's ProMotion tech. Pro also boasts crazy Ultra-Wide lens tech that allows for heightened apertures and exquisite details for macro photography — this is why it also has a rear third lens.
No slouch in the video department either, the iPhone 13 Pro has director Kathryn Ann Bigelow's (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) seal of approval. With its dynamic depth of field and 3x telephoto capabilities, the smartphone is comparable to "professional film cameras," said cinematographer Greig Fraser.
The entire selection of iPhone 13s can be pre-ordered from September 17 and they launch September 24.
Third-generation AirPods were also expected to get an update at this live event, but no dice. Same for iOS 15 and the macOS Monterey. Maybe next time, but for now there's plenty of Apple news to salivate over.
