The Apple Store is down, ahead of iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max preorders going live. (Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4 are already available to order.)
If you are looking to buy Apple’s shiny new gadgets, start refreshing the Apple Store at 5 AM PT, or in about six hours time. All the new iPhones, Watches and AirPods ship to customers beginning September 20.
Apple is relying on aggressive marketing of Apple Intelligence features to help convince people to order the new iPhone 16 lineup, even though no Apple Intelligence features will be available at launch. The first features will be available starting with iOS 18.1 next month. All iPhone 16 models support Apple Intelligence.
Outside of AI, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max features larger screens, with thinner borders. There’s a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a new Camera Control button on the side of the phone. This allows for direct photo and video capture. The button is also capacitive and can be swiped to adjust camera settings, like zoom.
The base iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus also have the Camera Control, as well as the Action button which is no longer exclusive to the Pro phones. Across all models, Apple is promising a big boost to iPhone 16 battery life, compared to the previous generation, and durability thanks to a second-generation Ceramic Shield cover glass for the display.
The iPhone 16 comes in a new lineup of eye-catching colors; ultra-marine, teal, pink, white and black. The Pro phones also have updated colors (including a new bead-blasted titanium finish), with Desert Titanium being the brand new color option this year. iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 start at the same prices as last year’s phones, for the same storage configurations.
The Apple Watch Series 10 represents a big update to the Watch ever. The Series 10 has a new thinner chassis design, with a bigger screen that rivals that of the Ultra. The display features better off-axis viewing, and can now update once in a second in the power efficient always-on mode; that means a ticking second hand will now remain visible when your wrist is down. The Watch also gets enhancements like faster charging, a more capable speaker app, and a depth gauge. Starting with a software update coming soon, the Series 10 will also be able to detect signs of sleep apnea (this is also coming to Series 9 and Ultra 2).
The Series 10 aluminium watch lineup include a very stylish new Jet Black color option, and on the higher end, titanium replaces stainless steel. However, the new titanium watches use a new finish, so they retain the eye-catching mirror-like shine. Series 10 is available in two new sizes, which are both physically larger than the Series 9 size options. The 42 mm Series 10 starts at $399, and the 46 mm starts at $429.
The big update for AirPods 4 is the addition of Active Noise Cancellation, without needing in-ear tips. AirPods 4 also include upgraded drivers for better sound quality, and a new charging case. The AirPods 4 also bring the price down of Apple’s non-Pro earbuds, now starting at $129. The ANC model is $50 extra.
We’ll see how quickly everything sells out, if at all, when the Apple Store reopens for business at 5 AM Pacific Time.
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