September typically brings crisper weather and new iPhones, and this year is no different. Apple unveiled the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro today, and as rumors suggested, the company has finally done away with its storied Lightning port in favor of a USB-C connector. While iPhone 15 models now support the Dynamic Island and come in fun colors, the iPhone 15 Pro handsets sport titanium designs and the new A17 Pro processor. Apple also revealed the latest models of its wearable, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, both of which sport an upgraded chipset for better performance. Here's everything you need to know about how to pre-order the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, along with everything else Apple announced today.

Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

The latest iteration of the iPhone looks much the same as the previous model, with the biggest difference being the new USB-C charging port on its bottom edge that replaces the age-old Lightning socket. The USB-C ports support charging and data transfer, and practically, they allow users to power up most of their Apple devices — think MacBooks, iPads and now iPhone — using the same cable.

Another new feature for the base iPhones is Dynamic Island, which was previous only available on the Pro handsets. The floating black-pill section at the top of the iPhones' displays hides the front-facing camera and the FaceID sensor, while also showing things like alerts and animations unique to apps you're using.

Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have the same screen sizes as their predecessors: 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively, and they both have Super Retina XDR displays that can reach up to 2,000 nits of brightness. The revamped camera array includes a 48-megapixel main rear camera with a 12MP telephoto lens, plus a TrueDepth front camera. Both models run on Apple's A16 Bionic chipset, the same found in last year's iPhone 14 series, and will support an all-day battery life.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

As with the standard models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max handsets eschew Lightning in favor of USB-C charging ports. But new for the Pro models only is a titanium design that makes both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max much lighter than their predecessors. Apple claims it managed to shrink the overall dimensions of both handsets without affecting screen size; you'll find a 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro and a 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Another noticeable design change is the new Action button that replaces the side mute toggle switch. Apple essentially made it a more customizable tool on the iPhone, allowing users to pick the action they want associated with a button press. Muting the iPhone remains an option, but you can change it so a button press allow you to quick access to your phone's camera, flashlight, accessibility tools and more.

As far as cameras go, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 48-megapixel main camera with a larger sensor than that found on the standard iPhone 15 models, and it provides improved low-light performance and the ability to shoot higher resolution photos at different focal lengths. There's also a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom capabilities, which is the most on any iPhone yet. The entire rear array can also capture spatial video, which Apple is billing as a perk for those who want to get the Vision Pro when it becomes available next year.

The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on Apple's latest A17 Pro chipset, a new GPU and a dedicated USB controller that's not present on the standard models. The new GPU is noteworthy for its six-core design and hardware-accelerated ray-tracing capabilities, both of which should improve overall gaming experiences on the new iPhones.

Apple Watch Series 9

If you were expecting a lot of changes on the latest Apple Watch, you'll unfortunately be disappointed. The new Apple Watch Series 9 is almost identical to last year's version, but it runs on a new S9 SiP, which is the biggest chipset upgrade for Apple's wearable since 2020. It will provide a general performance boost and things like smoother watchOS 10 animations and quicker Siri request processing. The Series 9 also has a new four-core neural engine that should help process machine learning tasks more quickly, and enable new features like the Double Tap gesture. The Watch will also be able to ping your iPhone and help you find it with on-screen directions and haptic feedback (aka Precision Finding) thanks to the new, built-in ultra wideband chip.

Otherwise, the Series 9 will be available in the familiar sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and come in pink, starlight, silver, midnight and Product Red aluminum case colors.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Similarly to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra got an incremental update for 2023. The new model runs on the updated S9 SiP and features all of the perks of the Series 9, including on-device Siri command processing and Precision Finding for iPhone with the new, built-in ultra wideband chip. The externals are mostly the same, but Apple changed the display architecture here so the Ultra 2's screen can hit up to 3,000 nits of brightness. That should make it even easier to view watch faces, complications and more in direct sunlight.

Otherwise, the Ultra 2 is the same GPS + Cellular, 49mm wearable as it was last year, with the biggest screen on any Apple Watch and the longest battery life of any Apple wearable too.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C

Apple didn't spend much time talking about the newest version of its Pro earbuds, probably because the major upgrade here is USB-C. The new AirPods Pro have a charging case that now features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, following the iPhones as another Apple gadget to ditch Lightning entirely. On top of the new connector, the upgraded earbuds will have improved dust resistance and lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro.

Farewell Lightning cable. I will miss you when I inevitably get rid of all my cables, only to forget my MacBook wireless keyboard and trackpad still need you. Yes, the iPhone is going USB-C for 2023. That’s true across the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And AirPods Pro.

Apple

Apple hasn’t changed the screen sizes of this year’s iPhones. The base iPhone 15 and the Pro have 6.1-inch displays, while the Plus and Pro Max have 6.7-inch screens. All the 2023 family now get the dynamic island display cutout that debuted on last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 15 hardware has an all-new design with rounded edges. Apple has introduced a new camera system to the iPhone 15, which includes a 48MP main camera, but the most impressive imaging upgrades are just for the Pro phones.

Touching on the most-specced out device, thePro Max differentiates itself with some heady camera upgrades I’m very excited to try. You’ll get a 5x telephoto zoom lens with a 120mm focal length equivalent — a substantial jump from 3x zoom of the iPhone 15 Pro (and last year’s models). Apparently, this was achieved withtetraprisms.

On the side of the iPhone 15 Pro, there’s a new Action button that replaces the old Mute switch. This allows users to quickly access features like the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos and more. You can also configure it to activate your own shortcuts, with a new press-and-hold gesture, featuring haptic feedback and visual cues from the Dynamic Island, to ensure you know when a command goes through.

Both Pro phones will get a newA17 Pro chip, capable of ray tracing graphics, and Apple is teasing that AAA games, like Death Stranding, Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage (more on that one below), will come to the iPhone 15, running natively.

We’ve got more highlights from the event below.

— Mat Smith

You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

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The S9 chip and neural engine provide more power and longer battery life.

Engadget

Apple revealedtwo new watches this year. The Series 9 features overall performance boosts and a new processor, the S9 chip, which promises 18-hour battery life. Apple has also added a gesture to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2:Double Tap. This lets you control various system functions by tapping your thumb and index finger together twice quickly. You can use Double Tap to answer or end calls, snooze alarms, play / pause music or start and stop timers.

The hardware might not be entirely game-changing, but the software is shaping up to offer a more usable interface than ever before, at least according to my time so far with the beta version. The premiumApple Watch Ultra 2 offers a brighter screen (3,000 nits!) and, according to Apple, will top out at 36 hours of battery life on one charge.

Continue reading.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage preview

A throwback in the best of ways.

Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is blessedly billed as a return to the series’ leaner early days, when Ubisoft was restricted by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 hardware. After a few hours of hands-on time across three sections of the new game, it feels like that’s the case. Mirage largely takes place in ninth-century Baghdad, a couple of centuries before the Holy Land setting of the original Assassin’s Creed, but around the same time as AC Valhalla (Mirage protagonist Basim made his first appearance in that game). Assassin’s Creed Mirage will arrive on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 5.

Continue reading.

iOS 17 lands as a free update on September 18

If you bought an iPhone after 2018.

The latest iPhone software update will be available next week, on Monday, September 18. The public preview for iOS 17 has been available since June and has already shown off a number of design refinements, which Apple recapped during its keynote. Those include user-definable outgoing call screens, so you can pick what people see when you call them, and an option to send incoming calls to voicemail and read a transcription of them instead. Users will also be able to send quick voice or video messages if someone doesn’t pick up their FaceTime calls. You can see our in-depthiOS 17 preview right here.

Continue reading.

Intel’s Thunderbolt 5 could be the cable upgrade we’ve been waiting for

The single PC cable dream lives on!

Up to three times the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4. Support for multiple 8K displays, as well as gaming monitors running at up to 540Hz. And 240 watts of charging power. These are key features of Thunderbolt 5, Intel’s latest stab at creating the ultimate PC cable. Great, so my iPhone USB-C cable is already going to be defunct in a year or two…

Continue reading.

​​

Apple's 2023 iPhone event came and went almost in the blink of an eye. As always, the company had a bunch of new devices to show off during the "Wonderlust" showcase but thanks to long-standing rumors, there weren't too many major surprises. 

On the phone front, we have the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There's no new iPhone SE just yet, unfortunately, while the rumored iPhone Ultra may join the lineup next year. Though it was widely expected, the biggest news is that Apple has ditched the Lightning port across the entire iPhone 15 lineup. USB-C is the way of things now. 

Elsewhere, we have an Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with AirPods that have a USB-C port in the charging case. In addition, we learned just when iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma will arrive. 

iPhone 15 and 15 Plus

Apple

As mentioned, Apple is sending the Lightning port sailing into the sunset. After gradually phasing out the port in favor of USB-C on iPad over the last few years, the company is making a more immediate switch with the iPhone 15 lineup. The European Union has forced Apple's hand here, due to legislation that requires mobile devices sold in the bloc to have a USB-C charging port. 

On the downside, that means the collection of Lightning cables, dongles and accessories you've amassed over the years will become less useful. On the other hand, there should be far greater compatibility of cables and other devices with the latest iPhones. It'll probably be easier for you to find a charging cable when you need one — the same cable can power up your Mac, iPad, iPhone or new AirPods Pro case. Those who still plug their phones into computers may be pleased, since USB-C data transfer rates are far faster than what Lightning cables are capable of. In a pinch, you can also charge your AirPods case or Apple Watch from your phone.

Apple hasn't changed the screen sizes of this year's iPhones. The base iPhone 15 and the Pro have 6.1-inch displays, while the Plus and Pro Max have 6.7-inch screens. 

The iPhone 15 has an all-new design with rounded edges, Apple said. The most obvious consequence of that is the dynamic island that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro is coming to this year's entire lineup. There's a 2,000-nit Super Retina XDR display in the iPhone 15 that's twice as bright as the one on the iPhone 14. You'll get up to 1,600 nits of brightness while viewing Dolby Vision video and other HDR photos and videos.

Apple has introduced a new camera system to the iPhone 15 that includes a 48MP main camera, an ultrawide lens and TrueDepth front camera. With the rear cameras, you'll be able to take more details "next-generation portraits," Apple says. You won't have to manually switch to portrait mode either, since the phone's machine leaning capabilities will be able to tell when you're focusing on a person, according to Apple. You can even switch the focus to a different person after the fact when you're editing the image.

The iPhone 15 runs on the same A16 chip as the iPhone 14 Pro and it has a second-gen ultra wideband chip. Apple says the latter can help you find your friends' exact location when you're looking for them in a crowded place. The company also claims that the latest iPhone does a better job of filtering out background noise on calls.

If you're in a remote location and need roadside assistance, satellite connectivity can help you contact who you need to. You'll be able to use satellite connectivity to contact first responders in an emergency too.

The iPhone 15 is available in pink, yellow, green, blue and black. It starts at $799 and the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899. Pre-orders start on September 15. Both phones will arrive in stores on September 22.

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max

Apple

Apple has a significant change in store with the iPhone 15 Pro designs this year too: a titanium body for durability. That also makes these the lightest iPhone Pro models to date. Apple says the iPhone 15 Pro has the thinnest screen borders of any iPhone as well. Another interesting thing to note is that Apple says an updated internal architecture makes the device more repairable. 

Perhaps of more interest to many folks, however, is the introduction of an Action button on an iPhone for the first time. You can think of it as an upgraded mute switch. While you can still use it to put your phone in silent mode, you simply hold it down to activate Action button mode. 

As is the case on the Apple Watch Ultra, you can customize the Action button. You might set it to launch the camera app instantly, activate a voice recording, turn on an accessibility function or even trigger a shortcut. 

A new A17 Pro chip powers the latest iPhone Pro models. It's a 3nm chipset that has 19 billion transistors. It has a six-core CPU with two high-performances cores and four high-efficiency cores, along with a six-core GPU that supports hardware-accelerated ray-tracing that's four times faster than before, Apple claims. 

There's also a 16-core neural engine on the A17 Pro, along with dedicated ProRes engines, support for an always-on display. Video streaming should get an upgrade too, thanks to an AV1 video decoder. All of that power means that the iPhone 15 Pro can natively run modern AAA games such as Assassin's Creed Mirage, Death Stranding and Resident Evil Village.

As for the iPhone 15 Pro's camera system, that can capture 3D spatial videos that will be compatible with Apple Vision Pro headsets. What's more, if you opt for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you'll get a 5x telephoto zoom lens with a 120mm focal length equivalent.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1,199, respectively. Pre-orders open this Friday (September 15), and the phones will ship on September 22. We'll have a full review soon, but for now you can read some first impressions from Engadget's Deputy Reviews Editor, Cherlynn Low, who was on the ground in Cupertino on Tuesday.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple

The major change in the Apple Watch Series 9 is an upgraded chipset. The S9 chip has 5.6 billion transistors and a GPU that Apple says is 30 percent faster than before. There's a four-core neural engine and machine learning capabilities that are up to twice as fast on those seen in the Series 8. 

These power more advanced Siri experiences, Apple says. Siri requests are now processed on-device, which should make them faster as Apple won't need to send them to the cloud and back. You'll be able to log and ask for health data with Siri too.

There's a second-gen ultra wideband chip to help you find a misplaced iPhone with more precision (as long as the phone has that chip too). The display reaches 2,000 nits, making it twice as bright as the Series 8 and as bright as the Apple Watch Ultra. The brightness can also drop as low as one nit, which should be useful for when you're at the movies and don't want to bother other people with the always-on display.

On top of that, Apple is introducing a new gesture called Double Tap. By tapping your thumb and index finger together twice, you'll carry out the primary action in an app — answering or ending a call, playing or pausing a song, stopping a timer and so on. The S9 chip's neural engine powers Double Tap (so don't expect to see it on earlier models) and the feature will be available in October. This builds on accessibility features that have been available on Apple Watch for some time.

The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399 for a GPS model and $499 if you want cellular connectivity. You can pre-order the new wearable today. It will ship on September 22. Cherlynn got hands-on with the two new watches, too — read her preview here.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has the same S9 SIP, Double Tap, on-device Siri and ultra wideband features as the Series 9. It has the same battery life as the first Ultra (up to 36 hours and 72 on low-power mode). That's despite having a far brighter display.

The screen is 50 percent brighter than the previous model at 3,000 nits. An ambient light sensor will be able to automatically switch the display to night mode.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799 for GPS and cellular connectivity. Pre-orders go live today and it will ship on September 22.

Software

Apple

Those of you who aren't convinced about getting the latest iPhone or Apple Watch won't miss out on all the new stuff entirely. More features are coming to recent iPhones and Watches thanks to iOS 17 and watchOS 10, both of which will drop on September 18. 

That's not all, though. Apple has announced that iPadOS 17 and tvOS 17 will arrive on September 18 as well. As for those of you with an Apple desktop or laptop, you can upgrade your operating system to macOS Sonoma on September 26.

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

Apple's 2023 iPhone event came and went almost in the blink of an eye. As always, the company had a bunch of new devices to show off during the "Wonderlust" showcase but thanks to long-standing rumors, there weren't too many major surprises. 

On the phone front, we have the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There's no new iPhone SE just yet, unfortunately, while the rumored iPhone Ultra may join the lineup next year. Though it was widely expected, the biggest news is that Apple has ditched the Lightning port across the entire iPhone 15 lineup. USB-C is the way of things now.

Elsewhere, we have an Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with AirPods that have a USB-C port in the charging case. In addition, we learned just when iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma will arrive. 

iPhone 15 and 15 Plus

Apple

As mentioned, Apple is sending the Lightning port sailing into the sunset. After gradually phasing out the port in favor of USB-C on iPad over the last few years, the company is making a more immediate switch with the iPhone 15 lineup. The European Union has forced Apple's hand here, due to legislation that requires mobile devices sold in the bloc to have a USB-C charging port. 

On the downside, that means the collection of Lightning cables, dongles and accessories you've amassed over the years will become less useful. On the other hand, there should be far greater compatibility of cables and other devices with the latest iPhones. It'll probably be easier for you to find a charging cable when you need one — the same cable can power up your Mac, iPad, iPhone or new AirPods Pro case. Those who still plug their phones into computers may be pleased, since USB-C data transfer rates are far faster than what Lightning cables are capable of. In a pinch, you can also charge your AirPods case of Apple Watch from your phone.

Apple hasn't changed the screen sizes of this year's iPhones. The base iPhone 15 and the Pro have 6.1-inch displays, while the Plus and Pro Max have 6.7-inch screens. 

The iPhone 15 has an all-new design with rounded edges, Apple said. The most obvious consequence of that is the dynamic island that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro is coming to this year's entire lineup. There's a 2,000-nit Super Retina XDR display in the iPhone 15 that's twice as bright as the one on the iPhone 14. You'll get up to 1,600 nits of brightness while viewing Dolby Vision video and other HDR photos and videos.

Apple has introduced a new camera system to the iPhone 15 that includes a 48MP main camera, an ultrawide lens and TrueDepth front camera. With the rear cameras, you'll be able to take more details "next-generation portraits," Apple says. You won't have to manually switch to portrait mode either, since the phone's machine leaning capabilities will be able to tell when you're focusing on a person, according to Apple. You can even switch the focus to a different person after the fact when you're editing the image.

The iPhone 15 runs on the same A16 chip as the iPhone 14 Pro and it has a second-gen ultra wideband chip. Apple says the latter can help you find your friends' exact location when you're looking for them in a crowded place. The company also claims that the latest iPhone does a better job of filtering out background noise on calls.

If you're in a remote location and need roadside assistance, satellite connectivity can help you contact who you need to. You'll be able to use satellite connectivity to contact first responders in an emergency too.

The iPhone 15 is available in pink, yellow, green, blue and black. It starts at $799 and the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899. Pre-orders start on September 15. Both phones will arrive in stores on September 22.

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max

Apple

Apple has a significant change in store with the iPhone 15 Pro designs this year too: a titanium body for durability. That also makes these the lightest iPhone Pro models to date. Apple says the iPhone 15 Pro has the thinnest screen borders of any iPhone as well. Another interesting thing to note is that Apple says an updated internal architecture makes the device more repairable. 

Perhaps of more interest to many folks, however, is the introduction of an Action button on an iPhone for the first time. You can think of it as an upgraded mute switch. While you can still use it to put your phone in silent mode, you simply hold it down to activate Action button mode. 

As is the case on the Apple Watch Ultra, you can customize the Action button. You might set it to launch the camera app instantly, activate a voice recording, turn on an accessibility function or even trigger a shortcut. 

A new A17 Pro chip powers the latest iPhone Pro models. It's a 3nm chipset that has 19 billion transistors. It has a six-core CPU with two high-performances cores and four high-efficiency cores, along with a six-core GPU that supports hardware-accelerated ray-tracing that's four times faster than before, Apple claims. 

There's also a 16-core neural engine on the A17 Pro, along with dedicated ProRes engines, support for an always-on display. Video streaming should get an upgrade too, thanks to an AV1 video decoder. All of that power means that the iPhone 15 Pro can natively run modern AAA games such as Assassin's Creed Mirage, Death Stranding and Resident Evil Village.

As for the iPhone 15 Pro's camera system, that can capture 3D spatial videos that will be compatible with Apple Vision Pro headsets. What's more, if you opt for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you'll get a 5x telephoto zoom lens with a 120mm focal length equivalent.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max start at $999 and $1,199, respectively. Pre-orders open this Friday (September 15), and the phones will ship on September 22.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple

The major change in the Apple Watch Series 9 is an upgraded chipset. The S9 chip has 5.6 billion transistors and a GPU that Apple says is 30 percent faster than before. There's a four-core neural engine and machine learning capabilities that are up to twice as fast on those seen in the Series 8. 

These power more advanced Siri experiences, Apple says. Siri requests are now processed on-devicem which should make them faster as Apple doesn't need to send them to the cloud and back. You'll be able to log and ask for health data with Siri too.

There's a second-gen ultra wideband chip to help you find a misplaced iPhone with more precision (as long as the phone has that chip too). The display reaches 2,000 nits, making it twice as bright as the Series 8 and as bright as the Apple Watch Ultra. The brightness can also drop as low as one nit, which should be useful for when you're at the movies and don't want to bother other people with the always-on display.

On top of that, Apple is introducing a new gesture called Double Tap. By tapping your thumb and index finger together twice, you'll carry out the primary action in an app — answering or ending a call, playing or pausing a song, stopping a timer and so on. The S9 chip's neural engine powers Double Tap (so don't expect to see it on earlier models) and the feature will be available in October. This builds on accessibility features that have been available on Apple Watch for some time.

The Apple Watch Series 9 starts at $399 for a GPS model and $499 if you want cellular connectivity. You can pre-order the new wearable today. It will ship on September 22.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has the same S9 SIP, Double Tap, on-device Siri and ultra wideband features as the Series 9. It has the same battery life as the first Ultra (up to 36 hours and 72 on low-power mode). That's despite having a far brighter display.

The screen is 50 percent brighter than the previous model at 3,000 nits. An ambient light sensor will be able to automatically switch the display to night mode.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799 for GPS and cellular connectivity. Pre-orders go live today and it will ship on September 22.

Software

Apple

Those of you who aren't convinced about getting the latest iPhone or Apple Watch won't miss out on all the new stuff entirely. More features are coming to recent iPhones and Watches thanks to iOS 17 and watchOS 10, both of which will drop on September 18. 

That's not all, though. Apple has announced that iPadOS 17 and tvOS 17 will arrive on September 18 as well. As for those of you with an Apple desktop or laptop, you can upgrade your operating system to macOS Sonoma on September 26.

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

Apple just teased an interesting feature for the just-announced iPhone 15 Pro line of smartphones. Thanks to the redesigned camera system and the addition of the powerful A17 Pro CPU, these phones can shoot 3D spatial videos and photos which can then be viewed by using the forthcoming Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.

When Apple unveiled the Vision Pro, it spent some time on the notion of spatial videos and photos. Basically, these are completely three-dimensional experiences that you can relive by donning the headset. For instance, if you make a spatial video of your daughter’s birthday party, you can wear the Vision Pro and relive the day, as the operating system makes it feel like you're back in the moment.

However, the company hadn’t detailed an easy way for consumers to make these videos, until now. You point and shoot a video and let the beefy iPhone 15 Pro do the rest, eventually sending the footage onto a Vision Pro once it releases. Additionally, you’ll be able to use the headset itself to capture these moments, but that’ll be at the expense of, you know, actually experiencing the moment.

During today’s iPhone-centric fall event, Apple CEO Tim Cook once again confirmed that the Vision Pro is all set for a release in the beginning months of 2024, so start saving up for the $3,500 device. The iPhone 15 Pro, for its part, starts at $1,000 for the bare-bones model.

Apple's next desktop overhaul is almost ready to download. macOS Sonoma will be available on September 26 as a free update for users with a compatible Mac device, the company announced at its annual fall event today. As is typically the case with desktop software upgrades, a lot of the improvements are under the hood. However, changes to widgets, high-resolution video screensavers and other items mean there's plenty of new stuff to try.

One of the more notable changes is that widgets are now available on the main desktop area. Sure, it's not the most thrilling of updates, but it will be handy to have things like weather and upcoming calendar events just a glance away. Apple is also adding high-res video screensavers to macOS, something akin to what's been available on Apple TV. The motion continues on your lock screen, but once you've signed in, that all settles into a still image. 

There are upgrades for video chat apps like FaceTime too. New gestures will trigger effects over top of your camera feed while presenter overlays allow you to be present while you're sharing your screen. When it comes to Safari, any website can now be transformed into a web app and the browser supports multiple profiles for things like work and personal use. There's also a new Game Mode that prioritizes your computer's power during those sessions and both Memoji and Stickers now sync across all of your iCloud-connected devices.  

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

The iPhone 15 Pro is getting a performance boost thanks to a new chipset. That's not too much of a surprise since Apple upgrades its phones' components every year. One thing we didn't expect, however, is the games that the A17 Pro will be able to support. 

Apple said during its iPhone event that Resident Evil Village, this year's Resident Evil 4 remake, Death Stranding and the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage are all coming to its mobile devices soon. As Apple notes, this will be the first time that a console-level Assassin's Creed game will be available natively on iPhone. Expect to see Mirage on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in the first half of next year. The other three games will be available on the devices by the end of 2023.

Apple seems to be making a bit more of a push into games lately, after bringingRE Village and No Man's Sky to Mac last year, followed by Death Stranding. Whether folks will be willing to play (or pay full price for) major titles like these on iPhone is a different matter. The fact Apple is getting major publishers like Capcom and Ubisoft onboard for its gaming endeavors is certainly notable, though, especially as we look toward the debut of the Apple Vision Pro.

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

September typically brings crisper weather and new iPhones, and this year is no different. Apple unveiled the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro today, and as rumors suggested, the company has finally done away with its storied Lightning port in favor of a USB-C connector. While iPhone 15 models now support the Dynamic Island and come in fun colors, the iPhone 15 Pro handsets sport titanium designs and the new A17 Pro processor. Apple also revealed the latest models of its wearable, the Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Ultra, both of which sport an upgraded chipset for better performance. Here's everything you need to know about how to pre-order the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, along with everything else Apple announced today.

Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

The latest iteration of the iPhone looks much the same as the previous model, with the biggest difference being the new USB-C charging port on its bottom edge that replaces the age-old Lightning port. The USB-C ports support charging and data transfer, and practically, they allow users to power up most of their Apple devices — think MacBooks, iPads and now iPhone — using the same cable.

Another new feature for the base iPhones is Dynamic Island, which was previous only available on the Pro handsets. The floating black-pill section at the top of the iPhones' displays hides the front-facing camera and the FaceID sensor, while also showing things like alerts and animations unique to apps you're using.

Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have the same screen sizes as their predecessors: 6.1-inch and 6.7-inches, respectively, and they both have Super Retina XDR displays that can reach up to 2,000 nits of brightness. The revamped camera array includes a 48-megapixel main rear camera with a 12MP telephoto lens, plus a TrueDepth front camera. Both models run on Apple's A16 Bionic chipset, the same found in last year's iPhone 14 series, and will support an all-day battery life.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

As with the standard models, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max handsets eschew Lightning in favor of USB-C charging ports. But new for the Pro models only is a titanium design that makes both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max much lighter than their predecessors. Apple claims it managed to shrink the overall dimensions of both handsets without affecting screen size; you'll find a 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 15 Pro and a 6.7-inch screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Another noticeable design change is the new Action button that replaces the side mute toggle switch. Apple essentially made it a more customizable tool on the iPhone, allowing users to pick the action they want associated with a button press. Muting the iPhone remains an option, but you can change it so a button press allow you to quick access to your phone's camera, flashlight, accessibility tools and more.

As far as cameras go, the iPhone 15 Pro models have a 48MP main camera with a larger sensor than that found on the standard iPhone 15 models, and it provides improved low-light performance and the ability to shoot higher resolution photos at different focal lengths. There's also a 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom capabilities, which is the most on any iPhone yet. The entire rear array can also capture spatial video, which Apple is billing as a perk for those who want to get the Vision Pro when it becomes available next year.

The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max run on Apple's latest A17 Pro chipset, a new GPU and a dedicated USB controller that's not present on the standard models. The new GPU is noteworthy for its six-core design and hardware-accelerated ray-tracing capabilities, both of which should improve overall gaming experiences on the new iPhones.

Apple Watch Series 9

If you were expecting a lot of changes on the latest Apple Watch, you'll unfortunately be disappointed. The new Apple Watch Series 9 is almost identical to last year's version, but it runs on a new S9 SiP, which is the biggest chipset upgrade for Apple's wearable since 2020. It will provide a general performance boost and things like smoother watchOS 10 animations and quicker Siri request processing. The Series 9 also has a new four-core neural engine that should help process machine learning tasks more quickly, and enable new features like the Double Tap gesture. The Watch will also be able to ping your iPhone and help you find it with on-screen directions and haptic feedback (aka Precision Finding) thanks to the new, built-in ultra wideband chip.

Otherwise, the Series 9 will be available in the familiar sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and come in pink, starlight, silver, midnight and Product Red aluminum case colors.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Similarly to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra got an incremental update for 2023. The new model runs on the updated S9 SiP and features all of the perks of the Series 9, including on-device Siri command processing and Precision Finding for iPhone with the new, built-in ultra wideband chip. The externals are mostly the same, but Apple changed the display architecture here so the Ultra 2's screen can hit up to 3,000 nits of brightness. That should make it even easier to view watch faces, complications and more in direct sunlight.

Otherwise, the Ultra 2 is the same GPS + Cellular, 49mm wearable as it was last year, with the biggest screen on any Apple Watch and the longest battery life of any Apple wearable too.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C

Apple didn't spend much time talking about the newest version of its Pro earbuds, probably because the major upgrade here is USB-C. The new AirPods Pro have a charging case that now features a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, following the iPhones as another Apple gadget to ditch Lightning entirely. On top of the new connector, the upgraded earbuds will have improved dust resistance and lossless audio with Apple Vision Pro.

We figured the iPhone 15 Pro would feature some sort a new A17 chip, but Apple surprised us by debuting its first "Pro" chip today. The A17 Pro is Apple's most powerful mobile silicon yet. The 3 nanometer chip features 17 billion transistors and a six-core CPU. Apple claims its two performance cores are 10 percent faster than the A16, while its four efficiency cores offer far better performance per watt. The 6-core GPU is also 20 percent faster than before, and it features advanced graphics features like hardware accelerated ray tracing.

The A17 Pro seems particularly useful for game developers. Apple announced that Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village are coming to the iPhone, while The Division Resurgence will also launch next year. 

The real question, though, is why Apple is calling this the A17 Pro. Does that mean we'll see a stripped down version of this chip in next year's iPhone 16? It certainly gives Apple more leeway in the future — instead of trying to justify why the A17 Pro may lose features when it heads to cheaper hardware, the company can trot out a slightly slower chip that's still an upgrade from the A16.

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

Today at its annual fall iPhone event, Apple announced its next two flagship handsets in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And while their overall design looks similar to last year's devices, there are a handful of interesting new features that could make them worthy upgrades. 

Starting with their displays, screen sizes are staying pat at 6.1 and 6.7 inches respectively while Apple's Dynamic Island is being used againto house the phone’s selfie cam and FaceID sensors. However, their bezels are noticeably thinner, resulting in a slightly larger screen-to-body ratio. On top of that, thanks to their new grade 5 titanium frames, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the lightest Pro handsets Apple has ever made while also offering improved durability compared to the stainless steel chassis on the previous models. The company says the back glass on the iPhone 15 Pro is also easier to replace due to a new substructure. And on the side of the phone, there's also a new Action button that uses haptic feedback to give you more control over the device's settings and controls. 

As for performance, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be powered by Apple’s latest 3nm A17 chip and a USB-C port that's faster than what you get on the standard model due to support for up to USB 3 speeds. Apple says its A17's GPU is 20 percent faster than before with even better power efficiency. And for the first time ever on an A-series chip, the A17 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

Follow all of the news live from Apple's 'Wonderlust' event right here.

This story is still developing...