Apple Event Summary 2023: All new products, explained

On Sep. 12, Apple hosted its yearly Apple Event to announce and showcase the newest products hitting stores this coming month. Last year, Apple introduced an all-new iPhone lineup, rebuilt AirPods Pro, three new Apple Watch models, and an exciting update to Apple Fitness Plus. This time around, we’re getting the hotly anticipated iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Pro/Max, the new Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and a small step for Apple — the first-ever carbon-neutral Apple Watch.

You know the names of the newest Apple devices, but what can they do?

iPhone 15 Pro

From Apple’s official website, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max boast the new A17 Pro chip, Apple’s first 3-nanometer chip that features 19 billion transistors to improve performance. Additionally, the newest iPhone models will be made from light and durable Titanium and include an ‘Action Button’ that can be altered at the user’s will to instantly access the smartphone’s camera, voice memos, flashlight, and more.

With the longest optical zoom-in of any Apple device, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be available in four stunning new finishes; black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 15 from $999 or $41.62/mo. for 24 months, with availability beginning Friday, Sep. 22.

iPhone 15

As for the standard iPhone 15, key features include a new dynamic Island, which bubbles up alerts and Live Activities, a new 48MP Main camera for super-high-resolution photos, durable color-infused glass and aluminum design, and charging via a USB‑C port. The iPhone 15’s 48MP main camera shoots in 4x resolution and 2x telephoto — which is the equivalent of a third camera.

After snapping a picture, you can even shift focus between the foreground and the background. And you no longer need to manually switch to Portrait Mode. Instead, the iPhone 15 detects if the subject is a person, dog, or cat, and automatically alters depth perception. Finally, there’s up to 20 hours of video playback, so you’ll never run out of battery. On the same dates as the iPhone 15 Pro/Max, the regular iPhone 15 will be available from $799 or $33.29/mo. for 24 months.

Apple Watch Series 9

And that brings us to the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple’s newest smartwatch. New additions to this design include the custom Apple silicon, which makes Apple Watch Series 9 more capable, intuitive, and faster. The new dual-core CPU has 5.6 billion transistors — 60 percent more than the S8 chip — and the all-new four-core Neural Engine processes machine-learning tasks up to two times faster.

A new gesture, double tap, merely requires the wearer to double tap your index finger and thumb together to answer a call, open a notification, play and pause music, and more. The brightness on the Apple Watch Series 9 display is boosted to a maximum brightness of up to 2000 — double the Series 8 — so it’s easier to read in full sun. Available from September 22, you can purchase the Apple Watch Series 9 for $399 or $33.25/mo. for 12 months.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

For the more sports-oriented and outdoorsy Apple Watch model, the Ultra 2 has a lightweight titanium case that’s rugged and corrosion-resistant. The 49mm titanium case is water resistant up to 100m and tested to MIL-STD 810H and IP6X dust resistance. For the Apple Watch’s biggest and brightest display, powered by the all-new S9 SiP, the Retina Display is even more readable in harsh sunlight, automatically dims and activates Night Mode in the dark, and even finds room to show dynamic info like altitude, depth, or seconds along the outermost edges.

Like the newest iPhone model, the Ultra 2 also comes with a built-in Action Button to control simple tasks like starting a workout, setting a timer, or beginning a drive. As for the cost, it’ll run you $799 or $66.58/mo. for 12 months.

Carbon Neutral Apple Watch

And one more important breakthrough, Apple has announced ongoing innovations in materials, clean energy, and low-carbon shipping. But what does that mean? Well, it means the new Apple Watch is now available in case and band combinations that are carbon neutral. That’s one step for Apple and one giant leap for Mother Earth.