Post Event – Apple It’s Glowtime

Side Bar Apple owes the EU some money:

WSJ: Apple Loses Court Battle Over $14 Billion Irish Tax Bill

OK Back to the fun stuff, new iPhones!

My top 10 take aways from Monday’s iPhone event:

1. No Price Increase on phones! Awesome I got this wrong. Same pricing as last year across the lineup.
2. Camera Control button Looks Cool, but looks like it will have a bit of learning curve to it.
3. Apple will make a fortune off first party cases for iPhone 16 and future phones equipped with the Camera Control. Looks like most third party cases have a cutout to accommodate this, not a nice piece of sapphire.
4. The regular iPhone 16 is the “good” one this year, the regular iPhone is once again the best iPhone for most people.
5. Still no Pro Motion/High Refresh rate for iPhone 16?
6. Titanium Watch is back for non Ultra Models.
7. AirPods Pro 2 will be over the counter hearing aids in the near future.
8. AirPods Max refresh is a big let down for fans of the product. Why no H2 Chip?
9. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max hold out on updates this year.
10. Regular iPhone 16 still has USB-2 speeds via USB-C in 2024???

Should you Pre-Order this year?

- Depends
    - If your iPhone is really old, like pre 2020 and falling apart, consider it
    - If your iPhone is from 2020 or newer probably ok to wait to check it out in person to see if you'll actually use the new camera control
    - Refurbs are a great way to save some money, in a few weeks lasts year's 15 Pro/Pro Max prices should drop a little bit more.
        - Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB, Natural Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed Premium)
        - Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB, White Titanium - Unlocked (Renewed Premium)
        - Just avoid the following refurb models:
            - iPhone 14 Pro/Pro Max and earlier Pro models
            - iPhone 15/15 Regular/Plus/Mini and earlier models
     - New iPhone 16 will not ship with any active Apple Intelligence features at the time of this writing. Those features are slated for release in iOS18.1, which is due for release sometime next month. 
        - Remember one thing Never buy hardware today based on a promise of software tomorrow

If you’re interested you can read my predictions from last weekend. I wasn’t too far off….

Check out a summary of things I that got both right and wrong below:

Products

iPhones

iPhone 16 Lineup Announced

Prediction

All iPhone 16 models will likely see a $100.00 price increase this year.
iPhone 16 Pro Max – Starting at $1,299.00
iPhone 16 Pro – Starting at $1,099.00

- I got this wrong, prices will remain the same as last year
- iPhone 16  Pro Max - Starting at $1,199.00
- iPhone 16  Pro - Starting at $999.00
- Pretty cool if you've been waiting to upgrade from an older phone, this might be your year

iPhone Pro Max/Pro Color Options: White Titanium, Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium

- All Correct 😀

Expect “bigger displays” via smaller bezels, longer battery life via increased thickness and/or stacked battery technology, higher storage capacities (up to 2TB), capture button, 4k spatial video capture, and an improved internal thermal design.

- All Correct 😀

Both pro phones will get 48 mega pixel ultra wides and the 16 pro will get the x5 telephoto lens that debuted solely on last years 15 Pro Max.

- All Correct 😀

Prediction

iPhone 16 Plus – Starting at $999.00
iPhone 16 – Starting at $899.00

- I got this wrong, prices will remain the same as last year
- iPhone 16  Plus - Starting at $899.00
- iPhone 16  - Starting at $799.00

iPhone 16 Color Options: White, Black, Blue, Green, Pink.

- All Correct 😀 (Blue = Ultramarine, Green = Teal) Close enough

Expect a phone based on a combination of last year’s iPhone 15 with refreshed color-ways, the addition of the action and capture buttons, vertical cameras, 4k spatial video capture, and an improved internal thermal design.

- All Correct 😀

White braided USB-C 2.0 charging cable included in box for all models.

- All Correct 😀

Apple Watches

Apple Watch Ultra 3 – No Update This Year

Prediction

An iterative update on last years Apple Watch Ultra 2

Expect an updated processor to S10, longer battery life, updated Ultra Wide Band Chip from U2 to U3, and new color-ways in line with the iPhone 16, Max, Pro models, on device Apple Intelligence support.

Color-ways: Natural Titanium, Black Titanium, Desert Titanium

- I got this wrong overall
- Black Ultra 2 Released (Partial Points For Predicting the new black colorway
- New bands for both Ultra 1 and Ultra 2 now available:
    - 49mm Natural Titanium Milanese Loop - Small
    - 49mm Blue Trail Loop - S/M - Natural Titanium Finish
    - 49mm Ice Blue Ocean Band - Black Titanium Finish

Apple Watch Series 10

Prediction

An iterative update on last years Apple Watch Series 9.

Expect an updated processor to S10, longer battery life, updated Ultra Wide Band Chip to U3, and new color-ways in line with the iPhone 16 models, on device Apple Intelligence support.

Larger screens are rumored to. I’m skeptical of this. Lots of people love the current Apple Watch sizes. To me a larger screen means smaller screen bezels, not a larger overall watch.

Perhaps the new sizes will be

42mm and 46mm as predicted by David Phelan in the article linked above.

- All Correct 😀 (Mostly)
- No Fun Colors this year? Why Apple, why?
- Jet Black watch fans, let me know how that watch looks in 6 months. Scratch City incoming. Remember the iPhone 7 in Jet Black?

Apple Watch SE – No Update This Year

Prediction

Long overdue for an upgrade the aging Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) released in September 2022, may get a always on screen, larger screen and take on the the design language of the Series 7 or 8 Apple Watch.

- Sad, do not buy this watch
- Consider a refurb/renewed Series 8 (https://amzn.to/47HbYGt) or 9] instead if you want to save a few bucks.
    - Go for Amazon Renewed Premium if the sku you want is available in that tier.

Accessories

AirPods 4

Prediction

Estimated Price: $169.00
USB-C Wireless Charging Case will now be included instead of Lightning Charging Case
Active Noise Cancellation Added

- All Correct 😀 sorta, we now have two AirPods 4? I'll let Apple's Marketing team explain this one via links below
    - One with partial fancies
        - Pre‑order AirPods 4
    - One on track to become AirPods Pros, but not full on Pros
        - link to Apple Page
    - Cost: 
        - AirPods 4 (No ANC): $129.00
        - AirPods 4 (wANC and better case): $179.00

AirPods Pro 3 replaces AirPods 2 No Update This Year for Hardware

Prediction

Update to AirPods Pro 2nd generation earbuds.
USB-C Wireless Charging Case will now be included instead of Lightning Charging Case
Estimated Price: $249.00

- Massive software updates pending
    - Hearing Aid Mode (Pending FDA Clearance)
    - Earplugs Mode
    - Others
    - Price stays the same as it has for the last two years: $249.00
        - Currently on offer from Amazon: $199.00

AirPods Max 2 No Major Update This Year for Hardware

Prediction

Estimated Price: $599.00
Updated AirPods Max to feature USB-C port, lossless Audio Streaming via USB-C cable, color matched cable, new color ways to match iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max models.

Color-ways: Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert Titanium, Blue, Green, Product Red

- Partially Correct 🙂
    - Refreshed Product
    - Lacks H2 chip found on entry level AirPods 4????
    - No case update
    - New Colors
        - Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange
    - Same Price as debut of product in 2020: $549.00

iPhone Cases “FineWoven” v2 for iPhone 16 Lineup Only

No Update This Year Product Partially Terminated

Prediction

Replaces current FineWoven lineup with an upgraded v2 take on the product lineup, an Apple branded vegan alternative to their discounted line up of leather cases.

All cases will feature MagSafe and support for Qi2 Charging.

Product revision is in response to the litany of criticism received by the current product lineup for the iPhone 16 series. The revised cases will likely only be available for the latest and greatest iPhone 16 lineup.

The Verge: The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad

Apple weaved itself into a fine mess with the awful iPhone 15 FineWoven case

- I got this wrong
    - No case update for iPhone 16 users across the lineup. Finewoven appears to be done.
    - New Colors

- This product is history for iPhones, Apple didn't event mention it once during the event stream
- Finewoven Watch Bands and Wallets are still avail
    - Finewoven Watch Band
    - Finewoven Wallet

iPad mini (7th generation) – Maybe Next Month????

Prediction

Estimated Price: $499.00 and up.

Adds:
Updated A18 Chip to support on device Apple Intelligence
Ram up from 4GB to 8GB
Similar Color-ways to existing lineup: Space Gray, Pink, Purple, Starlight.
Perhaps Purple is replaced with Blue or Green from the iPhone 16 lineup?

- I got this wrong
    - Maybe next month
    - A refresh is defiantly needed for this product lineup as Apple Intelligence begins to role out in beta to users over the next month or so.

Software

iOS 18

Prediction

To be released to the public the following Tuesday, September 19th after the event.

- Close but no cigar: Release date is 09/16/24
    - Read More: iOS18 Apple Newsroom

I’ve been running both the Public betas all summer and I am now on the 18.1 Developer on my daily carry (iPhone 15 Pro Max) learning how to use the upcoming Apple Intelligence features. It’s running great, with very few issues.

This is a big iOS Upgrade.

Sadly only iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and iPhone 16 lineup uses will get to take advantage of Apple Intelligence on device.

Creating a bifurcated iPhone experience for older devices that support iOS18.

- The current iPhone SE, 14 and 13 are all bad buys new from Apple, avoid them. It's not worth it long term.
    - No Apple Intelligence support.
    - No USB-C
    - No support for MagSafe accessories or charging

Here’s hoping Apple can find away to leverage PCC to bring Apple Intelligence to older iPhones in the future?

Sadly that may not be possible due to the RAM limitations of all iPhones’ pre A17 Pro which have a maximum of 6GBs of RAM.

To say that I am outraged that my 2 year old iPhone 14 Pro can’t run Apple Intelligence is an understatement.

More on that in the near future.

iPadOS 18

Prediction

To be released to the public the following Tuesday, September 19th after the event.

- Close but no cigar: Release date is 09/16/24
    - Read More: iPadOS18 Apple Newsroom

I’ve been running both the Public betas and I am now on the 18.1 Developer on my daily carry. It’s running great, with very few issues.

This is a big OS Upgrade.

M1 and newer iPad users will get Apple Intelligence. Everyone else is out of luck.

macOS 15 Sequoia

Prediction

To be released to the public the following Tuesday, September 19th after the event.

- Close but no cigar: Release date is 09/16/24
    - Read More: macOS 15 Apple Newsroom

This is going to be a modest and iterative OS Upgrade.

I plan to install it day one on my main Mac.

The only major issue I am concerned about is the screen recording permission dialogues. This could be really annoying for Audio Professionals.

Read more about this new annoyance here: macOS Sequoia will now prompt you monthly (not weekly) for screen recording permissions

M1 and newer Mac users will get Apple Intelligence. Everyone else is out of luck.

watchOS 11

Prediction

This is going to be a modest and iterative OS Upgrade.

Which builds on last years major watchOS 10 redesign.

- All Correct 😀

visionOS 2

Prediction

This is going to be a modest and iterative OS Upgrade.

Does anyone even care about the Vision Pro?

9 months in and still no native Netflix and Youtube apps.

Perhaps people don’t like having computers strapped to their faces?

- All Correct 😀
- I'm not even sure Vision Pro was mentioned more than once or twice during the entire iPhone 16 presentation. Interesting....

Read More

The Verge: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 could forever change how people access hearing aids
The Verge: How all the new iPhone 16 models compare to one another on paper
The Atlantic: YET ANOTHER IPHONE, DEAR GOD
Apple Newsroom: Apple Intelligence comes to iPhone, iPad, and Mac starting next month

Feel Free To Reach Out

If you need any help or advice when picking out your new iPhone 16 or any other Apple Product feel free to contact me to schedule a consultation.

Music Listened To While Writing This Post

Audioslave – Out of Exile

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Written on MacBook Pro and iPad Pro using Drafts Pro in Markdown.

Disclosure: Ian LeCheminant is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, he may receive a small commission.