This is episode 1,000 of the Macworld Podcast! We’re taking this opportunity to take a look at some historic Apple releases and how they were covered way back then.
Will my Apple Watch 11 be slower on watchOS 27 if my phone doesn’t have Apple Intelligence support?
Daymon D. via email
I do have a question about audio intelligence. If the watch is only buffering the last 15 seconds, and doesn’t record anything, how is the summary feature invoked? To create the summary it “has” to record what the watch hears. Presumably the recording is happening on the iPhone, right?
Apple has announced that paying iCloud+ subscribers now have access to Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and curated Apple Music stations as well as the cloud storage they originally signed up for. But this applies in certain countries only, and the list doesn’t include the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
The upgrade covers every paid tier, all the way down to 50GB, and Apple insists there’s no extra cost for the additional services. Wherever the new offer is available, the company will stop selling standalone subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Arcade, and any existing standalone subscriptions will be cancelled and moved to iCloud+. It isn’t entirely clear how the transition will be handled but Apple says those affected “will continue to have uninterrupted access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade through their iCloud+ subscription.”
The TV and Arcade elements are straightforward: paying iCloud+ subscribers gain access to these exactly as if they had a standalone subscription. But the Apple Music feature requires a little more explanation:
“With an iCloud+ subscription, [users] will also have access to Apple Music Select, a collection of ad-free stations programmed by Apple Music for lean-back listening, offering a wide range of regionally relevant music to enjoy, as well as Top Songs, 80s, 90s, and more,” says Apple. “Apple Music Select stations are available in the Home tab of the Apple Music app.”
But it’s important to note that Apple Music itself is not included, although there is a discount for those who wish to add it to their portfolio.
A press release for the move can be found on individual Apple country pages. There are more than 100 such countries, but (without wishing to be too Euro-centric) the list may strike Macworld readers more for what’s not on it. Aside from the names above, the larger European nations all miss out: there’s no Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Norway or Sweden.
But the new offer does include the most populous country in the world, and some Indian customers have been debating its merits as compared to the larger Apple One bundle, which is being phased out in countries which get the expanded iCloud+ offering. Apple One is still officially listed on Apple’s India site at 195 rupees per month for the individual package, which includes Apple Music as well as iCloud+, TV, and Arcade. The cheapest 50GB iCloud+ subscription, by contrast, costs 75 rupees per month, so customers can add a full Music subscription for the discounted price of 115 rupees (revealed on the Indian press release) and still come out slightly ahead.
iCloud+ is effectively replacing Apple One, in other words, at a fractionally better price and with the option of leaving out Apple Music (and replacing it with Apple Music Select). Of course, that doesn’t mean Apple can’t use the additional services to justify putting up the price further down the line.
Apple says the upgraded offering will roll out in the 100+ included countries “through the end of September.” It isn’t clear when the offer will appear in the U.S. and other excluded countries, or if it will at all.
Die Amtszeit des neuen CEOs John Ternus hat gerade erst begonnen, doch Apple plant bereits eine umfassende Neugestaltung seiner Einzelhandelsstrategie.
Laut der jüngsten Ausgabe von Mark Gurmans Newsletter „Power On“ bereitet das Unternehmen eine „Umgestaltung der Einzelhandelsgeschäfte“ vor, bei der der Schwerpunkt der stationären Filialen von sogenannten „Wahrzeichen der näheren Umgebung“ und Treffpunkten hin zu „traditionelleren und praktischeren“ Verkaufsräumen verlagert werden soll. Die Priorität soll offenbar darauf liegen, Kunden zum Kauf anzuregen, anstatt den Kontakt zur Gemeinschaft zu fördern.
Umgestaltung mit teils alten Konzepten
Die Umgestaltung wird drei wesentliche Änderungen mit sich bringen, wie Gurman erklärt: Spezielle Genius Bars werden wieder eingeführt. Die riesigen Videowände, die derzeit in einigen Filialen zu finden sind, werden verschwinden. Und die „Avenue“-Bereiche an den Seiten der Apple Stores werden neu gestaltet und künftig für die Abholung von Online-Bestellungen sowie für die „Today at Apple“-Workshops genutzt. Die neuen Einbauten für die Genius Bars und die neu gestalteten „Avenues“ werden laut Gurman vollständig aus Holz gefertigt sein und dabei „vollständig integriert wirken – so, als wären sie Teil des ursprünglichen Designs gewesen“.
Die Genius Bars und die Fortführung der „Today at Apple“-Veranstaltungen deuten darauf hin, dass das Unternehmen seine Strategie, Kunden zu Besuchen aus anderen Gründen als zum Einkaufen zu animieren, nicht vollständig aufgegeben hat. Doch Funktionen wie Betreuung, Unterstützung und Gemeinschaftsbildung sollen Berichten zufolge an Priorität verlieren – was in krassem Gegensatz zu den Gründungsprinzipien der Apple Stores steht.
Apple verschärft Regeln für die Belegschaft
Es ist unklar, warum Apple nun eine andere Richtung einschlagen möchte. 2001 stellte sich Ron Johnson die Stores als Dreh- und Angelpunkte für die Apple-Community vor und orientierte sich bei den frühen Entwürfen sogar eher an öffentlichen Gebäuden wie Bibliotheken als an Geschäften der Konkurrenz. Angela Ahrendts und Jony Ive entwickelten das Konzept später weiter zu einem anspruchsvollen Luxusraum und einem Bekenntnis zu den ästhetischen Werten des Unternehmens: ein Versammlungsort für Gleichgesinnte. Es war ein riskanter und ungewöhnlicher Ansatz, der sich jedoch ausgezahlt hat.
Gurman fügt hinzu, dass Apple strengere Regeln für seine Mitarbeiter im Einzelhandel einführen will. Diese hatten sich in der Vergangenheit über die Arbeitsbedingungen beschwert und werden möglicherweise überrascht sein, zu hören, dass strengere Regeln notwendig sind. Die Mitarbeiter müssen während der Besprechungen vor der Eröffnung stehen, sagt er, dürfen weder trinken noch auf Geräte schauen und müssen „voll und ganz bei der Sache bleiben“. Sobald die Türen geöffnet werden, muss jeder Mitarbeiter den ersten Kunden applaudieren. Es ist fraglich, ob sie nach der Bekanntgabe der neuen Regeln noch in der Stimmung dazu sein werden.
Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event might be the most anticipated iPhone keynote in 10 years. It all kicks off today, and like you, we can’t wait! So join us as we count down the hours and minutes with all the latest rumors, leaks, and speculation leading up to the big event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10 am PT.
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: How to watch
You can watch the full keynote right here using the embedded YouTube link below or on Apple.com on your iPhone or Mac. The “Watch Now” tab in the TV app on the Apple TV will also show the stream live.
Surprise and Shine Apple event: Everything announced
Apple has wrapped up its September Surprise and Shine event, and while there weren’t a ton of surprises, we did get a lot of new Apple products. Here’s everything Apple announced today:
Apple’s newest flagship iPhones look the same as last year’s models but have some notable new features. The main one is a variable aperture on the main 48MP wide-angle camera. It will dynamically adjust how much light the lens lets in to take better pictures in low light and bright light, while capturing better detail.
The phones come in four new colors: Burgandy, Glacier (Light Blue), Silver, and Black. They start at higher prices than last year: $1,199 for the Pro and $1,299 for the Pro Max with 256GB of storage. Prices go up quite a bit more for higher storage tiers, with the 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max costing a whopping $2,499. Pre-orders begin Saturday and will ship next Friday, September 18.
The latest AirPods still start at $129, but that’s with active noise cancellation, so effectively a $50 price cut over the AirPods 4. They look similar to the AirPods 4, but Apple says AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more noise compared to AirPods 4 with ANC thanks to a new multiport acoustic architecture and improved computational audio algorithms.
For an extra $20, you can get a wireless charging case and AirPods Pro-like stem volume controls. Both models are available for preorder today and will ship September 18.
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 also look the same as last year’s models, but they have significant change inside. The watches feature a new Health Sensing System, which uses the S11 chip and new optical and electrical heart sensors to deliver deeper insight into a user’s fitness and physiological state while making Exercise and Move Activity rings even more accurate.
There’s also a new Readiness app that analyzes a user’s recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep score to offer insight into their capacity for the day ahead as well as longer battery life and a redesigned Health app. They also get new Apple Intelligence features, including Siri Recap, which creates high-level summaries of conversations throughout the day, and Live Rewind, which can show you the previous 15 seconds of a conversation so you don’t need to ask someone to repeat themselves.
The watches start at the same prices as before ($399 for the 42mm Series 12 and $799 for the Ultra 4), but the larger 46mm Series 12 is a little higher, starting at $449 (previously $429).
Apple’s first folding phone is here and it’s better than any of the rumors you might have read. It has a 5.4-inch outer display that opens to a 7.6-inch inner display with the same ratio inside and out so apps seamlessly flow in and out. You can use it in a variety of ways, including as an alarm clock in Standby mode or a mini laptop with a virtual keyboard on the lower half when folded.
It has an A20 processor, C2 model, and dual 48MP camera system, as well as a 12MP FaceTime camera that’s entirely under the display for the first time ever on an iPhone. However, it doesn’t have Face ID, opting instead for Touch ID built into the power button.
When opened, iPhone Duo is just 5.2mm thick and 11.3mm thick when folded. It has an IP68 dust resistance thanks to its hinge, which is engineered from more than 100 components to precisely control opening and closing and support the center of the display. There’s also a nano-textured cover layer on the inner display to minimize wear and creasing.
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and will be available for pre-order on October 16 with shipping beginning October 23.
And we’re done, stay tuned to Macworld for full coverage of all of today’s announcements!
Michael Simon
iPhone Duo at a glance
Apple
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
So what will it cost?
The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 with 256GB of storage. Preorders start on October 16 and will begin shipping on October 23.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Dual camera for iPhone Duo
As expected, the iPhone Duo has a dual 48MP camera system that’s basically the same as the iPhone 17 and not as good as the one we just heard about in the iPhone 18 Pro. You don’t get telephoto, you don’t get variable aperture, and you’ll miss out on some of the newer features.
However, you can see a video of what you’re snapping on the front camera, and people can see what’s on the front screen too.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone Duo battery life
Srouji explains optimizations and battery capacities that let users get up to 31 hours when using the inner display and 44 hours when using just the outer display, for a total of 24 hours per charge during a typical day.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Custom nano texture finish
Apple addresses the elephant in the room: the crease. Johny Srouji explains that Apple has developed a custom nanotexture finish that significantly reduces glare and reflections. The unique texture creates a perceptually flat matte surface that minimizes craft visibility and also feels premium to touch. During manufacturing Apple uses AI algorithms to precisely manage each individual hinge with its best fit housing to ensure perfect alignment.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone Duo colors
Apple’s folding phone is available in two colors: white and night sky (dark blue).
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Cutting-edge hinge design
Apple describes the hinge: “The central structural plane has support ribs for added stiffness. To make the frame even more rigid, the antenna splits are reinforced with high performance inserts. They’re made from ceramic fibers that are three times stronger than grade five titanium. Together these structural details make iPhone Duo feel exceptionally solid every time you use it.”
Will there be a crease? We’ll have to see.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
iOS gets a folding redesign
Controls on the outer screen have been moved to the side of the screen, seamlessly transtitions to the inner display, and dynamically adjusts to the position its in. Apps have been redesigned to take advantage of the folding screen. Apps run side by side and can be paired for quick switching.
Here’s a picture of it closed:
Apple
Michael Simon
One More Thing: iPhone Duo
The rumors are true: Apple’s first foldable phone is here with a widescreen design. Here it is:
Apple
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
New colors for Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 12 comes in space gray, black, light gold, and dark bronze, as well as ceramic options in white and night blue. The Apple Watch Ultra comes in black and naturakl titanium. Both have the same starting prices as before.
Apple
2 days ago, By Jason Cross
Whoop, there it is
The new design of the Health app, Health Age, and the new Readiness feature are clearly are all clear responses to the recent success of Whoop and similar products, which all have these exact features. Once again it’s not clear which of these software features will be only for the new watches – it seems like they’re for all Apple Watches, and only the continuous heart rate stuff is restricted to the Series 12 and Ultra 4.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
New Apple Watch features
The big new Apple Watch feature is a new health monitoring system that take continous heart rate readings to give users a better picture of their heath and enable completely new experiences. A new Readiness app can tell you when to push and when to hold back, while a redesigned Health app can provide a new Health Age. Live Rewind will record everything in your day and transcribes what was just said.
Another feature, Siri Recap, uses “ambient listening to take high level notes of your conversations like takeaways from a team meeting or a parent-teacher conference.” There’s also a new Siri Modular face to access your conversations and recaps.
Jason Cross
AirPods lines are getting blurry
It sounds like they’re adding enough AirPods Pro features to the standard AirPods, and lowering the price enough, to make the upcoming “AirPods with cameras” the new AirPods Pro. Cameras will be the differentiating feature.
2 days ago, By David Price
The 'new' Apple Watch
Looks like another year with the same Apple Watch design! This is what you get when one company doesn’t face serious competition. That’s now 12 generations in a row with essentially the same design, and only occasional minor changes: the last of these was the bump in screen size for the Series 10 two years ago. But the average user would struggle to spot the differences between the Series 12 and the Series 4.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
AirPods 5 now have ANC for $129
Apple is tweaking its base AirPods lineup. The cheaper $129 model now has ANC and the higher-end model with a wireless charging case are $149. They’re not all that different, but feature “an even better audio experience with a new multi-port acoustic architecture and next generation adaptive EQ AirPods 5 deliver richer more detailed sound across a wider range of ear geometries.”
Apple
Michael Simon
Higher prices starts at $100 more
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max starts at $1,299, a bump of $100 over the 17 series. Pre-order begin Saturday and start shipping nexxt Friday.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Smaller Dynamic Island
The new iPhone 18 Pro has a smaller Dynamic Island that now has space for three Live Activities at once, a large one in the middle and two smaller circles on either side.
Apple
2 days ago, By Jason Cross
Camera features on older iPhones?
Apple is describing updates to Photograhic Styles, shutter speeds and other features, but they’re not being clear about whether these new Pro camera controls will be available on any previous iPhones or not. Most of them could be.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Biggest camera improvement in years
48MP Fusion Camera with variable aperture that adjusts automatically based on the scene. When you’re in a darker environment, the aperture opens to let in around 50% more light, while night mode captures are faster with better quality.
Apple
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
45 hours of battery life!!
IPhone 18 Pro has a next generation vapor chamber that helps the system manage even more heat. It has three times the surface area as the one in iPhone 17 Pro. Deionized water is constantly cycled throughout the system for significantly improved thermals. Combined with the new chip’s efficiancy, you’ll get 36 hours on the iPhone 18 Pro and an absolutely insane 45 hours on the 18n Pro Max.
Michael Simon
A20 Pro Chip
Apple’s newest iPhone chip has Apple’s latest six core CPU featuring two of our new super cores that are up to 20% faster and four efficiency cores, all integrated with neural accelerators that power low latency on device AI workloads as a significantly advanced GPU and a new version of the neural accelerators with 2x faster 8-bit floating point math.
Jason Cross
Who needs a new iPhone?
So far, the iPhone 18 Pro pitch is all about how you should be excited for iOS 27 and now about why you would need or want a new iPhone.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
A20 Pro with new CPU core and GPU core, and “massive advancements in the most important areas intelligence, performance, battery, and camera.”
New colors: Silver, Deep Black, Glacier (Light Blue), and Burgandy (Dark Cherry).
Not only that, you can write and edit with Siri virtually anywhere you type, like generating an email to your kids soccer coach while on the go. Plus Siri AI sounds incredible. That’s because iPhone 18 Pro takes advantage of our most advanced on-device model ever, which powers expressive voices. You can pick from multiple options, then customize the pace and expressivity.” But we’ve seen all this before.
Siri AI will have usage limits but “most iCloud+ plans” will offer increased access.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Intelligent personal hub
This isn’t a new product category but rather an explanation of what the iphone is: “First, you would want something that is always with you, deeply personal and able to bring intelligence to the moments when it matters most. You’d require a powerful processor that can run incredibly capable on-device models to quickly answer questions in the moment and pervasive networking to access knowledge and even more capable models in the cloud.
There’s no product in the world better designed to be your intelligent personal hub than iPhone.”
Jon is describing Apple Intellgence’s privacy and iPhone’s AI abiltities. “So today we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone. And here it is.”
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
This is the opening!
A video montage of actors describing how a show or movie should open and then Tim Cook starts narrating the video of “our main character, no no no,. not me, that’s your guy.” And it’s John Ternus.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Here we go!
The music has faded and the blue Apple logo has given way to an iPhone 17 Pro camera, with a message, “The following was shot on iPhone.”
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Apple start your engines!
We’ve got less than 10 minutes until we get out first look at Apple’s folding iPhone project! Get ready everyone!
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
30 minutes to go!
Get a snack and a drink and meet us back here at 10am PT/1pm ET for the start of the show!
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
No surprises at Surprise and Shine
It looks like Apple’s iPhone event will be filled with more Shine than Surprises. According to Mark Gurman’s somewhat playful tweet, Apple is holding back some rumored products that are supposedly ready to launch, including the touchscreen MacBook, Apple TV 4K, and HomePad smart home hub. As he quips, “don’t worry. It’s only September.” So you can probably expect at least one more event later this fall.
2 days ago, By David Price
A few thoughts on phone colors (and fun)
For several years now I’ve complained about the fact that basic iPhones, despite costing less, come with much nicer colors than their Pro equivalents. Why can’t Pro users have fun too?
Perhaps Apple heard me, because last year’s Pro-exclusive Cosmic Orange was arguably Apple’s funnest color yet. (I’m using that word deliberately to prepare readers for the likely grammatical crimes of today’s Apple event.) But if the pre-launch rumors are true, that was only the precursor for a huge anti-fun announcement today.
The iPhone 18 Pro, according to our sources, will come in black, silver, light blue, and a charming burgundy branded as Dark Cherry. Less fun, arguably, than the green, blue, and lilac which the iPhone 17 will continue to offer (because its successor won’t arrive until the spring). But infinitely more fun than the poor iPhone Ultra/Duo, which is expected to come in just two colors: dark blue, and white. Despite starting at $2,000, and going all the way up to $3,000 if you want the top storage tiers.
The more you pay, the less fun you get. Make it make sense, Apple.
The color pink. Just one of the advantages of buying a cheaper iPhone.
David Price / Foundry
2 days ago, By David Price
So, about that Duo name…
It’s been pointed out in the Macworld offices that Microsoft wasn’t the first tech company to use the name Duo on a product. Apple itself had the PowerBook Duo, a line of laptops sold between 1992 and 1999. Which therefore predate the Surface Duo by the small matter of 28 years.
More recently, there was the (not terribly good) MagSafe Duo charger. And in a matter of hours, if Mark Gurman’s sources are correct, we will get the iPhone Duo.
The PowerBook Duo, together with its clever Duo Dock companion unit.
Christopher Phin / Foundry
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
John Ternus teases the iPhone 18 Pro's top feature
In a tweet to followers ahead of the big event, new CEO John Ternus shared a 12-second video of a beam of light that first shines at the viewer and then pans down to shine on what appears to be a camera lens. It’s hard to see it as anything other than a tease for the iPhone 18 Pro’s rumored variable aperture camera. At any rate, it’s certainly a departure from Tim Cook’s keynote messages, which were filled with little more than vague excitement.
John Ternus shines a light on the iPhone’s new camera feature. Literally.
X/@johnternus
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Apple Pencil on an iPhone?
Apple has never allowed you to use your Apple Pencil on anything other than an iPad, but the folding iPhone could change that. According to Mark Gurman, the iPhone Ultra/Duo will indeed support Apple Pencil, so you’ll be able to doodle and draw on the screen just like you can on your tablet. It’s not clear whether both screens will support Apple’s stylus or just the inner one, though.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone 18 Pro price hike might not be so bad
We’ve been bracing for an iPhone price increase ever since Apple hiked prices on Macs and iPads by hundreds of dollars in June. A new report from Mark Gurman claims they won’t be as bad as that: Apparently the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will cost $100 more than the current models, in line with previous price hikes.
2 days ago, By David Price
The Apple Store is down. Something is coming
As part of the usual pre-event ritual, Apple has taken down its online store. “We’re making updates to the Apple Store,” the text reads. “Check back soon.”
It’s hard to believe that a company with Apple’s resources needs five hours to update an electronic storefront, but by this point it’s become a tradition more than anything else. And maybe there’s some element of kindly advice to customers: “Please don’t buy anything this morning, it’ll be outdated by lunchtime.”
Apple
2 days ago, By David Price
Spotted: Hardware IDs for new Apple products!
It’s not exactly a secret that Apple is about to announce a bunch of new hardware products, but it’s still surprising to see the evidence in black and white before the event begins. But sure enough, dozens of new Apple hardware identifiers have been spotted on the company’s services backend.
It’s important to note that these won’t necessarily all appear today; the iPhones and Apple Watches, for sure, but the Macs and iPads are likely to be delayed until later in the fall. (We don’t know for sure if there will be an October/November event. They may just appear in a press release.) The real enigma, however, is HomeAccessory17,1 and its two siblings. Could that be the much-anticipated smart home hub? We’ll find out in a few hours.
2 days ago, By David Price
Breaking: Folding iPhone will be called… Duo
Forget iPhone Ultra, forget iPhone Fold… the latest breaking news is that Apple’s first ever folding handset will be called the iPhone Duo. That’s according to Mark Gurman’s sources, and he’s generally well informed when it comes to information like this.
Gurman made his last-minute prediction in an article (subscription required) this morning. He also claimed the device will start at $2,000, have a short-and-wide design, and go on sale in October, later than the other new iPhones. But we knew all that already. The name is the real bombshell.
Some may accuse Apple of copying Microsoft, whose Surface Duo was a pioneer in this field. On the other hand, maybe Microsoft should have kept that brand going; the line was discontinued nearly two years ago. The Duo brand also goes rather nicely with Neo, as in MacBook. And, please note, it was one of the options mentioned by my colleague Emma Rowley earlier this week.
They’ve got slightly lost in the iPhone Ultra hype, but Apple is also expected to launch the AirPods 5 today. These aren’t the camera-equipped models you may have seen doing the rounds after Apple accidentally leaked them (they’re not expected to arrive until next year). Instead, the main new feature of the AirPods 5 will be improved active noise cancellation, likely made possible by the inclusion of a new H3 chip. Bloomberg leaker Mark Gurman yesterday confirmed this–based on his sources, at any rate.
2 days ago, By David Price
It's the big day!
After months of speculation, it all comes down to this. Today’s the day for the first ever folding iPhone, and so much more.
Welcome to Macworld’s live blog for the September 9 Apple event. The event itself kicks off at 10 am PT, and is likely to last around 70 minutes. But our coverage here will last throughout the day. We’ll be bringing you breaking news and last-minute rumors for the next 9 hours or so, before bringing you the announcements (along with our expert analysis) as they happen. Then of course there will be masses of discussion of the new products after Apple’s livestream ends.
It’s going to be fun. Enjoy the ride!
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
More cases offer a glimpse at the new iPhone designs
Casemaker dbrand has added cases and skins for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone Ultra, in case you want to get a jump on buying one. This doesn’t necessarily confirm anything about the new phones other than the company thinks the rumors are pretty solid, since the design and colors they show almost perfectly match the reports we’ve been reading for months.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
New Apple TV could be bigger than expected
We’ve been hearing reports that a new Apple TV 4K is on the way for a while. We’re not expecting it to be much of an update, but the latest information in the rumor mill suggets that it could be bigger than we thought. According to Aaron Perris on X, the new Apple TV has an identifier of AppleTV18,1, which indicates that it will have an processor in the A19 family, making it one of the most powerful devices in Apple’s lineup and much fasterl than A15 in the current model.
What does that mean for AI features? Gaming? Smart home? We’ll find out soon.
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
It's gotta be the shoes
It won’t just be the iPhone 18 Pro with the hot new color this year. New Balance is feeling the Dark Cherry vibes with the release of its New Balance 990v4 in a new Monarch Burgundy option. They’re not quite the 992s that Steve Jobs wore, but someone at New Balance has clearly been reading the iPhone rumors.
Foundry
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
What's going on with the Apple Watch SE 3?
With less than a day to go before the keynote kicks off, there’s an interesting development concerning the Apple Watch SE 3. Over at Apple.com, every possible combination is listed as “currently unavailable” for delivery or pickup. And if you order one at Amazon, you won’t get a delivery date. That’s strange.
For comparison, you can order a Series 11 or Ultra 3 without a problem. I’ve been covering Apple events for many years and have never seen an entire product spontaneously disappear from the store less than a day before the event is supposed to start. I don’t know what to make of it.
Chris Martin / Foundry
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
More Apple Watch features revealed?
A code spelunker has discovered a few clues hidden in the iOS 27 beta that point to new Apple Watch features. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking, but the Series 12 watch will reportedly get an updated heart-rate sensor as well as a significant storage boost to 128GB. Apple last updated its heart-rate sensor with a 3rd-gen model with the Series 6, so a new sensor is definitely overdue. As far as the storage goes, it’s probably related to on-device Apple Intelligence models, because I don’t know why anyone would need that much storage on their watch.
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
Brand-new Readiness app coming to watchOS 27
Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning to launch a new Readiness app alongside the new Apple Watches tomorrow “as a variant of the Vitals app.” The Vitals app on Apple Watch brings together key health metrics such as heart rate, sleep, and blood oxygen to give users a deeper understanding of their daily health, so this app will presumably use similar information. Gurman says this new app will “better compete with software from Whoop & Oura” along with improved heart-rate sensing on the new watches.
3 days ago, By David Price
This year's hot color: Burgundy
Rumors strongly suggest that the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will be available in a classy new Dark Cherry finish: a rich burgundy wine color. (If that’s not your bag, don’t worry. There will also be more prosaic dark gray and lightish blue options.) We expect this color to be wildly popular, much as Cosmic Orange was last year. But Apple won’t have the burgundy phone market all to itself.
Ever since the dark-red iPhone rumors started, Android manufacturers have been falling over themselves to copy Cupertino’s colorway, from the Poco F9 Ultra and Tecno Camon Slim 5G to the Huawei Pura X View and Xiaomi 18 Fold. As Tech Advisor reports, burgundy is the new orange. And pre-emptive plagiarism is the new originality.
Poco, Macworld, Huawei
3 days ago, By David Price
One More Thing… but what?
“We have great respect for these words,” said Tim Cook in 2017, “and we don’t use them lightly.” Those words, of course, were One More Thing.
That little phrase has signalled the arrival of some of Apple’s most iconic products and services, including the iMac G4, the MacBook Pro, FaceTime, the Apple Watch, Apple Music, and the iPhone X. Will it be uttered this year, and if so, what will it herald?
We discussed this on the podcast, and figured it would be a nice moment if new CEO John Ternus got the chance to utter those immortal words as part of his debut. (Debut as overall event host, that is. He’s spoken in individual segments before now.) The most obvious product to get the One More Thing treatment is the iPhone Ultra, but a bigger surprise would be the arrival of Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub. Either would work.
But Macworld readers put forward other ideas. At the less serious end, jimrock reckoned “It’d be really sick if he announced a $2,000 monitor stand” while Adam Moran proposed “One more thing: Now shipping iPhones with a charger.” Hashtag courage.
Moving on to things that could happen (but won’t), Rob K put forward “One more thing: iPhone Air 2 with 6,000 mAh silicon carbon battery, three cameras, and no stupid fold.” And Tower Lord suggested “AI-driven smart glasses. Minus the creep factor found in Meta glasses. Instead, true spatial computing. The ultimate personal computer.” Get rid of the AI part and we’re on board.
And finally, a note of sanity from Mike: “One more thing was Steve’s thing. Can we please stop measuring every CEO against Steve and let them be their own leaders?”
The last guy to say those three little words.
Apple
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
All eyes on the crease
When Apple (allegedly) unveils its first folding iPhone tomorrow, Greg Joswiak or whomever gets the honor of announcing the phone on the stream, will talk about the displays, interface, cameras, design, and anything else Apple feels is worth highlighting. What they probably won’t spend a lot of time talking about is the crease.
Ever since Samsung’s first folding phone arrived, the center display crease has been an issue. It’s gotten better over the years, but it’s still the biggest hurdle for new customers to overcome. Even on the newest phones, you can see it when it’s opened and feel a little valley while using it. It’s flies in the face of Apple’s pursuit of perfection and likely the reason why we haven’t gotten a folding iPhone until now.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Apple had devised a way to overcome the crease with a combination of ultra-thin glass (UTG) and an optically clear adhesive that allows “the folding area to be locally thinned at the bending axis to improve bendability.” Samsung’s newest flagship phone features a display with a 60-micrometer UTG layer, which is likely a similar material to what Apple will use.
No folding phone has been able to completely eliminate the crease. Will Apple be the first?
Luke Baker
3 days ago, By David Price
John Ternus and the honeymoon period
Tim Cook chose an interesting moment to resign from the CEO hotseat: September 1, a week before the biggest event of Apple’s year. It’s understood that he did this so that John Ternus could have the fun and credit of announcing the iPhone Ultra himself, and begin his reign on a positive note. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has referred to this as a “massive tailwind” for the incoming CEO.
But Gurman has plenty more to say about recent squabbles and politicking at the top of Apple’s hierarchy, and there could be some complications for the new boss. Read the Macalope’s latest article for all the dirt and some very convoluted metaphors.
3 days ago, By David Price
iPhone Ultra, or iPhone Fold?
Sad to say for an event with the word surprise in its tagline, but there don’t seem to be many mysteries left concerning the foldable iPhone. With one notable exception: its name.
In the early days, most pundits referred to the rumored device as the iPhone Fold for obvious, logical reasons. But in the spring, we all started calling it the iPhone Ultra, even though, features-wise, that doesn’t entirely make sense. And with just one day to go until the announcement, case makers still can’t decide between the two options, with some plumping for Fold and others for Ultra in their pre-launch marketing materials.
And this all assumes that Apple won’t pull a last-minute switcheroo and go for iPhone Duo or iPhone Folio instead.
Over on our sister site Tech Advisor, Emma Rowley discusses the thorny question of the foldable iPhone’s name.
3 days ago, By David Price
Will you fold?
Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air competed for the title of Apple’s flagship handset. The Air was certainly more interesting, but the Pro Max was a far better specced, more powerful phone (not to mention more expensive). But this year there will only be one clear winner: the iPhone Ultra. Will you yield to temptation and pay what’s likely to be more than $2,000 for Apple’s first foldable smartphone?
“If I was purchasing an iPhone and an iPad at the same time, then I would consider the Fold as it might work out cheaper than buying two separate devices,” writes christopherclarke6184. “But I am happy with my iPad M4 and iPhone 17 Pro Max so won’t be upgrading for a while… unless Apple has something special I may need. I’ll still be watching the show, though.”
Apple will be hoping for strong interest from the early adopter crowd, but given that this is an entirely new market for the company and a very high price, moderate sales may be enough in the short term.
3 days ago, By David Price
Who is John Ternus?
One big difference this year is that the main host will be Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, rather than Tim Cook. Ternus is a relative unknown to members of the public, and Apple fans will be keen to see how he handles hosting duties. Will he be a showman, like Steve Jobs? Quietly professional, like Cook? Or something new and unique to himself?
That’s not to say we’ve got no idea how he’ll carry himself in a presentation. As head of hardware Ternus spoke at multiple keynotes and product launches in the past, including the iPhone reveal last fall. His manner was very positive, with lots of superlatives, while being unafraid to delve into technical detail. But acting as main host is a different assignment, so we may see a new side to him on Wednesday.
In the meantime, read Alex Blake’s piece on the new boss, in which he describes Ternus as “the perfect CEO for this Apple era.”
John Ternus: A man with a passion for hardware.
Apple
3 days ago, By Michael Simon
Folding iPhone color options will be unique
Our sources report that Apple will offer the iPhone Ultra in just two colors for its debut. The first is silver, which we expect from a new iPhone, but the other is a little different: Dark Blue. Apple regularly offers its iPhones in various shades of blue, of course, but it’s rare for a brand new model to arrive in anything other than black and white.
4 days ago, By Michael Simon
No time for Tim
According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Tim Cook won’t make an appearance in this year’s keynote. While he reports that he will be at Apple Park for the event, Cook has officially and completely handed the reins to Ternus, who will be the face of the Surprise and Shine event.
4 days ago, By Roman Loyola
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: Podcast preview
On the newest Macworld Podcast, Michael Simon and Jason Cross talk about what to expect at Apple’s Surprise and Shine iPhone event. What iPhones will Apple release? How will John Ternus do in his first keynote as Apple CEO? And will there be a “One more thing”? Get ready for the event by tuning in to the podcast.
4 days ago, By Michael Simon
Cases, cases everywhere
The iPhone Ultra doesn’t exist yet, but you can find cases all over social media. It’s worth noting that case manufacturers don’t get information from Apple ahead of events, but they pay very close attention to the rumors and some probably have their own sources in the supply chain. Are they real? We’ll know in just a couple days.
4 days ago, By David Price
Surprise? What surprise?
Apple has given this week’s showcase the tagline “Surprise and Shine.” But what’s the big surprise? Apple’s September events are among its most predictable, almost always revolving around new iPhones and new Apple Watches, and sometimes new AirPods.
September 2025: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2024: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2023: iPhones, Apple Watches
September 2022: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2021: iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads
Is John Ternus going to spring a surprise in 2026? After asking this question on TikTok we’re unconvinced by the idea of an Apple alarm clock (sorry), but another reader’s proposal of a “tabletop Pixar light robot personal assistant with Siri” is a little more plausible. That sounds a lot like the rumored smart-home hub which Apple has been working on for years, and could make an appearance this week. It could even turn up as One More Thing at the end and make for a fun encore.
But ultimately the most likely outcome is that, as far as Apple is concerned, the widely expected foldable iPhone counts as the surprise. To those of us who live in the Apple rumor bubble the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold) now looks like virtually a sure thing for Wednesday’s presentation, but to the wider community it’s far less well known. And officially, of course, it doesn’t even exist. Surprise!
4 days ago, By David Price
We (probably) know the new colors
Apple loves to launch at least one new color for each iPhone generation. Partly this allows the company to prune the colors which sold poorly the year before and experiment with alternatives, but the main advantage is that it allows customers to show off the fact they’ve got a new phone, even if the design is otherwise the same. Those who bought the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange last year got some major bragging rights.
Perhaps surprisingly, the wildly popular Cosmic Orange is expected to be dropped from the range this year. The two new finishes are a little less garish: a dark-red/burgundy wine color, expected to be branded as Dark Cherry, and a light blue. Macworld exclusively revealed these colors in the summer.
If you’d like to see more of the new finishes, take a look at this leaked video, which appears to show demo models of the iPhone 18 Pro (in blue) and 18 Pro Max (in Dark Cherry).
Generally, Apple opens up pre-orders for all the new iPhones and Apple Watches on the Friday following the Apple event at 5am PT. However, with 9/11 falling on Friday this year, it’s likely that Apple will delay the launch one day out of respect for the anniversary. Pre-orders instead are expected to begin on Saturday at midnight PT.
4 days ago, By Michael Simon
No iPhone 18 this week
In case you haven’t been following the rumors, Apple isn’t expected to launch a new iPhone 18 this week. That means the iPhone 17 will be on shelves alongside the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus for another six months. This would be the first time (other than the budget SE and e models) that Apple has spilt the new iPhones into separate launches and could create some serious FOMO for annual updaters.
4 days ago, By Michael Simon
Read our 100% real keynote leak*
Just like last year, we’ve gotten our hands on Apple’s iPhone event keynote script ahead of the big reveal, and we’re sharing it all with you: the bad jokes, clever marketing, outrageous prices, and big surprises. Read it all before it happens.
*May not be real
4 days ago, By Michael Simon
Follow along with all the latest updates
Welcome to the Surprise and Shine live blog! You don’t need to wait till Wednesday to get up to speed on everything Apple’s releasing. Over the next two days, we’ll share rumors, features, roundups, thoughts, reader comments, and lots more. Stay right here for everything you need to know.
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: What we expect
Apple might have dubbed this the “Surprise” event, but we have a pretty good idea what Apple is going to announce. Here’s what we expect to see:
iPhone Ultra/Duo: Apple is almost certain to launch its first folding phone this week. We’re expecting a passport-style design with a 5.5-inch cover display and a near-8-inch inner display when opened.
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max: We expect a similar design with a faster chip and a better camera system, possibly including a variable-aperture lens for the first time.
Apple Watch Series 12: The latest Apple Watch update will reportedly be a minor refresh with a new chip, all-day heart-rate tracking, and maybe the return of a ceramic finish.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Like the Series 12, the Ultra 4 is expected to be a minor refresh largely focused on a new chip tuned for Siri AI.
AirPods 5: Apple is rumored to be launching a new pair of low-end AirPods, but we don’t know much about them.
Smart home: It’s less likely that Apple’s rumored smart-home hub arrives at this event, but we could see an updated Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event might be the most anticipated iPhone keynote in 10 years. It all kicks off today, and like you, we can’t wait! So join us as we count down the hours and minutes with all the latest rumors, leaks, and speculation leading up to the big event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10 am PT.
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: How to watch
You can watch the full keynote right here using the embedded YouTube link below or on Apple.com on your iPhone or Mac. The “Watch Now” tab in the TV app on the Apple TV will also show the stream live.
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: Live blog
4 mins ago, By Michael Simon
Biggest camera improvement in years
48MP Fusion Camera with variable aperture that adjusts automatically based on the scene. When you’re in a darker environment, the aperture opens to let in around 50% more light, while night mode captures are faster with better quality.
9 mins ago, By Michael Simon
45 hours of battery life!!
IPhone 18 Pro has a next generation vapor chamber that helps the system manage even more heat. It has three times the surface area as the one in iPhone 17 Pro. Deionized water is constantly cycled throughout the system for significantly improved thermals. Combined with the new chip’s efficiancy, you’ll get 36 hours on the iPhone 18 Pro and an absolutely insane 45 hours on the 18n Pro Max.
Michael Simon
A20 Pro Chip
Apple’s newest iPhone chip has Apple’s latest six core CPU featuring two of our new super cores that are up to 20% faster and four efficiency cores, all integrated with neural accelerators that power low latency on device AI workloads as a significantly advanced GPU and a new version of the neural accelerators with 2x faster 8-bit floating point math.
Jason Cross
Who needs a new iPhone?
So far, the iPhone 18 Pro pitch is all about how you should be excited for iOS 27 and now about why you would need or want a new iPhone.
18 mins ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
A20 Pro with new CPU core and GPU core, and “massive advancements in the most important areas intelligence, performance, battery, and camera.”
New colors: Silver, Deep Black, Glacier (Light Blue), and Burgandy (Dark Cherry).
Not only that, you can write and edit with Siri virtually anywhere you type, like generating an email to your kids soccer coach while on the go. Plus Siri AI sounds incredible. That’s because iPhone 18 Pro takes advantage of our most advanced on-device model ever, which powers expressive voices. You can pick from multiple options, then customize the pace and expressivity.” But we’ve seen all this before.
Siri AI will have usage limits but “most iCloud+ plans” will offer increased access.
19 mins ago, By Michael Simon
Intelligent personal hub
This isn’t a new product category but rather an explanation of what the iphone is: “First, you would want something that is always with you, deeply personal and able to bring intelligence to the moments when it matters most. You’d require a powerful processor that can run incredibly capable on-device models to quickly answer questions in the moment and pervasive networking to access knowledge and even more capable models in the cloud.
There’s no product in the world better designed to be your intelligent personal hub than iPhone.”
Jon is describing Apple Intellgence’s privacy and iPhone’s AI abiltities. “So today we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone. And here it is.”
24 mins ago, By Michael Simon
This is the opening!
A video montage of actors describing how a show or movie should open and then Tim Cook starts narrating the video of “our main character, no no no,. not me, that’s your guy.” And it’s John Ternus.
24 mins ago, By Michael Simon
Here we go!
The music has faded and the blue Apple logo has given way to an iPhone 17 Pro camera, with a message, “The following was shot on iPhone.”
35 mins ago, By Michael Simon
Apple start your engines!
We’ve got less than 10 minutes until we get out first look at Apple’s folding iPhone project! Get ready everyone!
55 mins ago, By Michael Simon
30 minutes to go!
Get a snack and a drink and meet us back here at 10am PT/1pm ET for the start of the show!
2 hours ago, By Michael Simon
No surprises at Surprise and Shine
It looks like Apple’s iPhone event will be filled with more Shine than Surprises. According to Mark Gurman’s somewhat playful tweet, Apple is holding back some rumored products that are supposedly ready to launch, including the touchscreen MacBook, Apple TV 4K, and HomePad smart home hub. As he quips, “don’t worry. It’s only September.” So you can probably expect at least one more event later this fall.
3 hours ago, By David Price
A few thoughts on phone colors (and fun)
For several years now I’ve complained about the fact that basic iPhones, despite costing less, come with much nicer colors than their Pro equivalents. Why can’t Pro users have fun too?
Perhaps Apple heard me, because last year’s Pro-exclusive Cosmic Orange was arguably Apple’s funnest color yet. (I’m using that word deliberately to prepare readers for the likely grammatical crimes of today’s Apple event.) But if the pre-launch rumors are true, that was only the precursor for a huge anti-fun announcement today.
The iPhone 18 Pro, according to our sources, will come in black, silver, light blue, and a charming burgundy branded as Dark Cherry. Less fun, arguably, than the green, blue, and lilac which the iPhone 17 will continue to offer (because its successor won’t arrive until the spring). But infinitely more fun than the poor iPhone Ultra/Duo, which is expected to come in just two colors: dark blue, and white. Despite starting at $2,000, and going all the way up to $3,000 if you want the top storage tiers.
The more you pay, the less fun you get. Make it make sense, Apple.
The color pink. Just one of the advantages of buying a cheaper iPhone.
David Price / Foundry
3 hours ago, By David Price
So, about that Duo name…
It’s been pointed out in the Macworld offices that Microsoft wasn’t the first tech company to use the name Duo on a product. Apple itself had the PowerBook Duo, a line of laptops sold between 1992 and 1999. Which therefore predate the Surface Duo by the small matter of 28 years.
More recently, there was the (not terribly good) MagSafe Duo charger. And in a matter of hours, if Mark Gurman’s sources are correct, we will get the iPhone Duo.
The PowerBook Duo, together with its clever Duo Dock companion unit.
Christopher Phin / Foundry
3 hours ago, By Michael Simon
John Ternus teases the iPhone 18 Pro's top feature
In a tweet to followers ahead of the big event, new CEO John Ternus shared a 12-second video of a beam of light that first shines at the viewer and then pans down to shine on what appears to be a camera lens. It’s hard to see it as anything other than a tease for the iPhone 18 Pro’s rumored variable aperture camera. At any rate, it’s certainly a departure from Tim Cook’s keynote messages, which were filled with little more than vague excitement.
John Ternus shines a light on the iPhone’s new camera feature. Literally.
X/@johnternus
3 hours ago, By Michael Simon
Apple Pencil on an iPhone?
Apple has never allowed you to use your Apple Pencil on anything other than an iPad, but the folding iPhone could change that. According to Mark Gurman, the iPhone Ultra/Duo will indeed support Apple Pencil, so you’ll be able to doodle and draw on the screen just like you can on your tablet. It’s not clear whether both screens will support Apple’s stylus or just the inner one, though.
5 hours ago, By Michael Simon
iPhone 18 Pro price hike might not be so bad
We’ve been bracing for an iPhone price increase ever since Apple hiked prices on Macs and iPads by hundreds of dollars in June. A new report from Mark Gurman claims they won’t be as bad as that: Apparently the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will cost $100 more than the current models, in line with previous price hikes.
6 hours ago, By David Price
The Apple Store is down. Something is coming
As part of the usual pre-event ritual, Apple has taken down its online store. “We’re making updates to the Apple Store,” the text reads. “Check back soon.”
It’s hard to believe that a company with Apple’s resources needs five hours to update an electronic storefront, but by this point it’s become a tradition more than anything else. And maybe there’s some element of kindly advice to customers: “Please don’t buy anything this morning, it’ll be outdated by lunchtime.”
Apple
6 hours ago, By David Price
Spotted: Hardware IDs for new Apple products!
It’s not exactly a secret that Apple is about to announce a bunch of new hardware products, but it’s still surprising to see the evidence in black and white before the event begins. But sure enough, dozens of new Apple hardware identifiers have been spotted on the company’s services backend.
It’s important to note that these won’t necessarily all appear today; the iPhones and Apple Watches, for sure, but the Macs and iPads are likely to be delayed until later in the fall. (We don’t know for sure if there will be an October/November event. They may just appear in a press release.) The real enigma, however, is HomeAccessory17,1 and its two siblings. Could that be the much-anticipated smart home hub? We’ll find out in a few hours.
8 hours ago, By David Price
Breaking: Folding iPhone will be called… Duo
Forget iPhone Ultra, forget iPhone Fold… the latest breaking news is that Apple’s first ever folding handset will be called the iPhone Duo. That’s according to Mark Gurman’s sources, and he’s generally well informed when it comes to information like this.
Gurman made his last-minute prediction in an article (subscription required) this morning. He also claimed the device will start at $2,000, have a short-and-wide design, and go on sale in October, later than the other new iPhones. But we knew all that already. The name is the real bombshell.
Some may accuse Apple of copying Microsoft, whose Surface Duo was a pioneer in this field. On the other hand, maybe Microsoft should have kept that brand going; the line was discontinued nearly two years ago. The Duo brand also goes rather nicely with Neo, as in MacBook. And, please note, it was one of the options mentioned by my colleague Emma Rowley earlier this week.
They’ve got slightly lost in the iPhone Ultra hype, but Apple is also expected to launch the AirPods 5 today. These aren’t the camera-equipped models you may have seen doing the rounds after Apple accidentally leaked them (they’re not expected to arrive until next year). Instead, the main new feature of the AirPods 5 will be improved active noise cancellation, likely made possible by the inclusion of a new H3 chip. Bloomberg leaker Mark Gurman yesterday confirmed this–based on his sources, at any rate.
10 hours ago, By David Price
It's the big day!
After months of speculation, it all comes down to this. Today’s the day for the first ever folding iPhone, and so much more.
Welcome to Macworld’s live blog for the September 9 Apple event. The event itself kicks off at 10 am PT, and is likely to last around 70 minutes. But our coverage here will last throughout the day. We’ll be bringing you breaking news and last-minute rumors for the next 9 hours or so, before bringing you the announcements (along with our expert analysis) as they happen. Then of course there will be masses of discussion of the new products after Apple’s livestream ends.
It’s going to be fun. Enjoy the ride!
15 hours ago, By Michael Simon
More cases offer a glimpse at the new iPhone designs
Casemaker dbrand has added cases and skins for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone Ultra, in case you want to get a jump on buying one. This doesn’t necessarily confirm anything about the new phones other than the company thinks the rumors are pretty solid, since the design and colors they show almost perfectly match the reports we’ve been reading for months.
16 hours ago, By Michael Simon
New Apple TV could be bigger than expected
We’ve been hearing reports that a new Apple TV 4K is on the way for a while. We’re not expecting it to be much of an update, but the latest information in the rumor mill suggets that it could be bigger than we thought. According to Aaron Perris on X, the new Apple TV has an identifier of AppleTV18,1, which indicates that it will have an processor in the A19 family, making it one of the most powerful devices in Apple’s lineup and much fasterl than A15 in the current model.
What does that mean for AI features? Gaming? Smart home? We’ll find out soon.
20 hours ago, By Michael Simon
It's gotta be the shoes
It won’t just be the iPhone 18 Pro with the hot new color this year. New Balance is feeling the Dark Cherry vibes with the release of its New Balance 990v4 in a new Monarch Burgundy option. They’re not quite the 992s that Steve Jobs wore, but someone at New Balance has clearly been reading the iPhone rumors.
Foundry
22 hours ago, By Michael Simon
What's going on with the Apple Watch SE 3?
With less than a day to go before the keynote kicks off, there’s an interesting development concerning the Apple Watch SE 3. Over at Apple.com, every possible combination is listed as “currently unavailable” for delivery or pickup. And if you order one at Amazon, you won’t get a delivery date. That’s strange.
For comparison, you can order a Series 11 or Ultra 3 without a problem. I’ve been covering Apple events for many years and have never seen an entire product spontaneously disappear from the store less than a day before the event is supposed to start. I don’t know what to make of it.
Chris Martin / Foundry
23 hours ago, By Michael Simon
More Apple Watch features revealed?
A code spelunker has discovered a few clues hidden in the iOS 27 beta that point to new Apple Watch features. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking, but the Series 12 watch will reportedly get an updated heart-rate sensor as well as a significant storage boost to 128GB. Apple last updated its heart-rate sensor with a 3rd-gen model with the Series 6, so a new sensor is definitely overdue. As far as the storage goes, it’s probably related to on-device Apple Intelligence models, because I don’t know why anyone would need that much storage on their watch.
1 day ago, By Michael Simon
Brand-new Readiness app coming to watchOS 27
Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning to launch a new Readiness app alongside the new Apple Watches tomorrow “as a variant of the Vitals app.” The Vitals app on Apple Watch brings together key health metrics such as heart rate, sleep, and blood oxygen to give users a deeper understanding of their daily health, so this app will presumably use similar information. Gurman says this new app will “better compete with software from Whoop & Oura” along with improved heart-rate sensing on the new watches.
1 day ago, By David Price
This year's hot color: Burgundy
Rumors strongly suggest that the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will be available in a classy new Dark Cherry finish: a rich burgundy wine color. (If that’s not your bag, don’t worry. There will also be more prosaic dark gray and lightish blue options.) We expect this color to be wildly popular, much as Cosmic Orange was last year. But Apple won’t have the burgundy phone market all to itself.
Ever since the dark-red iPhone rumors started, Android manufacturers have been falling over themselves to copy Cupertino’s colorway, from the Poco F9 Ultra and Tecno Camon Slim 5G to the Huawei Pura X View and Xiaomi 18 Fold. As Tech Advisor reports, burgundy is the new orange. And pre-emptive plagiarism is the new originality.
Poco, Macworld, Huawei
1 day ago, By David Price
One More Thing… but what?
“We have great respect for these words,” said Tim Cook in 2017, “and we don’t use them lightly.” Those words, of course, were One More Thing.
That little phrase has signalled the arrival of some of Apple’s most iconic products and services, including the iMac G4, the MacBook Pro, FaceTime, the Apple Watch, Apple Music, and the iPhone X. Will it be uttered this year, and if so, what will it herald?
We discussed this on the podcast, and figured it would be a nice moment if new CEO John Ternus got the chance to utter those immortal words as part of his debut. (Debut as overall event host, that is. He’s spoken in individual segments before now.) The most obvious product to get the One More Thing treatment is the iPhone Ultra, but a bigger surprise would be the arrival of Apple’s long-rumored smart home hub. Either would work.
But Macworld readers put forward other ideas. At the less serious end, jimrock reckoned “It’d be really sick if he announced a $2,000 monitor stand” while Adam Moran proposed “One more thing: Now shipping iPhones with a charger.” Hashtag courage.
Moving on to things that could happen (but won’t), Rob K put forward “One more thing: iPhone Air 2 with 6,000 mAh silicon carbon battery, three cameras, and no stupid fold.” And Tower Lord suggested “AI-driven smart glasses. Minus the creep factor found in Meta glasses. Instead, true spatial computing. The ultimate personal computer.” Get rid of the AI part and we’re on board.
And finally, a note of sanity from Mike: “One more thing was Steve’s thing. Can we please stop measuring every CEO against Steve and let them be their own leaders?”
The last guy to say those three little words.
Apple
1 day ago, By Michael Simon
All eyes on the crease
When Apple (allegedly) unveils its first folding iPhone tomorrow, Greg Joswiak or whomever gets the honor of announcing the phone on the stream, will talk about the displays, interface, cameras, design, and anything else Apple feels is worth highlighting. What they probably won’t spend a lot of time talking about is the crease.
Ever since Samsung’s first folding phone arrived, the center display crease has been an issue. It’s gotten better over the years, but it’s still the biggest hurdle for new customers to overcome. Even on the newest phones, you can see it when it’s opened and feel a little valley while using it. It’s flies in the face of Apple’s pursuit of perfection and likely the reason why we haven’t gotten a folding iPhone until now.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Apple had devised a way to overcome the crease with a combination of ultra-thin glass (UTG) and an optically clear adhesive that allows “the folding area to be locally thinned at the bending axis to improve bendability.” Samsung’s newest flagship phone features a display with a 60-micrometer UTG layer, which is likely a similar material to what Apple will use.
No folding phone has been able to completely eliminate the crease. Will Apple be the first?
Luke Baker
1 day ago, By David Price
John Ternus and the honeymoon period
Tim Cook chose an interesting moment to resign from the CEO hotseat: September 1, a week before the biggest event of Apple’s year. It’s understood that he did this so that John Ternus could have the fun and credit of announcing the iPhone Ultra himself, and begin his reign on a positive note. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has referred to this as a “massive tailwind” for the incoming CEO.
But Gurman has plenty more to say about recent squabbles and politicking at the top of Apple’s hierarchy, and there could be some complications for the new boss. Read the Macalope’s latest article for all the dirt and some very convoluted metaphors.
1 day ago, By David Price
iPhone Ultra, or iPhone Fold?
Sad to say for an event with the word surprise in its tagline, but there don’t seem to be many mysteries left concerning the foldable iPhone. With one notable exception: its name.
In the early days, most pundits referred to the rumored device as the iPhone Fold for obvious, logical reasons. But in the spring, we all started calling it the iPhone Ultra, even though, features-wise, that doesn’t entirely make sense. And with just one day to go until the announcement, case makers still can’t decide between the two options, with some plumping for Fold and others for Ultra in their pre-launch marketing materials.
And this all assumes that Apple won’t pull a last-minute switcheroo and go for iPhone Duo or iPhone Folio instead.
Over on our sister site Tech Advisor, Emma Rowley discusses the thorny question of the foldable iPhone’s name.
1 day ago, By David Price
Will you fold?
Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air competed for the title of Apple’s flagship handset. The Air was certainly more interesting, but the Pro Max was a far better specced, more powerful phone (not to mention more expensive). But this year there will only be one clear winner: the iPhone Ultra. Will you yield to temptation and pay what’s likely to be more than $2,000 for Apple’s first foldable smartphone?
“If I was purchasing an iPhone and an iPad at the same time, then I would consider the Fold as it might work out cheaper than buying two separate devices,” writes christopherclarke6184. “But I am happy with my iPad M4 and iPhone 17 Pro Max so won’t be upgrading for a while… unless Apple has something special I may need. I’ll still be watching the show, though.”
Apple will be hoping for strong interest from the early adopter crowd, but given that this is an entirely new market for the company and a very high price, moderate sales may be enough in the short term.
1 day ago, By David Price
Who is John Ternus?
One big difference this year is that the main host will be Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, rather than Tim Cook. Ternus is a relative unknown to members of the public, and Apple fans will be keen to see how he handles hosting duties. Will he be a showman, like Steve Jobs? Quietly professional, like Cook? Or something new and unique to himself?
That’s not to say we’ve got no idea how he’ll carry himself in a presentation. As head of hardware Ternus spoke at multiple keynotes and product launches in the past, including the iPhone reveal last fall. His manner was very positive, with lots of superlatives, while being unafraid to delve into technical detail. But acting as main host is a different assignment, so we may see a new side to him on Wednesday.
In the meantime, read Alex Blake’s piece on the new boss, in which he describes Ternus as “the perfect CEO for this Apple era.”
John Ternus: A man with a passion for hardware.
Apple
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Folding iPhone color options will be unique
Our sources report that Apple will offer the iPhone Ultra in just two colors for its debut. The first is silver, which we expect from a new iPhone, but the other is a little different: Dark Blue. Apple regularly offers its iPhones in various shades of blue, of course, but it’s rare for a brand new model to arrive in anything other than black and white.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
No time for Tim
According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Tim Cook won’t make an appearance in this year’s keynote. While he reports that he will be at Apple Park for the event, Cook has officially and completely handed the reins to Ternus, who will be the face of the Surprise and Shine event.
2 days ago, By Roman Loyola
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: Podcast preview
On the newest Macworld Podcast, Michael Simon and Jason Cross talk about what to expect at Apple’s Surprise and Shine iPhone event. What iPhones will Apple release? How will John Ternus do in his first keynote as Apple CEO? And will there be a “One more thing”? Get ready for the event by tuning in to the podcast.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Cases, cases everywhere
The iPhone Ultra doesn’t exist yet, but you can find cases all over social media. It’s worth noting that case manufacturers don’t get information from Apple ahead of events, but they pay very close attention to the rumors and some probably have their own sources in the supply chain. Are they real? We’ll know in just a couple days.
2 days ago, By David Price
Surprise? What surprise?
Apple has given this week’s showcase the tagline “Surprise and Shine.” But what’s the big surprise? Apple’s September events are among its most predictable, almost always revolving around new iPhones and new Apple Watches, and sometimes new AirPods.
September 2025: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2024: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2023: iPhones, Apple Watches
September 2022: iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods
September 2021: iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads
Is John Ternus going to spring a surprise in 2026? After asking this question on TikTok we’re unconvinced by the idea of an Apple alarm clock (sorry), but another reader’s proposal of a “tabletop Pixar light robot personal assistant with Siri” is a little more plausible. That sounds a lot like the rumored smart-home hub which Apple has been working on for years, and could make an appearance this week. It could even turn up as One More Thing at the end and make for a fun encore.
But ultimately the most likely outcome is that, as far as Apple is concerned, the widely expected foldable iPhone counts as the surprise. To those of us who live in the Apple rumor bubble the iPhone Ultra (or iPhone Fold) now looks like virtually a sure thing for Wednesday’s presentation, but to the wider community it’s far less well known. And officially, of course, it doesn’t even exist. Surprise!
2 days ago, By David Price
We (probably) know the new colors
Apple loves to launch at least one new color for each iPhone generation. Partly this allows the company to prune the colors which sold poorly the year before and experiment with alternatives, but the main advantage is that it allows customers to show off the fact they’ve got a new phone, even if the design is otherwise the same. Those who bought the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange last year got some major bragging rights.
Perhaps surprisingly, the wildly popular Cosmic Orange is expected to be dropped from the range this year. The two new finishes are a little less garish: a dark-red/burgundy wine color, expected to be branded as Dark Cherry, and a light blue. Macworld exclusively revealed these colors in the summer.
If you’d like to see more of the new finishes, take a look at this leaked video, which appears to show demo models of the iPhone 18 Pro (in blue) and 18 Pro Max (in Dark Cherry).
Generally, Apple opens up pre-orders for all the new iPhones and Apple Watches on the Friday following the Apple event at 5am PT. However, with 9/11 falling on Friday this year, it’s likely that Apple will delay the launch one day out of respect for the anniversary. Pre-orders instead are expected to begin on Saturday at midnight PT.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
No iPhone 18 this week
In case you haven’t been following the rumors, Apple isn’t expected to launch a new iPhone 18 this week. That means the iPhone 17 will be on shelves alongside the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus for another six months. This would be the first time (other than the budget SE and e models) that Apple has spilt the new iPhones into separate launches and could create some serious FOMO for annual updaters.
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Read our 100% real keynote leak*
Just like last year, we’ve gotten our hands on Apple’s iPhone event keynote script ahead of the big reveal, and we’re sharing it all with you: the bad jokes, clever marketing, outrageous prices, and big surprises. Read it all before it happens.
*May not be real
2 days ago, By Michael Simon
Follow along with all the latest updates
Welcome to the Surprise and Shine live blog! You don’t need to wait till Wednesday to get up to speed on everything Apple’s releasing. Over the next two days, we’ll share rumors, features, roundups, thoughts, reader comments, and lots more. Stay right here for everything you need to know.
Surprise and Shine iPhone event: What we expect
Apple might have dubbed this the “Surprise” event, but we have a pretty good idea what Apple is going to announce. Here’s what we expect to see:
iPhone Ultra/Duo: Apple is almost certain to launch its first folding phone this week. We’re expecting a passport-style design with a 5.5-inch cover display and a near-8-inch inner display when opened.
iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max: We expect a similar design with a faster chip and a better camera system, possibly including a variable-aperture lens for the first time.
Apple Watch Series 12: The latest Apple Watch update will reportedly be a minor refresh with a new chip, all-day heart-rate tracking, and maybe the return of a ceramic finish.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: Like the Series 12, the Ultra 4 is expected to be a minor refresh largely focused on a new chip tuned for Siri AI.
AirPods 5: Apple is rumored to be launching a new pair of low-end AirPods, but we don’t know much about them.
Smart home: It’s less likely that Apple’s rumored smart-home hub arrives at this event, but we could see an updated Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
Apple has confirmed that it will hold an event on Wednesday September 9, starting at 1pm ET, 10am PT and 6pm BST. We expect that Apple will take the wraps off the new iPhone 18 Pro, new iPhone Duo and new Apple Watches during the keynote.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Apple’s iPhone launch event for 2026, including when the Apple Event will start where you are, and the new products Apple will launch. You will be able to watch the event below once it starts. We will also run a live blog.
When is Apple’s iPhone event? What time will the iPhone event start?
The 2026 iPhone event will take place on Wednesday 9 September. It starts at the following times depending on where you are:
Hong Kong, Singapore and China: The following day at 1 a.m.
Australia: The following day at 1 a.m. (AWST), 2.30 a.m. (ACST), 3 a.m. (AEST)
New Zealand: The following day at 5 a.m. (NZST)
You can watch the event live on Apple’s website or YouTube stream below. We also have a live blog of the iPhone Event so you can see our analysis of the annoucements as they happen:
Apple’s September events are usually one to two hours long.
This will be the first Apple event hosted by the company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on September 1 following Cook’s retirement.
What will Apple launch at the September 2026 event?
Apple’s September events typically feature the launch of new iPhones, Apple Watches, and, sometimes, AirPods. Apple’s September 2026 event is shaping up to be one of its most significant in years, with a mix of expected updates and a major new product category:
The Headliner: iPhone Duo or iPhone Ultra (Foldable)
The biggest news is the long-rumored folding iPhone, initially expected to be called the iPhone Ultra until Mark Gurman revealed the possibility that it could be called iPhone Duo on the morning of the event. This marks Apple’s first major form-factor change in over a decade. According to reports, it will fold like a book, have a passport-like shape when closed, and feature a starting price of $2,000 or more . It’s expected to include two rear cameras (wide and ultrawide), a front-facing camera, and the return of Touch ID built into the side button. Read more here: Folding iPhone rumors.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
Alongside the Ultra/Duo, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max . These models are rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, an upgraded A20 Pro processor with revamped vapor-chamber cooling, a new C2 modem (or Qualcomm in the U.S.), and a new “Dark Cherry” signature color. Camera improvements are also expected, including a variable aperture and new sensor technology, along with a potential boost to 24 megapixels for the front-facing camera. Read more here: iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max rumors.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
As is tradition, Apple will update its smartwatch lineup alongside the new iPhones. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to be announced . However, reports suggest these will be relatively minor updates, primarily featuring a faster S12 processor and a few internal upgrades, with no major new health sensors or design changes expected. Read about the Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.
Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini
Both the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are long overdue for an update and are expected to launch this fall. The delay has reportedly been due to Apple waiting for the new Siri AI architecture to be ready. The new models are expected to feature more powerful chips (like the A17 Pro in the Apple TV) to support the full Siri AI experience, enabling more contextual and conversational interactions. Read about Apple’s HomePod plans.
AirPods 5
It is possible that new AirPods could be announced at Apple’s event. They are expected to offer the H3 chip, improvements to audio/ANC and possibly new health sensing such as temperature monitoring. There are also rumors that camera-equipped AirPods are in the pipeline, but we don’t expect these at the September event.
Software
Apple is also likely to announce the date when it will release the new iOS 27 and watchOS 27 operating systems, most likely a few days after the event. iPadOS 27 and the new macOS Golden Gate may launch alongside iOS 27, but there have been years when these updates were available later. Apple is also likely to reveal when the next updates to tvOS and HomePod software will be available.
Release dates: New OS download dates
The following launch dates are likely to be announced at the iPhone 17 event:
Monday, September 14: Downloads begin for iOS 26. If you do want to update your iPhone and you are looking for advice on how to install it read: How to update iOS on your iPhone.
Friday, September 11 or Saturday, September 12: iPhone 18 Pro and new Apple Watch preorders begin.
Friday, September 18: iPhone 18 Pro and new Apple Watch models are available for purchase.
Where to watch the iPhone event
Apple will broadcast the event live on its website, the TV app, and on Apple’s YouTube channel. If you want to refresh your memory, the 2025 keynote event is embedded above.
Will the iPhone event be live?
Apple hasn’t held a truly live event since September 2019. Instead, it shows a prerecorded video at the time a live event would be and often holds a small hands-on area to showcase the new products. It is likely that this will once again be the case in 2026, with members of the press gathering at Apple Park to watch the same video Apple will show to the rest of the world.
What won’t Apple launch at the September 2026 event?
Apple isn’t expected to unveil the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e,second-generation iPhone Air, or Apple Watch SE 4 at its September 2026 event. Those products are reportedly being held back for later launches, with the new iPhones expected in spring 2027.
When the Apple Store goes offline it’s usually an indication that Apple is about to launch a new product. Sometimes it’s for less good reasons, like an Apple event and an iPhone launch, as is the case this time.
Why is the Apple Store down?
Are you having trouble browsing the Apple Store online? There are a few reasons why the Apple Store might be offline. It could be because Apple is preparing to launch new products at an event, or it could be because Apple is about to start taking pre-orders for a new product.
If you are reading this story and it’s the day of an Apple Event – which is the case, today: Wednesday September 9 – then yes, the store is down. Apple has taken it offline while it prepares for new product launches. The store always tends to go offline just before an event–to find out if an event is expected today read: When is Apple’s next event?
Even if there isn’t an event planned, there’s also the possibility that the Apple Store could be closed while Apple updates it with new products that will launch later–or perhaps new products are up for pre-order. Wondering whether there are new products expected? Take a look at our New Apple Products round-up. Sometimes Apple just issues a press release relating to new products that it won’t be announcing at an event.
However, don’t jump to the conclusion that if the store is down it means new Apple products are coming, that isn’t always the case. The store might be down due to connectivity issues and for scheduled maintenance. For example, on April 24, 2023, we saw the store go down twice only to go back online without an update. Check the state of Apple’s servers here.
You may be wondering what time the Apple Store goes down and when Apple makes the announcement.
Events tend to start at 10 a.m. at Apple’s HQ in California, which is 1 p.m. ET and 6 p.m. U.K. time. The Apple Store tends to go down at around 5 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT, 12 p.m. UK time on those days. If there is no event and the Apple Store is down it could be because Apple is about to issue new product news in a press release. The news usually arrives at around 11 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. PT, and 4 p.m. in the UK.
If there is an event on the day you land on this article, events usually start at 10am PT, or, if you aren’t based there:
Hong Kong, Singapore and China: The following day at 1 a.m.
Australia: The following day at 1 a.m. (AWST), 2.30 a.m. (ACST), 3 a.m. (AEST)
New Zealand: The following day at 5 a.m. (NZST)
If it is an event day expect the store to be offline until shortly after the event ends.
When the site goes down before pre-orders start it usually happens a few hours before the pre-orders are set to start. For example, when the iPhone 15 launched on September 15, preorders were set for 8 a.m. ET, 5 a.m. PT and 1 p.m. in the U.K., the site was offline from a few hours before. In 2024 the timings are the same.
Other reasons why the Apple Store could be down
However, there are other reasons why the Apple Store can be down, so if you are here on a day when there is no event or pre-orders planned, check the other reasons why the Apple Store could be down below.
Apple could be updating the online store
Before we explain how to check the status of Apple’s online store, we should first explain the possible reasons why the store might be down.
The most exciting reason is that Apple could be updating the store with new products.
Apple tends to shut down the Apple Store while it updates the range of products available, whether it be removing old products and adjusting pricing or featuring the latest iPhone or iPad. The tell-tale difference between server issues and Apple updating the Store is the splash page that you land on.
If the Apple Store is down due to product changes, a message along the lines of ‘We’ll be right back’ (It used to say: ‘We’ll be back soon’) should be displayed. If this is the case, you don’t need to do anything else: there are no server issues, you just need to sit tight and wait for Apple to update the Store.
The Apple Store is down
However, if when you try to access the Apple Store you get a 404 error message (or if the site isn’t performing as you’d expect) then there may be an issue with Apple’s servers. To determine whether this is the issue, you can skip the next section and read about how to check the system status below.
You are using an outdated version of Safari or macOS
If you’re struggling to access the Apple Store, while other people are having no problems, it might be due to your outdated software. If this is the case the message ‘unsupported browser version’ will display when trying to visit the page on older versions.
The store also appears to be unavailable when any of the older macOS versions, including macOS Yosemite or Sierra, on other browsers. The likes of Chrome and Firefox will not work unless you update to a recent build.
This is thought to be an attempt by Apple to protect its customers from any potential threats.
How to check Apple’s System Status
The first step in establishing whether the Apple Store is down (apart from going on the site itself!) is to visit
Apple’s System Status website. This site displays the current status of every Apple service, from iOS device activations to iCloud and, of course, the Apple Online Store.
It not only informs users of any potential problems with the online services, but also gives users a heads up on any scheduled maintenance that could cause issues. It also indicates whether there were recent disruptions that have now been resolved.
If you see a message next to the Apple Online Store status, click it. It should bring up more details about the issue including the duration of the outage and the issues that users would have/are experiencing.
Apple’s System Status site isn’t the only place to find up-to-date information on the status of the Apple Store.
Down Detector is a hugely popular third-party status website that relies on crowdsourced information from users to provide up-to-date statuses on a range of online services from PayPal to Steam and the Apple Store too.
The site allows users to report issues and allows you to see past issues that have affected the performance of the service. It also features a handy heat map of live outages, so you can see whether the issue is local to your city/region/country.
Another good resource is the aptly named Is It Down Right Now?. The site offers similar data to Down Detector but also features a grid displaying access speeds over the past few days.
It works in a different way to Down Detector though, as you have to search for the service via URL, and at the time of writing, it checks the status of the entire Apple website, not specifically the Apple Store.
It’s already been a huge year for Apple, with a wave of new products arriving during the first eight months of 2026, including the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e, and then the new Mac mini and Mac Studio.
But one of Apple’s biggest launches of the year is still to come – and it could happen today. Apple is holding its September 9 “Surprise and Shine” event, where it is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, new Apple Watches and, most significantly, its first foldable iPhone, recently rumored to be called the iPhone Duo.
There is plenty more on Apple’s roadmap beyond today’s event. New iPads and smart-home products could arrive later in 2026, while Apple is also believed to be preparing its first touchscreen MacBook Pro and smart glasses.
Alongside the new hardware, Apple is preparing the public release of iOS 27, macOS 27 and its other next-generation operating systems, bringing the major Siri AI overhaul first previewed at WWDC in June. Here’s everything Apple has launched in 2026 so far – and what we expect to come next.
What to expect from Apple in 2026
Biggest launches still to come: iPhone 18 Pro & Max and Apple’s first foldable iPhone are expected at today’s September 9 event, with the first touchscreen MacBook Pro potentially following later
Most meaningful upgrades: Apple’s first folding iPhone, first touchscreen MacBook Pro, OLED comes to more Apple devices, smaller Dynamic Island
Big leadership shift: John Ternus has replaced Tim Cook as CEO as of September 1, 2026
Biggestsoftwareupgrades: iOS 27, macOS 27, major Siri/Apple Intelligence upgrade and deeper system-wide AI integration
Apple’s roadmap for 2026: At a glance
In the fall of 2026, Apple’s roadmap will come under the direction of CEO John Ternus. Former CEO Tim Cook has moved into the executive chairman role. The shift from an operations-focused leader to one with deep hardware engineering roots could signal a more product-driven approach – and a renewed emphasis on standout hardware. Ternus takes over as CEO just as Apple is reportedly preparing a major Siri overhaul, alongside potential launches including its first touchscreen MacBook and the iPhone 18 Pro.
Product
Expected release
Key rumours
Should you wait?
iPhone 18 Pro & Max
September 2026
Smaller Dynamic Island, under-display Face ID components, A20 Pro, C2 modem
Yes
iPhone Ultra/Duo
September 2026
The first foldable iPhone
Yes
Apple Watch Series 12
September 2026
Continuous heart-rate monitoring
Yes
Apple Watch Ultra 4
September 2026
Satellite connectivity improvements
Yes
iPad mini
Fall 2026
Larger OLED screen
Yes
iPad
Fall 2026
Apple Intelligence support
Yes
MacBook Pro with Touchscreen
Late 2026-early 2027
Touch screen
Yes
Apple Smart Glasses
Preview in late 2026 possible
Cameras, audio, Siri/Visual Intelligence
Yes
iPhone 18
Spring 2027
Could merge with iPhone Air
Yes
Every New Apple Product Launched in 2026… so far
Here is what Apple has already announced in 2026:
Mac mini M6 and M5 Pro: Faster storage, upgraded connectivity, and a strong focus on AI performance: New Mac mini 2026 guide.
Mac Studio M5 Max and M5 Ultra: Faster AI and graphics performance, increased memory bandwidth: New Mac Studio 2026 guide.
AirPods Max 2: Improved audio and the H2 chip. Find out more here: AirPods Max 2 guide.
MacBook Neo: Apple’s brand new, low-cost Mac laptop. Find out more here: MacBook Neo guide.
MacBook Air M5: Now with the M5 chip. Read about the 2026 MacBook Air here: MacBook Air M5 guide.
Studio Display: Finally gets Thunderbolt 5 and a better webcam.
Studio Display XDR: With mini-LED technology and ProMotion up to 120Hz.
iPhone 17e: The new, entry-level, iPhone replaces the iPhone 16e. Read more here: iPhone 17e guide.
iPad Air M4: The iPad Air now has an M4 chip. Read more here: iPad Air M4 guide.
AirTag 2: Four years on Apple updated the AirTag, read our review here: AirTag 2nd gen review.
And… RIP Mac Pro: Apple has confirmed that it is discontinuing its tower workstation.
Read on to find out what new products to expect at Apple’s next event and throughout 2026.
Every New Apple Product Launching in 2026
In the sections below we’ve split the upcoming new products into categories including Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, Home, AirPods, and some new product categories.
Apple Intelligence, Siri and AI
iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate, will introduce a massive overhaul to Siri and expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities.
The All-New Siri AI
The most significant update is the transformation of Siri into Siri AI, a conversational assistant powered by Apple Intelligence.
Key Siri AI features coming later in 2026 include:
Onscreen Awareness: Siri will understand and interact with what is displayed on your screen. For example, if a friend texts you an address, you can ask Siri to save it to a contact without leaving the app.
Dedicated Siri App: A new standalone app will allow you to revisit previous conversations, pin important chats, and sync history across all Apple devices via iCloud.
App Actions: Siri will be able to perform tasks within apps using natural language, such as editing a recently sent message or adding a song to a specific playlist.
Visual Intelligence: On iPhone, a new Siri mode in the Camera app will allow users to point their phone at objects to ask questions or perform actions based on what they see. On Mac, users can select onscreen content to ask Siri questions about images or documents.
Voice Customization: Users can personalize Siri with more natural voices and adjust the pace and expressiveness of the speech. This feature requires a M3 Mac with 12GB RAM or newer, or iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone Air and newer.
Apple Intelligence Across Apps
Beyond Siri, Apple Intelligence is being integrated system-wide to automate tasks and enhance productivity. Apple Intelligence will play a larger role across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, smart home devices, and future product categories.
Major updates include:
Safari Productivity: The browser will automatically group tabs into topics, monitor pages for changes (like price drops) with a “Notify Me” feature, and even build custom extensions based on natural-language descriptions.
Smarter Photo Editing: New tools include Spatial Reframing to improve composition after a photo is taken, an Extend tool to fill in missing areas when straightening horizons, and an upgraded Clean Up tool for removing distractions.
Writing Tools and Communication: Mail and Messages will gain smarter replies that mimic a user’s writing style . System-wide Writing Tools will generate text from scratch, rewrite drafts, and adapt tone to match specific contacts.
Image Playground: This tool has been revamped with better language models to create more natural-looking photorealistic images. It also allows users to create custom wallpapers on iOS 27.
Intelligent Automation: The Shortcuts app will feature a “Describe a Shortcut” ability, allowing users to create complex automations simply by explaining what they want in plain English.
What new iPhones are coming in 2026 (and should you wait)?
There are new iPhones coming.
Foundry
Based on current industry analysis and supply chain information, Apple has some significant changes planned for the iPhone in 2026, with an iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and the introduction of a foldable iPhone expected alongside the release of iOS 27.
iPhone 18 Pro & Pro Max
September 9, 2026 update expected at event
The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to launch on September 9, 2026. The iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to be the first to use Apple’s own C2 modem instead of Qualcomm’s. The base model may see a RAM increase to 12GB to better support on-device AI functions. A major redesign is expected, which could include a new Dark Cherry color, some under-display Face ID components and a smaller Dynamic Island, and the front camera could move to the upper-left corner of the display. Read about the iPhone 18 Pro here: iPhone 18 Pro rumors.
Foldable iPhone
September 9, 2026 introduction expected at event
After years of rumors, Apple’s first foldable phone, potentially named the iPhone Duo or the iPhone Ultra, is expected to debut on September 9 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models. It is expected to be a book-style foldable with a 7.8-inch inner display. Read more here: Apple’s folding iPhone rumors.
iPhone 18
Spring 2027 launch expected
Reports suggest that Apple could delay the iPhone 18 and release that handset alongside the iPhone 18e in the spring of 2027.
Should you buy now or wait?
With prices expected to rise, buying an iPhone 17 Pro this summer was not the bad idea it would normally be, so if you bought one recently then don’t despair, you probably saved some money.
What new iPads are coming in 2026 (and should you wait)?
Screenshot
Foundry
Don’t expect major redesigns for the iPads this year. Instead, Apple is likely to focus on faster chips and other internal upgrades. That said, both the iPad and iPad mini are due for an update – particularly the entry-level iPad, which currently lacks support for Apple Intelligence. Here’s what we expect Apple to announce:
iPad mini
Late 2026 update possible
The current iPad mini (A17 Pro) was released in October 2024, and Apple’s update cycle for this model is generally infrequent. Based on current reports and analysis, the next significant update to the iPad mini is not expected until late 2026, with some speculation pointing toward 2027.
One rumored upgrade for the 2026 iPad mini is the transition to an OLED display, which could reduce manufacturing costs and improve battery life. There is also the possibility of a slightly larger screen, with a move from the current 8.3- to 8.7-inches suggested. There is also speculation that a future foldable Apple device could potentially replace the iPad mini line entirely, though this remains uncertain.
Internal code leaks suggest the future iPad mini could be upgraded to an A19 Pro chip, which would provide a significant performance boost over the current A17 Pro. An A18 Pro chip upgrade is also possible. Read our round up of iPad mini rumors.
iPad
Late 2026 update possible
When the standard iPad was updated in March 11, 2025, the biggest disappointment was that it featured a A16 chip and therefore didn’t support Apple Intelligence. Apple looks set to rectify that in 2026 with an upgrade to the A18 or A19 chip, with the latter offering 50% better performance. The release timeline for an iPad with an A18 or A19 chip is anticipated before the end of 2026, in fact, Apple code suggests the company may be planning an update sooner-rather-than-later.
Read more about the 2026 iPad in our rumor round up.
Should you buy now or wait?
With the iPad prices increasing in June you may want to hold off buying one now. If you are going to pay more at least get the most up-to-date model, or buy from Apple’s Refurbished Store to get a bargain. Read Should I buy an iPad now or wait?
Which Macs are worth waiting for in 2026?
2026 is expected to be a significant year for the Mac, with Apple’s first touchscreen Mac rumored as part of a MacBook Pro redesign. March 3 saw the launch of the M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro and March 4 saw Apple introduce a new entry-level laptop – the $599 MacBook Neo.
The long expected Mac Studio and Mac mini updates came in August 2026 and go on sale September 22, although some high-memory Mac Studio configurations won’t arrive until later. These Macs have become popular for running AI models locally; however, global RAM shortages – driven by AI companies purchasing large amounts of memory for data centres – have been having a knock-on effect on availability during 2026 and these RAM shortages have also had an effect on prices, with Mac prices increasing by $300 to $500 in June and in the case of the Mac mini, by a further $100 with the 2026 lannch.
There are rumors that the MacBook Pro will get a redesign including notch-free OLED touchscreen, potential 5G connectivity and a thinner body. At one point it was expected that this new MacBook Pro would feature M6 Pro and Max chips, but the latest indications are that Apple will use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips instead in an effort to keep the project on schedule.
The current M4 iMac was released in October 2024, so an M5 update might seem timely and could be released alongside other potential M5 Mac updates.
The current iMac design was introduced in 2021 and is not expected to change soon. It is still considered fresh, and its components are not outdated. However, there are calls for Apple to introduce a larger screened iMac, something that has been missed since Apple discontinued the 27-inch model. Many feel that the 24-inch screen is too small. Read about the larger iMac rumors.
Should you buy now or wait?
With the prices of Macs increasing in June due to the global RAM shortages you may want to hold off buying one now. If you are going to pay more at least get the most up-to-date model, or buy from Apple’s Refurbished Store to get a bargain. Read the following for more guidance:
Like clockwork, expect a new Apple Watch in September.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
Apple updated all the Apple Watches in September 2025. Launching the Apple Watch Series 11 a new Apple Watch Ultra and a new Apple Watch SE. In 2026 the Apple Watch Series 12 and a new Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected.
With the Apple Watch rather than hardware changes the real interest tends to be the health and fitness related features. The following capabilities are expected in future iterations:
Non-invasive blood glucose monitoring: This has been a long-rumored feature for the Apple Watch, but it is still considered to be a few years away with the technology unlikely to be ready for a 2026 release.
AI-Powered Health and Fitness Coach: Apple has long been rumored to be working on a sophisticated AI coach. Recent reports from early 2026 suggest this project was “scaled back” to allow individual AI-driven features to ship sooner rather than waiting for a complete overhaul.
Health+ Service Overhaul: There are ongoing rumors regarding a new service tier called “Health+” that would expand upon Fitness+. This service might integrate new AI-powered health features into a single subscription, potentially bundled with hardware purchases.
Daily Readiness and Stress Tracking: Unlike competitors such as the Oura Ring 4 or Garmin, the Apple Watch currently lacks a “daily readiness” score or native stress tracking. Experts suggest these are obvious areas for future software or hardware updates.
Other new features could include Touch ID integration and microLED displays reaching 4,000 nits brightness. A thinner case, magnetic bands, and enhanced AI capabilities could also be on the cards.
If you have an older Apple Watch and are wondering whether to upgrade, this could be a good time as with watchOS 27 the compatibility list is smaller than ever and only the Watch SE 3, Series 9, 10 and 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and 3 – and the new models – will be compatible.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
September 9, 2026 update expected at event
Expected to be a relatively modest update, with a faster S-series chip, improved health and fitness tracking and possibly better battery life, but no major redesign. Read more: Apple Watch 2026 updates.
Apple Watch Series 12
September 9, 2026 update expected at event
Rumored to bring a new S-series processor, longer battery life, enhanced health monitoring and possibly a ceramic finish, while retaining the familiar Series 11 design.
Should you buy now or wait?
If you need an Apple Watch today, the SE 3 is the safest buy, while the Series 11 and Ultra 3 are worth waiting on with new models expected in September. Waiting could bring new features, lower prices on current models, or both, making it the smarter choice for most buyers. Read more: Should I buy an Apple Watch now or wait?
Upcoming AirPods
According to a brief update in Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter for Bloomberg in August, Apple is aiming to launch camera-equipped AirPods this fall.
The new earbuds are expected to resemble the upcoming AirPods Pro 3, although it’s not yet clear whether they will also include a heart rate sensor.
The cameras are said to include both visible-light and infrared sensors, but they reportedly won’t be designed for taking photos or recording video, as their placement and image quality would make them unsuitable for those tasks. Instead, the cameras are expected to enable AI-powered features, such as hand gesture recognition, adapting audio based on the surrounding environment, and detecting whether someone is speaking directly to you or simply talking nearby.
Upcoming Apple Home devices
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
Apple is expected to significantly expand its smart home ecosystem in 2026 and 2027 with new devices beyond its traditional Apple TV and HomePods.
Rumored products include a smart home hub that combines HomePod functionality with a touchscreen, an updated HomePod mini 2 and next-generation Apple TV are also expected.
This strategic push could help Apple catch up with competitors like Amazon and Google in the smart home market.
Apple’s push into the smart home market will be heavily reliant on a significantly improved Siri, which is expected to launch with iOS 27 and macOS 27 in the fall.
New and updated products are said to include:
HomePod mini 2
Fall 2026 introduction
Foundry
A new HomePod mini is said to be on the way with a faster processor that can take advantage of the new Siri AI.
HomePod 3
Fall 2026 introduction
A new HomePod with an updated chip is also expected.
Apple TV
Fall 2026 update
The current Apple TV isn’t compatible with Siri so an update is needed. Apple TV leaks indicate a rumoured Apple TV is on Apple’s roadmap and that the update will bring Apple Intelligence to the set top box.
New Smart Hub
Possible 2026 introduction
Multiple reports have suggested Apple will launch a smart home hub. Apple is said to be working on a number of HomeHub related products including a device said to mount a camera on a robot arm that can follow you around!
New Smart Display
Possible 2026 introduction
Also rumored is an iPad-like smart display that allows you to control your home devices via HomeOS software. This may come with both a speaker base and a wall mount.
HomePod Touch
Possible 2026 introduction
A new HomePod smart speaker with a screen is said to be coming. Read more here: New HomePod rumors.
Upcoming Vision devices, AR and spatial computing
Apple Smart Glasses
Possible 2026 introduction, 2027 launch
Unlike the bulky Vision Pro headset, the upcoming smart glasses from Apple are expected to follow a form factor similar to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. This will be Apple’s first product built specifically for “Visual Intelligence.” It will likely handle tasks such as live translations, music playback, phone calls, and turn-by-turn directions. Apple could provide a first glimpse or “preview” of the glasses by the end of 2026.
Vision Pro
Possible 2027 update
Prior to 2026, Apple’s spatial computing strategy has focused on the high-end market, but reports indicate a more affordable version of the headset is in development. Apple has reportedly paused work on a successor to the high-end Vision Pro and will instead release a cheaper Vision Pro.
What Apple launched in 2025
Here’s a quick look at what Apple released in 2025:
February2025: iPhone 16E – the replacement for the iPhone SE and iPhone 14 brought Apple Intelligence support to the entry-level iPhone.
Today’s the day: Apple’s September event takes place today, Wednesday, September 9. Follow our Live Blog for up to the minute analysis. It may not be Apple’s final event of 2026, however, with another launch potentially following in October.
Apple typically has four main event windows each year: a spring event, WWDC in June, the iPhone event in September, and sometimes a further event in October. The company rarely confirms dates far in advance, and there’s no guarantee it will hold an event in every window. That leaves Apple fans – and anyone considering a new Apple device – wondering when the next event will happen and what might be announced.
Fortunately, Apple’s annual schedule is fairly predictable, while reliable rumours often provide additional clues about what’s coming. That means we can make informed estimates about the timing of future keynotes and the products most likely to appear.
From the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and folding iPhone to new Apple Watches and potential Mac and iPad updates, here’s everything we know about today’s Apple event, plus the other events Apple could hold later in 2026 and beyond.
When is Apple’s next event?
Today: Wednesday September 9, 2026
Apple announced the date of its September event on August 26, two weeks before the event was scheduled to be held – September 9.
As in previous years, Apple will livestream the event, allowing viewers around the world to watch the company unveil its latest products. One notable change this year is that the keynote is expected to be hosted by John Ternus, who has succeeded Tim Cook as Apple’s CEO.
Watch the stream here:
Apple event calendar 2026
Timescale
Event theme
Dates
Products
March
Special Experience
2-4 March
Launched: iPhone 17e, MacBooks Neo, Pro & Air, iPad Air
June
WWDC
June 8
Unveiled plans for: iOS, macOS, other software, AI and Siri
September
[iPhone event]
September 9
Expected: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo, new Apple Watch
October or November
[Late fall event]
TBC
Possible: Touchscreen MacBook and iPads
Spring 2027
TBC
TBC
Expected: iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2
Apple has held two events so far in 2026, although the first was not an event in the traditional sense. On March 4, the company invited select media to hands-on “experiences” in multiple locations. In the run-up to that date, Apple launched several products via press release, including the iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, and MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, M5 MacBook Air and the MacBook Neo.
The second event was WWDC, which began with a keynote on June 8. At the WWDC keynote Apple outlined the upcoming changes to its operating systems, including iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate.
A second, late-fall event in October or November is possible, though less certain and typically focused on Macs or iPads.
Here’s when the 2026 Apple events might take place.
Foundry
FAQ
1.
What will Apple announce at today’s event?
Apple’s September event is the biggest and most watched Apple event of the year. It’s the venue at which Apple unveils the new iPhones and Apple Watches for the next year.
We expect Apple to launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. Apple may also reveal the new folding iPhone, thought to be called the iPhone Duo.
2.
What time does the next Apple event start in U.S., U.K. and other global time zones
Apple keynotes usually start at 10 am PT and this one is no different. That translates to the following times in the countries where most of our readers live:
U.S.: 10 am PDT, 11 am MDT, 12 pm CDT, 1 pm EDT
Canada: as above, plus 2 pm ADT
U.K.: 6 pm
Europe: 7 pm CEST, 8 pm EEST
India: 10:30 pm IST
Australia: next day — 1 am AWST, 2:30 am ACST, 3 am AEST
New Zealand: next day — 5 am NZST
The timings are generally the same for all Apple Keynotes, but can be slightly different if Apple holds the event during the period of a couple of weeks when the clocks have changed in the U.S. but not elsewhere (in 2026 the clocks will change in the U.S. on November 1, while in the U.K. they change on October 25).
Sometimes Apple holds events at different times, for example, in October 2023 the event was held in late afternoon in San Francisco, which meant it was midnight in the U.K.
If Apple doesn’t hold an event and instead just issues a press release that usually happens around 8 am PT, 11 am ET and 4 pm U.K. time.
3.
How long do Apple events usually last?
Apple keynotes usually last between one and two hours and feature the CEO alongside various other Apple executives. With John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, 2026, this will be his first major product keynote in the role.
WWDC and the September event tend to be longer keynotes; the spring and late-fall events can be slightly shorter.
For example, the September 2024 event was 1 hour 38 minutes.
4.
How often does Apple hold events?
There can be as many as four Apple events in a year:
Spring Event
WWDC in June
iPhone Event in September
Late Fall Event in October
This event calendar is by no means set in stone, though, with the spring and October events being less regular. Some years, Apple doesn’t hold a spring event at all. In 2025 Apple only held two events preferring instead to announce new products via press release.
5.
Does Apple take part in other events?
Apple doesn’t participate in major industry trade shows such as CES and IFA. Instead Apple invites the press and industry professionals to Apple Park to hear all about its latest products and services. Apple calls these ‘events’ and it streams them live online to millions of viewers.
6.
Does Apple ever announce products without an event?
Apple frequently announces products without a keynote event, often opting for press releases or multi-day announcement windows. In recent years, the company has increasingly reserved its large-scale media events for major flagship launches, such as the primary iPhone lineup in September, while using press releases for iterative updates or “chip bumps” that may not warrant a full hour-long presentation.
7.
How to watch an Apple event
Apple events are typically broadcast across several digital platforms, allowing viewers to tune in from almost any device. While the company previously restricted access to its own hardware or the Safari browser, these barriers have been removed in recent years.
You can access live Apple presentations through the following official channels:
YouTube: This is often considered the easiest way to watch. Apple streams its keynotes live on its official YouTube channel, which can be accessed via any web browser or the YouTube app on smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs .
Apple.com: The company hosts a dedicated “Events” page on its official website. For the best experience on a PC, it is recommended to use Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 or later .
Apple TV App: The stream is available within the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV hardware. Keynotes are usually listed in the app’s lineup a day or two before the event begins .
Apple Podcasts: Apple also showcases its events through the Podcasts app on Apple devices, where you can watch the video presentation
You may also like to tune in to our Live Blog which will provide minute-by-minute text updates and analysis as products are announced.
Following the end of the event, detailed breakdowns will also be available on the Macworld Podcast, which can be found on Spotify, Soundcloud, and Apple Podcasts.
When is the iPhone event and what will launch?
Apple
When is the iPhone event?
September 9, 2026
Apple’s iPhone launch event has become a regular fixture in September (aside 2020, when the event was delayed until October – and the early January launches).
What will Apple launch at the September 2026 event?
We can be pretty confident that at least one new iPhone will launch in late 2026, although there may be some changes to the line up: we may see the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launch in September, but the iPhone 18 is expected to be held back until the spring of 2027. There are also rumors of a folding iPhone – supposedly called the iPhone Ultra or Duo launching in September.
Alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro we may see new Apple Watches. In 2026 the Apple Watch Series 12 should get a chip update, since the Series 11 is using the same chip as the Series 10 did. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is said to be getting an update too. And we may also see new AirPods.
Apple is also rumored to have some upgrades coming to the HomePod and Apple TV to better equip them for Siri AI.
The last time Apple held a late fall event was October 30, 2023, and before that October 18, 2021. So a late fall event isn’t unprecedented, but it is uncommon. Right now there is no way of knowing if Apple will hold a late fall event in 2026, or indeed, if it ever will again. Usually this event is to launch consumer Macs, but in recent years Apple hasn’t felt the need to hold an event to do that. Nearer the time we will know if there are big things planned that might warrant an event.
What will Apple launch at the late fall 2026 event?
Mac or iPad launches are the most likely reasons for an Apple event during this timeframe, but Apple has not felt the need to hold a dedicated Mac event since the “Scary Fast” presentation in 2023, when it introduced the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips alongside updated MacBook Pro models. There could still be Mac-related announcements this year: the rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro could make an appearance.
The timing of any new Mac releases will likely depend on whether the supply chain has fully recovered from the component shortages that have affected the industry throughout the year. These shortages have also led Apple to raise prices for iPads and Macs.
As for iPads, a new iPad or iPad mini are long overdue, so an October event would be a likely venue for those launches, if they don’t arrive in September. The chip shortages may affect the iPad too.
Apple’s spring events have become increasingly unpredictable. The company has not held a traditional spring event since May 2024, although it did invite members of the media, including Macworld, to a “Special Apple Experience” in 2026.
Rather than a keynote presentation, the March 4, 2026 gathering was a hands-on showcase that followed three days of product announcements, including the MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and M5 MacBook Air.
Will Apple take a similar approach to spring product launches in 2027? It’s certainly possible. The format appeared to work well, allowing each product announcement to receive its own media coverage rather than competing for attention during a single event.
Apple is expected to release three iPhone models in spring 2027 – or it could be two new iPhones, with the Air and iPhone 18 merging.
iPhone 18 (base model)
iPhone 18e
iPhone Air 2
Apple may also update the MacBook Air with an M6 processor in spring 2027. A report from early August 2026 notes that Apple is currently struggling with memory shortages that are impacting MacBook Air stock, and the M6 update is seen as a potential, though not guaranteed, fix for the supply issues.
When is WWDC 2027
Foundry
When is the WWDC keynote?
In 2026 the WWDC keynote was on Monday June 8. In 2025 it started on Monday June 9. We expect WWDC will start on Monday 7 June in 2027.
WWDC generally runs from the Monday to Friday in the second week of June.
What Apple could launch at WWDC
WWDC is Apple’s big developer event at which it reveals plans for the operating systems that run on Apple hardware.
In June 2027 we expect Apple to unveil details of the iOS 28, iPadOS 28, the new macOS 28, updates to watchOS, tvOS, HomePod software, and an update to Apple’s realityOS.
Apple sometimes announces new hardware at WWDC, usually the high end models targeted at power users, so we could see new Macs.
Following the keynote on the Monday, developer events and sessions will run throughout the week. You can read more about WWDC date, times and everything you need to know in a separate article.
What did Apple launch at past events
So far in 2026 Apple has held an ‘experience’, which rather than being an event in the traditional sense, was a chance for journalists to get a look at products Apple had launched in the days prior, including MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e. The company also hosted the WWDC keynote on June 8, at which it revealed its plans for Apple Intelligence and Siri in iOS 27, macOS 27 and the other operating systems.
In 2025 Apple only held two events. The first was its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9, at which it introduced the new features coming in the next version of its operating systems, and the second was the huge September 9 Apple Event where it launched new Apple Watches, new AirPods Pro and the new iPhones for 2025.
Apple doesn’t have to hold an event to launch new products though. Prior to WWDC, Apple launched a new iPhone 16e via press release on February 19, a new iPad and iPad Air via press release on March 4, and a new MacBook Air and Mac Studio on March 5.
Apple then went on to launch a new M5 MacBook Pro and M5 iPad Pro in October. No event was held to mark these launches.
In 2024, Apple held three events: one on Tuesday, May 7, at which it launched new iPads; a keynote to kick off WWDC on June 10; and an event on September 9 at which Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and the AirPods 4. In October 2024 there was no event, but Apple did announce new products (iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro) via press release.
In 2023 there were three events: WWDC in June, an iPhone event in September, and Apple’s second fall event on October 30 (or after midnight on October 31 if you weren’t in the U.S.).
In 2022 Apple held three events: a spring event on March 8, WWDC on June 6, and the iPhone 14 launch on September 7. In other years Apple has held four events though.
Foundry
When were Apple’s past events?
Spring Apple events have been held on the following dates:
2026: ‘Experience’ Wednesday March 4
2025: No event
2024: Tuesday May 7
2023: No event
2022: Tuesday March 8
2021: Tuesday April 20
2020: No event
2019: Monday March 25
2018: Tuesday March 27
2017: No event
2016: Monday March 21
2015: Monday March 9
2014: No event
2013: No event
2012: Wednesday March 7
WWDC events have fallen on the following dates:
WWDC 2026: June 8 (8-12)
WWDC 2025: June 9 (9-13)
WWDC 2024: June 10 (10-14)
WWDC 2023: June 5 (5-9)
WWDC 2022: June 6 (6-10)
WWDC 2021: June 7 (7-11)
WWDC 2020: June 22 (22-26)
WWDC 2019: June 3 (3-7)
WWDC 2018: June 4 (4-8)
WWDC 2017: June 5 (5-9)
Here are the past few Apple September event dates:
2025: Tuesday, September 9
2024: Monday, September 9
2023: Tuesday, September 12
2022: Wednesday, September 7
2021: Tuesday, September 14
2020: Tuesday, September 15
2019: Tuesday, September 10
2018: Wednesday, September 12
2017: Tuesday, September 12
In the past, Apple has held a second fall event on the following dates:
2025: No event
2024: No event
2023: Monday, October 30
2022: No event
2021: Monday, October 18
2020: Tuesday, October 13 and Tuesday, November 10
At tomorrow’s Surprise and Shine event, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone Ultra (or whatever Apple calls its first folding iPhone), the Apple Watch Series 12, and the Apple Watch Ultra 4. Other products that might make an appearance include new AirPods, HomePod mini, and Apple TV 4K. So it’s a big event.
And Apple is geting ready. According to a social media post by Aaron Perris, dozens of hardware product identifiers have been found on Apple’s services backend. This is the list:
By and large these are all devices we expect to see from Apple within the next few months, but not necessarily at the Surprise and Shine event on September 9. For starters, we’re not expecting any Macs this week.
Apple adds hardware IDs to identify any specific variant of a product to its services. That means iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max both get different identifiers, and there are often separate versions for regional cellular differences. iPads of each different size get their own IDs. Same with Apple Watch: Apple has different IDs for different sizes, with and without cellular, and sometimes different materials (like the rumored ceramic option).
The interesting thing here is that there are seven iPhones listed, when we would expect to see six: US and international regional variants for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Ultra. If there were another iPhone model on the way soon, such as the iPhone Air 2, it should have two identifiers. It’s likely the seventh is just another variant of one of the three expected models, perhaps to meet the technical needs of a specific market, but without any outwardly obvious difference in specs.
HomeAccessory listings are interesting, too. HomePods have carried the ID “AudioAccessory” in the past. Either that has changed with the new HomePod mini, or this is the listing for the rumored Home Hub device. And if that’s true, where’s the AudioAccessory listings for the new HomePod mini?
At the end of the day, this list doesn’t really tell us all that much. It includes both products that are expected soon but not necessarily at this week’s event, and also does not includes other products that are expected soon, like AirPods or HomePod mini. At any rate, we’ll know a bit more about Apple’s plans in just a few hours.
Premium-Smartphones gehören zu den wenigen Technikprodukten, deren Preise oft über viele Monate vergleichsweise stabil bleiben. Besonders bei Apples Pro-Modellen sind größere Preisnachlässe selbst lange nach dem Marktstart eher selten.
Wer mit dem Gedanken spielt, auf das noch aktuelle Topmodell von Apple umzusteigen (bevor das teurere iPhone 18 diese Woche vorgestellt wird), findet derzeit jedoch ein vergleichsweise attraktives Angebot. Das iPhone 17 Pro Max mit 256 GB Speicher ist bei Amazon aktuell für 1.269 Euro erhältlich. Gegenüber der UVP von 1.449 Euro entspricht das einer Ersparnis von 180 Euro beziehungsweise 12 Prozent.
Mit 4,6 von 5 Sternen aus mehr als 1.100 Bewertungen kommt das Smartphone bei Nutzern überwiegend gut an.
Das Modell zählt damit weiterhin zu den gefragtesten Premium-Smartphones auf der Plattform und ist derzeit Bestseller Nummer 8 bei Amazon. Platz 1 belegt das Standardmodell iPhone 17, das aktuell in Grün für 879 Euro erhältlich istund damit 7 Prozent unter seiner UVP liegt.
Was das iPhone 17 Pro Max zu bieten hat
Das iPhone 17 Pro Max ist Apples größtes und leistungsstärkstes Smartphone der aktuellen iPhone-Reihe. Es verfügt über ein 6,9 Zoll großes Super Retina XDR OLED-Display mit einer Auflösung von 2.868 x 1.320 Pixeln. Unterstützt werden eine adaptive Bildwiederholrate bis 120 Hertz, Always-on-Display, Dynamic Island, HDR und True Tone.
Für den Schutz des Geräts setzt Apple auf Ceramic Shield auf Vorder- und Rückseite. Laut Hersteller soll die Rückseite einen bis zu vierfach höheren Bruchschutz bieten, während Ceramic Shield 2 auf der Vorderseite die Kratzfestigkeit verbessert. Zusätzlich ist das Smartphone nach IP68 gegen Wasser und Staub geschützt.
Britta O’Boyle
Innen arbeitet der neue A19 Pro Chip mit 6-Core-CPU, 6-Core-GPU und 16-Core Neural Engine. Apple spricht von einer deutlich höheren dauerhaft verfügbaren Leistung gegenüber dem Vorgänger.
Ein Schwerpunkt des Pro-Max-Modells bleibt das Kamerasystem. Verbaut sind drei 48-Megapixel-Kameras mit Fusion-Hauptkamera, Ultraweitwinkel und Telekamera. Möglich sind bis zu achtfacher Zoom in optischer Qualität, ein optischer Zoombereich von 16-facher Vergrößerung sowie bis zu 40-facher Digitalzoom. Hinzu kommen ProRes-Videoaufnahmen bis 4K mit 120 Bildern pro Sekunde, Dolby Vision, Apple Log 2 sowie weitere Funktionen für Foto- und Videoproduktionen.
Die neue 18-Megapixel-Center-Stage-Frontkamera passt den Bildausschnitt automatisch an und eignet sich dadurch besonders für Videoanrufe, Gruppenaufnahmen oder Inhalte für soziale Netzwerke. Außerdem unterstützt sie die gleichzeitige Aufnahme mit Front- und Rückkamera.
Apple spricht beim 17 Pro Max von der längsten Laufzeit, die es bislang in einem iPhone gegeben hat. Laut Hersteller sind bis zu 37 Stunden Videowiedergabe möglich. Geladen wird über USB-C, Magsafe oder Qi2. Mit einem kompatiblen Netzteil sollen bis zu 50 Prozent Akkuladung in etwa 20 Minuten erreicht werden.
Zur weiteren Ausstattung gehören 5G, WLAN 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC, Face ID, Notruf SOS über Satellit, Unfallerkennung sowie Apple Intelligence. Ferner unterstützt das Pro-Modell USB 3 mit Datenraten von bis zu 10 Gbit/s, was insbesondere für Nutzer interessant sein kann, die große Foto- oder Videodateien übertragen.
Auch in unserem Test hinterließ das Gerät einen guten Eindruck. Gelobt wurden unter anderem die hohe Leistung, die verbesserte Kühlung, das helle Display, die neue Center-Stage-Frontkamera sowie die Telekamera mit erweitertem Zoombereich.
Warum sich das Angebot lohnt
Mit 1.269 Euro erreicht das iPhone 17 Pro Max aktuell seinen bisherigen Bestpreis. Nachdem das Modell Ende Juli noch 1.329 Euro kostete und Ende Juni lediglich kurzzeitig auf 1.299 Euro gefallen war, ist das aktuelle Angebot die bislang günstigste Gelegenheit für Käufer, die das Flaggschiff-Modell im Blick haben.
Besonders interessant ist das Smartphone für Nutzer älterer iPhone-Generationen, die Wert auf eine lange Akkulaufzeit, hohe Leistung und ein vielseitiges Kamerasystem legen. Auch wer regelmäßig fotografiert, Videos aufnimmt oder das Smartphone beruflich nutzt, profitiert von den zusätzlichen Funktionen der Pro-Serie.
Die Bewertungen fallen überwiegend positiv aus. Käufer loben vordergründig die Verarbeitungsqualität, die hohe Zuverlässigkeit, die starke Akkulaufzeit sowie die Kamera mit ihrer natürlichen Farbwiedergabe und hohen Detailtiefe. Ebenfalls positiv erwähnt werden das Design und die allgemeine Performance im Alltag.
Kritik gibt es vordergründig beim Preis. Trotz des aktuellen Rabatts bleibt das iPhone 17 Pro Max eines der teuersten Smartphones auf dem Markt. Zudem bringt das Gerät mit 231 Gramm vergleichsweise viel Gewicht auf die Waage. Wer ein möglichst leichtes Smartphone sucht oder die erweiterten Kamera- und Pro-Funktionen nicht benötigt, findet in günstigeren Modellen oftmals die wirtschaftlichere Wahl.
Für alle, die gezielt das derzeit leistungsstärkste iPhone mit der längsten Akkulaufzeit und dem umfangreichsten Kamerasystem suchen, ist der aktuelle Tiefstpreis aber eine der bislang attraktivsten Kaufgelegenheiten seit Marktstart.
Laut einem aufmerksamen Leser von Macrumors enthielt der erste Release Candidate von macOS 26.7 Hinweise auf zwei Spielecontroller. Derselbe Release Candidate enthielt zudem Codenummern für eine ganze Reihe weiterer Apple-Produkte, die derzeit in der Entwicklung stecken.
Die beiden Geräte werden als T6502 und T1057 bezeichnet und verfügen über die meisten Standardfunktionen eines Spielecontrollers: zwei Daumensticks, Aktionstasten, Trigger, Home- und Menü-Tasten sowie verschiedene haptische Funktionen. Ein bemerkenswerter Unterschied: Der T1057-Controller unterstützt Gyroskop und Beschleunigungsmesser (sodass Spiele erkennen können, wie Sie den Controller neigen oder bewegen), während die Funktionen beim T6502 fehlen.
Auch wenn der Fund interessant ist, empfehlen wir Ihnen, nicht davon auszugehen, dass Apple an einem eigenen Gamecontroller arbeitet. Seit über einem Jahrzehnt kursieren Gerüchte, dass Apple einen eigenen Gamecontroller entwickelt, doch bisher ist nichts daraus geworden. Stattdessen hat Apple stetig die Unterstützung für Gamecontroller von Drittanbietern verbessert, sei es durch das eigene MFi-Programm oder für Controller von etablierten Konsolenherstellern.
Diese Codenummern beziehen sich wahrscheinlich auf Testgeräte, die zur Prüfung der Unterstützung zentraler Game-Controller-Funktionen verwendet werden, oder auf ältere Verweise auf Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekte für Apple-Game-Controller, die möglicherweise nie realisiert werden. Es ist bekannt, dass Apple viele Produkte in verschiedenen Entwicklungsstadien hat und nur wenige davon jemals auf den Markt kommen.
Apple könnte zwar einen eigenen Gamecontroller entwickeln, doch dafür gäbe es kaum einen Grund. Die „Wo ist?“-Unterstützung und das automatische Umschalten zwischen Geräten wären zwar nützlich, doch lässt sich kaum behaupten, dass modernen Controllern Funktionen fehlen, die Apple dazu zwingen würden, eigene Lösungen zu entwickeln.
Für Apple ist es weitaus sinnvoller, die zig Millionen Xbox- und Playstation-Controller, die im Umlauf sind, zu unterstützen, als eigene zu entwickeln, zumal Apples Plattformen für die Art von Spielen, die man üblicherweise mit Controllern spielt, nicht besonders beliebt sind.
Sie freuen sich auf Apples „Surprise and Shine“-Veranstaltung am Mittwoch? Können Sie es kaum erwarten, mehr über das iPhone Ultra, die Apple Watch Series 12 und andere neue Produkte zu erfahren? Würden Sie gerne schon vor der offiziellen Ankündigung etwas über die Neuheiten lesen? Dann sind Sie hier genau richtig.
Wie es zu dieser Jahreszeit Tradition ist, haben wir ein Team von Spitzenreportern zum Apple Park geschickt, und nach einigen Stunden des Stöberns in den Mülleimern wurden sie fündig: das Skript für die Präsentation am Mittwoch, Probenaufnahmen, Marketingvideos – alles, was wir benötigen, um eine minutengenaue Vorschau auf das gesamte Event zu erstellen. Und es freut uns, Ihnen diese Vorschau hier präsentieren zu dürfen.
(Um Missverständnisse zu vermeiden: Nichts davon ist wahr, sondern dient ausschließlich Unterhaltungszwecken. Abgesehen von ein paar albernen Witzen und erfundenen Namen handelt es sich bei dem Folgenden jedoch um unsere ernsthafte Prognose, die auf Gerüchten, durchgesickerten Informationen und unserer langjährigen Erfahrung bei der Berichterstattung über solche Veranstaltungen basiert.)
Auftritt John Ternus!
18:59 Uhr MESZ: Es geht los! Black-Metal-Fans werden die mitreißenden Klänge von Leviathans „Vesture Dipped In The Blood Of Morning“ wiedererkennen. Das ist natürlich eine kalifornische Band. Vielleicht ist John Ternus ein Fan.
19:00 Uhr: Apropos … hier ist der Mann selbst, in seinem typischen T-Shirt und Turnschuhen. Wir kennen Ternus bereits von früheren Veranstaltungen (insbesondere vom längeren iPhone-Air-Segment vergangenen Herbst, zusammen mit dem inzwischen ausgeschiedenen Design-Star Abidur Chowdhury). Er ist ein selbstbewusster, entspannter Redner. Doch diese ist eine ganz andere Situation. Werden wir seine gewohnte Mischung aus Positivität und technischen Details erleben, oder wird er in seiner neuen Rolle als Moderator auf vage Plattitüden zurückgreifen?
19:01 Uhr: „Heute werden wir etwas über drei Apple-Produkte erfahren, die die Welt verändert haben“, sagt Ternus. Die Airpods, die Apple Watch und das iPhone.
19:02 Uhr: „Bei der Technologie dreht sich alles um Prioritäten“, sagt er. „Und bei Apple glauben wir an logistische Effizienz, Upselling-Marketing und die Schaffung nachhaltiger Werte für die Aktionäre trotz wirtschaftlicher Gegenwinde. Ich gebe ab zu Neil.“
19:03 Uhr: Ein neues Gesicht, wahrscheinlich das erste von vielen nach dem jüngsten Exodus führender Fachkräfte bei Apple. Neil Overall ist Vice President für Airpods-Marketing und ein aufstrebender Star im Apple Park.
19:04 Uhr: „Die Airpods gehören zu den ikonischsten Technikprodukten der Geschichte“, sagt Overall. „Aber hier bei Apple weigern wir uns, uns auf unseren Lorbeeren auszuruhen. Dieses Jahr werden wir die besten kabellosen Ohrhörer der Welt noch ein ganz kleines bisschen besser machen. Das sind die Airpods 5.“
19:05 Uhr: Wir sehen ein Produktvideo. Die neuen Airpods sehen aus … ja, genau so aus wie die Modelle der 4. Generation. Kein neues Design. Das hatten wir, fairerweise, nach der Überarbeitung der Airpods 4 auch erwartet. Sie verfügen nach wie vor über keine Silikon-Ohrstöpsel. Auch von alternativen Farbvarianten ist nichts zu sehen. Das Video endet mit dem Werbeslogan: „Airpods 5: Na und? Sie kaufen sie doch trotzdem.™️“
19:06 Uhr: Doch hier gibt es ein deutliches Upgrade: Die Airpods 5 erhalten einen neuen H3‑Chip. Das ist ein mutiger Schritt, denn die Airpods Pro 3 und die Airpods Max 2, die natürlich beide teurer sind als die Standard-Airpods, bleiben beim H2 … es sei denn, es folgen noch weitere Neuigkeiten! Insgesamt soll der H3 den Airpods 5 eine bessere aktive Geräuschunterdrückung verleihen (was wichtig ist, da ihnen die physische, passive Geräuschunterdrückung der Airpods-Pro-Ohrstöpsel fehlt) sowie Zugriff auf die KI-Funktionen der neuen Siri ermöglichen.
19:07 Uhr: Der H3-Chip bedeutet auch eine verbesserte Akkulaufzeit. Die ANC-Version hält nun bei aktivierter Geräuschunterdrückung bis zu 6 Stunden, gegenüber 4 Stunden beim Vorgängermodell. Das gilt natürlich nur für die Ohrhörer selbst; durch das Aufladen im Etui (das offenbar unverändert bleibt) verlängert sich die effektive Akkulaufzeit natürlich.
19:08 Uhr: Weiter geht es mit dem Thema Gesundheit: Die Standard-Airpods erhalten einen Temperatursensor, wodurch sie mehr Daten an „Apple Health“ übermitteln können. Es sieht jedoch so aus, als würden sie weiterhin keinen Herzfrequenzsensor haben. Dies wird Apple dabei helfen, weiterhin die Airpods Pro zu verkaufen, die über einen solchen Sensor verfügen.
19:09 Uhr: Und das war’s auch schon: keine Spur von Airpods Pro oder Max mit H3‑Chip. (Oder von Airpods mit Kameras.) Die Airpods 5 können ab dem 12. September vorbestellt werden, wie Overall bekannt gibt, und werden am 18. September ausgeliefert. Sie kosten 199 Euro mit ANC oder 149 Euro ohne – puh, es gibt also keine Preiserhöhung. „Zurück zu dir, Tim“, fügt er hinzu. „Äh, ich meine John.“
Die Airpods 4, die genau wie die Airpods 5 aussehen.
Petter Ahrnstedt
Neue Apple Watches
19:10 Uhr: Ternus fasst die Ankündigungen zu den Airpods zusammen: „Wir glauben, dass Sie sie lieben werden“, sagt er. „Ich habe mit unseren Buchhaltern gesprochen, und es ist einfach so aufregend, in einem Unternehmen zu arbeiten, das so viel Geld verdient.“
19:11 Uhr: Was kommt als Nächstes? Die Apple Watch. Ternus erklärt, dass Tim Cook ihm Dutzende und Aberdutzende von Briefen und E-Mails von Menschen weitergeleitet hat, deren Leben durch Gesundheitsbenachrichtigungen auf ihren Uhren gerettet wurde. „Und zugegebenermaßen“, fügt Ternus hinzu, „ist mir das völlig egal. Ich wünschte, die Leute würden aufhören, diese Nachrichten zu schicken.“
19:12 Uhr: Ein weiteres neues Gesicht, diesmal aus der Designabteilung im Apple Park: Giorgia de Giungle, Produktmanagerin für die Apple Watch. „Wir wissen, dass Sie die Apple Watch lieben“, sagt sie. „Wir lieben die Apple Watch auch. Aber wir glauben, dass Sie die neue Apple Watch noch mehr lieben werden – und uns Geld zahlen werden, damit Sie sie haben können.“
19:13 Uhr: Zeit für das Produktvideo. Zahlreiche Bilder von glücklichen, schlanken Menschen, die Sport treiben. Das grundlegende Design ist unverändert. (Diejenigen unter uns, die sich schon länger damit beschäftigen, wissen, dass die seit Langem gemunkelte, überarbeitete Apple Watch immer „schon bald erscheint“.) Aber es gibt zumindest viele neue Farben und neue Armbanddesigns.
19:15 Uhr: Das Video endet mit dem unvermeidlichen Slogan: „Apple Watch Series 12: Realistisch gesehen die einzige Option.™️“
19:16 Uhr: „Wir freuen uns sehr, die Apple Watch Edition wieder im Sortiment zu haben“, schwärmt de Giungle. Dabei handelt es sich allerdings nicht um das absurd teure 18-Karat-Gold-Modell aus der ersten Generation, sondern um das etwas neuere Keramikmodell. Es wird jedoch weiterhin teuer sein. Es sieht gut aus und ist in Weiß und Dunkelgrau erhältlich.
19:17 Uhr: Die Series 12 ist mit einem S12-Prozessor ausgestattet. Wie vermutet überspringt Apple also die S11‑Generation. (Sowohl die Series 10 als auch die Series 11 waren mit einem S10-Chip ausgestattet. Nicht, dass diese Bezeichnungen eine große Rolle spielen würden.) Apple macht hier trotz des nominellen doppelten Upgrades keine Angaben zur Leistung, aber wir würden ohnehin keine spürbare Geschwindigkeitserhöhung erwarten. Er wird lediglich die Arbeit für Siri AI und ähnliche Aufgaben auf dem Gerät etwas erleichtern.
19:18 Uhr: „Für Millionen unserer Kunden ist die Apple Watch das Gesundheitsgerät, auf das sie sich am meisten verlassen“, sagt de Giungle. „Dr. Boswell Boyce erläutert, wie die Apple Watch Series 12 das auf die nächste Stufe heben wird.“
19:19 Uhr: Dr. Boswell Boyce, Vice President für Produktmarketing im Bereich Apple Watch und Gesundheit, betritt die Bühne und erläutert die Gesundheitsfunktionen der neuen Uhr. „Danke, Giorgia“, sagt er lächelnd.
19:20 Uhr: Die wichtigste Neuerung ist ein Herzsensor, der den ganzen Tag über aktiv ist. Er erfasst Ihre Herzfrequenz kontinuierlich, ganz gleich, ob Sie gerade trainieren oder nicht. Boyce erklärt, dass es einen entscheidenden Wandel für Gesundheitsdaten bedeuten und Millionen von Menschen dabei helfen wird, potenzielle gesundheitliche Probleme in einem früheren und besser behandelbaren Stadium zu erkennen.
19:21 Uhr: Boyce führt uns durch die überarbeiteten Gesundheits- und Fitness-Apps auf der Uhr, die nun eine größere Bandbreite an Messwerten bieten.
19:22 Uhr: „Das sind die neuen Gesundheitsfunktionen der Apple Watch. Wir sind überzeugt, dass Sie davon begeistert sein werden. Zurück zu dir, Giorgia.“
19:23 Uhr: Nun kommt de Giungle zur Apple Watch Ultra 4. Die Neuerungen spiegeln weitestgehend die der Series 12 wider: kein grundlegendes neues Design oder neue Tasten, ein S12-Prozessor und eine kontinuierliche Herzfrequenzmessung.
19:24 Uhr: Und das war’s auch schon zur Apple Watch: Die SE erhält dieses Jahr kein Update. Beide neuen Modelle können ab dem 12. September vorbestellt werden und werden am 18. September ausgeliefert. Die Series 12 ist ab 429 US-Dollar erhältlich, die Ultra 4 ab 829 US-Dollar – in beiden Fällen bedeutet dies eine Preiserhöhung um 30 US-Dollar gegenüber der letzten Generation. Nicht ideal, aber es hätte schlimmer kommen können.
Zwei Apple Watches der 2025er-Serie.
David Price / Foundry
iPhone 18 Pro (und 18 Pro Max)
19:25 Uhr: Zurück zu John Ternus. „Es ist Zeit, über das iPhone zu sprechen“, sagt er. „Jedes Jahr bringen wir ein neues Modell auf den Markt und erklären Ihnen, es sei unser bisher bestes iPhone, und das ist technisch gesehen immer wahr. Dieses Jahr bildet da keine Ausnahme. Hier ist das iPhone 18 Pro. Wir glauben, Sie werden es lieben.“
19:26 Uhr: Das nächste Marketingvideo. Die neuen Smartphones sehen so attraktiv aus wie immer, aber (bitte entschuldigen Sie, falls sich dies wiederholt) das Design ist das gleiche wie letztes Jahr. Der einzige offensichtliche Unterschied besteht darin, dass „Cosmic Orange“ – sehr bedauerlicherweise – aus dem Sortiment genommen und durch zwei neue Farben ersetzt wurde: Hellblau und Dunkelrot. Letztere heißt „Dark Cherry“ und wird dieses Jahr wahrscheinlich die beliebteste Option sein.
19:27 Uhr: Der Slogan lautet „iPhone 18 Pro: Es lässt sich nicht zusammenklappen. Na und?™️“
19:28 Uhr: „Weiter zu dir, Bill“, sagt Ternus. Damit ist der iPhone-Marketing-Manager Bill Whittlingham gemeint, für diejenigen, die mit den Mitarbeitern im Apple Park nicht vertraut sind.
19:29 Uhr: Whittlingham erklärt, das iPhone 18 Pro sei von Grund auf darauf ausgelegt, marktführende Leistung zu bieten. Der A20-Pro-Chip ist Apples leistungsstärkster Mobilchip, „optimiert für unsere bisher beste KI-Performance und eine noch längere Akkulaufzeit“. Dem Unternehmen zufolge ist der neue Chip 10 Prozent schneller als das Vorjahresmodell.
19:30 Uhr: Wie erwartet und ähnlich wie der A19 Pro verfügt der neue Chip über eine 6-Kern-CPU mit zwei Performance- und vier Effizienzkernen. Gerüchte im Vorfeld der Veranstaltung deuteten darauf hin, dass der A20 Pro im 2-nm-Verfahren hergestellt würde (im Gegensatz zum A19 und A19 Pro, bei denen es sich um 3-nm-Chips handelte), doch das wurde zumindest auf der Bühne nicht bestätigt.
19:31 Uhr: Um genau zu sein: Die von Whittlingham erwähnte Akkulaufzeit bei der Videowiedergabe ist beim iPhone 18 Pro (36 Stunden) gegenüber dem iPhone 17 Pro (33 Stunden) gestiegen. Beim Pro-Max-Modell ist sie von 39 auf 44 Stunden gestiegen. Die Verbesserungen fallen zwar geringer aus als im letzten Jahr (als das Pro von 27 auf 33 und das Pro Max von 33 auf 39 stieg), aber jedes bisschen hilft. Derzeit ist noch unklar, inwieweit diese Steigerungen auf die neuen Prozessoren zurückzuführen sind und inwieweit sie durch die Akkukapazität beeinflusst werden. Es gab Gerüchte, dass die Akkus dieses Jahr größer ausfallen würden, doch wie immer hüllt sich Apple hinsichtlich dieser Spezifikation in Schweigen.
19:32 Uhr: Das 18 Pro bietet weitere Verbesserungen im Inneren. Es verfügt erstmals über das C2-Mobilfunkmodem mit mmWave sowie den N2-Chip für drahtlose Netzwerke, der sicherlich zu den nicht näher spezifizierten Verbesserungen der Akkulaufzeit beiträgt.
19:33 Uhr: Wir kommen nun zu einem entscheidenden Teil der Präsentation: den Kameras. Whittlingham übergibt das Wort an Finbarr Saunders, Manager für iPhone-Kameraarchitektur, der weitere Informationen zu diesem Thema liefern wird.
19:34 Uhr: Saunders erklärt, er sei stolz darauf, „die größte Verbesserung in der iPhone-Fotografie seit der Einführung der Frontkamera beim iPhone 4“ ankündigen zu dürfen. Die Gerüchte um eine variable Blende an der Hauptkamera haben sich also bewahrheitet.
19:35 Uhr: Mit dieser neuen Funktion können iPhone-Besitzer die Lichtmenge, die auf den Sensor trifft, manuell anpassen, was weitaus bessere Tiefenschärfeeffekte und mehr künstlerische Gestaltungsfreiheit ermöglicht. Damit ist das iPhone laut Saunders auf Augenhöhe mit High-End-Kameras und bietet iPhone-Nutzern die gleichen Möglichkeiten, wie professionelle Fotografen sie haben. Man sollte jedoch bedenken, dass die meisten iPhone-Besitzer die Kamera-App mit den standardmäßigen automatischen Einstellungen nutzen, weshalb es wahrscheinlich nur einen kleinen Teil der Nutzerbasis betrifft.
19:36 Uhr: Die Hauptkamera ist nicht das einzige Objektiv, das ein Upgrade erhält. Das Teleobjektiv erhält eine größere Blende, was zu besseren Ergebnissen bei schlechten Lichtverhältnissen führen dürfte.
19:37 Uhr: „Wir können es kaum erwarten, zu sehen, was Sie mit diesen Kameras alles machen werden!“, sagt Saunders. „Und nun zurück zu Bill.“
19:38 Uhr: Whittlingham kommt zum Schluss. Es gibt übrigens einen Haken: Während sowohl das 18 Pro als auch das 18 Pro Max das verbesserte Teleobjektiv erhalten, deutet die „Bento-Box“ mit den neuen Funktionen darauf hin, dass nur das 18 Pro Max die variable Blende bekommt. Beide Modelle können ab diesem Samstag, dem 12. September, vorbestellt werden (aus Gründen, die an anderer Stelle erläutert werden) und werden am 18. September ausgeliefert.
19:39 Uhr: Jetzt wird es unangenehm. Ja, bei beiden Modellen stehen erhebliche Preiserhöhungen bevor. Das iPhone 18 Pro ist ab 1.249 US-Dollar erhältlich, das iPhone 18 Pro Max ab 1.399 US-Dollar. Autsch. Für andere Regionen nennt Apple keine Preise – die kommen später per Pressemitteilung.
Ein vor der Veröffentlichung entstandenes Renderbild des iPhone Ultra.
Foundry
iPhone Ultra
19:40 Uhr: Es geht zurück zu Ternus, der die Ankündigungen zum iPhone 18 Pro zusammenfasst. „Es ist unsere wirtschaftliche Pflicht, die gestiegenen Produktionskosten an den Verbraucher weiterzureichen“, sagt er lächelnd.
19:41 Uhr: Doch es geht weiter. Der Bildschirm wird dunkel. Die Spannung steigt.
19:42 Uhr: Zeit für das nächste Produktvideo! Ja, es ist das faltbare iPhone. Und zum ersten Mal an diesem Event sehen wir ein komplett neues Design. Für Apple-Fans ist es natürlich eine völlig neue Produktkategorie.
19:44 Uhr: Wie wir bereits vor einiger Zeit enthüllt haben, ist das Smartphone in nur zwei Farbvarianten erhältlich: Silber/Weiß oder Indigo-Blau. Das Plateau auf der Rückseite, in dem das Kameramodul untergebracht ist, ist jedoch stets schwarz und nicht auf die Hauptfarbe abgestimmt – ein sehr ungewohnter Anblick.
19:45 Uhr: Das faltbare iPhone hat die vor einigen Monaten durchgesickerten, gestauchten Abmessungen, die in etwa einem Reisepass entsprechen. Dieses Format wird immer beliebter (das Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 nutzt es, möglicherweise inspiriert von Apple), da es im aufgeklappten Zustand einen rechteckigen Bildschirm ergibt und keinen quadratischen.
19:46 Uhr: Und der Slogan lautet „iPhone Ultra: Unverschämt teuer.™️“ Apple hat sich also doch für die „Ultra“-Marke entschieden, auch wenn es eine umstrittene Wahl sein mag.
19:47 Uhr: „Barbara erzählt Ihnen mehr über das iPhone Ultra“, sagt Ternus. Es handelt sich um Barbara Lighthouse, Industriedesignerin für das iPhone, für diejenigen, die mit ihrer Arbeit nicht vertraut sind.
19:48 Uhr: Lighthouse spricht über den Bildschirm. Dieser Abschnitt erinnert an die Vorstellung des iPhone Air letztes Jahr: Apple gibt sich große Mühe, um die Bedenken der Kunden hinsichtlich des Designs vorwegzunehmen und auszuräumen. In diesem Fall weiß das Unternehmen, dass jeder, der bereits ein faltbares Smartphone benutzt oder auch nur gesehen hat, Bedenken hinsichtlich der mit der Zeit auftretenden Spuren oder Knicke auf dem Bildschirm hegt; Lighthouse betont jedoch, dass Apple das Problem der Knicke durch ultradünnes Glas und optisch klaren Klebstoffgelöst hat. Das Glas ist an der Faltstelle dünner, um die Belastung bei wiederholtem Gebrauch zu verringern.
19:50 Uhr: In Zahlen bedeutet das: Das Ultra hat einen 5,4-Zoll-Außenbildschirm (2088 x 1422 Pixel) und einen 7,8-Zoll-Innenbildschirm (2713 x 1920 Pixel). Zum Vergleich: Der bislang größte Bildschirm in einem iPhone war das 6,9-Zoll-Display des iPhone 17 Pro Max. Das „Ultra“ (im aufgeklappten Zustand) rückt in den Bereich der Tablets vor; die ersten fünf Generationen des iPad Mini verfügten über 7,9-Zoll-Bildschirme, die kaum größer waren.
19:51 Uhr: Das Scharnier des Ultra (ein weiterer potenzieller Kritikpunkt für skeptische Käufer) besteht aus Liquidmetal, einer Legierung auf Zirkoniumbasis, die für kleine, hochpräzise und leistungsstarke Bauteile verwendet wird. Apple erwarb vor 16 Jahren die weltweiten Rechte an diesem Material, hat jedoch bislang nur sehr wenige Anwendungsmöglichkeiten dafür gefunden: SIM-Karten-Auswurfwerkzeuge und möglicherweise einige Teile der Apple Watch.
19:53 Uhr: „Aufgrund dieses einzigartigen Vorteils verfügt das iPhone Ultra über das langlebigste Scharnier auf dem gesamten Markt für Foldables“, so Lighthouse. Das Unternehmen habe Hunderttausende von Faltvorgängen getestet, erklärt sie.
19:54 Uhr: Im Inneren dieses sorgfältig konstruierten Gehäuses verfügt das iPhone Ultra über einige, jedoch nicht alle Funktionen des iPhone 18 Pro. Es ist mit dem A20 Pro ausgestattet, sodass es (abhängig von der RAM-Größe, die Apple nie bekannt gibt) eine extrem hohe Leistung bieten dürfte. Außerdem verfügt es über das C2-Modem.
19:55 Uhr: Die Kameras sind jedoch nicht ganz auf dem Niveau der Pro-Modelle. Die Hauptkamera besteht aus einem Dual- statt eines Triple-Objektiv-Systems. Es gibt wederein Teleobjektivnoch eine variable Blende.
19:56 Uhr: Und es gibt keine Face-ID. Das Ultra wird über einen Touch-ID-Sensor entsperrt, der im Ein-/Aus-Schalter versteckt ist.
19:57 Uhr: Laut Lighthouse verfügt das Ultra über „den größten Akku, den wir je in ein iPhone eingebaut haben“. Außerdem wird von Software-Optimierungen gesprochen, die sicherstellen sollen, dass Nutzer trotz zweier Bildschirme eine Akkulaufzeit von einem ganzen Tag erreichen.
Dennoch sind die Zahlen – wie wir bereits letztes Jahr beim iPhone Air feststellen mussten – für ein Produkt, das wahrscheinlich zur absoluten Spitzenklasse gehören wird, etwas enttäuschend: Das Ultra hält bis zu 34 Stunden durch – weniger als das 18 Pro und deutlich weniger als das 18 Pro Max. Dennoch ist das mehr als beim 17 Pro (33 Stunden) und deutlich mehr als beim iPhone Air (27 Stunden).
19:59 Uhr: Apropos Premium-Produkt: Jetzt kommt die wichtigste Zahl. Das iPhone Ultra ist ab 2.199 US-Dollar erhältlich. Und hier ist eine weitere Überraschung: Es ist nicht sofort verfügbar. Apple teilt lediglich mit, dass es „im Laufe des Jahres 2026“ auf den Markt kommen wird. Zuvor gab es Gerüchte, dass es trotz der Ankündigung im September erst im Dezember auf den Markt kommen könnte. Wir werden also abwarten müssen.
20:00 Uhr: Es geht wieder zurück zu Ternus, der die Ankündigungen zum iPhone Ultra zusammenfasst. „Wenn es zu teuer ist“, sagt er, „müssen Sie es nicht kaufen.“
20:01 Uhr: „Aber Sie werden es tun“, fügt er hinzu.
20:02 Uhr: Es scheint, als neigt sich die Veranstaltung dem Ende zu. Aber …
Apple
One more thing …
20:03 Uhr: Die geflügelten Worte: „One more thing …“
20:04 Uhr: Zeit für ein weiteres Video. Was hat Apple für uns auf Lager? Wir sehen Bildschirme: Bildschirme an der Wand, Bildschirme in Regalen, Bildschirme auf dem Nachttisch. Ihre Besitzer nutzen sie für Facetime, um mit Siri zu sprechen, das Wetter zu überprüfen, im Internet zu suchen, die Beleuchtung zu steuern und die Heizung zu regulieren. Einige dienen lediglich als Uhren. Es handelt sich um Apples seit Langem gemunkelten Smart-Home-Hub.
20:06 Uhr: Der Slogan lautet „Homehub: Weil Sie bisher nicht genügend Bildschirme haben.™️“
20:07 Uhr: John Ternus ist aufgeregt: „Apple freut sich, in den Smart-Home-Markt einzusteigen und unsere Einnahmequellen künftig zu diversifizieren“, sagt er.
20:08 Uhr: Der Home-Hub ist in zwei Versionen erhältlich, die beide einen 7-Zoll-Bildschirm besitzen. Die schlankere Version besteht im Wesentlichen nur aus dem Bildschirm und kann an die Wand gehängt werden (dafür gibt es eine magnetische Halterung); bei der zweiten Variante ist dieser Bildschirm auf einer Halbkugel montiert, die wie ein halbierter Homepod Mini aussieht.
20:10 Uhr: Es gibt eine clevere Funktion auf Basis der Gesichtserkennung: Das Gerät kann erkennen, wer es gerade betrachtet, und die Einstellungen in Echtzeit anpassen, sodass je nach Nutzer unterschiedliche Apps und Inhalte angezeigt werden. Es verfügt natürlich über „Center Stage“ und eignet sich perfekt für Videokonferenzen.
20:11 Uhr: Der Homehub kostet 349 US-Dollar und kann ab dem 12. September vorbestellt werden. Die Auslieferung erfolgt am 18. September.
20:12 Uhr: „Wir haben noch viele weitere Smart-Home-Produkte in der Pipeline, um das Wachstum voranzutreiben“, sagt Ternus. Und damit ist die Veranstaltung für heute beendet.
Premium-Smartphones gehören zu den wenigen Technikprodukten, deren Preise oft über viele Monate vergleichsweise stabil bleiben. Besonders bei Apples Pro-Modellen sind größere Preisnachlässe selbst lange nach dem Marktstart eher selten.
Wer mit dem Gedanken spielt, auf das aktuelle Topmodell von Apple umzusteigen, findet derzeit jedoch ein vergleichsweise attraktives Angebot. Das iPhone 17 Pro Max mit 256 GB Speicher ist bei Amazon aktuell für 1.269 Euro erhältlich. Gegenüber der UVP von 1.449 Euro entspricht das einer Ersparnis von 180 Euro beziehungsweise rund 12 Prozent.
Mit 4,6 von 5 Sternen aus mehr als 1.000 Bewertungen kommt das Smartphone bei Nutzern überwiegend gut an. Zudem wurden laut Amazon in den vergangenen vier Wochen mehr als 500 Geräte verkauft. Das Modell zählt damit weiterhin zu den gefragtesten Premium-Smartphones auf der Plattform und ist derzeit Bestseller Nummer 4 bei Amazon.
Was das iPhone 17 Pro Max zu bieten hat
Das iPhone 17 Pro Max ist Apples größtes und leistungsstärkstes Smartphone der aktuellen iPhone-Reihe. Es verfügt über ein 6,9 Zoll großes Super Retina XDR OLED-Display mit einer Auflösung von 2.868 × 1.320 Pixeln. Unterstützt werden eine adaptive Bildwiederholrate bis 120 Hertz, Always-on-Display, Dynamic Island, HDR und True Tone.
Für den Schutz des Geräts setzt Apple auf Ceramic Shield auf Vorder- und Rückseite. Laut Hersteller soll die Rückseite einen bis zu vierfach höheren Bruchschutz bieten, während Ceramic Shield 2 auf der Vorderseite die Kratzfestigkeit verbessert. Zusätzlich ist das Smartphone nach IP68 gegen Wasser und Staub geschützt.
Britta O’Boyle
Innen arbeitet der neue A19 Pro Chip mit 6-Core-CPU, 6-Core-GPU und 16-Core Neural Engine. Apple spricht von einer deutlich höheren dauerhaft verfügbaren Leistung gegenüber dem Vorgänger.
Ein Schwerpunkt des Pro-Max-Modells bleibt das Kamerasystem. Verbaut sind drei 48-Megapixel-Kameras mit Fusion-Hauptkamera, Ultraweitwinkel und Telekamera. Möglich sind bis zu achtfacher Zoom in optischer Qualität, ein optischer Zoombereich von 16-facher Vergrößerung sowie bis zu 40-facher Digitalzoom. Hinzu kommen ProRes-Videoaufnahmen bis 4K mit 120 Bildern pro Sekunde, Dolby Vision, Apple Log 2 sowie weitere Funktionen für Foto- und Videoproduktionen.
Die neue 18-Megapixel-Center-Stage-Frontkamera passt den Bildausschnitt automatisch an und eignet sich dadurch besonders für Videoanrufe, Gruppenaufnahmen oder Inhalte für soziale Netzwerke. Außerdem unterstützt sie die gleichzeitige Aufnahme mit Front- und Rückkamera.
Apple spricht beim 17 Pro Max von der längsten Laufzeit, die es bislang in einem iPhone gegeben hat. Laut Hersteller sind bis zu 37 Stunden Videowiedergabe möglich. Geladen wird über USB-C, Magsafe oder Qi2. Mit einem kompatiblen Netzteil sollen bis zu 50 Prozent Akkuladung in etwa 20 Minuten erreicht werden.
Zur weiteren Ausstattung gehören 5G, WLAN 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC, Face ID, Notruf SOS über Satellit, Unfallerkennung sowie Apple Intelligence. Ferner unterstützt das Pro-Modell USB 3 mit Datenraten von bis zu 10 Gbit/s, was insbesondere für Nutzer interessant sein kann, die große Foto- oder Videodateien übertragen.
Auch in unserem Test hinterließ das Gerät einen guten Eindruck. Gelobt wurden unter anderem die hohe Leistung, die verbesserte Kühlung, das helle Display, die neue Center-Stage-Frontkamera sowie die Telekamera mit erweitertem Zoombereich.
Warum sich das Angebot lohnt
Mit 1.269 Euro erreicht das iPhone 17 Pro Max aktuell seinen bisherigen Bestpreis. Nachdem das Modell Ende Juli noch 1.329 Euro kostete und Ende Juni lediglich kurzzeitig auf 1.299 Euro gefallen war, ist das aktuelle Angebot die bislang günstigste Gelegenheit für Käufer, die das Flaggschiff-Modell im Blick haben.
Besonders interessant ist das Smartphone für Nutzer älterer iPhone-Generationen, die Wert auf eine lange Akkulaufzeit, hohe Leistung und ein vielseitiges Kamerasystem legen. Auch wer regelmäßig fotografiert, Videos aufnimmt oder das Smartphone beruflich nutzt, profitiert von den zusätzlichen Funktionen der Pro-Serie.
Die Bewertungen fallen überwiegend positiv aus. Käufer loben vor allem die Verarbeitungsqualität, die hohe Zuverlässigkeit, die starke Akkulaufzeit sowie die Kamera mit ihrer natürlichen Farbwiedergabe und hohen Detailtiefe. Ebenfalls positiv erwähnt werden das Design und die allgemeine Performance im Alltag.
Kritik gibt es vor allem beim Preis. Trotz des aktuellen Rabatts bleibt das iPhone 17 Pro Max eines der teuersten Smartphones auf dem Markt. Zudem bringt das Gerät mit 231 Gramm vergleichsweise viel Gewicht auf die Waage. Wer ein möglichst leichtes Smartphone sucht oder die erweiterten Kamera- und Pro-Funktionen nicht benötigt, findet in günstigeren Modellen oftmals die wirtschaftlichere Wahl.
Für alle, die gezielt das derzeit leistungsstärkste iPhone mit der längsten Akkulaufzeit und dem umfangreichsten Kamerasystem suchen, ist der aktuelle Tiefstpreis aber eine der bislang attraktivsten Kaufgelegenheiten seit Marktstart.
Die Airpods Pro 3 gehören zu den höher ausgestatteten In-Ear-Kopfhörern von Apple und kombinieren aktive Geräuschunterdrückung mit 3D Audio, Herzfrequenzmessung und verschiedenen Hörgesundheitsfunktionen. Dazu kommen eine lange Akkulaufzeit, eine verbesserte Passform und die enge Einbindung in das Apple-Ökosystem.
Bei Amazon sind die Apple Airpods Pro 3 aktuell wieder für 199,99 Euro erhältlich. Gegenüber der angegebenen UVP von 249 Euro sparen Sie rund 49 Euro beziehungsweise 20 Prozent.
Mitte Juni waren die Airpods Pro 3 kurzzeitig sogar für 187 Euro erhältlich. Mitte Juli fiel der Preis erneut auf 199,99 Euro, bevor er sich anschließend zwischen 203,99 und 212,99 Euro bewegte.
Mit 199,99 Euro sind die Kopfhörer nun wieder so günstig wie seit Mitte Juli nicht mehr. Mit 4,6 von 5 Sternen aus mehr als 9.660 Bewertungen und Platz eins in der Kategorie Bluetooth-Kopfhörer gehören die Airpods Pro 3 bei Amazon zudem zu den besonders stark nachgefragten Modellen.
Was die Apple Airpods Pro 3 zu bieten haben
Die Airpods Pro 3 setzen auf aktive Geräuschunterdrückung (ANC), die laut Apple bis zu doppelt so viele unerwünschte Geräusche reduzieren soll wie bei den Airpods Pro 2. Ergänzt wird die Geräuschunterdrückung durch einen Transparenzmodus, adaptives Audio und eine Konversationserkennung. Letztere soll dafür sorgen, dass Gespräche einfacher möglich sind, ohne die Kopfhörer vollständig herausnehmen zu müssen.
Für die Klangwiedergabe verwendet Apple einen speziellen High-Excursion-Tieftöner sowie einen Verstärker mit großem Dynamikbereich. Hinzu kommen ein adaptiver EQ und personalisiertes 3D Audio mit dynamischem Head Tracking. Dabei wird die Klangwiedergabe an die individuelle Geometrie des Ohrs und die Passform der Kopfhörer angepasst.
Die Airpods Pro 3 können außerdem die Herzfrequenz während des Trainings erfassen. Die Funktion unterstützt laut Apple bis zu 50 verschiedene Trainingsarten und kann gemeinsam mit einem iPhone unter anderem für den Bewegungsring und den Schrittzähler genutzt werden. Bei aktivierter Herzfrequenzmessung während eines Workouts liegt die maximale Wiedergabezeit laut Apple bei 6,5 Stunden pro Ladung.
Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt liegt auf den Hörgesundheitsfunktionen. Die Airpods Pro 3 bieten einen Hörtest sowie eine Hörgerätefunktion mit automatischer Konversationsverstärkung. Überdies sind Funktionen wie „Live-Mithören“, Kopfhörerlevel und Kopfhörer-Anpassungen integriert. Ein aktiver Gehörschutz soll zudem vor lauten Umgebungsgeräuschen schützen.
Für einen möglichst sicheren Sitz liefert Apple fünf verschiedene Größen von Silikon-Ohreinsätzen mit: XXS, XS, S, M und L. Die unterschiedlichen Größen sollen eine individuellere Passform ermöglichen und gleichzeitig die Klangqualität verbessern.
Auch bei der Akkulaufzeit hat Apple die Airpods Pro 3 auf längere Nutzung ausgelegt. Bei aktivierter Geräuschunterdrückung sind bis zu acht Stunden Wiedergabe mit einer Ladung möglich. Wird zusätzlich 3D Audio und Kopferfassung aktiviert, sinkt die Laufzeit auf bis zu 7,5 Stunden. Im Transparenzmodus mit aktivierter Hörgerätfunktion sind laut Hersteller bis zu zehn Stunden möglich.
Zusammen mit dem Magsafe-Ladecase kommen die Airpods Pro 3 auf bis zu 24 Stunden Wiedergabe bei aktivierter aktiver Geräuschunterdrückung. Bereits fünf Minuten im Ladecase sollen für ungefähr eine weitere Stunde Wiedergabe ausreichen. Das Case lässt sich per USB-C, MagSafe, Apple-Watch-Ladegerät oder Qi-zertifiziertem Ladegerät aufladen.
Für die Verbindung nutzen die Airpods Pro 3 Bluetooth 5.3. Im Inneren arbeitet der Apple-H2-Kopfhörerchip, während im Ladecase ein Apple-U2-Chip sitzt. Die Steuerung erfolgt über Druck- und Wischgesten. Damit lassen sich unter anderem Medien steuern, Anrufe annehmen oder beenden, Titel wechseln, die Lautstärke verändern und zwischen verschiedenen Hörmodi wechseln. Zusätzlich steht die Sprachsteuerung über „Hey Siri“ zur Verfügung.
Die Kopfhörer sind nach IP57 gegen Staub, Schweiß und Wasser geschützt. Jeder einzelne AirPod wiegt 5,55 Gramm. Das Ladecase bringt 43,99 Gramm auf die Waage und verfügt über einen integrierten Lautsprecher für die „Wo ist?“-Funktion. Über das Apple-Ökosystem können die Kopfhörer außerdem automatisch zwischen verschiedenen Apple-Geräten wechseln. Eine Audiofreigabe ermöglicht es, Inhalte mit zwei Paar Airpods über ein iPhone, iPad oder Apple TV zu teilen.
Im Lieferumfang befinden sich die Airpods Pro 3, das Magsafe-Ladecase mit USB-C, Lautsprecher und Tragebandschlaufe, fünf Größen an Silikon-Ohreinsätzen, ein USB-C-Ladekabel sowie die Dokumentation.
Ich würde den Test als kurzen, sachlichen Einordnungsabsatz vor dem Fazit einbauen:
Auch in unserem Test schneiden die Airpods Pro 3 sehr gut ab. Besonders überzeugen das sehr effektive ANC, die verbesserte Passform, der kräftigere Klang und die Herzfrequenzmessung . Auch die angegebene Akkulaufzeit von bis zu acht Stunden mit aktivierter Geräuschunterdrückung kann weitgehend bestätigt werden.
Kritik gibt es unter anderem daran, dass weiterhin kein Lossless Audio und kein manueller Equalizer verfügbar sind. Einige Funktionen wie die Live-Übersetzung sind zudem in der EU noch nicht verfügbar.
Warum sich das Angebot lohnt und für wen eher nicht
Mit 199,99 Euro liegen die Airpods Pro 3 aktuell wieder auf einem attraktiven Preisniveau. Mitte Juli waren die Kopfhörer bereits einmal für diesen Preis erhältlich, nachdem sie Mitte Juni sogar kurzzeitig für 187 Euro angeboten wurden. Anschließend stieg der Preis auf etwa 204 bis 213 Euro. Gegenüber der UVP von 249 Euro sparen Sie aktuell rund 49 Euro beziehungsweise 20 Prozent.
Für Nutzer, die bereits mehrere Apple-Geräte verwenden, sind die Airpods Pro 3 vor allem aufgrund des automatischen Gerätewechsels, der Siri-Integration und der weiteren Funktionen im Apple-Ökosystem interessant. Hinzu kommen ANC, 3D Audio, Herzfrequenzmessung und die umfangreichen Hörgesundheitsfunktionen.
Wer dagegen lediglich einfache Bluetooth-In-Ears zum Musikhören sucht, dürfte einen Teil der Ausstattung kaum benötigen. Funktionen wie Herzfrequenzmessung, Hörtest, Hörgerätefunktion oder die Integration in das Apple-Ökosystem sind vor allem dann relevant, wenn Sie diese auch tatsächlich nutzen möchten.
Die Bewertungen fallen insgesamt positiv aus. Bei Amazon erreichen die Airpods Pro 3 derzeit durchschnittlich 4,6 von 5 Sternen bei rund 9.660 Bewertungen. Gleichzeitig werden die Kopfhörer aktuell als Bestseller Nummer 1 in der Kategorie Bluetooth-Kopfhörer geführt.
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