Hi there! Apple‘s latest September event unveiled a slew of awesome new products – from Apple Watches tailored for everyone to impressive iPhones. As a tech specialist, I‘ll recap all the important announcements so you can learn what new gadgets might upgrade your life. Let‘s dive in!
Overview of the Jam-Packed "Far Out" Launch Event
CEO Tim Cook hosted Apple‘s annual September keynote on September 7th, dubbed "Far Out" this year. The event revealed four new iPhone models, three new Apple Watch variants, and second-generation AirPods Pro.
While "Far Out" hinted at satellite connectivity in the iPhone 14 lineup, the products overall contained expected upgrades vs revolutionary changes. Still, significant camera, connectivity, and display enhancements provide compelling reasons to upgrade for many consumers.
Let‘s explore all the specifics across these new devices!
Apple Watch Series 8: Iterating on Women‘s Health Focus
The Apple Watch Series 8 unsurprisingly builds upon the previous Series 7, retaining an almost identical design. However, Apple seems laser-focused on expanding health and safety capabilities – especially for female users.
Notable Updates vs Series 7:
| Series 7 | Series 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature Sensor | ❌ | ✅ |
| Crash Detection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Low Power Mode | ❌ | Up to 36 hours |
| International Roaming | ❌ | 30+ countries |
For women, the temperature sensor enables retrospective ovulation estimates paired with existing cycle tracking features. The Watch can now detect subtle temperature shifts associated with this stage of the menstrual cycle.
Addressing safety, the crash detection functionality uses built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect severe collisions. If movement isn‘t detected after 10 seconds, the Watch automatically calls emergency services.
Pricing remains similar to Series 7:
| Size | GPS | Cellular |
|---|---|---|
| 41mm | $399 | $499 |
| 45mm | $429 | $529 |
So while not reinventing the smartwatch, focused improvements to female health tracking and emergency preparedness may compel Series 7 owners to upgrade.
Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation Gets More Affordable
Alternatively, the new Apple Watch SE provides impressive capabilities for just $249 – finally replacing the archaic Series 3.
Apple Watch SE 2 vs Original SE
| Original SE | SE 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279 | $249 |
| Chip | S5 | Up to 20% faster S8 |
| Crash Detection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Screen Size | 30% smaller | 30% larger |
With the S8 chip, the SE 2 enjoys faster app loading and smoother performance. Critical safety features also make their way downmarket alongside a display bump from the Series 3.
Clearly this positions the SE 2 as the perfect middle ground between the dated Series 3 and full-fledged Series 8.
Apple Watch Ultra is an Adventure Powerhouse
On the flip side lives the rugged Apple Watch Ultra – built for extreme sports and outdoor exploration.
It packs a larger 49mm titanium casing for extra durability, complete with 100M water resistance perfect for scuba diving and watersports. It also touts the brightest Apple Watch display yet at 2000 nits.
Battery life sees massive gains too, extending up to 36 hours, or 60 hours paired with new low power settings. This comes courtesy of a bigger battery, ensuring you stay connected on multi-day excursions.
For adventurers and endurance athletes, the Ultra also unlocks exclusive capabilities through:
- Dual frequency GPS for more precise distance metrics
- Redesigned compass and backtracking app tailored for exploration
- Customizable orange action button for quickly accessing key functions
Priced at a premium $799, the Apple Watch Ultra certainly caters to a narrower niche. But if you frequently venture well off the grid, it can provide vital connectivity and safety.
AirPods Pro 2nd Generation: Tweaked Design, Major Sound Improvements
Apple‘s wireless earbuds also saw an update in the form of AirPods Pro 2 – touting improved sound quality and noise cancellation.
The design remains near-identical to previous AirPods Pro, but internal audio components saw more drastic changes:
Audio Hardware Upgrades:
- All-new H2 processing chip
- Custom amplifier and low driver distortion for clearer audio
- Dual beamforming microphones for 2x better noise cancellation
These hardware improvements aim to deliver superior sound quality and noise isolation – two shortcomings on the previous model.
In fact, early reviews praise immense gains to sound quality and active noise cancellation capacities even in noisy environments.
With all upgrades considered, the $249 AirPods Pro 2 make for compelling buys, especially for iPhone users lacking modern wireless earbuds.
iPhone 14 Lineup: Dynamic Island Steals The Spotlight
While the Apple Watch and AirPods garnered worthy improvements, the star of Apple‘s September event was certainly the reveal of the iPhone 14 lineup – consisting of four new models:
iPhone 14 Lineup At-a-Glance
| Model | Display | Chip | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 | 6.1" | A15 Bionic | $799 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | 6.7" | A15 Bionic | $899 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | Always-On 6.1” | A16 Bionic | $999 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | Always-On 6.7” | A16 Bionic | $1099 |
The non-Pro iPhone 14 models offer minor updates like satellite connectivity for SOS and the A15 chip from iPhone 13 Pro.
Conversely, iPhone 14 Pro & Pro Max boast an always-on display, 48MP main camera, and brand new A16 chip. This chip touts a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU promising major leaps in speed and efficiency.
But the flashiest change comes through the new pill-shaped cutouts replacing the top notch – known as the “Dynamic Island”. This area dynamically expands to deliver alerts and notifications, while also displaying background activities like maps, timers, music, etc.
Early reviews applaud Dynamic Island for better utilizing theneeded cutouts in an engaging manner. It brings more personality to the same notch while increasing viewable screen space for content.
For shoppers seeking more modest upgrades, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus offer appealing upgrades at lower prices. But bleeding edge adopters will flock to the Pro devices pushing mobile photography and displays forward.
What Else Is Apple Launching This Year?
Both the 2nd generation HomePod smart speaker and new Macs with M2 Pro / M2 Max chips are rumored to launch in Fall 2022. The redesigned HomePod aims to sound better and cost less than its predecessor.
Meanwhile new MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac configurations will deliver considerably faster performance thanks to cutting-edge Apple silicon. The next iPad Pro is also likely on the horizon.
However, Apple probably won‘t host another product unveiling event this year. We can expect press releases announcing more devices leading into the holiday season.
Final Thoughts on Apple‘s September Event
While not reinventing the wheel, Apple‘s latest iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods models incorporate meaningful upgrades I‘m sure many consumers have been waiting for!
Across the board, major gains in performance, camera technology, connectivity, and displays take center stage. The new products address emerging use cases around remote work, content creation, health tracking, and outdoor adventure.
Hopefully breaking down all the key announcements gives you a better idea which new gadgets could improve your life! Let me know if you have any other questions.
