Apple rolls out iPhone 15, watches with 'double tap' feature at flagship event

Apple on Tuesday took the wraps off newer variants of some of its best-selling devices, hoping that they make it to the top of wish list of customers during the all-important holiday shopping season.

The announcement of the iPhone 15 line and upgraded smart watches at the company's annual event comes against the backdrop of flagging discretionary spending and expanded curbs on its flagship smartphones in China.

Apple also switched to the USB-C charging standard from the current Lightning port, in accordance with a European law, on its latest iPhones and AirPods, and announced environment-friendly changes to some of the devices.

The entire new range will be available from Sept. 22.

Here are the details of the key announcements:

The iPhone

Apple launched iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, sporting 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively, similar to their predecessors.

The higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, priced at $999 and $1,199, respectively, now use titanium instead of stainless steel for the side bars and sport an "action button" in place of the mute switch that can be customised for a variety of functions.

New iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models are displayed during the 'Wonderlust' event on Tuesday. Reuters

All the new models feature a 48-megapixel main camera, with the flagship Pro Max having 5X optical zoom and 3X telephoto capability.

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus get an A16 bionic chip, while the iPhone 15 Pro and the Pro Max will be powered by the A17 pro chip. The hardware on the Pro line makes the devices suitable for high-end mobile gaming, the company said.

Apple also said the batteries of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, which start at $799 and $899, respectively, are made of 100% recycled cobalt.

Watches

Apple announced Watch Series 9 and the second generation of Watch Ultra, sporting the same dimensions as the previous variants.

The latest watches get the next generation S9 chip, capable of better animations and effects. It is the first processor upgrade since Apple released the Series 6 line in 2020.

New features on board include "double tap", a new gesture feature to control the watch without touching its face, and improved dictation and brightness.

Brand new Apple Watches are displayed at the event. AFP

The Series 9 starts at $399, while the Ultra 2, at $799, is priced at the same level as the earlier base model.

The Series 9 is the company's first carbon neutral product, and starting this year all watch manufacturing will be powered by 100% clean energy, the company said. Apple will also drop leather from all its products, including the watch bands.

AirPods

Apple released the second-generation AirPods Pro, priced at $249.

It will feature improved sound quality and double the active noise cancellation than its predecessor. It will also come in more ear tip sizes.

Reuters