Apple event: iPhone 13 Pro, Max and Mini, new iPads, Watch and everything else announced during live stream launch
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Your support makes all the difference.Apple has held its biggest event of the year, announcing a new iPhone.
Or, more precisely, it announced four new iPhones, in two different ranges and three sizes, just like it did last year.
And it revealed plenty more besides: new iPads, in two different sizes, and a major update to the Apple Watch. It also showed off updates to Fitness+ and gave a release date for iOS 15.
Here is everything Apple announced during its “California Streaming” event – and everything it didn’t.
iPhone 13 and Mini
The star of the show was the iPhone 13, as expected.
On the outside, the improvements are fairly minimal: the screen is improved slightly, and the notch at the top of the display is 20 per cent smaller. There’s also a new pinkish colour, and the lenses in the camera array have been rotated.
It’s on the inside where the biggest improvements come. It has a new processor and a bigger battery – for up to 2.5 hours better battery life – and a new camera system that will be particulalry good in low light.
iPhone 13 Pro and Max
After the iPhone 13 came its pro sibling: a more expensive, more premium, and more full-featured version of the same phone.
As with the iPhone 13, it looks a lot like its predecessor: it has the same external design, and might be hard to tell the difference from afar. Also like last year it has much more in common with the normal iPhone 13 than it has differences.
There are differences, though, and more than there were last year. It still has a better cameras and a different finish and look than its cheaper sibling – as well as the option to get it in the Max size – but it includes extra improvements too.
The processor is slightly better, for instance, allowing for better graphics performance. And it has a totally new display, with the ProMotion feature previously only found on the iPad and allowing for fast refresh rates when required.
Apple Watch Series 7
The new Apple Watch is the first big redesign in years, though it is a little less radical than rumours had suggested. Still, the display is a lot bigger and the sides have a different shape than all Apple Watches before.
That bigger display is more resilient than before, too, and there are new software features to make the most of it, including exclusive watch faces. It also has 33 per cent faster charging and new colours.
Apple Fitness+
Apple’s streaming workouts service was released earlier this year and has got a big upgrade. There are new kinds of workouts, new exercises to do, and new countries.
New iPad and iPad Mini
Not just one iPad but two: the cheapest and smallest of the iPad line-up both received an upgrade.
The normal iPad’s changes are quite minimal. It has a faster processor and some other changes, but largely stays the same as the one from last year – which is already its most popular.
The iPad Mini’s changes are much more significant. It is really an iPad Air now, with that tablet’s new flat edges, the ability to support the Apple Pencil 2, and a TouchID sensor in the power button.
iOS 15
As well as new hardware, Apple finally announced the release date for iOS 15, and iPadOS 15. They will be coming on 20 September.
It didn’t give a release date for MacOS Monterey, which usually comes a bit later in the year.
No more things
Some rumoured products that were expected ahead of the launch didn’t arrive. Most notable among them was a new version of the AirPods, which had been widely rumoured but didn’t turn up at all.
All of Apple’s other product lines went without a mention, too. So there were no Macs, Apple TVs, home devices – or anything else besides.
But Apple is thought to be planning another event next month, which is likely to include at least some computers.
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