Today, Apple announced the iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and more during their annual fall livestream. Below is everything you need to know about the newly announced products.
SKIP AHEAD iPhone | Apple Watch
Apple is launching the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. One big change across every model is a new charging port at the bottom of the phone — a USB-C port. Many of Apple’s newest devices, including its MacBooks and iPads, already use a USB-C port. Another change is a 50% brighter screen compared to all iPhone 14 models.
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus (preorder)
The iPhone 15 has a few changes that differentiate it from last year’s models. Aside from the aforementioned USB-C port, the iPhone 15 has a new 48-megapixel main camera. Outside of the iPhone 14 Pro, every iPhone since the iPhone 7 (2016) has used a 12-megapixel main camera — bumping up to 48 megapixels should lead to more detailed photos and videos. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus also have a 2x optical zoom lens — optical zoom has previously only been available on Pro models.
The black notch at the top of the screen has been replaced with a smaller pill-shaped black cutout called the Dynamic Island, which shows information like notifications, calls, music and more. Apple debuted this design feature in last year’s iPhone 14 Pro.
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, while the 15 Plus starts at $899. Both are available for preorder on September 15th and purchase September 22nd.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (preorder)
The iPhone 15 Pro has a big design change from last year — the chassis is made of titanium instead of steel, making it lighter and more durable, according to the brand. It also replaces the ring silent switch on the side with a customizable Action button you can set to control sound, record voice memos or launch the camera app.
One change unique to the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a new 5x optical zoom lens.
The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, while the 15 Pro Max starts at $1199. Both are available for preorder on September 15th and purchase September 22nd.
Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 9 (preorder)
The Apple Watch Series 9 is similar to the Series 8, one of our favorite fitness trackers. The major changes are internal — namely a new processor inside. The new S9 chip is faster than previous models, according to Apple. Battery life remains unchanged, the Watch 9 gets up to 18 hours of battery life, but screen brightness is up to twice as bright as last year’s model.
The Watch Series 9 starts at $399. It is available for preorder today and purchase on September 22nd.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 (preorder)
The Apple Watch Ultra is the brand’s most premium smartwatch. It is made with a titanium body, dual-frequency GPS, and up to 36 hours of battery life, double that of the Series 9 and Series SE.
The Watch Ultra 2 has a new internal chip and a 50% brighter screen compared to the Watch Ultra 1, according to Apple.
The Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799. It is available for preorder today and purchase on September 22nd.
Why trust Select?
Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter at Select who has covered consumer technology for years and uses Apple products daily. For this piece, he watched Apple livestream and confirmed details in press releases and product pages.
Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
