Apple event - as it happened: iPhone 15 brings new charging ports and ‘carbon neutral Apple Watch
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Your support makes all the difference.Apple has launched brand new iPhones and two new Watches at its biggest event of the year.
The new iPhone 15 range has brought extra controversy this year, given the switch to a new charging port at the bottom of the phone.
Alongside those updates, Apple unveiled faster chips, better battery life and design tweaks for the higher-end, Pro versions of the phone.
In addition to the new products, Apple updated both the normal and Ultra version of the Apple Watch, both featuring new chip technology.
The AirPods also received an update to swap the Lightning charging port in the bottom for USB-C – beginning the process of getting rid of a charging technology that has been used for more than a decade in Apple’s most popular products.
The event was live streamed from Apple’s California headquarters, beginning at 10am local pacific time, 1pm eastern, or 6pm in the UK. You can catch up with all the news and announcements here.
Apple event live: Prices on iPhone range updated
Here are the updated prices on Apple’s range of iPhones:
Apple event live: ‘Thank you for joining us'
And that’s it! Tim Cook is back to say goodbye.
“Thank you for joining us, have a great day,” he says.
We’ll have a full round up of everything announced soon.
Apple event: Watch the full live stream
If you missed the unveiling of the new iPhone 15 and Apple Watch range, or just want to watch it again, the full stream is available right here:
Apple iPhone 15 event: New privacy features ‘setting new standards'
Something that went relatively under the radar compared to the main hardware announcements today is the new privacy and security features, which experts have described as a “testament to Apple’s strong commitment to user control and transparency”.
Here’s what Josh Stein, vice president of security product strategy at the software firm Jamf has to say about it:
They are redefining what it means to be a leader in the technology industry and setting the standards when it comes to privacy and security, which other major technology companies will now be required to meet.
It places an emphasis on privacy by design but not interfering with the user’s experience. Apple has always focused on integrating privacy and security controls that are easy for end users to understand and configure.
The updates to the new features address concerns around the interconnectedness of devices and the need to safeguard one another from online risks. For example, Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention technology removes trackers from links that are shared in Messages, Mail, and Safari. Additionally, the Communication Safety API allows certain images and videos to be scanned for inappropriate content while still maintaining user privacy. Such privacy and security features empower users to take control of their online data.
Apple iPhone 15 event: ‘No headline-grabbing updates’
Some more post-event analysis coming through, with Ben Wood, a chief analyst at CCS Insight, lamenting a lack of “headline-grabbing updates”. However, he does praise the switch to a USB-C connector, describing it as a “victory for common sense”.
Here’s what he had to say:
The lack of headline-grabbing updates will disappoint some, but isn’t a surprise given the maturity of the iPhone and Watch. It reflects just how refined the iPhone and Watch devices are and how tough it has become to deliver truly disruptive updates every year.
The move to a USB-C connector is a success story for EU regulators over big tech despite efforts by Apple to resist it in 2020. It will irk some people but ultimately, it’s a victory for common sense becoming the standard connector for all consumer electronics devices.
Apple event: Share price fails to recover
Today’s event has failed to provide the boost that Apple executives and shareholders were hoping for, after the share price tumbled last week amid reports that the Chinese government will ban employees from using iPhones.
Apple’s share price remains down by around 7 per cent since the start of the month, but it is still up by nearly 40 per cent since the start of the year, and more than 4,000 per cent up since the first iPhone was unveiled in 2007. Here’s what the bigger picture looks like:
Apple event: iPhone 15 and Apple Watch prices and release date
The iPhone 15s and Apple Watches announced today are already available for pre-order, and will be available in stores from next Friday, 22 September.
Here’s all the details about the price and release dates for Apple’s latest smartwatches and phones:
Apple reveals when huge new iPhone update is coming
Apple will release its major new software updates for the iPhone, Watch and more next week.
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