‘It’s Glowtime’: all the news from Apple’s iPhone 16 event

Apple is preparing to release the iPhone 16, its first phone since it announced Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. Unlike the iPhone 15 line, this year’s crop of iPhones is expected to be compatible with all of the generative AI-powered features the company will introduce with iOS 18 and that will come out over the next several months.

Physically, the iPhones may have a new camera button and camera sensors rearranged to take better spatial photos and videos for viewing on the Vision Pro headset. That’ll be the most noticeable on the iPhone 16, as the two lenses may go vertical instead of diagonal, while the iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to be keeping the same general appearance (but with slightly larger screens).

The traditional September launch comes as all of Apple’s competitors are already well into their AI efforts, leaving Apple to catch up. The company, so far, hasn’t shown features that raise existential questions about photography. Instead, it’s leaning into claims that it’s working on truly private AI for everyone. Artificial intelligence models run on-device most of the time, and where they can’t, requests are processed in the cloud through what Apple calls Private Cloud Compute.

Some of the non-Apple Intelligence features coming in the iOS 18 launch include a glowing border animation for Siri, the ability to place app icons wherever you want on your homescreen, and a more customizable Control Center.

• iPhone 16 event live blog: all the news from Apple’s keynote

  

  Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge

  It’s glowtime, baby. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 today — and the launch of Apple Intelligence along with it. Apple is late to the AI party, which makes its arrival all the more intriguing.

  While we got a glimpse of Apple Intelligence at WWDC, we’re expecting a more practical look at how it’ll show up in the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro (plus all the usual upgrades like new colors, better cameras — the whole shebang). But phones and AI aren’t the only things on the agenda. It’s the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, and rumor has it, it’ll sport a bigger display and thinner body. The AirPods lineup is also due for a refresh, with murmurs of new entry and midtier models.

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  The Apple Watch made smartwatches the wearable of choice

  

  The first Apple Watch was announced on September 9th, 2014. A decade later, it’s the most popular smartwatch in the world.

  Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

  Ten years ago, after announcing the iPhone 6, Tim Cook had one more thing to show the world. Cue the first-ever sizzle reel for the Apple Watch.

  It’s funny watching that video today, especially when you zero in on the features Apple claimed would revolutionize the smartwatch category. There was the Digital Crown — a so-called breakthrough in input technology that would let you scroll and zoom on what was essentially a mini wrist computer. It had a Taptic Engine that would discreetly buzz when a text or notification came in. Glances were supposed to be digestible tidbits of information, a sort of status update for your apps. Also, remember Digital Touch? That weird feature where you press two fingers on the screen and send a friend an animation of your heartbeat? 

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  It’s time for the regular iPhone to shine

  

  Regular iPhone, rise up.

  Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

  Look, I get it.

  People aren’t buying phones like they used to, so Apple’s really gotta put the squeeze on us every upgrade cycle. And recently, that has meant pushing more people toward the Pro iPhone, rather than the regular one. Every year for the past few years, Apple has withheld more and more features for its Pro phones, bringing them down to the standard iPhone at a drip. But that might be changing this year, if the rumors are true, and to that, I say: it’s about damn time.

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