MacRumors

Following the introduction of Apple Watch Series 4 models at Steve Jobs Theater today, MacRumors and other media outlets were provided with some up-and-close hands-on time with the new lineup.

At first glance, the most obvious difference with Series 4 models is their larger displays, as Apple has significantly reduced the size of the bezels around the screen. The bezels now look similar to those on the iPhone X and newer, although the display is not completely edge to edge.

Apple says the larger displays provide 32 percent and 35 percent more viewing area on the new 40mm and 44mm models respectively, compared to the previous 38mm and 42mm models in previous generations.

Taking advantage of the larger displays, Apple has redesigned the entire watchOS interface to provide more information with richer detail. A new Infograph watch face can accommodate up to eight complications.

Series 4 models are also ever slightly thinner than Series 3 models, measuring in at 10.7mm, compared to 11.4mm. Apple didn't allow me to test my Series 3 band with a Series 4 model, but it did confirm that both new and existing bands are compatible with all Apple Watch generations.

Apple Watch Series 4 has a new electrical heart sensor on the back side for electrocardiography, often shortened to ECG or EKG. This potentially life-saving functionality can indicate whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation, a serious form of irregular heart rhythm.

Series 4 introduces some finishes, including gold stainless steel casing and a gold Milanese Loop. The back side on all the new models is now crafted from sapphire crystal and ceramic, whereas some Series 3 models had composite backs.

On the side of Series 4 models, the Digital Crown features a thin circle, which is black on GPS configurations and red on LTE configurations. By comparison, nearly the entire Digital Crown is red on Series 3 models with LTE. In my opinion, the new, subdued look of the crown is more aesthetically pleasing.

Overall, the Series 4 models do not represent a full-out redesign of the Apple Watch, but the larger displays and improved health monitoring tools are much welcomed features that are worth considering upgrading for.

In addition to hands-on time with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, members of the media today got the chance to see the new LCD iPhone XR up close. This is Apple's cheaper alternative to the higher-tier XS models, with the XR starting at $749 in 64GB and rising from there.

In person, The Verge said that the six new colors of the iPhone XR are all very vibrant, and the site particularly liked Coral and (PRODUCT)Red. Additionally, The Verge described the iPhone XR as noticeably lighter in comparison to the XS, and ultimately said that the XR will likely become the "default" iPhone for many users this holiday season.

I just spent a few moments playing with the new iPhone XR, which feels like it will be the default iPhone for many people this season. Not only does it have a very similar design to the more expensive iPhone XS model, it has many of the same features for a considerably lower price.

The iPhone XR comes in six different colors, including very nice-looking coral and blue options. The colors are extremely vibrant in person; the coral and red, in particular, are terrific. (They’re honestly a reason to get the XR over the XS if you don’t care about the other features like dual cameras and 3D Touch.)

In terms of downgrades from the iPhone XS to make the XR cheaper, Apple went for an LCD display instead of OLED, chose a single-lens rear facing camera instead of the dual lens on the XS, and removed 3D Touch. TechCrunch, like many outlets, said that if you don't miss these features then it's easy to see why the XR will be enticing, particularly if you want more color options.

Other than those differences, the iPhone XR has an A12 Bionic chip, a TrueDepth camera system, and Face ID -- just like the iPhone XS.

For most users, I suspect most of these elements won’t really be missed — unless, of course, you’ve already gotten comfortable with the iPhone X. While $749 is hardly “cheap” by the standards of mid-range handsets in 2018, it’s a pretty good entry-level price for an Apple handset. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of colors choices in the phone-buying process.

The XR feels like less of an afterthought, unlike the iPhone 8, which was hugely overshadowed by the iPhone X released alongside it. It looks and feels enough like the premium handset that, when coupled with the $250 price drop, it seems inevitable that Apple will sell a ton of the damn things.

Mashable reported that the rear camera on the iPhone XR is still impressive, despite the fact that it's not a true Portrait Mode effect like those produced by the dual cameras on iPhone XS or XS Max.

Noticeably impressive is the camera. It's got just a single rear camera (there's no 2x telephoto lens), but it's still stunning. The Steve Jobs Theater hands-on area was relatively well-lit, so it's hard to say how well the camera performs IRL, but that adjustable bokeh effect for portrait photos looks sick. Not so great: the even larger camera bump. The thing is massive.

A couple of minutes is obviously not enough time to get to know the iPhone XR, but at first blush, it looks like a winner. The colors will suck you right in. I'd totally buy the yellow one.

The iPhone XR will go up for pre-order this Friday, October 19, ahead of a launch one week later on October 26.

The long-awaited AirPower charging mat, which is designed to charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once, did not make an appearance at today's iPhone-centric event that saw the launch of new iPhone XS and iPhone XR models.

Apple did not mention the AirPower at all on stage, despite the fact that it's now been an entire year since the device was announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X.

In addition to failing to give an update on the AirPower, Apple has also essentially scrubbed all mentions of the device from its website. Searching for AirPower doesn't bring up anything, and the only place AirPower is listed appears to be on the page for the AirPods.

In a section of Apple's AirPods site the AirPower is depicted alongside a mention of an optional wireless charging case, which is listed as "currently unavailable." The wireless AirPods charging case was meant to be sold alongside the AirPower to enable AirPods wireless charging.

At this point, it's not clear what's going on with the AirPower. Apple originally said that the device would launch in 2018, but it seems like alongside new iPhones would have been the opportune moment.

It's clear there are still technical details to be worked out, and earlier this year, rumors suggested that Apple was still working on issues with overheating and dealing with multi-device circuitry. At the time, Apple was said to be aiming for a September launch, but no AirPower is coming in September.

Apple still has a few more months to meet its 2018 deadline for the AirPower, so it's possible we'll see the device debut via press release in October, November, or December.

Apple's latest event has come to a close, and that means the press is now getting a chance to go hands-on with the newest iPhones: the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. While largely similar in design to the 2017 iPhone X, the new models pack in a few new features that are distinct from the previous generation, namely the XS Max's large new 6.5-inch display.

According to The Verge, the iPhone XS Max actually "feels much better than any 'Plus' iPhone ever has," thanks to a more ergonomic fit in the hands.

The iPhone XS Max is bigger, yes, but as you can see in the photos (below), it is almost hard to distinguish the two when you’re looking at photos. It feels much better than any “Plus” iPhone ever has. I always found the Plus-sized iPhones to be ungainly, but the Max seems to be a little more ergonomic in subtle ways. If you’ve wanted a Plus before but were put off by the size, I’d at least try to hold the new Max size before making your decision.

Although Engadget warned that the iPhone XS Max approaches "smartphone overkill" with its size, they ultimately admitted that the device is "shockingly" light.

And then there's the iPhone Xs Max, which is the closest Apple has ever come to full smartphone overkill. That's mostly because of the phone's massive display -- at 6.5-inches diagonal, this is the biggest screen that Apple has ever squeezed into a smartphone. To say it's a handful is putting it very mildly, but here's the really crazy thing: it's surprisingly light, almost shockingly so. That might not sound like something to get worked up over, but take it from me, a habitual phablet fan: every fraction of an ounce a company can shave off a phone's weight means my old-man wrist won't hurt quite as much in the long term.

TechRadar came away impressed with the camera quality on the XS, but said that this line of iPhones feels like one of the more disappointing "S" generations, given how it's missing many standout features that make it recognizably different from the previous models.

There’s always something so disappointing about the ‘S’ years of the iPhone - sure, it makes business sense for Apple given it can still command sales without having to redesign the phone every time, but without a new shape it’s not as easy to explain to buyers why it’s worth buying.

There are some decent improvements in the mix - notably the capacity, the louder speakers and the more colorful screen - but beyond that, many will likely be torn between last year’s iPhone X that will now be cheaper and having the latest iPhone as we can’t say the upgrades we saw were many and overpowering. The iPhone XR seems more of an impressive feat from Apple, to be honest.

Numerous publications pointed out some potential killer features of the iPhone XS include the bokeh effect slider in Portrait mode, as well as Dual SIM support. Dual SIM lets users integrate two separate phone numbers in one device, with one being a physical SIM card and another being an eSIM (China will get a version that supports two physical SIM cards).

Slash Gear called this a "potential gamechanger" for the iPhone XS lineup.

The other potential game-changer is dual-SIM support. To be accurate, only one version will have the ability to accommodate two physical SIM cards: a dual-SIM version of the iPhone Xs Max intended for China. Everywhere else will use a combination of one physical SIM and eSIM. That means carriers will need to play ball, and while Apple has a list of early compatibility, there’s still a reasonable chance that your operator of choice may not be up to speed.

More information on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max can be found in our launch post, and if you want to catch up on the event itself Apple has posted the full video to its website.

Alongside the launch of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, Apple has introduced a new AppleCare+ plan that's designed to protect against theft and loss.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss is priced at $299 (or $14.99 per month over 24 months) for the iPhone XS and XS Max and allows for two incidents of accidental damage, theft, or loss coverage, so long as the purchaser pays the deductible.

As with regular AppleCare+, Apple will repair accidental damage for $99, but a lost or stolen phone will be more expensive.

It will cost $199 to get an iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s or iPhone 6 replaced, and $229 to get an iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, or iPhone 6 Plus replaced.

For a replacement iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone X, customers will need to shell out $269. Getting a new iPhone will require the device in question to have Find My iPhone enabled. Disabling the feature voids coverage, according to Apple.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss will be available as a purchase option when pre-ordering an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max this Friday.

It will also be available for the iPhone XR when that device becomes available, and based on the pricing of the plan for the iPhone 8 Plus, it will cost $249 or $12.99 per month for 24 months.

Apple is continuing to sell standard AppleCare+ that offers coverage for two incidents of accidental damage but no theft or loss coverage. Regular AppleCare+ for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will cost $199, so the Theft and Loss coverage is $100 more expensive.

Since the headphone jack was removed from the iPhone with the launch of the iPhone 7, Apple has bundled iPhones with a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter for customers who continue to have 3.5mm headphones.

With the launch of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, Apple is discontinuing this practice and will not include the Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter.

On the "In the Box" section of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR tech specs, no adapter is listed. The three devices will ship with EarPods with Lightning Connector, a Lightning to USB Cable, and a USB Power Adapter.

Apple's new iPhone lineup also marks the discontinuation of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE, the last two iPhones that Apple sold with a headphone jack.

None of the headphones in the new lineup, which includes the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 8, and iPhone 7, have a headphone jack.

Apple is continuing to sell the Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter separately for $9.

Apple's iPhone-centric event that saw the launch of new iPhone XS, XS Max, and iPhone XR models has officially wrapped up, and with the culmination of the event, Apple has posted the full video of the new product unveilings on its website.

For those who were avoiding news of the event because of being unable to watch the video due to work or school, the full event video will offer the chance to catch up on all of the announcements.

Apple will eventually publish the event video on its YouTube channel, but in the meantime, the company has shared several of the videos that were shown on stage, which we've included below.

We'll have plenty more coverage of the new iPhone and Apple Watch announcements today, including a video highlighting everything that was debuted, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com.

With today's announcement of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, Apple has officially discontinued the iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s, the two iPhones that it was selling as its most affordable smartphones.

The iPhone SE was Apple's last remaining 4-inch device, and now the smallest phone that Apple sells is the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and iPhone 8.

Apple has also discontinued the iPhone X, something that we were expecting based on rumors. The iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max replace the iPhone X.

Apple's new lineup is as follows:

• iPhone 7 with pricing starting at $449
• iPhone 7 Plus with pricing starting at $569
• iPhone 8 with pricing starting at $599
• iPhone 8 Plus with pricing starting at $699
• iPhone XR with pricing starting at $749
• iPhone XS with pricing starting at $999
• iPhone XS Max with pricing starting at $1,099

The iPhone 7 is now Apple's cheapest device at $449, which is $100 more expensive than the now-discontinued 32GB $349 iPhone SE. With the discontinuation of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE, Apple no longer sells an iPhone that includes a headphone jack.

The iPhone 7 models come with 32 or 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 8 models are available with 64 or 256GB of storage. The iPhone XR is available with 64, 128, or 256GB of storage, while the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are available with 64, 256, or 512GB of storage.

Apple's iPhone XS and XS Max smartphones will be available for pre-order this Friday, with a release date coming on September 21, while the iPhone XR will be available for pre-order on October 19 with a ship date of October 26.

Apple today announced the iPhone XR featuring an edge-to-edge "Liquid Retina" LCD display with wide color and True Tone support, and the same all-screen design as the iPhone Xs and Xs Max, but with an aluminum frame instead of stainless steel.

Comparatively, the iPhone XR has a bigger display (6.1-inch) than the iPhone 8 Plus (5.5-inch), but a smaller overall body, and comes in six colors: White, Black, Blue, Coral, Yellow, and (PRODUCT)Red.

A seven-layer color process gives the glass back nuanced hues, and the aluminum band and camera trim are color matched. The new design also supports Qi wireless charging, is splash and water resistant with a rating of IP67, and protects against everyday spills including coffee, tea and soda.

The iPhone XR uses LTE Advanced for faster download speeds and introduces Dual SIM through the combined use of a nano-SIM and digital eSIM.

Otherwise, the iPhone XR has many of the same gestures and features as iPhone X, with swiping up to unlock and no home button. iPhone XR does lack 3D Touch, but instead includes a new feature called "Haptic Touch," similar to the Force Touch found on MacBook Pro trackpads.

The iPhone XR is powered by Apple's A12 Bionic chip with next-generation Neural Engine, and includes the TrueDepth camera system first introduced in the iPhone X, along with faster Face ID, and a more advanced camera system capable of portrait photos via a single camera lens.

iPhone XR features a 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture wide-angle lens with an all-new sensor, delivering faster auto-focus, while larger and deeper pixels improve image fidelity and low-light performance on photos and videos.

New Depth Control allows users to adjust the depth of field both in real-time preview and post-capture, while improvements to the ISP, Neural Engine and improved software algorithms enable portrait photos with a signature bokeh effect. New smart HDR feature also brings better highlight and shadow detail across photos, according to Apple.

iPhone XR will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in the aforementioned colors, starting at $749. iPhone XR will be available to pre-order in more than 50 countries beginning Friday, October 19, with availability in stores beginning Friday, October 26.

Tim Hardwick contributed to this article.