MacRumors

With the imminent launch of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, popular third-party Apple accessory companies have introduced all-new accessories for Apple's latest smartphones. Today we're tracking all of the new accessories that you can already get on sale, thanks to deals from Casely, Hyper, OtterBox, Pad & Quill, and Satechi.

iphone 15 pro hands onNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

There are a few iPhone 15 case sales in the list below, including 15 percent off at Casely, 15 percent off at Pad & Quill, and 25 percent off at OtterBox. For the latter sale, you'll need to purchase a screen protector or power accessory for your iPhone 15 first and then you'll get 25 percent off an OtterBox case.

Otherwise, you'll find multiple sales on charging accessories compatible with the new line of iPhones, with up to 30 percent off Hyper accessories and 20 percent off Satechi accessories. Given that the iPhone 15 is the first iPhone to support USB-C, this is a good opportunity to purchase quality USB-C chargers and cables.

  • Casely - Take 15 percent off sitewide with code IPHONE15
  • Hyper - Take up to 30 percent off charging accessories
  • OtterBox - Take 25 percent off iPhone 15 cases when buying a screen protector or power product
  • Pad & Quill - Take 15 percent off iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max wallet cases
  • Satechi - Take 20 percent off iPhone 15 accessories with code IPHONE
  • ESR - Take 22% percent off iPhone 15 accessories with code AFFNEW22
  • Verizon - Take 20 percent off select cases, chargers, and screen protectors for iPhone 15 devices and 25 percent off MagSafe chargers

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Apple announced that iOS 17 will be released on Monday, September 18 for the iPhone XS and newer. The free software update includes a wide range of new features, but not all of them will be available right away, according to Apple.

General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple
Below, we have listed three features that Apple's website says are "coming later this year" as part of a future update, such as iOS 17.1 or iOS 17.2. In addition, Apple shared a PDF this week outlining even more iOS 17 features that are now labeled as "coming later this year," and we have listed those additions below.

Journal App

Journal App iOS 17
An all-new Journal app will allow iPhone users to reflect on their day and memories, complete with text, photos, music, audio recordings, and more. The app will provide personalized suggestions based on recent on-device activity.

Collaborative Apple Music Playlists

apple music collaborative playlist
A new Collaborative Playlists feature for Apple Music will allow multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist.

AirDrop Transfers via Internet

airdrop ios 17
If you send content like an image or video to another user via AirDrop, the transfer will be able to continue over an internet connection if you leave AirDrop range, so long as both you and the recipient are signed in to an iCloud account.

More Features Coming Later This Year

  • React to a message with any sticker through the Tapback menu in the Messages app.
  • A catch-up arrow for group conversations in the Messages app.
  • Sync additional settings with Messages in iCloud, such as Text Message Forwarding, Send & Receive accounts, and SMS filters across devices.
  • Play or pause a podcast or Apple News+ audio story in the Apple News widget.
  • Favorite Songs playlist in Music app.
  • Intelligent form detection and enhanced AutoFill for PDFs.
  • Audio Focus feature for Apple Fitness+ that prioritizes the volume of either the music or the trainers' voices depending on your preference.
  • Apple ID proximity sign-in with an existing signed-in and trusted iPhone or iPad when setting up a new Apple device.

Apple is already testing both iOS 17.1 and iOS 17.2 internally, according to our website's analytic logs. iOS 17.1 is likely to be released in October, while iOS 17.2 should be available in December, based on Apple's previous software release cycles.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

The Apple Watch Series 9 replaces the Apple Watch Series 8 in Apple's smartwatch lineup, so how different are the two successive smartwatch generations?

Apple Watch Series 8 vs Series 9 Buyers Guide
In 2022, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 8, introducing features like body temperature sensing and Crash Detection. The Apple Watch Series 8 has now been discontinued by Apple, and as year-old models, prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to upgrade to a discounted Series 8‌ or the latest Series 9‌.

The Apple Watch Series 8 and Series 9 share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the Series 8 to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the new Apple Watch brings to the table.

Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Series 9
Retina display with up to 1,000 nits of brightness Retina display with up to 2,000 nits of brightness
Display can get dimmer in dark rooms and at night (down to 1 nit of brightness)
Double Tap gesture to stop a timer, play and pause music, snooze an alarm, answer and end a phone call, take a photo with the Camera Remote, open the Smart Stack, and scroll through widgets in the stack, all without touching the display
S8 chip (based on A13 Bionic chip) S9 chip (based on A15 Bionic chip: 60% more transistors, 30% faster)
Neural Engine 4-core Neural Engine (up to twice as fast)
Siri processed in the cloud via internet connection ‌Siri‌ processed on-device for requests that do not need information from the internet, resulting in quicker and more reliable responses
‌Siri‌ can access health and fitness data
Dictation 25% more accurate dictation
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
Precision Finding for iPhone 15 models, providing distance and direction, as well as visual, haptic, and audio guidance to a misplaced iPhone
HomePod integration: When a user gets within four meters of a playing ‌HomePod‌, the Apple Watch launches Now Playing to control playback. If nothing is playing, media suggestions appear at the top of the Smart Stack.
32GB storage 64GB storage
Aluminum models available in Starlight, Midnight, Silver, and (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum models available in Starlight, Midnight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and Pink

Overall, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a very minor upgrade over the Series 8, with the S9 chip, Double Tap, and Precision Finding for ‌iPhone 15‌ models being the most significant changes. As a result, it is very difficult to recommend upgrading.

Most Apple Watch Series 8 users will not be able to justify upgrading to the Series 9, but some customers coming from an older device could still have good reason to preference the latest model, namely those who heavily use a ‌HomePod‌, plan to buy an ‌iPhone 15‌ model and can take advantage of Precision Finding, need additional storage for downloaded media, or think one-handed use with the Double Tap gesture would be useful.

The Apple Watch Series 9 is very similar to the Series 8, so most customers who have an older Apple Watch model and are looking for an upgrade may prefer to look for a discounted Apple Watch Series 8. If the Series 8 can be found for a substantially lower price, it remains a solid buy for most users with an older model. To understand how the Series 8 stacks up against its predecessor, see our other buyer's guide from last year.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Apple this week unveiled four new iPhone 15 models at its "Wonderlust" event. As always, there were many rumors leading up to the event that gave us an idea of what to expect from the devices, but not all of them were accurate.

iPhone 15 Rumor Report Card 2
Below, we have recapped some of the bigger hits and misses from the iPhone 15 rumor mill.

Hits

Misses

Honorable Mention

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra is not available in Black Titanium.

Apple Watch Ultra Black Feature
With so many rumors shared leading up to the iPhone event, this list is far from comprehensive, so feel free to discuss other hits and misses in the comments section.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple revealed during Tuesday's "Wonderlust" event that watchOS 10 will be released for Apple Watch Series 4 and later models on Monday, September 18.


When the update rolls out, users will immediately have to familiarize themselves with new functions assigned to the common gestures and physical buttons on their Apple Watch.

In watchOS 10, Control Center is now accessed by pressing the side button, while swiping up from any watch face reveals widgets in a customizable Smart Stack that can be swiped through to see relevant information. Turning the Digital Crown achieves the same thing.

Many stock apps have been entirely revamped with a simpler, information-forward design. Weather, for example, shows the temperature and conditions of your current location, with a quick scroll offering an hourly forecast so you no longer have to tap to get more information.

Apple has also added two new watch faces, Palette and Snoopy, and there are updates to Cycling and Hiking workouts, along with mental health integrations to support new health features in iOS 17. Users can log their state of mind and mood using the Apple Watch, with the device providing insights into mental health over time.

watchOS 10 also adds support for Apple's forthcoming NameDrop feature in iOS 17. Rather than type in the number of someone new to call or text them so that they have your number, NameDrop allows you to simply hold your iPhone near their ‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌ to swap contact details. NameDrop works between two iPhones‌, and between an ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and an Apple Watch. The feature also works between two Apple Watches.

Elsewhere, in Apple Fitness+, a new Custom Plans feature allows users to tailor workout routines by selecting day, duration, workout type, music, and trainer.

Apple yesterday seeded the release candidate version of the upcoming update to developers for testing purposes. The release candidate, or RC, represents the final version of the software that will be released to the public, barring the last-minute discovery of any show-stopping bugs.

The iPhone 15 Pro succeeds 2022's iPhone 14 Pro, bringing 40 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones. This buyer's guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations.


In 2022, Apple unveiled the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro as the successor to the popular ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, introducing an always-on display, the Dynamic Island, a 48-megapixel camera, the A16 Bionic chip, longer battery life, and more. The ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max have now been discontinued by Apple, and as slightly older models, lower prices can be found for the device at third-party resellers. As such, some customers who own an older device may be weighing up whether to upgrade to an ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro or an ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro.

As the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro share a large number of features, should you consider buying or sticking with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro to save money? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two ‌iPhone‌ models is best for you, and serves as a way to clearly see the all of the differences that the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro brings to the table. This article focuses on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, Apple's high-end ‌iPhone‌ models, but to understand the differences between the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌iPhone 15‌, see our other buyer's guide:

Although the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro share most of their basic features, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro offers a large number of notable upgrades over its predecessor, such as a titanium design, Action button, USB-C port, and A17 Bionic chip.

‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro
Surgical-grade stainless steel chassis with squared-off edges Aerospace-grade titanium chassis with contoured edges
More repairable design
Thinner borders around the display for slightly smaller overall footprint
7.85mm depth 8.25mm depth (0.4mm thicker)
206g or 240g weight 187g or 221g weight (19g lighter)
Ring/Silent switch Action button
A16 Bionic chip (5nm) A17 Pro chip (3nm)
6-core CPU 6-core CPU (up to 10% faster)
5-core GPU 6-core GPU with with hardware-accelerated ray tracing (up to 20% faster)
16-core Neural Engine 16-core Neural Engine (up to 2x faster)
Dedicated AV1 decoder
6GB memory 8GB memory
Telephoto camera with second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization Telephoto camera with larger sensor, folded tetraprism design, optical image stabilization, and autofocus 3D sensor-shift module (Pro Max only)
Anti-reflective coating on camera lenses
0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 3x optical zoom 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x, and 5x optical zoom (5x on Pro Max only)
13mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 77mm, and 120mm focal length picker (120mm on Pro Max only)
48-megapixel super-high-resolution photos 24- and 48-megapixel super-high-resolution photos
Smart HDR 4 Smart HDR 5
Portrait mode with Focus and Depth Control Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
Night mode and Night mode portraits Improved Night mode and Night mode portraits
Shoot and instantly transfer 48-megapixel ProRAW images to Mac via USB 3
Record video directly to an external drive
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps ProRes video recording up to 4K at 60 fps with external recording
Action mode Improved Action mode and low-light video
Log video recording
Academy Color Encoding System
Record spatial video for Apple Vision Pro
Improved audio quality on phone calls
Wi‑Fi 6 connectivity Wi‑Fi 6E connectivity
Thread networking technology
First-generation Ultra Wideband chip Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (connects from 3x further away)
Precision Finding for Find My friends
Lightning port USB-C port
USB 2 transfer speeds (up to 480Mb/s) USB 3 transfer speeds (up to 10Gb/s, 20x faster)
DisplayPort support for up to 4K HDR video output
Support for Qi wireless charging Support for Qi 2 wireless charging
Setting to prevent charging above 80%
Battery manufacture date, first use, and cycle count information in Settings
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options (no 128GB tier on Pro Max)
Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black color options Natural Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium color options

Overall, the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro is a fairly significant upgrade over the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, introducing meaningful quality-of-life features like the USB-C port and Action button that change the methods of interaction with the device. The new, considerably more lightweight titanium design, slimmer borders around the display, and contoured edges result in a noticeably different aesthetic and feel in the hand.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro also brings advancements to photography and videography, adding support for 24-megapixel high-resolution photos, Smart HDR 5, and next-generation portraits – practical features that most users can take advantage of. The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max takes things to the next level with its tetraprism telephoto camera, offering up to 5x optical zoom on the ‌iPhone‌ for the first time. Features like 48-megapixel HEIF capture, external and log recording, Academy Color Encoding System, and fast data transfer via USB 3 are also major upgrades for professionals.

This is not to mention Roadside Assistance via satellite, new color options, the second-generation ultra wideband chip, and the A17 Pro chip – Apple's first chip made with a ‌3nm‌ fabrication process, which radically improves the gaming capabilities of the device.

Due to the scale and breadth of these improvements, some ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro users can justify upgrading to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, especially if they value the new design, USB-C port, Action button, and camera improvements. It is worth sticking with the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro if you are holding off for an even more substantial upgrade in the future.

Customers coming from an older model also have good reason to preference the latest model over the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro due to the relatively large number of improvements and additional features offered by the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, but it depends on just how inexpensively last year's Pro models can now be obtained.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple's cellular band page confirms that only U.S. models of the new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max support mmWave 5G bands, as has been the case since the iPhone 12 series was released in 2020.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro lineup Action button 230912
mmWave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, which is ideal for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas. All four iPhone 15 models support sub-6GHz 5G outside of the U.S., and sub-6GHz networks are still more common than mmWave networks in countries that have rolled out 5G.

Australia, China, Japan, and Singapore are some of the countries outside of the U.S. that have deployed mmWave networks so far.

Apple announced the iPhone 15 series on Tuesday during its "Wonderlust" event. All four new models are equipped with a USB-C port and the Dynamic Island, while the Pro models have many additional features, including the A17 Pro chip, a lightweight titanium frame, a customizable Action button, 5x optical zoom on the Pro Max model, Wi-Fi 6E support, an increased 8GB of RAM, and more. The devices are available to pre-order starting this Friday at 5 a.m. Pacific Time, and will be released on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Tags: 5G, mmWave
Related Forum: iPhone

Hermès has debuted its new Apple Watch Series 9 case and band collection, including some new leather band options not available from Apple's website.

hermes apple watch series 9
Apple has removed all leather iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands – including Hermès bands – from its website as part of a significant new sustainability push. However, as part of the continuing partnership between Apple and Hermès, the luxury watch boutique is free to continue selling Apple Watch Series 9 models with bands made of calfskin.

Among several new Hermès Single Tour and Double Tour bands made of knitted nylon and woven nylon, several color options made of calfskin can be found. Prices for Hermès Apple Watch Series 9 bands range from $349 to $589, while watch and band combinations range from $1,249 to $1,539.

All of the bands are available to pre-order today. Hermès will begin shipping orders after September 22, according to its website.

As for Apple, the company on Tuesday announced a new textile it's calling "FineWoven," which is made of 68 percent post-consumer content and is overall more environmentally friendly compared to the company's previous line of leather accessories. Apple also confirmed it will no longer use leather for new Apple accessories.

Thanks, KPOM!

France on Tuesday ordered Apple to halt iPhone 12 sales and "fix" existing devices over fears the devices emit too much electromagnetic radiation (via France24).

iphone 12 vs iphone 12 pro
The French agency that regulates radio frequencies, the ANFR, said on its website that testing found the ‌iPhone‌ 12 emits more electromagnetic waves susceptible to be absorbed by the body than permitted.

The ANFR ordered Apple to "remove the ‌iPhone‌ 12 from the French market from September 12 due to the model exceeding the limit" for electromagnetic absorption by the body. The agency also told Apple to recall every ‌iPhone‌ 12 it has ever sold in the country. Apple launched the ‌iPhone‌ 12 in 2020 and it is still sold across the globe.

"Concerning phones already sold, Apple must in the briefest of delays take corrective measures to bring the affected phones into compliance," said the ANFR in a statement on its website. "Otherwise, Apple will have to recall them."

The ANFR said the device's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was 5.74 watts per kilogram, which is above the limit set by the European Union for a phone when held or kept in a pocket. The ANFR said it intends to share its findings with other EU regulators.

The findings contradict advice given by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO website, based on data from a large number of studies, "no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use."

Apple told the BBC it was contesting the ANFR's review, and said it had provided the regulator with its own lab results as well as third parties which show the device is compliant with all the relevant rules. Apple said the ‌iPhone‌ 12 was recognised as being compliant with regulations on radiation levels worldwide.

This isn't the first time Apple has come under regulatory scrutiny in the country. Under a previous French law, Apple was until January 2022 lawfully obligated to include EarPods in the box based on the precautionary principle, because regulators said the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known.

France in 2020 also widened regulations requiring retailers to display the radiation value of products on packaging beyond smartphones, including tablets and other electronic devices.

As for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 order, Apple must respond to it within two weeks, the ANFR said.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: France
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple on Tuesday made second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case available to order, but unlike its move to wireless charging cases, the company isn't offering the USB-C case as a standalone purchase.

AirPods USB C Port
Apple's decision not to offer the USB-C case as a separate purchase is likely a marketing one related to the fact that the updated second-generation AirPods Pro feature improved IP54-rated dust resistance, and will support up to 4 hours of lossless audio with ultra-low latency when connected to the Apple Vision Pro headset launching in early 2024.


Regardless, the lack of an option to purchase the USB-C case separately is likely to frustrate customers who already own second-generation AirPods Pro with a Lightning port and plan to upgrade to an iPhone 15, which features a USB-C port for the first time. Those wanting to charge all their devices with one cable will need to buy the new USB-C to Lightning adapter ($29), while those who want to future-proof for Apple Vision Pro compatibility will have to buy a completely new pair of AirPods Pro costing $249.

Related Roundups: AirPods Pro, Apple Vision Pro
Related Forums: AirPods, Apple Vision Pro

Apple announced during its "Wonderlust" event that Emergency SOS via Satellite and Find My via Satellite will be available in Spain and Switzerland later in September.

Emergency SOS via Satellite iPhone YT
Both features are currently available in 14 countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, the U.K., and the U.S.

Emergency SOS via Satellite was introduced with the iPhone 14 models and can be activated when an emergency situation occurs and there is no WiFi or cellular connection available. While the feature is geared to help users in a genuine emergency, Apple's satellites also make it possible for anyone to share their location whenever they are off the grid via Find My.

The feature's upcoming availability in Spain and Switzerland is likely tied either to the iPhone 15 series launch in those countries or the availability of iOS 17, which is being released globally to the general public on September 18.

Apple during its event also announced new Roadside Assistance vis Satellite, which is similar to Emergency SOS, but it allows iPhone users to contact roadside assistance if they have car trouble in an area without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. Available only in the United States for now, Roadside Assistance is being offered through a partnership with AAA.

Apple today gave members of the media that were at Apple Park for the "Wonderlust" event a chance to take a look at the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models ahead of their release. MacRumors videographer Dan attended, getting a first look at the new color options, Double Tap, and more.


The major new feature for both the Series 9 and the Ultra 2 is the updated S9 chip, a welcome update because prior to this, the chip in the Apple Watch hadn't been updated since the Series 6 even though Apple was changing the S-name with each generation. The S9 chip has 60 percent more transistors than the S8 chip in the Series 8, and it processes machine learning tasks up to 2x faster.

With the S9 chip, there's a new Double Tap gesture (coming in October). Double Tap lets you double tap your index finger and thumb together to answer a call, play and pause music, open a notification, and more. It uses the various sensors in the Apple Watch and it works surprisingly well.

Both the Series 9 and Ultra 2 have brighter displays (2,000 nits and 3,000 nits maximum, respectively) for better performance in the sun, and they can drop down to 1 nit at night or when you're in a movie theater. Siri requests are also now processed on device, and ‌Siri‌ can answer health questions like how well you slept or what your heart rate is at.

There's also a new U2 chip that can be used for finding your iPhone with Precision Finding, and dictation is 25 percent more accurate. All of the new models come with an increased 64GB of storage space, up from 32GB.

Apple added a new pink aluminum color for the Apple Watch Series 9, which is an attractive shade, plus the watch comes in starlight, midnight, and PRODUCT(RED). The stainless steel models are available in graphite, gold, and silver.

The Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watch models can be preordered starting today, and will launch on September 22 alongside the new iPhone 15 models.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Apple never publicly advertises the amount of RAM included in iPhones, but MacRumors has confirmed that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPhone 14 Pro models. Along with the new A17 Pro chip, extra RAM benefits overall system performance, particularly for multitasking.

iPhone 15 Pro lineup
In the Xcode 15 Release Candidate made available today, there are files confirming that the lower-end iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are equipped with 6GB of RAM, while the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max each have 8GB of RAM. This information was obtained with assistance from software code researcher @aaronp613.

Previous RAM amounts:

  • iPhone 14: 6GB
  • iPhone 14 Plus: 6GB
  • iPhone 14 Pro: 6GB
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6GB

New RAM amounts:

  • iPhone 15: 6GB
  • iPhone 15 Plus: 6GB
  • iPhone 15 Pro: 8GB
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: 8GB

The same Xcode files accurately revealed RAM amounts for the iPhone 14 models last year and in several previous iPhone generations. The type of RAM in the iPhone 15 models remains unknown, but teardowns of the devices should confirm that information soon.

All four iPhone 15 models will be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 15 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. and over 40 other countries and regions. The devices are set to launch one week later on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

While the new AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case are still classified as second-generation AirPods Pro, the earbuds have a few other new features.

AirPods USB C Port
In a press release today, Apple announced that the updated second-generation AirPods Pro will support 20-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with ultra-low latency when the earbuds are connected to Apple's new Vision Pro headset launching in early 2024.

"When Apple Vision Pro is available early next year in the U.S., customers will be able to enjoy the most advanced wireless audio experience in the industry with the new AirPods Pro for exceptional entertainment, gaming, FaceTime calls, and so much more," said Apple.

Apple also said the updated AirPods Pro have additional IP54-rated dust resistance for both the earbuds and the charging case.

The updated AirPods Pro are available to order starting today for $249, and will be available in stores beginning Friday, September 22. Apple is not selling the USB-C charging case separately, and it has discontinued the AirPods Pro with a Lightning case. The standard third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Max were not updated today.

Related Roundups: AirPods Pro, Apple Vision Pro
Related Forums: AirPods, Apple Vision Pro

Now that the iPhone 15 models have a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, it is possible to use an ‌iPhone 15‌ to charge the AirPods or Apple Watch directly.

iPhone 15 USB C Port Event Still
You'll need an appropriate cable to charge with an iPhone, such as a USB-C to USB-C cable for the new AirPods Pro 2 USB-C Charging Case, or a USB-C Apple Watch charging puck, but it's a useful function that wasn't available with Lightning.

Apple highlighted the new functionality in its iPhone 15 Pro announcement and it makes sense because USB-C Macs can be used for charging the AirPods and Apple Watch, but it is novel because we aren't accustomed to charging accessories with an ‌iPhone‌.

If your AirPods or Apple Watch run out of battery while you don't have access to a charger, it is convenient to be able to use the ‌iPhone‌'s battery for a little extra juice rather than carrying around a battery pack.

USB-C brings other conveniences, such as the ability to use the same charging cable for Macs, iPads, iPhones, and other USB-C accessories. On the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models, it also brings faster USB 3 transfer speeds of up to 10Gb/s, provided you're using the right cable. ‌iPhone 15‌ models are limited to USB 2 charging speeds, the same as the Lighting port.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Apple today held its "Wonderlust" fall event, introducing the iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. It took Apple an hour and a half to introduce all of the new devices, but we've recapped everything in a super quick six minute video for our readers who want a short but detailed overview of all of the new announcements.


We've also rounded up all of our event coverage, so make sure to take a look at our articles to avoid missing any new details about Apple's latest devices.

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Software

Cases and Accessories

Other Announcements

The Apple Watch Series 9 and ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ can be preordered starting today. Preorders for the ‌iPhone 15‌ models will take place on Friday, September 15. All of the new devices are set to launch on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Following the introduction of the iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, Apple is letting customers prepare for pre-orders, which are set to begin on Friday, September 15 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

iphone 15 get ready apple
Prospective ‌iPhone 15‌ buyers can use the Apple Store app to select their preferred phone, confirm their status with their carrier, add accessories, choose an AppleCare+ plan, and add a preferred payment method ahead of when pre-orders go live. Payment in full and other payment options are supported.

iPhone Upgrade Program members are able to select their iPhones and complete pre-approval steps like checking upgrade eligibility, securing credit lines, and confirming shipping details.

The "Get Ready" feature is designed to allow customers to pre-order their iPhones with the tap of a button to make the purchasing process quicker.

The ‌iPhone 15‌ is priced starting at $799, while the ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus is priced starting at $899. The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro is priced starting at $999, and the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max is priced starting at $1,199. After pre-orders take place on September 15, a launch will follow on Friday, September 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Following today's keynote event that saw Apple introducing the new iPhone 15, ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max, Apple allowed members of the media in attendance to spend some hands-on time with the new devices. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera was at Apple Park for the event, so he's able to give us an early look at the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup, as well as his first thoughts.


The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro models are made from titanium, and they are noticeably lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro models. There are contoured edges that improve the feel of the ‌iPhone‌ in the hand, and the Pro models are overall much more comfortable to hold. Apple also cut down on bezel size for even more display than ever, and the Action Button that replaces the Mute Switch is super convenient.

Apple added a 5x zoom lens to the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max and at its 120mm focal length, you can get great portrait shots. There are options on both Pro models to change the focal length of the Main camera, which you can do just by tapping. It can be set to 24mm, 28mm, or 35mm, and the ability to change focal length is useful for pro photographers.

As for the standard ‌iPhone 15‌ models, they're more Pro-like than ever with the addition of the Dynamic Island and the new matte glass back. Apple say it is using back glass that has color infused throughout the material, and it's a nice look, especially with the pastel color options.

For more on what Dan thought of the ‌iPhone 15‌ models, make sure to check out his full video, and for more of our coverage, visit our 2023 Apple Event hub.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone