In wireless, we no longer say “smartphone.” We now say “AI phone.” The arrival of Microsoft’s Copilot and Google’s Gemini is forcing Apple to present the iPhone 16, the latest version of its popular phone, as the first iPhone with generative artificial intelligence (AI).
The iPhone 16 is the experience that Tim Cook, its CEO, promised last June when he spoke of a generative AI capable of summarizing and producing more or less long texts, analyzing the content of photos or videos, and even creating images itself, all from a simple sentence, right on your phone.
Apple Intelligence
Apple calls this Apple Intelligence. Most of the time, you don’t need to go online, but sometimes you’ll need to connect to cloud servers that Apple promises are secure and privacy-friendly. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google are sources that this AI will also draw from.
“Apple’s integration of generative AI promises better protection of personal data. It could have a profound impact on several industries, including those that rely on mass emailing,” says Gadjo Sevilla of the firm eMarketer. The Canadian analyst does not see the urgency of adopting the iPhone 16 only for AI, since several functions are in beta, or will be launched later. Apple Intelligence will only be available in English at launch, with its French version not arriving before 2025.
Four different iPhone 16s
Like its predecessors, the iPhone 16 comes in four flavors. Each has its own screen size. The base model has a 6.1-inch display and shares its mechanics with the Plus, which is 6.7 inches and has a larger battery. The iPhone 16 Pro, on the other hand, is 6.3 inches. It has a more powerful processor and a better camera. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the largest of the bunch, with a 6.9-inch display. Its battery life should also be the best.
Both iPhone 16 Pros are powered by the Pro version of the A18 processor found in the two base iPhones. Their cameras also come with a unique periscope telephoto lens. A new touch-sensitive side button called Camera Control lets you manually adjust some photo settings, and video settings too: the iPhone 16 Pro can create super slow motion from 4K video at 120 frames per second.
The iPhone 16 starts at $1,129, compared to $1,449 for the iPhone 16 Pro. The top-spec iPhone 16 Pro Max costs $2,349.
Apple Watch Series 10
The iPhone would be nothing if it didn’t come with its precious accessories: the Apple Watch and the AirPods headphones. This fall, the Californian brand is offering a new generation of both. The Apple Watch Series 10 has a completely revised design, while the AirPods Pro 3 feature improved ambient noise cancellation and a better sound experience.
In form and function, the Apple Watch Series 10 is a fairly substantial update, without being revolutionary. The watch is 10% thinner and slightly lighter than its predecessor. Its display is larger and brighter, even when viewed at an angle. Its battery life is not particularly improved, but charging is faster: 80% of the charge can be recovered in just 10 minutes.
Despite being available in six new aluminum and titanium finishes, with matching metal bands, Apple still hopes that its watch will be worn by everyone at night, during sleep. Its designers have developed sleep analysis tools that aim to better detect apnea and prevent the inconveniences that result from it.
AirPods 4
A fourth generation of AirPods, the iconic all-white wireless earbuds, completes Apple’s fall catalog. This new version of the AirPods comes with ambient noise cancellation, a first. The AirPods Pro are more focused on helping their wearers hear better, going so far as to act as a hearing aid, while the AirPods Max inherit a USB-C port and new colors.
Apple has emphasized the positive impact of all its products on the health of their users and on the environment. It’s a subtle but important differentiator, notes independent analyst Avi Greengart, who sees the arrival of the iPhone 16 as a positive.
“With everything that this iPhone offers, people who have an older model will see a huge improvement,” he told The Press. “We will no longer check our calendars or make restaurant reservations in the same way…”