Apple finally released its new fall products this week: new iPhone, new connected watch, new headphones. Each in their own way, the newcomers are pushing the boundaries of connected mobility a little further, even if it is uneven.
As long as you pay the price. Following in the footsteps of many other manufacturers, Apple took advantage of its update to increase the retail price of its new products.
iPhone 15
The iPhone 15 is 30 Canadian dollars more expensive than the previous model.
Its case is more resistant, its edges more rounded and its pastel tones more elegant. Its camera has a sensor that produces very detailed photos of 12, 24 or even 48 megapixels. Apple had to change its connector, called Lightning, in favor of a USB-C port, but the data transfer rate is the same as before, i.e. 480 megabits per second (Mb/s).
Because it’s the law in some places, Apple improved the repairability of its iPhone this year. For example, specialized workshops will be able to replace a shattered screen at a lower cost. The larger iPhone 15 Plus is 6.7 inches diagonal, compared to 6.1 inches for the base model. More pixels, and more autonomy too. As a bonus, no more notch, this black strip which cut off part of the display at the top of the device. A funnier black bubble located a few pixels lower now replaces it.
iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most imposing of the four new versions. Its titanium case is streamlined and lightweight. It fits really well in the hand. A new key whose action can be personalized appears on the left of the case. She lets herself be adopted quite naturally. Annoying detail: she is on the wrong side to properly control the camera.
The USB-C port on the iPhone Pro and Pro Max adopts the USB 3.0 standard for a maximum transfer rate of 10 gigabits per second (10 Gbps), which is huge. This is 20 times more than the maximum throughput of the non-Pro iPhone.
Their processor, called A17 Pro, is also new. It transforms them into a full-fledged video game console. Moreover, Ubisoft will launch in October Assassin’s Creed Miragethe next chapter in its video game saga created in Montreal, for consoles and in a native version for iPhone 15 Pro.
The iPhone Pro uses an OLED display which stays on in standby, and which becomes a table dial when you charge the phone in a horizontal position. That too is pleasant. On the battery side, Apple announces 23 hours of video playback per charge for the iPhone 15 Pro. Probably in airplane mode: its actual battery life is around 12 hours of sustained use. The Pro Max does it better: it’s designed to stay up late.
The iPhone Pro Max has a very attractive new periscopic telephoto lens with three-axis stabilization. It behaves like a 120mm lens, the equivalent on this phone of a 5x zoom. Apple manages with the sensor and the three lenses of its camera to simulate up to seven different focal lengths on its device, which range from a wide-angle of 13 mm to a 10x telephoto lens of 240 mm.
It’s good for photography, even more amazing for video. We almost forget that it is basically a telephone.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 9 is a relatively modest update. Its processor can perform certain tasks up to twice as quickly (which you notice quite quickly), and it is 25% more efficient. We still decided to limit its autonomy to 18 hours per charge. It is therefore difficult to use it fully.
Its display remains on permanently, which is practical, and we have increased its brightness to 2000 nits, the equivalent of 2000 lit candles which would fit in a small box less than 5 cm wide. It detects collisions and can send an alert, a feature that will reassure many people.
This connected watch is also sold with the promise that its manufacturing is entirely carbon neutral. It may seem secondary, but not for serious outdoor enthusiasts.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, for its part, sees its display increase from 2000 to 3000 nits. This lighting transforms it into a very useful flashlight when camping. Its 36 hours of battery life are enough to keep you going even through an entire Iron Man. Its software interface is probably the most readable on the market, and undoubtedly the most connected: LTE, music on demand, contactless payment, everything is there.
Headphones all the time
The move to USB-C charging requires Apple to also change the case for its AirPods headphones. It starts with AirPods Pro, which can now be charged from an iPhone. To highlight the change, Apple is introducing three new features: adaptive soundproofing which only filters noise deemed irrelevant, an automated sound level, and voice detection which deactivates soundproofing to avoid having to remove your headphones when we start the conversation.
No big change here, otherwise, but better reasons to keep them in your ears longer, whether in nature or in the city.