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Another year, another keynote. Broadcast from the extremely futuristic Apple Park in California, Apple's event saw Tim Cook and the gang launch the iPhone 15 range and a couple of new Apple Watch models in typically aspirational fashion.

In case you didn't have time to sit through the entire keynote, here's a summary of everything Apple announced.

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In this blog:

• Apple Watch Series 9
• Apple Watch Ultra 2
• A Special Guest Appearance! 
• iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max

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Apple Watch Series 9

Pre-order: Right now! 

Release date: 22nd September 2023

Price: from £399

After a brief intro from Tim Cook (dressed in a dark t-shirt and light chinos, which it soon became clear was the Apple exec 'fit of choice), it was time to get down to business. First out of the launch cannon was the Apple Watch Series 9.

The technical details

• S9 SiP chip (Apple's most powerful watch chip yet, obvs) for better performance and new features.
• 4-core Neural engine for faster machine learning tasks
• 18 hours of battery life thanks to improved battery efficiency
• Improved display with new maximum brightness of 2000 nits
• Siri now based on-device rather than cloud for more consistent, reliable performance
• New 'double-tap' gesture allows you to answer calls, responding to messages and scroll by tapping your index finger and thumb together twice.

Apple also announced that the aluminum body/Sport Loop Series 9 combo is carbon neutral, making the Series 9 Apple's joint-first carbon neutral product (along with the Watch SE and Ultra 2).

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Pre-order: Right now! 

Release date: 22nd September 2023

Price: £799

Next up was the Apple Watch Ultra 2 AKA 'Apple Watch For People Who Like To Climb Stuff and Do Big Walks up Mountains'.

The Watch Ultra 2 shares a lot of features with the Series 9, including the S9 SiP chip, on-device Siri and, of course, the double-tap gesture. In addition, it has the brightest display ever on an Apple Watch (the second 'ever' of the evening, and certainly not the last) and an even more rugged build for all those extreme sports you've been thinking of doing.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also shares the distinction of being Apple's joint-first carbon neutral product, so long as you pair it with a Trial or Alpine Loop.

A Special Guest Appearance!

Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening was the revelation that a very special guest would make an appearance. Who would it be? Harry Styles wearing the new AirPods? Lana Del Rey doing her accounts on an iPad?

None of the above. It was, in fact, Mother Nature herself (portrayed by Octavia Spencer) popping in for a status report on Apple's environmental creds. And, to be fair, they're doing pretty well:

• No more plastic in packaging from the end of next year.
• 100% recycled aluminum in MacBook, Apple TV and Apple Watch enclosures.
• Every Apple office, store and data centre runs on 100% clean electricity.
• All products will have a net zero climate impact by 2030.

iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus

Pre-order: 15th September 2023

Release date: 22nd September 2023

Price: 15 from £799; 15 Plus from £899

As expected, the base iPhone 15 models aren't dramatically different to last year's range. There were a couple of key improvements though:

• Both models now feature the Dynamic Island, previously reserved for the Pro range.
• USB-C has replaced the Lightning port, which means you can use the same charger across the entire Apple range.
• Both are powered by the A16 Bionic chip, previously used on last year's Pro models.
• New camera set-up with a 48MP Main camera and a 2x Telephoto lens providing three optical zoom levels.
• Brighter Super Retina XDR display
• Available in 5 colours: pink, yellow, green, blue and black.

While neither model is a huge step forward, they undoubtedly represent an upgrade if you're still using a 13 or older.

iPhone 15 Pro & iPhone 15 Pro Max

Pre-order: 15th September 2023

Release date: 22nd September 2023

Price: 15 Pro from £999; 15 Pro Max from £1,199

The past few years have made it clear that the Pro and Pro Max models are where Apple's biggest innovations lie, and this year was no different.

• Built using aerospace-grade titanium for a strong yet lightweight build.
• Customisable Action button, which users can assign various functions to.
• More advanced 48MP Main camera with a super-high-res 24MP default camera, and an all-new 5x Telephoto camera (Pro Max only)
• A17 Pro chip delivers iPhone's most powerful performance ever, including more advanced gaming experiences (e.g. actual full-quality Resident Evil 4 on your phone!).
• Roadside assistance via satellite.
• Four finishes: black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium and natural titanium.
• USB-C replaces the lightning port, meaning the same charger can be used across the entire Apple range of products.

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