Another year, another iPhone! Apple's "It's Glowtime" event has just happened at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. In Malaysia, it happened on 10 September at 1am. If you weren't staying up to watch the launch in person, no worries—we're right on-site in Cupertino to witness the launch for you, and here's what happened!
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Jennifer chevron_right
Table of Contents
Apple Watch Series 10: The Thinnest Apple Watch Yet
The Apple Watch Series 10 has a sleek, ultra-thin design, advanced display technology, and new health features. It is the thinnest Apple Watch to date, nearly 10% thinner than previous models, yet maintains an 18-hour battery life.
The watch features a bigger, brighter wide-angle OLED display with up to 40% more brightness and a 30% larger active screen area for improved readability.
Key Features:
- Design: Available in polished aluminium and titanium finishes with colours including jet black, natural titanium, and rose gold. The metal back integrates the antenna for a seamless look.
- Display: Advanced wide-angle OLED display with a faster refresh rate in always-on mode.
- Health Features: Includes sleep apnea notifications using breathing disturbance algorithms, water depth and temperature sensors for aquatic activities, and a new Tides app for tracking tidal information.
- Battery and Charging: Fast charging with just 15 minutes providing up to 8 hours of daily use, and 8 minutes of charging enough for a full night of sleep tracking.
Apple Watch Series 10 is available for pre-order now and wil be in stores starting September 20. Both the aluminium and titanium versions are available in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm. Prices start from RM1,799 for aluminium and RM3,299 for titanium.
Additionally, a range of new bands and accessories, including Hermès designs and new Nike Sport colourways, are available.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: Apple’s Most Rugged and Capable Watch
Now available in a new black titanium finish, this rugged sports watch is designed for athletes and adventurers, boasting enhanced health and training insights with the latest watchOS 11 features.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers up to 36 hours of battery life, extending to 72 hours in Low Power Mode, and features the brightest display on any Apple product, peaking at 3000 nits for readability in extreme outdoor conditions.
Key Features:
- Design: Available in a new black titanium finish achieved through a custom blasting process with a scratch-resistant diamond-like carbon coating. Bands like the Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band now come with black hardware made from 95% recycled titanium.
- New Bands: Introduction of the Titanium Milanese Loop in black and natural finishes. The band is corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and designed with an interlinking shape suitable for water activities and formal settings.
- Display and Performance: Features the brightest display at 3000 nits, dual-frequency GPS for precise location tracking, and a revamped Action button for quick access to key features.
- Health and Fitness: Includes sleep apnea notifications, vitals tracking, and new training load insights. The watch supports advanced sports tracking with offline maps, waypoint tracking, and specialized modes for cycling, swimming, and running.
Priced at RM3,799, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available for pre-order now, with in-store availability starting September 20.
AirPods 4—Now With ANC!
Apple’s first new hearable this year is the AirPods 4, now with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and an advanced design. The AirPods 4 introduces Apple’s most advanced open-ear design using date from over 50 million ear shapes for a superior fit.
For the first time ever, the “base” AirPods are available in standard and ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) versions. The ANC model includes Transparency mode, Adaptive Audio, and Conversation Awareness for optimal noise control.
ANC or not, the AirPods 4 feature the H2 chip for enhanced sound quality, Voice Isolation, and Personalized Spatial Audio. They offer up to 30 hours of battery life, USB-C charging, and compatibility with Apple Watch and Qi-certified chargers.
The AirPods 4 are available for pre-order at RM599 (non-ANC) and RM829 (ANC) on the Apple website. Like all the other devices in this launch, they will be available in-store on 20 September 2024.
AirPods Max: New Colours, And USB-C!
This is a short and sweet one, as it’s not a new model; the AirPods Max are now available in five new colours: midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange. They’re also updated with USB-C charging while continuing to deliver high-quality audio.
Yes, that’s literally it. The AirPods Max are priced at RM2,499 (all colours, thankfully), but unfortunately, they do not seem to be available on the Apple Malaysia website as of the time of writing.
AirPods Pro 2—Hearing Tests Right On Your Phone
Next up, we have the AirPods Pro 2—technically, this is more of a software update than a product launch, but it’s pretty cool too. The AirPods Pro 2 can now deliver the world's first all-in-one hearing health experience, including Hearing Protection, a Hearing Test, and a Hearing Aid feature, aimed at transforming audio engagement and hearing health management.
The AirPods Pro 2 pioneers hearing health features with Hearing Protection to reduce harmful noise, a Hearing Test for home-based hearing checks, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid function for users with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Besides that, The AirPods Pro 2 also provide personalized hearing profiles that can be shared with healthcare providers.
AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Health Features:
- Hearing Protection: Reduces environmental noise to protect hearing.
- Hearing Test: A five-minute clinical-grade test available at home.
- Hearing Aid: Customizable settings for real-time sound adjustments, helping users stay connected without pricey medical setups.
The AirPods Pro 2 are available for purchase right now on the Apple Malaysia website at RM1,099, but the Hearing Test and Aid features will only be available in fall 2024, as they are expected to receive authorization from global health authorization “soon”.
Sadly, the Hearing Protection feature will only be available in the US and Canada. There is no mention of when this will be available globally.
iPhone 16 & iPhone 16 Plus—Now With More Buttons!
And here we are, the star of the show: the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Most notably, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus now have the Action Button, a feature that was previously reserved for the Pro models. It also comes with a brand-new, shiny button called Camera Control, which controls your… wait for it… camera!
Powered by the A16 Bionic Chip, the iPhone 16 integrates Apple Intelligence to enhance daily tasks, camera performance, and privacy. It also comes with a 48MP Fusion camera with a 2x Telephoto option.
Key Features:
- Design and Performance: Powered by the A18 chip, the iPhone 16 series offers optimized heat dissipation and power efficiency, resulting in extended battery life for all-day use.
- Apple Intelligence: A personal AI system that helps manage tasks with tools like systemwide Writing Tools for rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing across apps like Notes, Mail, and third-party applications. Siri is also enhanced for complex requests and smoother multitasking.
- Camera System: Features a 48MP Fusion camera for professional-grade photos, an Ultra Wide camera for macro shots, and Spatial Audio recording for immersive sound.
- Camera Control Button: Quick access to the camera, real-time control over photo settings, and even visual intelligence for identifying objects.
Available in five colours—black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine—the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be up for pre-order starting Friday, September 13, with availability from September 20.
Pricing starts at RM3,999 for the iPhone 16 and RM4,499 for the iPhone 16 Plus.
iPhone 16 Pro & iPhone 16 Pro Max—Apple’s Biggest iPhone To Date
Leaving the best for the last, Apple launches the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. At 6.3” and 6.9” respectively, this lineup sports the largest iPhone displays to date and comes with a Grade 5 titanium case. Both models feature Super Retina XDR displays with ProMotion and Always-On technology.
Powered by the new A18 Pro bionic chip, the iPhone 16 Pro lineup has the best iPhone battery life ever, thanks to Apple Intelligence. Like the iPhone 16, it also has the Camera Control Button that allows for quick access and control of the camera all on one button. The A18 Pro chip enhances the camera system with zero shutter lag and supports professional tools like ProRAW and HEIF photos.
Speaking of, the camera setup comprises a 48MP Fusion camera and 5x Telephoto lens. The iPhone 16 Pro lineup offer advanced photography features, including a 48MP Ultra Wide camera for high-resolution macro shots and 4K120 fps Dolby Vision recording. The Camera Control button provides a tactile interface for easier on-the-go photography.
With support for Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 Pro lineup offers users advanced tools for creative tasks, gaming, and everyday productivity while protecting their privacy. You can adjust text, emails, and notes, and summarize phone call conversations with audio transcriptions. All operations are secured with Apple’s Private Cloud Compute for enhanced privacy.
There’s also been an update to Voice Memos: you can now layer another recording over one recording. The iPhone 16 Pro can play a recording while simultaneously recording another, which is great for budding musicians.
Available in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are up for pre-order on Friday, September 13, with availability starting September 20. Prices start at RM4,999 for the iPhone 16 Pro and RM5,999 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Sustainability
All of Apple’s products are designed with sustainability in mind, aligning with Apple’s Apple 2030 goal to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire carbon footprint by the end of the decade.
Apple is committed to using renewable electricity in manufacturing and is investing in global wind and solar projects to offset the electricity used to charge Apple products, including the iPhone 16 lineup. All Apple facilities, including data centres powering Apple Intelligence, now run on 100% renewable electricity.
- Recycled Materials: The iPhone 16 Pro series incorporates over 25% recycled content, including 100% recycled aluminium in the internal frame and over 80% recycled steel in multiple components. The battery uses 100% recycled cobalt and over 95% recycled lithium—a first for iPhone.
- Energy Efficiency and Safety: The devices meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and are free of harmful substances like mercury and PVC.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: Packaging is entirely fiber-based, moving Apple closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from all packaging by next year.