The Apple event this year didn’t feature many notable changes to hardware, with more of a focus on Apple Intelligence.
Despite that, here are all the things Apple announced on the hardware front.
iPhone 16 & Plus
The iPhone 16 received several hardware upgrades, a major one being a jump from the A16 to the…
A18 Chip
This Chip brings the ability to handle Ray-Tracing to the base iPhone.
- CPU: Runs up to 30% faster
- Uses 30% less power
- GPU: Runs up to 40% faster
- Uses 35% less power
- Neural Engine: Up to 2x faster
- Memory Bandwidth: 17% more
These stats are based on the A16 Bionic chip
Camera Control Button
This was another hard-to-miss upgrade. Resting below the power button, it has a low profile, allowing it to remain flush with the frame. It happens to be pressure-sensitive, allowing it to detect swipes and light presses.
- When pressed in the Camera app, a picture will be taken.
- Pressing and holding it will bring up the Visual Intelligence UI, or take a video within the camera app.
- A light press will bring up a new overlay, allowing you to control camera functions via swiping.
- Lightly pressing and holding will hide other UI elements to improve your ability to focus on the shot.
- A double light press allows you to select which function to control.
Developers can leverage this button to enhance the functionality of their applications
Other Upgrades
- The glass shielding the display has been upgraded to the latest generation of Ceramic Shield, which is now 50% tougher than the initial version.
- Battery capacity has been increased from the 3349 mAh of the iPhone 15.
- The Action Button has also been added.
- The camera now features sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
- Supports Wi-Fi 7
iPhone 16 Pro & Max
Display Size
- Pro: Has increased from 6.1″ to 6.3”.
- Max: Has increased from 6.7″ to 6.9”.
A18 Pro Chip
- CPU: Runs up to 15% faster
- Uses 20% less power
- GPU: Runs up to 20% faster
- Ray-Tracing: Up to 2x faster
- Neural Engine: Up to 15% faster
- Video Encoding: Up to 2x faster
- Memory Bandwidth: 17% more
These stats are based on the A17 Pro chip
Camera Control Button
Information on this upgrade can be found in the iPhone 16 & Plus section of this article
Other Upgrades
- The glass shielding the display has been upgraded to the latest generation of Ceramic Shield, which is now 50% tougher than the initial version.
- Battery capacity has been increased from the 3274 mAh of the iPhone 15 Pro, boasting the highest battery capacity ever.
- Improved MagSafe Charging Speeds.
- Supports Wi-Fi 7
- Has 4 studio quality mics.
Apple Watch 10
Wide Angle Display
It can be viewed clearly from a wider range of angles.
Other Upgrades
- Can charge to 80% in under 30 minutes
- Water Temperature & Depth sensors.
If I understood Apple’s announcement correctly, it seems to be more geared towards snorkeling than diving
AirPods 4
Force Touch
Force controls from the AirPods Pro have finally been added.
This doesn’t include volume swipe controls.
Charging Case
- Now it has a USB-C power port.
- Size has been reduced to the smallest it’s ever been.
Active Noise Cancelling*
- All sound modes featured in the Pro series have been added.
- Conversational Awareness has also been added.
*These features are an optional, paid upgrade available when purchasing the AirPods 4
Other Upgrades
- The pod has been refined to comfortably fit a wider range of ear shapes.
AirPods Max
- The only upgrade was switching the power port to USB-C.
Conclusion
Other than the Camera Control button, Apple didn’t make many game-changing hardware upgrades this year. But I personally think the changes were well thought out, along with being useful.
If I missed anything, feel free to let us know in the comments. This article is focusing on hardware rather than software, so please keep that in mind.
Credits
- Apple – Most tech specs, and all images.
- MacTracker – All other specs.
