Apple Event Live Blog: iPhone 15 with USB-C, Apple Watch Series 9, iOS 17, and more

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Rise and shine! Apple’s highly-anticipated “Wonderlust” event will officially take place today, and I’m on the ground in Cupertino for the festivities. During today’s event, Apple will introduce the iPhone 15 lineup, updates to the Apple Watch, a new USB-C version of AirPods Pro, and more.

Head below for the full live blog of everything Apple announces today.

What to expect and how to watch

The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and their switch from Lightning to USB-C, are expected to be the star of the show today. The iPhone 15 Pro models are also rumored to feature a new titanium design with dramatically slimmer bezels around the display. The iPhone 15 Pro Max will reportedly get an all-new periscope camera system as well.

Looking beyond the new iPhones, Apple will also reportedly unveil a new Apple Watch Series 9 during today’s event as well as an updated version of the Apple Watch Ultra.

If you’re watching from home, you’ll be able to tune in via Apple’s website, the TV app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, and via Apple’s official YouTube channel. Learn more in our complete guide.

For more behind-the-scenes content, be sure to follow me on Threads, Twitter, Instagram, and Mastodon. 

Apple Event News Hub and Live Blog

Refresh for updates throughout the Apple event. We’ll be offering specific announcement details, running commentary, and more. You can watch the stream itself right here when it kicks off at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. 

• That wraps it up! I’m off to the hands-on area. Talk soon!
• iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB. iPhone 15 Pro Max now starts at $1199 and with 256GB. Available to order Friday, available September 22.
• New iCloud+ tiers: 6TB and 12TB

• “With iPhone 15 Pro, you can now capture spatial video,” Greg Joswiak says. This can then be used and viewed with Vision Pro.
• Record ProRes video directly to an external drive thanks to USB-C. Also when recording to an external drive, ProRes video is now 4K at 60 fps.

• Ultra Wide camera upgraded with better lens flare rejection, macro support, low light upgrades, and more.
• iPhone 15 Pro Max: Longest optical zoom yet, 5x at 120mm focal length, f/2.8 aperture.

• New option to shoot in 48MP HEIF in addition to ProRaw. The default image size is now 24MP. Focal length options: 24mm, 28 mm, and 35mm focal lengths. You can also now choose a default lens in the Camera app.
• More advanced 48MP sensor for the Main camera: reduce lens flare, high resolution to everyday photos, better lowlight, better portrait mode.
• Time to talk about the iPhone 15 Pro’s new camera system: “The equivalent of seven camera lenses in your pocket.”
• Time to talk about the iPhone 15 Pro’s new camera system: “The equivalent of seven camera lenses in your pocket.”
• Shocking: Apple thinks the new A17 Pro chip will turn the iPhone into the future of mobile gaming. And they’ve got a flashy sizzle reel to prove it!

• USB-C port also coming to iPhone 15 Pro, including USB3 support with up to 20Gbps for data transfer…using the “optional” USB3 cable.
• “Our biggest redesign in the history of Apple GPUs.”
• Focus on three things: Improving performance and efficiency, complex applications, and new rendering features. 6-core GPU, up to 20% faster at peak performance. New features and optimizations for gaming. Hardware accelerated ray tracing.
• The world’s first 3nm chip: 19 billion transistors, 6-core CPU. Performance cores are up to 10% faster.
• Efficiency cores are faster and more efficient. The Neural Engine is now twice as fast.
• iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are powered by the new A17 Pro chip. No more “Bionic” naming, apparently!

• The Mute switch is dead. By default, the new Action Button still controls the mute/unmute setting, but it can also be tied to things like Shortcuts, the flashlight, and more.

• iPhone 15 Pro colors: Black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium.
• Apparently, it’s the same titanium used in the Mars rover. The more you know!

• iPhone 15 Pro is here: New titanium finish, contoured edges, and the “thinnest display borders ever.” Apple says the “Grade 5 Titanium” is lighter and more durable. The display is also more durable than ever before.

• Also confirmed: USB-C for AirPods Pro, USB-C EarPods, you can charge AirPods via the USB-C port on iPhone 15
• USB-C is confirmed! Cheers erupt in Steve Jobs Theater. Can you believe it?

• Roadside assistance via Sattelite. Launching in the United States with AAA, included under AAA membership or available standalone for non-members.

• Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip: new Precision Finding support for finding your friends.
• iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are powered by the A16 Bionic, the same chip as the iPhone 14 Pro last year. 5-core GPU and 6-core CPU.

• Improved Smart HDR and Night Mode also applies to front-facing camera for improved selfies.
• Next-generation portrait mode for improved bokeh effect, faster shutter speed, and easier access. You no longer have to manually switch to portrait mode. “Using machine learning, we can detect when there’s a person in the frame.” There are also now focus and depth control options for portrait mode.

• 48MP Main camera comes to the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. This is the same hardware that came to the iPhone 14 Pro last year. This includes a new telephoto option in the Camera app.

• iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus colors: Pink, yellow, green, blue, and black

• Contoured edge on the aluminum enclosure
• iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus: Dynamic Island, peak 1600 nits HDR brightness, 2000 nits in sunlight, 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches.
• Live from the show floor: Kevin Lynch exited Steve Jobs Theater for a bathroom break. We’ve all been there!
• Now it’s time for the iPhone 15. Hopefully, it’s a little more interesting than that Apple Watch segment was…

• Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be available to order today with availability on September 22. Prices unchanged.
• New colors for trail loop, alpine band, and ocean band colors for Apple Watch Ultra.
• Unchanged battery life: 36-hours of normal use, 60 hours in low power mode.

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 features 3000 nits display brightness. New Modular Ultra watch face.
• Now we’re on to Apple Watch Ultra 2: Same S9 chip, upgraded Ultra Wideband chip, Double Tap support.

• Also coming: new Nike bands.
• Apple’s collaboration with Hermes lives on, the two companies have worked together on more sustainable band designs.
• Apple’s new FineWoven material is legit and will launch in new Apple Watch bands this year.

• “We will no longer use leather in any new Apple products, including watch bands. That starts today.”
• Apple Watch Series 9: “Apple will match 100% of your electricities by investing in renewables around the world.”
• “Starting this year, all Apple Watch manufacturing is powered by clean electricity.”

• Now we’re off to the middle of a solar farm, where Lisa Jackson continues touting Apple’s goal to be carbon-neutral for everything by 2030.
• We’re now watching a video with Octavia Spencer and Tim Cook focused on Apple’s environmental work. The one notable line, said in passing: “We’re phasing out leather iPhone cases.” I guess we’ll hear more on that later.

• Apple Watch Series 9 will be available in aluminum in Starlight, Silver, Midnight, Pink, and Product Red. Stainless steel will be available in gold, silver, and graphite.
• Double Tap will be available “Next month,” so not when the Apple Watch Series 9 first launches.

• Apple Watch Series 9 has a new way of interacting with Apple Watch, called “Double Tap.” Just tap your index finger and your thumb together. Can be used with the primary control in an app. Double tap can also open the widget stack from your Apple Watch face.
• Brighter Apple Watch display reaches 2000 nits, can also now go as low as 1 nit.
• Second generation Ultra Wideband chip
  • It can be used with Precision Finding to locate your iPhone
  • It can also now used to control playback via tap on your HomePod
• You can now use Siri on your Apple Watch to ask about your Health data and log new health data. This feature will be available later this year.
• We’re kicking things off with the Apple Watch Series 9: New S9 chip inside, new pink color, Siri requests are now processed on the device, more accurate and faster dictation

• Tim also confirms that Vision Pro is “on track to ship in early 2024.”
• We’re getting a quick recap of what was announced at WWDC 2023 in June.
• Tim says: “Big announcements about two essential products: Apple Watch and iPhone”
• Tim Cook paid us a visit on stage, welcoming us and touting that he is very excited about what Apple has to announce today. Who could’ve guessed it!

• We are now seated in Steve Jobs Theater! So far, we’ve spotted Greg Joswiak, Craig Federighi, Jay Blahnik, John Ternus, and Eddy Cue. Also, Stephen Hackett and Jason Snell (Stephen made me add this).

• We have arrived!
• Here’s another look at the so-called “FineWoven” material Apple could be bringing to iPhone 15 cases and Apple Watch bands. It looks … good?
  Here’s another look at the so-called “FineWoven” material Apple could be bringing to iPhone 15 cases and Apple Watch bands. It looks … good?
• As is tradition, the Apple Store website is offline as Apple readies the launch of the iPhone 15 and its other new products.
• I’m in Cupertino for today’s Apple Event and will have all of the details you need to know.