Apple Event 2023 Highlights: iPhone 15, Camera Upgrades, and More

Apple has unveiled its next-gen iPhone 15 series, alongside the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, at the 2023 Apple Event on September 12 in Cupertino, California. Here are the highlights.

Farewells and Introductions 

The iconic Lightning charger, an iPhone mainstay since 2012, is bidding farewell in favor of the USB-C port. This shift follows the European Union's mandate to unify charging interfaces for devices in Europe.

The conventional screen notch is also making way for the more compact Dynamic Island, previously introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro. This offers real-time notifications like music or navigational instructions.

An unexpected change: the iPhone 15 Pro will no longer feature the traditional mute switch. Instead, an "Action Button" will offer users an array of functions, from silencing calls to starting voice memos.

A17 Chipset Breakthrough

Apple showcased the A17 Pro chipset, the first-ever 3-nanometer chip, believed to be produced by TSMC. It offers substantial power boosts and represents Apple's most significant GPU overhaul.

This chip boasts two high-performance cores, four efficiency cores, a Neural Engine twice as swift with 16 cores, and a six-core GPU focusing primarily on gaming.

Slimmest Pro Version Yet

The iPhone 15 Pro will feature titanium sides, replacing the traditional stainless steel. The grade-five titanium mirrors the alloy in the Mars rover and stands out for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, as noted by Apple.

Camera Tech Upgrade

Camera upgrades stand out in the iPhone 15. With the primary sensor boosted to 48 MP from the prior 12 MP, the camera suite also features a versatile 12 MP ultrawide lens and a smarter portrait mode.

Night mode, Live Photos, and action mode have been optimized, and the selfie camera now boasts autofocus and portrait lighting enhancements.

Latest Apple Watch

The Series 9 watch, equipped with the advanced S9 chip, offers enhanced speed. It retains the familiar design but introduces fresh color variants.

An innovative double-tap functionality streamlines user commands, allowing actions like call answering with a simple finger-thumb gesture.

The tech community remains on the edge of its seat, awaiting further details on the mysterious "Watch X" line.

Pricing and Launch Dates

The iPhone 15 series begins at $799, with the 15 Plus tagged at $899. Both will be open for preorders on September 15 and in-store by September 22. The Pro series, starting from $999, will follow the same schedule.

The Series 9 Apple Watch will be priced at $399 and available from September 22.

Edited by Ricardo Esteves