Welcome to the 2018 Apple September launch event, where the company delivered the long-awaited (well, since this time last year) details on its new iPhones, the flagship iPhone XS Max, its little buddy the iPhone XS and a mainstream replacement for the iPhone X, the iPhone XR. Plus, the Apple Watch Series 4 goes all-in on health with a built-in EKG and more.
Now that it’s over, our takeaway is Apple’s testing your willingness to splurge, and testing our patience waiting for the things we didn’t get.
Apple event photos: New iPhones and more
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In addition to its main mobile-device product announcements, Apple updated us on other product lines and how well it’s doing, and more. Tim Cook pwned Twitter with a seemingly mistaken tweet that led into a Mission: Impossible-style intro. Here’s the highlights:
- All the original Apple TV programming that’s been announced so far. Plus, Apple just signed deals for two movies: They star wolves and elephants
. - Apple is about to ship its 2 billionth iOS device.
- The iPhone XS uses recycled tin and bio-based plastics (and more), part of Apple’s clean and renewable energy push.
- Updates to the HomePod to make it more useful.
- Price drops on the existing iPhones, with the iPhone 7 starting at $449.
- You’ll be able to update to iOS 12 on Sept. 17 and MacOS Mojave on Sept. 24. (Is your device upgradeable to iOS 12?)
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR: See Apple’s biggest phones ever
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Apple iPhone 2018 event: Editors react
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iPhone XS and XS Max
This is the big news that fans have been eagerly awaiting, prompting a leak- and speculation-fest in the months leading up to the big announcement. Wait no more.
- The iPhone XS Max is bigger than the Note 9, and both it and the iPhone XS get a makeover inside and out.
- Think the iPhone XS and XS Max prices are high? Well, they are. But check these out, too.
- The new Core ML engine for game speed was highlighted in the mobile version of Elder Scrolls: Blades and Galaga.
- They incorporate the industry’s first 7nm CPU, the new A12 Bionic.
- New cameras supplemented with AI-enhanced capabilities such as Smart HDR and facial feature detection (“facial landmarking”).
- They boast better battery life.
- Both support dual SIMs (here’s why you want them) with an eSIM and a physical nanoSIM.
- iPhone XS starts at $999, the iPhone XS Max starts at $1,099. Both are shipping on Sept. 21.
- How do their specs compare to other flagships?
- But oy, those iPhone names.
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Apple iPhone XR: Cheapest new iPhone priced at $749
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iPhone XR
Because not everyone can afford the flagships, there’s the more affordable iPhone XR. It has an LCD-based, 6.1-inch “Liquid Retina” display.
- It’s bigger and cheaper than the iPhone X.
- It too incorporates the A12 Bionic chip, the same (single) wide-angle camera as the XS models, and the same AI-driven camera features.
- Six finishes, four capacities, starts at $749. Preorders start Oct. 19 and it ships Oct. 26.
- Say goodbye to the iPhone SE, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. Which also means saying goodbye to iPhones with headphone jacks.
- Here’s how the iPhone upgrade program works.
- The new iPhone prices compared.
New iPhone prices
| iPhone XR | iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | $749 | $999 | $1,099 |
| UK | £749 | £999 | £1,049 |
| Australia | AU$1,229 | AU$1,629 | AU$1,799 |
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Apple Watch 4 gets larger screens, new watch faces
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Apple Watch Series 4
Thanks to its new zero-bezel design and having replaced the button with haptic touch regions, the new series of the Apple Watch increases its face size to 40mm and 44mm.
- The Apple Watch Series 4 is “an intelligent guardian for your health.”
- When you’ll be able to get Watch OS 5 for your current model.
- It now has an FDA-cleared built-in electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), fall detection with emergency calls and more.
- Preorders start on Friday, Sept. 14, it ships Sept. 21, and prices start at $400 for the new models.
- Wave goodbye to the Watch Series 1, though the Series 3 gets cheaper.
Apple Watch Series 4 in pictures: Take a look at Apple’s heart-monitoring wearable
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Look back at our Apple iPhone XS live blog.
How much are you really willing to pay for a new iPhone?