Serving the lucrative law enforcement market in the US, xReality Group’s Operator XR offers a unique value proposition that leverages a $3.37 billion global addressable market. If xReality Group’s impressive sales performance in the US to date is any indication, the company is definitely one to watch for investors.
xReality Group Limited (ASX:XRG) specializes in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and physical simulation for the enterprise, defense and consumer markets. The company’s primary focus is to provide physical and digital simulations for military and law enforcement applications. XR stands for extended reality and is a catch-all term for VR, AR, and mixed reality (MR).
The company was co-founded by two Australian military veterans to build physical skydiving simulators for both military training and the tourist market. The company has since expanded its simulation portfolio from indoor skydiving to include out-of-home virtual reality entertainment, defense XR training, and XR software development. xReality targets both the entertainment and the enterprise markets, which include defense, law enforcement, and other government agencies.
The company was listed on the ASX on January 18, 2013, as Indoor Skydive Australia Group (ASX:IDZ) and was rebranded to xReality Group on December 8, 2021.
It operates four major brands, and the group’s portfolio companies include XR production company Red Cartel, Operator XR, two Australian indoor skydiving facilities, and FREAK Virtual Reality venues.
The global total addressable market for the Operator XR business in the law enforcement and military markets is valued at about $3.37 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Of this, the United States accounts for $1.3 billion, or 40 percent of the total, while the rest of the world is $2 billion. xReality has rightly been focusing on increasing its presence in the US given its relatively high share in the global context.
The global military market is significantly higher than the law enforcement market. Overall, the military market is valued at $2.68 billion, and the law enforcement market is valued at $682.6 million. Here again, the US is a significant player accounting for the largest share of the global pie in both military and law enforcement.
Operator XR focuses on the enterprise segment, more specifically the defense and law enforcement sectors. Operator XR systems help military personnel and law enforcement officers train in operational tactics and procedures within a virtual reality environment. The VR system complements the existing training methods and helps its users to train more often, covering a broad range of scenarios centered on de-escalation tactics, use of force decision-making, and operational procedures.
The system was developed from the ground up, using the latest innovations in VR technology, with all IP owned by xReality. The company has invested a total of AU$2.5 million in the ongoing development of the Operator XR product. Operator XR offers several benefits: First, it provides a software platform that can be easily updated and configured. It offers significant cost savings and can simulate threats that cannot be replicated by other means. Second, it helps create the virtual environment at a fraction of the cost and time. Third, it creates an immersive environment allowing the use of live weapons and equipment leading to greater preparedness. Lastly, it can work offline enabling the training anytime and anywhere.
With offices in Sydney and Virginia, the segment focuses on two main markets – Australia and the US. The Australian operations were launched in 2021, followed by the US in 2023. With a go-to-market strategy focused on the ‘tier 3’ segment of the US law enforcement market, xReality made its first US law enforcement sale in August 2023. Tier 3 market includes nearly 3,000 police agencies with 40 to 500 officers.
As of May 2024, Operator XR has a year-to-date total contract value of $2.67 million, and an annual recurring revenue of $1.27 million. xReality now has existing contracts with a number of police departments in the US, including Oregon, Maryland, Alaska, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Arkansas, Indiana, and a training organisation based in California.
Operator XR is also making headway in Australia, with a recent purchase order from the Australian Defence Force for the delivery of two systems with a 3-year licence.
Further expansion efforts also include XReality Group’s partnership with a key technology partner in Mexico for the distribution of Operator XR’s VR technology for law enforcement and military markets.
xReality operates indoor skydiving facilities under the brands – iFly Downunder (located in Sydney) and iFly Gold Coast (located in Queensland). During FY 2023, xReality invested significantly in enhancing both iFly Downunder and iFly Gold Coast, resulting in upgrades to mechanical cooling systems, IT hardware and building works. This segment serves both the entertainment and enterprise markets. The first indoor skydiving tunnel was launched in 2014.
Since then, xReality has been serving about 200,000 visitors annually. iFly provides a steady, stable revenue cash flow, essential to fund the growth side of the business.
Freak Entertainment is xReality’s virtual reality entertainment brand, established in 2019 to bring a market-leading VR experience to a retail footprint. The brand and IP are 100 percent owned by xReality, which includes cutting-edge technology and in-house-built games. It has served nearly 300,000 customers across its five locations in New South Wales and Queensland. Freak Entertainment venues offer various entertainment options such as VR arcade games, VR Escape Rooms, and VR Laser Tag among others.
Red Cartel develops software products that cater to both the entertainment and enterprise markets. A leading expert in developing AR, VR, XR and enterprise software for the entertainment, oil and gas, healthcare, mining and government sectors, Red Cartel has more than 20 years of market track record. xReality acquired Red Cartel in August 2021 to deliver in-house development capability and support its other three businesses.
John Diddams holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of NSW, is a fellow of the Australian Society of CPAs, and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has more than 40 years of financial and management experience in Australia and overseas, with rich experience in the practical application of ASX listing rules, Australian corporations’ law, international accounting standards, and corporate governance principles. Diddams has a strong track record in driving business performance, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence and corporate governance.
Wayne Jones has been the company's founder and CEO since November 2011. Before establishing xReality, he was a Commander with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and was responsible for the development and performance of teams in complex and challenging environments. He holds formal qualifications in project management, business, security, and risk management, and financial management, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has more than 25 years of experience in leading teams and delivering results. He is an experienced skydiver and maintains his involvement with the Australian Defense Force. He is also the president of the Australian Special Air Service Association (NSW Branch).
Danny Hogan joined the Australian Regular Army in 1991 and, in 1997 was selected for further service within the Special Air Service Regiment. He has been recognized and awarded for his actions and leadership during his 21-year military career, including the Medal for Gallantry. He was selected for and completed a two-year military exchange in the US with two of the country’s elite Special Forces Commands. Hogan was a highly qualified senior dive instructor within the Special Air Service Regiment. He served as an executive director and the chief operations officer of xReality from the foundation of the company until November 2019, at which time he became a non-executive director. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kim Hopwood has more than 20 years of experience across technology, media, management, and operations. He started his career as a network engineer at Cisco, then co-founded digital agency Pusher in 2004. He has worked with xReality since 2012 as a supplier, and then as a freelance consultant before joining full-time in 2019. In his role as chief technology and products officer, he is responsible for all products along with the development of company strategy.
Mark Smethurst is an accomplished senior executive leader, with a highly successful track record commanding large and diverse teams both in Australia and overseas. He is a former Australian Military Brigadier General and has rich experience in dealing with Australian and international defense and supply chains. He was head of preparedness, and director of General Joint Force Analysis, responsible for developing futures concepts, experimentation, lessons, and preparedness.
Philip Copeland is an experienced senior leader in the enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) sector and has a highly successful track record scaling enterprise SaaS businesses into global markets across highly regulated industries including government and financial services. He was the former CEO and founder of Avoka Software, a digital business enablement platform. He is the chairman of xReality’s International Growth Committee.
Stephen Tofler was appointed CFO and company secretary in February 2019. He has more than 20 years of experience as a CFO in financial services, manufacturing and in public practice. He is formally qualified as a CPA, maintains a CPA Public Practice Certificate, and has a Bachelor of Business degree.
(TheNewswire)
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Vancouver, B.C. September 9, 2024 TheNewswire Aether Global Innovations Corp. ( CSE: AETH ) ( OTCQB: AETHF ) ( Frankfurt: 4XA WKN# A2N8RH) (" Aether Global" " AETH ", or the " Company "), a drone management and automation company announced today the resignation of Zara Kanji from her role as independent Board Director and the appointment of Nancy Boufeas as Interim Chief Financial Officer.
Ms. Kanji will be moving to an advisory position within Aether Global and will continue to provide assistance with the Company's ongoing operations.
"We'd like to thank Zara for her time on the board and her continued support and involvement with Aether" expressed Douglas Smith, Chairman of Aether Global.
Nancy Boufeas, the Company's Corporate Secretary, will act as Interim Chief Financial Officer until such time as the appointment of Aether Global's new Chief Financial Officer which the Company hopes to announce shortly.
The Board will begin a search for a new Independent Director and will notify the market when a replacement has been interviewed and selected.
About Aether Global Innovations Corp.
Aether Global Innovations Corp. is an innovative UAV and drone management and operations services company that focuses in three areas for critical infrastructure and large public and private facilities. These three areas include (i) drone management and surveillance monitoring, (ii) automation and integration for flight planning, new, innovative sensor payloads, stand-alone power source and (iii) drone base station infrastructure and technology for autonomous self-landing, power charging, and take off. www.aethergic.com
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Douglas Smith, Chairman of the Board
Aether Global Innovations Corp.
info@aethergic.com
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward – looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.
Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
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Apple Watch delivers new sleep apnea notifications, and AirPods Pro 2 provide the world's first all-in-one hearing health experience including a clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature
Apple® today unveiled breakthrough sleep and hearing health features coming to Apple Watch ® and AirPods Pro® 2 that further deliver on Apple's commitment to health with experiences that enrich users' lives. These new features expand across products, bringing informative and powerful ways to support users in their sleep and hearing health for conditions that impact billions globally.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909409417/en/
Apple introduces groundbreaking new features across sleep and hearing health. (Photo: Business Wire)
Using an innovative new Breathing Disturbances metric, sleep apnea notifications come to Apple Watch, adding to the many ways Apple Watch acts as an intelligent guardian for users' health. The sleep apnea notifications are expected to receive marketing authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other global health authorities soon, with availability this month in more than 150 countries and regions, including the U.S., the EU, and Japan. 1
Apple is providing the world's first all-in-one hearing health experience with AirPods Pro with active Hearing Protection 2 , a clinically validated Hearing Test feature, and an over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature. The first-of-its-kind software-based Hearing Aid feature helps make access to hearing assistance easier than ever at an approachable price point. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon, and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the U.S., Germany, and Japan. 3
"At Apple, we believe that technology can help you live a healthier life, and we're excited to enable incredible new health capabilities for serious conditions that affect billions of people around the world, while continuing to keep user data private," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health. "With Apple Watch, we continue to offer our users the ability to uncover important health conditions with new sleep apnea notifications. And on AirPods Pro, powerful features put users' hearing health front and center, bringing new ways to help test for and receive assistance for hearing loss."
A Powerful Way to Detect Signs of Sleep Apnea
Sleep is an important area of health as it impacts a person's overall physical and mental wellbeing. Sleep apnea is a prevalent disorder in which breathing momentarily stops during sleep, preventing the body from getting enough oxygen. The condition is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, and in most cases, goes undiagnosed. If left untreated, it can have important health consequences over time, including increased risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.
Breathing Disturbances is an innovative new Apple Watch metric that uses the accelerometer to detect small movements at the wrist associated with interruptions to normal respiratory patterns during sleep. Every 30 days, Apple Watch will analyze breathing disturbance data and notify users if it shows consistent signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea so they can speak to their doctor about next steps, including potential diagnosis and treatment.
Because overall quality of sleep is important, Breathing Disturbances can also be used to assess restfulness of sleep. Breathing Disturbances can be influenced by alcohol, medications, sleep position, and more. Users can view their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app, where they are classified as elevated or not elevated, and can be viewed over a one-month, six-month, or one-year period.
For more informed conversations with their healthcare providers, users can export a PDF that shows when sleep apnea may have occurred, three months of breathing disturbance data, and additional information. Educational articles are also available within the Health app to help users learn more about sleep apnea.
The sleep apnea notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The feature was then validated in a clinical study — unprecedented in size for sleep apnea technology. In the clinical validation study, every participant identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea.
"Empowering consumers everywhere to have the ability to reliably identify the presence of abnormal breathing patterns during sleep can help uncover a woefully underdiagnosed and serious medical condition such as sleep apnea," said Sairam Parthasarathy, M.D., University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Sleep, Circadian, and Neurosciences's professor and director in Tucson, Arizona. "This is a major step forward in improving public health."
Sleep apnea notifications and Breathing Disturbances add to a range of sleep health features for Apple Watch users. In addition to monitoring important overnight health metrics like heart rate and respiratory rate, Apple Watch also helps users meet their sleep goals and track their sleep over time.
The World's First All-in-One Hearing Health Experience
Approximately 1.5 billion people around the world are living with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. Research has also identified links between hearing loss and impact on a person's overall wellbeing, including dementia and social isolation.
To help users better understand their hearing health, Apple is introducing an end-to-end experience focused on prevention, awareness, and assistance.
Prevention
According to the Apple Hearing Study — a virtual longitudinal public research study conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the World Health Organization — one in three people are regularly exposed to loud environmental noise levels that can impact their hearing. That can include common scenarios like taking the subway while commuting, mowing the lawn at home, attending a sporting event, and many more.
In order to help users prevent exposure to loud environmental noise while preserving the sound signature of what they're listening to, Hearing Protection comes to AirPods Pro. The ear tips help to provide passive noise reduction, while the H2 chip helps to actively reduce louder, more intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second. On by default across all listening modes, Hearing Protection is helpful in a variety of loud settings. Plus, with an all-new multiband high dynamic range algorithm, sounds at live events like concerts remain natural and vibrant.
Awareness
Hearing loss often worsens gradually, leaving many people unaware that they may be living with the condition. Eighty percent of adults in the U.S. have not had their hearing checked in the last five years, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. To give users even more insights into hearing health, Apple is introducing an intuitive, clinical-grade hearing test based on the standard clinical approach called pure-tone audiometry that users can take themselves with their AirPods Pro and a compatible iPhone® or iPad®.
Users can take the convenient test in about five minutes from the comfort of their own home. The Hearing Test feature leverages advanced acoustic science and provides users with an interactive experience. When a user completes the test, they will see an easy-to-understand summary of their results, including a number representing hearing loss in each ear, a classification, and recommendations. The results, which include an audiogram, are stored privately and securely in the Health app, and can be shared with a healthcare provider to have more informed conversations.
The Hearing Test builds on learnings from the Apple Hearing Study and was developed using large-scale, real-world data. The feature was then validated against the clinical gold standard of pure-tone audiometry.
"Hearing health is a cornerstone of overall wellbeing. Protecting and preserving our hearing enhances our quality of life both in the short-term and long-term," said Rick Neitzel, University of Michigan School of Public Health's professor of Environmental Health Sciences and principal investigator of the Apple Hearing Study. "I'm thrilled Apple is introducing important tools to support people's hearing health. These tools will help people protect their ears from noise pollution, be aware of changes in their hearing over time, and have important conversations with their healthcare providers when they need additional support."
Assistance
Learning about hearing loss is a critical step to getting necessary assistance, which can often be challenging due to cost and access. Global research shows hearing loss often goes untreated. In fact, the Apple Hearing Study revealed that 75 percent of people diagnosed with hearing loss haven't received the assistive support that they need.
AirPods Pro add an innovative over-the-counter Hearing Aid capability for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. Using the personalized hearing profile from the Hearing Test, this new feature seamlessly transforms AirPods Pro into a clinical-grade hearing aid. After setup, the feature enables personalized dynamic adjustments so users have the sounds around them boosted in real time. This helps them better engage in conversation, and keeps them connected to the people and environment around them. With the incredible audio quality of AirPods Pro, the user's personalized hearing profile is automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across their devices, without needing to adjust any settings. Users can also set up the Hearing Aid feature with an audiogram created by a hearing health professional.
The Hearing Aid feature was clinically validated in a controlled, randomized study that evaluated the perceived benefit of the feature and its custom settings compared to an audiologist-assisted setup.
After taking the Hearing Test, the user's hearing profile can also help to personalize the AirPods Pro listening experience for even more people, including those with little to no hearing loss who can still benefit from specific adjustments at individual frequencies. To help provide the best listening experience, Media Assist is an all-new feature that helps boost certain parts of speech on a phone call or instruments within a soundtrack to help an even broader population.
These features build on the hearing health tools Apple currently offers its users. For example, with the Noise app, Apple Watch users can enable notifications for when environmental noise levels might affect their hearing health. On iPhone, users can set a headphone volume limit where they can turn on Reduce Loud Audio and drag a slider to a preferred decibel level. Apple also offers additional accessibility features for users to customize settings to meet their hearing needs.
"For decades, Apple has led the way in designing products for everyone and supporting users with a broad spectrum of hearing abilities," said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple's senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. "These features on AirPods Pro will make an impact on so many people by driving more awareness around hearing health and empowering individuals with new customizable tools to help them stay connected."
Additional features coming to Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad include:
Since launching the Health app in 2014, Apple has introduced meaningful features that focus on 18 areas of health and fitness across Apple Watch, AirPods®, iPhone, and iPad. Apple is committed to empowering users on their health journey by building actionable features into the products they use every day that are grounded in science, and have privacy at the core.
Built with Privacy at the Core
Privacy is fundamental in the design and development across all of Apple's health features. When a user's device is locked with a passcode, Touch ID®, or Face ID®, all of their health and fitness data in the Health app — other than Medical ID — is encrypted. Any Health data backed up to iCloud® is encrypted both in transit and on Apple servers. When using iOS, iPadOS®, and watchOS® with the default two-factor authentication and a passcode, Health app data synced to iCloud is encrypted end-to-end, meaning that Apple does not have the key to decrypt the data and therefore cannot read it.
Availability
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1 The sleep apnea notification feature is pending FDA clearance and is expected to be available later this month. The feature will be supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. It is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea for people 18 years or older without a diagnosis of sleep apnea.
2 The Hearing Protection feature works with AirPods Pro 2 with the latest firmware when paired with a compatible iPhone, iPad, or Mac running the latest operating system. The feature will be available in the U.S. and Canada. See support.apple.com/120850 for total attenuation and more information.
3 The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to be available fall 2024. The Hearing Aid feature is pending marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features will be supported on AirPods Pro 2 with the latest firmware paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later, and is intended for people 18 years or older. The Hearing Aid feature is intended for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple's Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .
© 2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple Watch, AirPods Pro, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Touch ID, Face ID, iCloud, iPadOS, watchOS, Apple Watch Ultra, and Mac are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909409417/en/
Zaina Khachadourian
Apple
zkhachadourian@apple.com
Lance Lin
Apple
lance_lin@apple.com
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The new AirPods lineup includes a brand-new design for AirPods 4, a new array of colors for AirPods Max, and revolutionary Hearing Protection, Hearing Test, and Hearing Aid features for AirPods Pro 2
Apple® today announced a groundbreaking new lineup of AirPods® models and features. The new AirPods 4 are the most advanced and comfortable headphones Apple has ever created with an open-ear design, and today, customers can choose between two distinct models: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). AirPods Max® now come in midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange, and offer USB-C charging for more convenience. This fall, AirPods Pro® 2 will introduce the world's first end-to-end hearing health experience, delivering active Hearing Protection, 1 a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid feature. 2
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909695544/en/
The new AirPods lineup features an industry-defining design for AirPods 4, new AirPods Max colors, and the world's first all-in-one hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2. (Photo: Business Wire)
AirPods 4 and AirPods Max will be available to pre-order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Friday, September 20. New hearing health features will be available this fall for AirPods Pro 2 users in more than 100 countries and regions.
"With AirPods 4, customers can enjoy Active Noise Cancellation and the most advanced audio experience ever in an open-ear design," said John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. "And with a revolutionary update to the world's best-selling headphones, AirPods Pro will deliver groundbreaking new capabilities — including Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features — to help more than a billion people affected by hearing loss."
AirPods 4 Unveil an Industry-Defining Design
With incredible sound quality, up to 24-hour battery life with the charging case, and an iconic design, the original AirPods offered wireless convenience and seamless pairing with the Apple ecosystem of products. That experience gets even better with AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC, offering a brand-new fit and an array of powerful features and capabilities.
AirPods 4 are the best headphones Apple has ever created with an open-ear design, setting an entirely new benchmark for fit and comfort. The new design is built with an unparalleled data set that uses advanced modeling tools, like 3D photogrammetry and laser topography, to precisely map and analyze thousands of ear shapes and over 50 million individual data points in total. This process helped refine the design to deliver the most comfortable AirPods ever with one shape that naturally fits even more users around the world.
Delivering a massive improvement in sound quality, AirPods 4 feature an entirely new acoustic architecture, low-distortion driver, and high dynamic range amplifier, and add Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for the most immersive media experience. With the H2 chip, AirPods 4 unlock intelligent audio experiences only Apple silicon can deliver, such as Voice Isolation, enabling clearer call quality no matter the environmental conditions, and Siri® Interactions, allowing users to simply nod their head yes or gently shake their head no to respond to Siri announcements. For even more control, AirPods 4 also feature a new force sensor on the stem to play or pause media and mute or end calls with a quick press. Thanks to the H2 chip, AirPods 4 are also great for gaming, delivering low wireless audio latency and excellent voice quality when chatting with teammates and other players, including support for 16-bit, 48kHz audio.
For additional convenience, the charging case now offers USB-C charging and is more than 10 percent smaller in volume than its predecessor — all while still delivering up to 30 hours of battery life. 3 In addition to a USB-C charging cable, customers that choose AirPods 4 with ANC can charge using an Apple Watch® charger or Qi-certified charger, and at just 50mm wide, the charging case is the smallest in the industry with wireless charging capabilities.
AirPods 4 Bring ANC to an Open-Ear Fit
For the first time, AirPods 4 bring ANC to an open-ear design with an additional model. With upgraded microphones, the power of the H2 chip, and advanced computational audio, AirPods 4 with ANC help to reduce environmental noise like airplane engines, city traffic, and more. Working across hardware and software to deliver the most natural listening experience, AirPods 4 with ANC also introduce intelligent features like Transparency mode to keep users aware of their environment; Adaptive Audio, which dynamically blends Transparency mode and ANC based on the conditions of a user's environment; and Conversation Awareness, which lowers the user's media volume when they start speaking to someone nearby.
AirPods Max Get Five New Colors
AirPods Max are available in five beautiful new colors, including midnight, starlight, blue, orange, and purple, and offer complementary finishes alongside other Apple products like Mac® and iPad®. Additionally, AirPods Max now feature USB-C charging capabilities, making them more convenient than ever to charge at home or on the go.
AirPods Pro 2 Introduce the World's First All-in-One Hearing Health Experience
Approximately 1.5 billion people around the world are living with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. Building on years of work in hearing health — including the Noise app on Apple Watch, headphone audio levels with iPhone®, hearing accessibility features, and the Apple Hearing Study — Apple is introducing an end-to-end experience focused on prevention, awareness, and assistance.
Prevention
According to the Apple Hearing Study, one in three people are regularly exposed to loud environmental noise levels that can impact their hearing. That can include common scenarios like taking the subway while commuting, mowing the lawn at home, attending a sporting event, and many more. In order to help users prevent exposure to loud environmental noise while preserving the sound signature of what they're listening to, Hearing Protection comes to AirPods Pro. The ear tips help to provide passive noise reduction, while the H2 chip helps to actively reduce louder, more intermittent noise at 48,000 times per second. On by default across all listening modes, Hearing Protection is helpful in a variety of loud settings. Plus, with an all-new multiband high dynamic range algorithm, sounds at live events like concerts remain natural and vibrant so users don't miss a beat.
Awareness
Apple is also introducing a scientifically validated Hearing Test feature with AirPods Pro and a compatible iPhone or iPad, expanding the ability for users to quickly check their hearing from the comfort of their home in minutes. The test is simple to take, utilizes a standard clinical approach called pure-tone audiometry, leverages advanced acoustic science, and provides users with an interactive experience. When a user completes the test, they will see an easy-to-understand summary of their results in a personalized hearing profile for AirPods Pro, which is stored privately and securely in their Health app. Users can also share these results with their healthcare providers for more informed conversations.
Assistance
"Hearing health is an essential part of our overall wellbeing, yet it can often be overlooked — in fact, according to the Apple Hearing Study, a staggering 75 percent of people diagnosed with hearing loss go untreated," said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple's vice president of Health. "We're thrilled to provide breakthrough software features with AirPods Pro that put users' hearing health front and center, bringing new ways to help test for and receive assistance for hearing loss."
AirPods Pro also add an innovative, over-the-counter Hearing Aid capability for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. Using the personalized hearing profile from the Hearing Test, this new feature seamlessly transforms AirPods Pro into a clinical-grade hearing aid. After setup, the feature enables personalized dynamic adjustments so users have the sounds around them boosted in real time. This helps users better engage in conversation and keeps them connected to the people and environment around them. With the incredible audio quality of AirPods Pro, the user's personalized hearing profile is automatically applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across their devices without needing to adjust any settings. This first-of-its-kind software-based Hearing Aid feature brings users the ability to fine-tune their experience at any time, making access to hearing assistance easier than ever at an approachable price point. Users can also set up the Hearing Aid feature with an audiogram created by a hearing health professional. Both the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are grounded in science and were validated through rigorous scientific studies. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon, and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, and Japan.
After taking the Hearing Test, users can also use their hearing profile to personalize the AirPods Pro listening experience. This benefits even more people, including those with little to no hearing loss, who can take advantage of specific adjustments at individual frequencies. To help provide the best listening experience, Media Assist is an all-new feature that helps boost certain parts of speech on a phone call or instruments within a soundtrack to help an even broader population.
Better for the Environment
AirPods are designed to minimize their impact on the environment. The new AirPods 4 design includes the use of 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 100 percent recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards. The case also uses 100 percent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board and 100 percent recycled aluminum in the hinge. AirPods 4 are free of potentially harmful substances such as mercury, BFRs, and PVC. In a first for AirPods, 100 percent of the packaging is made using fiber-based materials, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from all packaging by 2025. Additionally, Apple reduced the packaging volume by more than 30 percent compared to the previous generation, which helps decrease emissions from shipping and move closer to Apple's commitment of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
Pricing and Availability
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple's Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .
© 2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, AirPods, AirPods Max, AirPods Pro, Siri, Apple Watch, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Store, iPadOS, and Apple Music, are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909695544/en/
Emily Ewing
Apple
e_ewing@apple.com
Lance Lin
Apple
lance_lin@apple.com
News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia
The ultimate sports watch is packed with additional insights including sleep apnea notifications, and is now offered in a stunning new finish alongside a new Titanium Milanese Loop band
Apple® today introduced Apple Watch Ultra® 2 in a striking new black titanium finish, enhanced with features in watchOS® 11 that make the most rugged and capable Apple Watch® even better.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909934426/en/
Apple Watch Ultra 2 now comes in a stunning black titanium finish. (Photo: Business Wire)
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an ideal partner for athletes and adventurers of all kinds, featuring the most accurate GPS in a sports watch, 1 the brightest display of any Apple product, and up to 36 hours of battery life with regular use or up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. watchOS 11 brings powerful new features to the best sports watch, with breakthrough insights from training load and the Vitals app; sleep apnea notifications; the Tides app; new customization options for the Action button; and more. A new Titanium Milanese Loop band for Apple Watch Ultra is designed for water activities while offering lightweight comfort and elegance for any occasion. An all-new Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2 combines the durability and features of Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a nautically inspired watch band and an exclusive Hermès watch face.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 in black titanium, Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2, and the new Titanium Milanese Loop can be pre-ordered today, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
"Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the ultimate sports watch, with features that support athletes at every level of their training and performance — and throughout their day and night," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. "The breakthrough insights in watchOS 11 make Apple Watch Ultra 2 even more powerful, and it's now available in a stunning satin-black titanium finish users will love for its striking look and durability."
A Stunning New Black Titanium Finish and Accompanying Bands
The new black titanium finish for Apple Watch Ultra 2 is achieved with a custom blasting process, and the diamond-like carbon physical vapor deposition coating over the grade 5 titanium makes it scratch-resistant and durable. The back crystal is made from a matching dark zirconia.
To complement the new black finish, the popular Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band have all been updated to offer a black hardware option in addition to natural titanium. Both black and natural finishes of Apple Watch Ultra 2 are made from 95 percent recycled titanium, and are carbon neutral with any Titanium Milanese Loop, Trail Loop, or Alpine Loop.
The new Titanium Milanese Loop is the first metal band for Apple Watch Ultra, inspired by mesh historically used by divers and stylish enough for any occasion. Woven from the same aerospace-grade titanium as the case, the band is lightweight and corrosion-resistant. A custom process of weaving, flattening, laser-welding, grinding, and finely polishing the titanium wire results in precise, interlinking lozenge shapes that provide a luxurious drape, complete with a dual-button, parachute-style buckle secure enough for all water sports. The Titanium Milanese Loop will be available in both natural and black titanium.
Enhancements to Support Activity on All Terrains and in the Water
Apple Watch Ultra 2 features the brightest display Apple has ever designed at 3000 nits, suited for a wide range of outdoor adventures. GPS accuracy is also essential for many types of activities. The precision dual-frequency GPS of Apple Watch Ultra 2 utilizes advanced satellite and signal models, custom positioning algorithms, and Apple Maps data to provide the most accurate GPS in a sports watch, leading to more accurate distance, route maps, and metrics.
With watchOS 11, the new Vitals app gives users a way to quickly view key overnight health metrics and gain better context when it comes to their health. The new training load feature offers an insightful new way to measure how the intensity and duration of workouts are impacting a user's body over time. An Up Next view for Custom Workouts helps users keep track of their current and upcoming interval.
The Action button can be customized to make it even easier to start a workout, switch between workout types during a Multisport workout, and more. With watchOS 11, users can now conveniently switch actions at any time by pressing and holding the Action button. This gives users quick access to useful features like Stopwatch, Backtrack, and Flashlight, and a variety of new options, including Translation, Voice Memos, and Shazam®.
To help users plan and enjoy open water activities and stay aware of changing conditions, watchOS 11 introduces a new Tides app for Apple Watch. Users can access seven rolling days of forecasted tidal information for coastlines and surf spots around the globe, including information on high and low tides; rising and falling tides; tide height and direction; and sunrise and sunset, all plotted against a timeline. Users can also view beaches near their location on a convenient map, and new complications show current tide information for their favorite spots or the closest beaches at a glance.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best sports watch for athletes and adventurers of all kinds:
With its rugged, corrosion-resistant titanium design, large bright display, and long battery life, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also great for rowing, skiing, snowboarding, tennis, and many other activities.
Insightful Sleep Apnea Notifications
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition where breathing stops momentarily during sleep. The condition, which is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, goes undiagnosed in most cases, and if left untreated, can have important consequences on health. Building on the intelligent health features already available, Apple Watch now offers a feature to help identify signs of sleep apnea. 3
To detect sleep apnea, Apple Watch uses the accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist that are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns, tracked by a new Apple Watch metric called Breathing Disturbances. While some breathing disturbances are normal, they are important to track as they can be used to help understand restfulness of sleep, and when occurring frequently over multiple nights, may be associated with sleep apnea. The new sleep apnea algorithm analyzes breathing disturbance data so Apple Watch can notify the user if the data indicates signs of sleep apnea. The notification will include the time period when potential sleep apnea occurred, educational materials on the importance of seeking treatment, and a PDF providing three months of breathing disturbance data to reference during a conversation with a healthcare provider.
The sleep apnea notification feature was developed with advanced machine learning methods, validated in a clinical study, and is expected to receive marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities soon. Sleep apnea notifications will be available in more than 150 countries and regions this month, including the U.S., the EU, and Japan.
Audio Playback Through Speakers
For the first time, audio can play back through the two built-in speakers on Apple Watch Ultra 2. Just like with phone calls, users can listen to audio from a range of apps — including Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, and third-party apps— right from their Apple Watch.
Additional watchOS 11 Features
Apple Watch Ultra 2 also features many other enhancements with watchOS 11:
watchOS 11 also features a more intelligent Smart Stack to help users quickly access important information; a new Photos watch face that uses machine learning to help users select and compose their best photo options; the Translate app and Check In on Apple Watch; the ability to scroll through any app with the double tap gesture; summarized notifications powered by Apple Intelligence™ forwarded from iPhone; 4 and more.
Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2
The first-of-its-kind Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2 combines a natural titanium case with the new Hermès En Mer band in Bleu Nuit — a dark navy color — and a special Hermès Maritime watch face. The En Mer band features Hermès's nautical, diagonal rib pattern made from high-density textured knit, providing both durability and comfort. A wide titanium buckle on the band ensures that Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 2 stays securely on the wrist even during water activities, including scuba diving, sailing, and high-speed water sports.
The new Hermès Maritime watch face features high-visibility numerals in the classic Hermès Cape Cod typeface, with a sweeping outer bezel that displays the seconds. Pressing the Action button transforms the watch face into a special countdown timer inspired by boat racing.
Pricing and Availability
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1 Based on route map and distance accuracy in challenging urban environments.
2 A subscription is required for Oceanic+. Oceanic+ is available on the App Store®. Always follow diving protocols, dive with a companion, and have a secondary device.
3 The sleep apnea notification feature is pending FDA clearance and is expected to be available later this month. The feature will be supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. It is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea for people 18 years or older without a diagnosis of sleep apnea.
4 Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update. The first set of Apple Intelligence™ features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS® 18.1, and macOS® Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad® and Mac® with M1 and later, with device and Siri® language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple's Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .
© 2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple Watch Ultra, watchOS, Apple Watch, Shazam, iPhone, Apple intelligence, Apple Store, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple Watch SE, AppleCare+, App Store, iPadOS, macOS, iPad, Mac, and Siri are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909934426/en/
Nikki Rothberg
Apple
nrothberg@apple.com
Clare Varellas
Apple
cvarellas@apple.com
News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia
The world's bestselling watch is thinner than ever, featuring the biggest, most advanced display yet; sleep apnea notifications; faster charging; and water depth and temperature sensing
Apple® today unveiled Apple Watch® Series 10 , featuring a refined design and bringing new capabilities to the world's most popular watch that make it even more powerful, intelligent, and sophisticated. Apple Watch Series 10 is the thinnest Apple Watch yet — making it more comfortable than ever — and offers the biggest, most advanced display of any Apple Watch. It also features new sleep apnea notifications; faster charging; water depth and temperature sensing; plus new health and fitness insights and intelligence in watchOS® 11.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909584984/en/
Apple Watch Series 10 features a refined design and brings new capabilities to the world's most popular watch. (Photo: Business Wire)
Apple Watch Series 10 is available in both aluminum and titanium, in an array of stunning colors and finishes. Jet black is a new polished aluminum finish that is distinctively reflective and sleek, while new titanium cases — available in natural, gold, and slate — have a spectacular jewelry-like shine.
The new Apple Watch lineup can be pre-ordered today, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
"Around the world, Apple Watch has had an immeasurable positive impact on people by helping them stay healthy, active, safe, and connected to the things that matter to them — and it's helped save countless lives along the way," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. "Apple Watch Series 10 builds on a decade of breakthrough innovations to offer the most advanced version yet, with even more intelligence, our biggest wearable display, and a design that's slimmer and sleeker than ever."
The Sleekest, Thinnest Apple Watch Yet
Apple Watch Series 10 is nearly 10 percent thinner than Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Series 9, while offering all the advanced capabilities users love, adding new features, and maintaining all-day 18-hour battery life. An innovative metal back integrates the antenna into the housing of the device itself, combining the two layers into one. The back is perfectly matched in material, finish, and color to the rest of the case, making it appear like the device is made from a single piece of metal.
The new S10 SiP was engineered to achieve a thinner profile, and designed for performance, power efficiency, and intelligence. The S10 SiP and built-in 4-core Neural Engine allow for intelligent features users rely on every day, including the double tap gesture, on-device Siri®, dictation, and automatic workout detection; important safety features such as Crash Detection and Fall Detection; and the updated Smart Stack, the redesigned Photos face, and the Translate app in watchOS 11.
In addition to being thinner, Apple Watch Series 10 is also lighter: Aluminum cases weigh up to 10 percent less than Series 9, and titanium cases weigh almost 20 percent less than stainless steel Series 9. The case also features more rounded corners and a wider aspect ratio, which contribute to a much larger display while only slightly growing the case to new 42mm and 46mm sizes.
Apple's Largest, Most Advanced Wearable Display
The display on Apple Watch is central to every interaction, from viewing a notification, to taking a quick glance at workout metrics. Apple Watch Series 10 features the biggest and most advanced display of any Apple Watch.
The larger display offers up to 30 percent more active screen area than Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6, and up to 9 percent more than Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Series 9. This improves readability and usability: In apps like Messages, Mail, or News, users can see an additional line of text or increase the font size without sacrificing content. The larger display also makes it easier to type a message, pause a workout, or enter a passcode.
Apple Watch Series 10 is the first Apple product to offer an innovative wide-angle OLED display, which optimizes each pixel to emit more light at wider angles. As a result, the display is up to 40 percent brighter than Series 9 when viewed from an angle, making it easier to read at a glance.
The wide-angle OLED display is also more power efficient, enabling a faster refresh rate when Apple Watch is in always-on mode, going from once a minute to once a second. As a result, users can now see a ticking seconds hand without raising their wrist on select watch faces.
New watch faces in watchOS 11 are designed to take advantage of the bigger display and faster refresh rate on Apple Watch Series 10. The Flux watch face features a bold graphic design that fills the screen with color second by second. The Reflections watch face features a distinctive shimmering dial that reacts subtly to user movements, and is designed to complement the highly reflective quality of the new titanium cases.
Faster Charging
The new metal back integrates a larger and more efficient charging coil, making Series 10 the fastest-charging Apple Watch ever, so it is easier than ever to use Apple Watch throughout the day as well as overnight. Fifteen minutes of charging provides up to eight hours of normal daily use, or eight minutes of charging powers up to eight hours of sleep tracking. Faster charging also means users can charge to 80 percent battery in about 30 minutes.
Insightful Sleep Apnea Notifications
The compact new design and faster charging of Apple Watch Series 10 make it even more comfortable and convenient to wear during sleep. Building on the intelligent health features already available to track key overnight metrics such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and wrist temperature, Apple Watch now offers a feature to help identify signs of sleep apnea. 1
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition where breathing stops repeatedly during sleep. The condition, which is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, goes undiagnosed in most cases. If left untreated, sleep apnea can have important consequences on health, including an increased risk of hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.
To detect sleep apnea, Apple Watch uses the accelerometer to monitor small movements at the wrist that are associated with interruptions in normal respiratory patterns, tracked by a new Apple Watch metric called Breathing Disturbances. While some of these disturbances are normal, they are important to track as they can be used to help understand restfulness of sleep and, when occurring frequently over multiple nights, may be associated with sleep apnea. Users can view their nightly Breathing Disturbances in the Health app, where they are classified as elevated or not elevated, and can be viewed over a one-month, six-month, or one-year period.
The new sleep apnea algorithm analyzes breathing disturbance data, so Apple Watch can notify a user if the data indicates consistent signs of sleep apnea. The notification will include the time period when potential sleep apnea occurred and educational materials on the importance of seeking treatment, along with a PDF providing three months of breathing disturbance data, notification details, and additional information to reference during a conversation with a healthcare provider.
The sleep apnea notification algorithm was developed using advanced machine learning and an extensive data set of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. The feature was then validated in a clinical study — unprecedented in size for sleep apnea technology. In the clinical validation study, every participant identified by the algorithm had at least mild sleep apnea. The feature is expected to receive marketing authorization from the FDA and other global health authorities soon. Sleep apnea notifications will be available in more than 150 countries and regions this month, including the U.S., the EU, and Japan.
Depth and Temperature Sensing for Water Activities, and the New Tides App
Apple Watch is great for activities in and around the water, with a swim-proof design that has a 50-meter water resistance rating, automatic stroke detection, and lap counting — and now watchOS 11 introduces Custom Workouts for pool swims. A new depth gauge and water temperature sensor make Apple Watch Series 10 an even better companion when users are headed into the water.
The new depth gauge can measure down to 6 meters beneath the water's surface, perfect for snorkeling and shallow diving, or playing in the pool, lake, or ocean. Additionally, the new water temperature sensor measures the temperature of the water once Apple Watch has been submerged. The built-in Depth app is highly legible for easy underwater visibility, displaying the time, current depth, water temperature, duration under water, and maximum depth — with the option to automatically activate as soon as Apple Watch is submerged. Water temperature is also displayed in workout metrics during Pool Swim and Open Water Swim workouts.
To help users plan and enjoy open water activities and stay aware of changing conditions, watchOS 11 introduces a new Tides app. Users can access seven rolling days of forecasted tidal information for coastlines and surf spots around the globe, including information on high and low tides, rising and falling tides, tide height and direction, and sunrise and sunset, all plotted against a timeline. Users can also view beaches near their location on a convenient map, and new complications show current tide information for their favorite spots or closest beaches at a glance.
The Oceanic+ app is now available for Apple Watch Series 10, with new features for snorkeling. 2 Developed in partnership with Huish Outdoors, the app allows users to easily find popular snorkeling locations nearby; view information on conditions provided by the snorkeling community; and during a snorkeling session, see depth, water temperature, and more in a single view.
Audio Playback Through Speakers and Voice Isolation for Calls
Audio can now be played back through the built-in speaker on Apple Watch Series 10. Just like with phone calls, users can listen to audio from a range of apps — including Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books, and third-party apps — right from their Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Series 10 also uses a new voice isolation neural network running on the 4-core Neural Engine to suppress background noise during phone or FaceTime® audio calls, so a user's voice sounds crisp and clear on the other end of the line — even in noisy environments like a crowded restaurant, a city street, or a windy day outside.
Sophisticated New Aluminum Finishes and Polished Titanium
For the first time, Apple Watch is available in a polished aluminum finish, jet black, with a distinctively glossy, reflective shine. To achieve this, the aluminum case is polished using nano-particles and then undergoes a 30-step anodization process. Apple Watch Series 10 also comes in an updated rose gold aluminum, along with the popular brushed silver aluminum.
Additionally, Apple Watch Series 10 is available in an aerospace-grade polished titanium that replaces the stainless steel of previous generations. The new grade 5 titanium cases offer a spectacularly reflective, jewelry-like finish, while being almost 20 percent lighter than Apple Watch Series 9 in stainless steel. The titanium cases come in three stunning colors: natural, gold, and slate.
Last year, Apple Watch became Apple's first carbon neutral product by dramatically reducing carbon emissions across the three biggest sources — materials, electricity, and transportation — and using high-quality carbon credits from nature-based projects to offset the small amount of emissions remaining. With the introduction of Apple Watch Series 10, made with 100 percent recycled aluminum or 95 percent recycled titanium in the case, customers now can choose a carbon neutral option of any Apple Watch in any material. This is an important step toward Apple 2030, Apple's ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by 2030.
Featuring watchOS 11
In addition to the new Tides app, Apple Watch Series 10 features the powerful health and fitness insights and intelligent customization that come with watchOS 11, including:
watchOS 11 also features a more intelligent Smart Stack to help users quickly access important information, a redesigned Photos face that uses machine learning to help users curate their best photo options, the Translate app and Check In on Apple Watch, the ability to scroll through any app with the double tap gesture, summarized notifications powered by Apple Intelligence™ forwarded from iPhone®, 3 and more.
Lineup
Bands
The Milanese Loop and Link Bracelet bands have been updated to perfectly color-match the new titanium cases of Apple Watch Series 10.
A new collection of Hermès bands draws on the house's rich history in textiles and craftsmanship. Torsade is a cable-knit band inspired by nautical chains available in single and double tour versions in one of three bold colors. Twill Jump Attelage is a narrow, delicate single tour band with a contrasting edge and silky feel. Grand H is Hermès's first metal band for Apple Watch, made with interlocking links of satin-finished stainless steel. It features two H-shaped links, removable links customers can use to adjust the size, and a traditional double butterfly closure.
Additionally, the Nike Sport Loop and Nike Sport Band are available in bold new colorways.
Pricing and Availability
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1 The sleep apnea notification feature is pending FDA clearance and is expected to be available later this month. The feature will be supported on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. It is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea for people 18 years old or older without a diagnosis of sleep apnea.
2 A subscription is required for Oceanic+. Oceanic+ is available on the App Store®.
3 Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update. The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS® 18.1, and macOS® Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad® and Mac® with M1 and later, with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple's Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .
© 2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Apple, Apple, Apple Watch, watchOS, Siri, FaceTime, Apple Intelligence, iPhone, Apple Watch SE, Apple Store, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple Watch Ultra, AppleCare+, App Store, iPadOS, macOS, iPad, and Mac are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909584984/en/
Nikki Rothberg
Apple
nrothberg@apple.com
Clare Varellas
Apple
cvarellas@apple.com
News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia
Built for Apple Intelligence with the all-new A18 chip, both models feature Camera Control, powerful upgrades to the advanced camera system, the Action button to quickly access useful features, and a big boost in battery life
Apple® today announced iPhone® 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, built for Apple Intelligence™, the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. The iPhone 16 lineup also introduces Camera Control, which brings new ways to capture memories, and will help users quickly access visual intelligence to learn about objects or places around them faster than ever before. The powerful camera system features a 48MP Fusion camera with a 2x Telephoto option, giving users two cameras in one, while a new Ultra Wide camera enables macro photography. Next-generation Photographic Styles help users personalize their images, and spatial photo and video capture allows users to relive life's precious memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro™. The new A18 chip delivers a huge leap in performance and efficiency, enabling demanding AAA games, as well as a big boost in battery life.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909751170/en/
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are built for Apple Intelligence, and feature Camera Control, the Action button, a 48MP Fusion camera, and the A18 chip. (Photo: Business Wire)
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in five bold colors: black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.
"iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus mark the beginning of a new era for iPhone with Apple Intelligence delivering powerful, personal, and private experiences to our users," said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. "With new ways to discover the world around you and capture memories using Camera Control; a 48MP Fusion camera that gives you two optical-quality cameras in one; a big boost in battery life; and powerful, efficient performance thanks to the A18 chip, this is the perfect time for customers to upgrade or make the switch to iPhone."
Built for Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 lineup harnesses the power of Apple silicon and Apple-built generative models to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. Apple Intelligence maintains the privacy and security of user data with Private Cloud Compute. This groundbreaking approach provides the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers — an extraordinary step forward for privacy in artificial intelligence. Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update, with the first set of features rolling out next month in U.S. English for most regions around the world.
Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to enhance their writing. With systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages®, and third-party apps. In the Notes and Phone apps, users can also record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call in the Phone app, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to recall key points.
Apple Intelligence helps users prioritize with summarized notifications, along with Priority Messages in Mail, a feature that understands the content of emails and surfaces time-sensitive messages. Across a user's inbox, summaries convey the most important information of each email instead of previewing the first few lines.
Siri® becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience and gets a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when active. With richer language-understanding capabilities, communicating with Siri is more natural and flexible. Siri follows along when users stumble over their words, and maintains context from one request to the next. Users can type to Siri at any time, and switch fluidly between text and voice as they accelerate everyday tasks. Siri also now has extensive product knowledge to answer thousands of questions about features on iPhone and other Apple devices.
Additional Apple Intelligence features will roll out later this year and in the months following, including Image Playground, which allows users to create playful images in moments. Emoji will be taken to an entirely new level with the ability to create original Genmoji™ by simply typing a description, or by selecting a photo of a friend or family member. Siri will be able to draw on a user's personal context to deliver intelligence that is tailored to them. It will also gain onscreen awareness to understand and take action with users' content, as well as take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps. And while using iOS 18 features like Siri and Writing Tools, users will be able to easily access ChatGPT from OpenAI.
A Beautiful New Design with Industry-Leading Durability
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are beautiful and built to last. iPhone holds its value longer than any other smartphone thanks to its industry-leading durability, including the strong back glass, a water- and dust-resistant design, regular software updates, and the latest-generation Ceramic Shield® with an advanced formulation that is 50 percent tougher than the first generation and 2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone. 1 The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier. With the new internal design and advanced power management of iOS 18 , the batteries are optimized to offer a big boost in battery life. Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, the Super Retina XDR® display with OLED technology and the Dynamic Island® offers an exceptional viewing experience. 2
The Action button comes to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, allowing users to easily access a variety of functions with just a press. Users can quickly open the camera, flashlight, or controls; switch between Ring and Silent; recognize music with Shazam®; activate Voice Memos, Focus, Translate, and accessibility features like Magnifier; or use Shortcuts for more options. The Action button can also access in-app functionality, like helping a user unlock and lock their car with FordPass. 3
Introducing Camera Control
Camera Control — a result of thoughtful hardware and software integration — elevates the camera experience on the iPhone 16 lineup. It is packed with innovation, including a tactile switch that powers the click experience, a high-precision force sensor that enables the light press gesture, and a capacitive sensor that allows for touch interactions. Camera Control can quickly launch the camera, take a photo, and start video recording so users don't miss the moment. A new camera preview helps users frame the shot and adjust other control options — such as zoom, exposure, or depth of field — to compose a stunning photo or video by sliding their finger on the Camera Control. Additionally, developers will be able to bring Camera Control to third-party apps such as Snapchat.
Later this year, Camera Control will unlock visual intelligence to help users learn about objects and places faster than ever before. Users can click and hold Camera Control to pull up the hours or ratings for a restaurant they pass, add an event from a flyer to their calendar, quickly identify a dog by breed, and more. Camera Control will also serve as a gateway into third-party tools with specific domain expertise, like when users want to search on Google to find where they can buy an item, or to benefit from ChatGPT's problem-solving skills. Users are in control of when third-party tools are used and what information is shared.
New Camera Experiences
The powerful new camera system helps users capture both everyday moments and cherished memories like never before. The 48MP Fusion camera enables a 2x optical-quality Telephoto option, which is like having two cameras in one, so users can get closer to the subject to easily frame a photo. In addition to wider-angle shots, the new 12MP Ultra Wide camera with autofocus enables macro photography. The Ultra Wide camera also gathers up to 2.6x more light for higher image quality. Additionally, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus now take spatial photos and videos to help users relive memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro.
Next-generation Photographic Styles help users express their creativity and customize their photos by locally adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time. Styles also have a deeper understanding of skin undertones, so users can personalize how they appear in photos. Unlike filters, which often use a one-size-fits-all approach by adding a color to an entire scene, adjustments are applied to specific colors of a selected style. A wider set of styles offers more creative options for editing a photo's aesthetic, and styles can be rendered during live preview, applied after a photo is taken, or even reversed later.
Video can now be captured in Spatial Audio for immersive listening with AirPods®, Apple Vision Pro, or a surround sound system. Both iPhone models introduce creative new ways to edit video sound with Audio Mix — allowing users to adjust their sound after capture to focus on the voice of the person on camera, make it sound like the video was recorded inside a professional studio, or position vocal tracks in the front and environmental noises in surround sound. With wind noise reduction, powerful machine learning (ML) algorithms reduce unwanted noise for better audio quality.
Powered by Apple Intelligence, users can search for specific photos in the Photos app using natural language, and search for specific moments in video clips. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without altering the subject.
A18: Next-Level Performance and Mobile Gaming
A18 delivers a huge leap in performance and power efficiency, and is built on second-generation 3-nanometer technology to further accelerate Apple Intelligence. An upgraded 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models and runs ML models up to 2x faster than the A16 Bionic chip.
The 6-core CPU is 30 percent faster than the A16 Bionic chip and faster than all the competition. It is also more power efficient and can run the same workload with 30 percent less power than A16 Bionic. The 5-core GPU is up to 40 percent faster and 35 percent more efficient than A16 Bionic to power stunning graphics performance for Apple Intelligence, and puts a powerful gaming device in users' pockets. Now with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, games on iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus more accurately represent the behavior of light with up to 5x higher frame rates than with software-based ray tracing. Both models support the AAA games previously only available on iPhone 15 Pro, as well as new titles like Honor of Kings: World with an ultra graphics mode optimized for the iPhone 16 lineup, coming next year. Game Mode in iOS 18 delivers more consistent frame rates while making AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories incredibly responsive. The efficiency of A18 and the device's rearchitected internal design deliver up to 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming while ensuring Apple Intelligence runs efficiently on iPhone.
Expanded Communication and Safety Capabilities
The iPhone 16 lineup features innovative ways to stay connected and provides enhanced safety capabilities for peace of mind. Powered by the same groundbreaking technology as Emergency SOS via satellite, users are able to connect to the nearest satellite to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage® and SMS while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. 4 Messages via satellite in iOS 18 are end-to-end encrypted. Also new with iOS 18, Emergency SOS Live Video allows users to share a live video feed or photos with participating emergency dispatchers during an emergency call. 5 Later this fall, Roadside Assistance via satellite — which connects users to a roadside assistance provider if they have car trouble while off the grid — expands beyond the U.S. to the U.K.
Better for the Environment
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are designed with the environment in mind. As part of Apple 2030, the company's ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade, Apple is prioritizing renewable electricity in manufacturing, and investing in wind and solar projects around the world to address the electricity used to charge all Apple products, including the iPhone 16 lineup. Today, all Apple facilities run on 100 percent renewable electricity — including the data centers that power Apple Intelligence.
To achieve Apple 2030, the company is also designing products with recycled and renewable materials. iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus feature more than 30 percent recycled content overall, including 85 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 80 percent or more recycled steel across multiple components. The battery is made with 100 percent recycled cobalt and — in a first for iPhone — over 95 percent recycled lithium. 6 The iPhone 16 lineup meets Apple's high standards for energy efficiency, and is free of mercury and PVC. The packaging is entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal of removing plastic from its packaging by next year.
Pricing and Availability
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple's six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple's more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909751170/en/
Blair Ranger
Apple
blair_ranger@apple.com
Alex Kirschner
Apple
alexkirschner@apple.com
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