Apple Watch, AirPods get AI push as tech giant unveils new models
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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) took the wraps off new versions of its Apple Watch and AirPods product lines on Monday.
“Apple Watch has deeply impacted the lives of millions of people around the world,” Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a presentation, adding that he receives messages every day from Apple Watch consumers on how it’s changed their lives.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 10 has a new design, including a larger display than Apple Watch Ultra and 30% more screen area than previous generations, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said.
Under the front crystal is a wide angle OLED display, used to display more colors and make it brighter when viewed at an angle or a quick glance.
The Series 10 comes in several colors, including jet black, rose gold and silver aluminum. It’s also 9.7 millimeters, or roughly 10% thinner than the Series 9, Williams added. Music and podcasts can also be played directly through the Watch, alleviating the need for headphones, Williams explained. It starts at $399 and is available on September 20.
The new material also allows for a faster charging experience, giving users an 80% charge in just 30 minutes, Williams said.
The watch also comes with a custom S10 chip, which has a four-core neutral engine and aids Siri, automatic workout detection, crash and fall detection, and improved phone calls, to suppress background noise.
Artificial intelligence is also being infused on WatchOS, with tasks such as widgets automatically showing up when a user needs them, Williams explained.
The Apple Watch Series 10 can also detect sleep apnea, Apple vice president of health Dr. Sumbul Desai said.
New watch bands were also introduced at the event, including those from Nike and Hermes.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, which was unveiled last year, received a new satin black finish this year to make it more scratch resistant and durable.
The high-end smartwatch also received new bands, including a Hermes band exclusive for the Watch Ultra 2.
The Watch Ultra 2 starts at $799 and is also available on September 20.
AirPods
Apple unveiled several updates across its entire AirPods lineup on Monday, including AirPods 4.
Powered by the H2 chip, the AirPods 4 has an improved audio experience, including richer bass and personalized spatial audio, Kate Bergeron, Apple vice president of hardware engineering said.
AI is also being implemented into AirPods, with active noise cancellation coming to AirPods 4. It also incorporates adaptive audio to better understand when you are talking to someone.
The new earphones, which cost $129 (or $179 for the version with active noise cancellation), come with a USB-C charging case and has 30 hours of battery life, Bergeron added. They are available on September 20.
Apple also showed off a new version of its AirPods Pro headphones, AirPods 2. The new headphones have added health features, including hearing protection, a new hearing test feature and a professional grade hearing aid.
The AirPods Max was also upgraded, with new colors (midnight, blue, purple, orange and starlight) and comes with USB-C charging.
The new AirPods Max will set consumers back $599 and are also available on September 20.