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Every product Apple announced this week: iPhone 15 Pro, Apple Watch Series 9, AirPods

If you missed Tuesday's Apple event, here's your all-inclusive recap of the products that were unveiled, from iPhones to Apple Watches.
Written by Sabrina Ortiz, Editor and  Kerry Wan, Senior Reviews Editor
Tim Cook holding up the iPhone 15
Jason Hiner/ZDNET

Earlier this week, Apple hosted its annual fall event to unveil some of the company's newest hardware, including the iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9, and AirPods, ahead of the fast-approaching holiday season. 

The company also made the change from its Lightning port to a USB-C port, reasoning it with user convenience -- not the pressure that was bestowed by the European Union.

Also: How to preorder the iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 9, Watch Ultra 2, and the best deals

Whether you watched the event and want a recap or missed it and need a full report, ZDNET has assembled a list of all the products announced, including their newest features, specs, and prices.  

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

iphone-15-pro-max-white-3
Jason Hiner/ZDNET

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max were this year's headlining act, with new and improved form factors, updated processors, and the latest advancements in the iPhone camera.

The biggest change, at least on the surface, is the slimmer and lighter design, which has new contoured edges, Grade 5 Titanium, and the thinnest borders ever on an iPhone. 

Also: iPhone 15 Pro hands-on: I found a lot of reasons to upgrade and one to wait until next year

The iPhone 15 Pro features the fastest mobile CPU -- A17 Pro. The new CPU can run up to 10% faster than the A16 Bionic chip in last year's iPhone 14 Pro. Compared to Apple's previous iterations, the neural engine is up to two times faster, and the pro-class GPU is up to 20 times faster, optimizing overall smartphone performance. 

As for the cameras, the Pro variants feature a 48MP main camera, which allows users to switch between the 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal lengths and supports 48MP HEIF images with up to four times the resolution. The Pro Max also features a 5X telephoto lens, the longest optical zoom ever on iPhone. 

Like on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Portrait Mode now runs in the background, so the iPhone can measure the depth information of a photo's subject and later give users the ability to adjust the bokeh effect. The quality of photos in low light will also improve, with a night mode that provides sharper detail and more vivid colors. 

Also: 4 key features the iPhone 15 Pro is still missing

Besides the cameras, another major selling point is the Action Button, which replaces the traditional alert slider. The Action Button will function as a ring and silent button by default but can be personalized to be a mappable quick key for turning on the camera app, flashlight, Siri, Shortcuts, and more.

In terms of safety, the phones feature Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and a new Roadside Assistant that allows customers to comment to AAA when experiencing car troubles. 

Also: Apple iPhone 15 Pro mutes side switch for multifunctional Action button

With the EU imposing a law for electronics makers to adopt USB-C by 2024, the new iPhones finally support charging and data transferring via USB-C, becoming Apple's latest major product to make the switch to the more universal power format. 

The phones are available for preorder now in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium finishes. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199. 

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus in yellow
June Wan/ZDNET

Not to be left out, the standard iPhone 15 series, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have some much-desired upgrades, including the USB-C port, improved cameras, and Apple's now-signature Dynamic Island.

Apple replaced the notch design with its Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped camera design from last year that fluidly adapts to the software and apps running on the device.

Also: iPhone 15 eSIM: How to transfer your phone number to Apple's new iPhone 

In doing so, Apple will finally standardize the new Dynamic Island interface across all of its flagship iPhone models, not just on the Pro.

The displays are brighter with up to 1,600 nits and come in the same sizes: 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch. 

This year's iPhone 15 also inherits a similar main camera sensor as last year's iPhone 14 Pro, improving from a 12-megapixel lens to a 48-megapixel lens. The camera will also have a 2X telephoto feature, the first time on an iPhone dual-camera system. 

Also: Apple iPhone 15 hands-on: New features left me with no Pro model envy at all

If you like shooting in portrait mode, the phone brings some features to elevate the portrait experience, such as the ability to adjust the blur and focus after the photo is taken, even if Portrait mode wasn't used. 

In terms of safety, like the Pro series, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and the new Roadside Assistant. 

The phones are available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black and retail at the same prices as last year, $799 and $899.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9 Colors
June Wan/ZDNET

Apple Watch users who were hoping for anything drastically different with this year's model might be disappointed. As expected, the Apple Watch Series 9 features incremental upgrades from the Series 8.

Also: Apple Watch Series 9: Top 4 new features we're excited about

The Watch Series 9 features a new S9 SiP, the most powerful watch chip Apple has ever made. The chip will boost the watch's performance and efficiency, giving the watch faster graphics, smooth animations, and a brighter display of 2,000 nits. 

The neural engine will allow for Siri commands to be processed on the device instead of the cloud, making the commands faster and more secure, which is especially important to log health data. Even with the new chip, it still sports its 18-hour battery life. 

The watch also features a four-core neural engine that can power machine learning tasks almost twice as fast when compared to the Series 8. 

Also: Buying an Apple Watch? Here's how to pick the best one for you

WatchOS 10 also will elevate the smartwatch experience, bringing features like Name Drop to the Watch Series 9, which allows users to share their contact information with just one click. 

The Watch Series 9 features a new gesture -- double-tap -- that enables you to control your watch when your hands are busy. With the double-tap feature, users can tap their index finger and thumb to perform actions such as answering calls, scrolling through widgets, and more. 

AlsoApple's double-tap feature is a game-changer for accessibility

Another handy feature is the ability to track your iPhone with precise location and direction through a new Ultra Wideband chip. 

The watch will be available in pink, starlight, silver, midnight, and Product(Red), as well as gold, silver, and graphite in the stainless steel cases. 

The Watch Series 9 starts at $399, with preorders now live and open sales starting on September 22.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

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Jason Hiner/ZDNET

The Apple Watch Ultra was the company's most innovative product last year. It was durably built, multi-functional, and tugged at the heartstrings of more adventurous Apple Watch users.

A year later, Apple has revealed its sequel, which sports the S9 chip, double tap feature, precision finding for iPhone, and on-device Siri processing like the Series 9. 

Also: Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Ultra: Is it time to upgrade?

The Ultra 2 also features a new, advanced display architecture with 3,000 nits (the brightest display Apple has ever made for a watch), a new Modular Ultra watch face that displays more essential information on the home screen, a flashlight boost, and the same customizable action button. 

The Ultra Watch 2 retails at $799 and is available for preorder today and will begin to ship on September 22.

AirPods Pro (sort of)

airpods-pro-2
Jason Hiner/ZDNET

Apple slyly slipped in the announcement of the newest AirPods likely because there were no changes other than the new USB-C charging port. 

Also: Your AirPods Pro 2 are getting an upgrade, and it's a big deal 

With the AirPods' switch from Lightning-based charging standard to USB-C, which is in line with its new iPhones, Apple pitched the two to be seamlessly connected devices that only require one cable type, even able to charge each other as seen by the photo above. 

The USB-C-powered AirPods Pro also support lossless audio when connected to the Vision Pro headset, allowing users in the future to enjoy 20-bit, 48kHz playback.

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