Apple has unveiled a new iPhone 15 Pro with a titanium case and faster chip that enables better cameras and mobile gaming, moves designed to respond to a global smartphone slump.
The new line-up includes iPhone 15 starting at $US799 (which converts to $A1244 although Apple says it will cost from $A1499 in Australia) and iPhone 15 Plus starting at $US899.
Apple said that USB-C charging cables – as the tech giant moves towards European Union rules on cable standardisation – are coming to both its iPhone 15 and the charging case of its AirPods Pro devices, allowing the use of the same charging cables already used for iPads and Macs.
Apple said the iPhone 15’s satellite connectivity can now be used to summon roadside assistance.
Apple said the iPhone 15 Pro Max – the largest phone the company makes – will have a new camera lens with a longer optical zoom than previous models. The lenses uses a series of prisms to emulate the performance of a longer lens.
Apple also said that the new USB-C connector on iPhone 15 Pro models will allow videographers to record high-quality video directly to an external hard drive, making it easier to use the phone as a professional video camera.
The iPhone 15 Pro can also reportedly capture what it calls “spatial videos” by using two of the device’s cameras to capture a three-dimensional video. Those videos will be viewable on Apple’s Vision Pro headset that is due out early next year, marketing chief Greg Joswiak said. An Apple executive said the company used machine learning to detect a person in the frame, allowing users to turn a picture into a portrait immediately or later in the Photos app.
Apple also showed off a new Series 9 Watch with a feature called “double tap” where users tap thumb and finger together twice, without touching the watch, in order to perform tasks like answering a phone call.
It uses machine learning to detect tiny changes in blood flow when the user taps their fingers together, freeing up the other hand for other tasks like walking a dog or holding a cup of coffee, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said.
