Apple Glowtime Event 2024 Key Takeaways: From iPhone 16 to Apple Intelligence; Here's Everything Announced
"Glowtime," Apple's yearly September event, has come to an end and brought with it a ton of new and exciting updates and products. The iPhone 16 series has a new color option and a more sophisticated design with gently curved edges. With a notable performance boost, the new A18 Bionic chipset will power the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. From iPhone 16 to Apple Watch Series X and Apple Intelligence; here's everything launched.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
Starting with the standard iPhone 16 and the larger iPhone 16 Plus, the base model starts at Rs 79900 whereas the iPhone 16 Plus' pricing begins at Rs 89900. Both models offer up to 512GB of storage and come in a variety of colors, including black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders for these devices begin on September 13, with sales starting on September 20.
The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display that can reach 2,000 nits of peak brightness. It also has improved Ceramic Shield protection and Dynamic Island. In contrast, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display with the same features. The 3nm A18 chipset, which consists of a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine, powers both variants. As seen at WWDC 2024, they support advanced Apple Intelligence features and are powered by iOS 18.
The iPhone 16 series has three cameras: a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 48-megapixel wide-angle lens with a 2x in-sensor zoom, and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth front camera. Additionally, the devices enable spatial video and photo capture. 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port are among the connectivity options available. Apple has not revealed the capacity of its batteries, which should be revealed in upcoming teardowns.
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
The new flagship models, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, retail for Rs 1,19,900 and Rs 1,44,900 in India, respectively. Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium are the four new color options for both models, which also come with storage options up to 1TB. These devices will also be available for pre-order on September 13; sales will start on September 20.
With the second-generation 3nm A18 Pro chip installed in these Pro models, notable performance gains over earlier iterations are anticipated. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have larger displays than their predecessors, with the former having a 6.3-inch display and the latter having a 6.9-inch display. The Super Retina XDR OLED screens have a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits.
The rear camera setup on these models includes a 48-megapixel wide lens, a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with up to 5x optical zoom, enhanced by a 'tetraprism' periscope design. The 12-megapixel TrueDepth front camera can record in 4K at 120 frames per second. In addition, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have a new Capture button for easy access to the camera and an Action button. They support 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and a USB 3.0 Type-C port, with charging speeds of up to 27W via wired connection and 15W with MagSafe or Qi2 wireless charging.
AirPods 4
Two versions of the new AirPods 4—one with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and the other without—have been released. The AirPods 4 will go on sale on September 20 and can be pre-ordered for $129 (roughly Rs. 11,000) for the non-ANC model and $179 (roughly Rs. 15,000) for the ANC-equipped model.
The new Apple H2 chip inside the AirPods 4 powers their redesigned acoustic architecture, which is intended to enhance sound quality. In addition to advanced features like conversational awareness, adaptive audio, and personalized spatial audio, they include ANC and a transparency mode. In addition to providing voice isolation, the new earbuds support gesture controls, such as nodding to answer calls. The upgraded USB Type-C case offer up to 30 hours of total playtime and supports wireless charging.
Apple Watch Series 10 and Watch Ultra 2
The Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were also introduced by Apple. The GPS model of the Apple Watch Series 10 costs $399 (approximately Rs. 33,000), while the LTE model costs $499. The new Black Titanium color option for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 costs $799, or roughly Rs. 67,000. Pre-orders for both models will open today, and they will go on sale on September 20.
With its rounded corners and new wide-angle OLED display, the Apple Watch Series 10 makes it simpler to interact with passcodes and messages. It has the largest display Apple has ever made for the regular Apple Watch series, 40% brighter than previous iterations, and the thinnest design, measuring just 9.7mm. The Series 10 offers improved performance and a new sleep apnea detection feature thanks to its new S10 chipset. This function tracks breathing patterns and evaluates the quality of sleep using the accelerometer in the watch.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 keeps its sturdy design and offers cutting-edge features in addition to a new color option. The most recent innovations in performance and health tracking are included in both watches, along with quicker charging times.
iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence
Apple's latest software update called iOS 18 will be available to all iPhone users from September 16, 2024. It will come with features like scheduled text messages in Messages and complete control over how your iPhone looks at home.
Apple's AI capabilities, which are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 series, will be available in an October iOS 18.1 software update. Following the release of iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia updates, Apple Intelligence will also be accessible on iPads and Macs.
One of the upcoming Apple Intelligence features will allow you to rewrite, edit, or summarize text using generative AI. Additionally, you will be able to edit objects out of photos and search for specific photos. Additionally, AI will be able to compile alerts based on the importance.