At 1 AM Beijing time on August 27, Apple officially announced that it would hold its highly anticipated autumn new product launch event at 1 AM Beijing time on September 10. The theme of this launch event is "Highlight Moment," suggesting that Apple will bring a series of innovative products and technological upgrades during this event, with the all-new iPhone 16 series undoubtedly attracting the most attention. This also signifies the official launch of the iPhone 16 series to global consumers, ushering in a technological Spring Festival Gala facing the era of AI.

Firstly, Apple's autumn launch event has always been a grand occasion in the tech industry, and this year's event is even held earlier on a Monday, breaking Apple's usual tradition of holding it on a Tuesday.

According to foreign media, this autumn launch event was actually advanced by one day, mainly because on that day (September 10, EST), Vice President Harris and Republican presidential candidate Trump will hold their first televised debate. As the US presidential election approaches its decisive moment, this debate attracts worldwide attention, forcing Apple to temporarily avoid the limelight.

In addition, it is revealed that Apple will not only unveil the iPhone 16 series but also introduce a newly designed Apple Watch and AirPods 4, among other new products. Simultaneously, iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia will also be officially released.

It is worth mentioning that the newly designed logo on the invitation adopts a neon design, which may Foreshadowing new color options for the iPhone. Moreover, rumors claim that the iPhone will adopt a larger CMOS sensor for its camera this year, significantly enhancing photography in low-light environments.

Furthermore, based on previous foreign media speculation, the iPhone 16 series will be equipped with customizable action buttons and a new camera button with gesture functions.

Thanks to the addition of Apple Intelligence, this year's four iPhone 16 models (standard, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max) will all adopt the latest A18 chip.

According to currently exposed information, the most significant innovation in the iPhone 16 generation comes from the new A18 series chip. It is reported that the A18 will be built using TSMC's second-generation 3nm N3E process, which is expected to significantly improve energy efficiency compared to last year's A17 Pro's N3B process.

Moreover, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro series will be equipped with the A18 and A18 Pro SoCs, both using the N3E process. In terms of design, Apple has significantly enhanced the NPU capabilities. Currently, there are rumors that the NPU computing power of the A18 is higher than the 38TOPS of the M4. Meanwhile, to handle the 3B-scale model resident on the Apple Intelligence side, Apple has also increased the RAM of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to 8GB for the first time.

Furthermore, the display sizes of the two high-end Pro series products are expected to increase further, from the original 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches to 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. However, thanks to the further narrowing of the bezels, the overall body size remains relatively unchanged, resulting in a stunning front view.

Next, the imaging specifications of the iPhone 16 Pro align with those of its elder brother, featuring a periscope telephoto lens identical to the Pro Max, sourced from the same supplier.

This lens adopts a four-reflection prism structure, which is entirely different from Android phones. After four reflections, the CMOS remains flat on the motherboard, significantly reducing the thickness of the camera module. Therefore, the iPhone does not have multiple layers of huge protrusions like some Android phones.

Thanks to this lens, the iPhone 16 Pro series can achieve 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom, allowing for photography at a 120mm focal length.

Apart from hardware upgrades, foreign media also revealed that the iPhone 16 series will introduce a new image format – JPEG-XL, which will complement the existing HEIF, JPEG, HEIF Max, ProRaw, and ProRAW Max, providing users with more diversified storage and sharing options.

Regarding the new generation of Apple Watch Series 10, the display screen will be larger. The Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra are also expected to receive updates, incorporating new health features.

Specifically, the Apple Watch Series 10 is anticipated to introduce a brand new 49mm case size, while the existing 41mm option will be replaced by a 45mm size, and the original 45mm case will be expanded to 49mm. This design seems to draw inspiration from the Apple Watch Ultra, aiming to provide users with more diverse options. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 10's screen will support LTPO dynamic refresh rates, effectively extending the watch's battery life. The internal SiP chip will also be upgraded from the S9 to the all-new S10, significantly improving the watch's response speed and overall efficiency. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 10 will introduce two groundbreaking health monitoring features – sleep apnea monitoring and blood pressure alerts, elevating health tracking to a whole new level.

Incidentally, this year marks the tenth anniversary of Apple's launch of the Apple Watch. Therefore, according to leaks, Apple will name the 10th-generation Apple Watch "Apple Watch X," similar to the naming convention of the previous iPhone X.

Moreover, we may witness two versions of new AirPods aimed at replacing the current AirPods 2 and AirPods 3. Specifically, the standard AirPods 4 will replace the AirPods 2, while the enhanced version of AirPods 4 will replace the AirPods 3.

It is reported that the AirPods 4 will be available in two versions for the first time. The regular version maintains the simple style of the AirPods series, while the premium version incorporates ANC active noise cancellation, providing users with a more immersive listening experience. Meanwhile, the premium version's charging case is equipped with a speaker, making it easier for users to locate their earbuds when they can't find them. This generation of AirPods 4 will use the same H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2, significantly improving noise cancellation, sound quality, and battery life.

It is noteworthy that the meaning of "Highlight Moment" in the theme is currently unknown, but analysts speculate that it refers to a generative AI tool. It is anticipated that the focus of this launch event will be Apple Intelligence, an AI tool integrated into all new iPhones.

However, sources indicate that the first batch of new phones may not be available when iOS 18 is officially released, implying that the initial iPhone 16 models released this year will lack new AI features. According to foreign media reports, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, the Apple operating systems set to be released in September, will temporarily exclude Apple Intelligence. The company plans to introduce AI features to users in subsequent iOS 18 updates in October. According to insiders, although the rollout has been delayed, Apple plans to open Apple Intelligence to software developers this week through iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 beta versions for early testing.

Previously, Apple stated that the Apple Intelligence beta would be introduced this fall as a built-in feature of iOS 18 and other systems, supporting English (US) only. Partial functionality, software platforms, and support for other languages will be rolled out gradually next year, with Apple planning to launch the full Apple Intelligence from late 2024 to the first half of 2025. Apart from iPhones and iPads, Apple Intelligence will also be integrated into Mac computers. Apple's Vision Pro headset is also part of the Apple Intelligence development plan.

According to media reports, with the arrival of new iPhones, some older models will be discontinued. Following Apple's usual practice, the iPhone 15 Pro series will be discontinued after the launch of the iPhone 16, marking the end of the era of the 15 Pro series.

On social platforms, many netizens have mentioned, "I was thinking of buying the iPhone 15 once the new model is released because its price will drop, but I didn't expect it to be discontinued directly." "Is it still time to buy the iPhone 15?"

Finally, supply chain sources indicate that Apple has high hopes for the Pro series of the iPhone 16 lineup, expecting it to account for 70% of sales. It is anticipated that Apple will produce approximately 90.1 million iPhone 16 series devices by the end of the year, with about 59.8 million Pro/Max models, accounting for 66%-70% of total production.

By the way, there were rumors that Apple began manufacturing iPhone Pro high-end models in India this year, causing concerns among domestic consumers.

Now, there are reports that "iPhone 16 Pro Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in India" confirms that the iPhone 16 Pro series will be manufactured in India.

However, relevant sources indicate that this is for domestic sales in India. Domestic and most other countries or regions are still primarily "Assembled in China," meaning that consumers need not worry excessively, and users can use them with confidence.

Alright, the iPhone 16 series will be Apple's product to counter domestic manufacturers' challenges in the coming year, serving as an anchor for maintaining its high-end position without fear. Each generation of iPhones has its mission, and despite criticisms of a lack of innovation in recent years, Apple still leads in sales, with domestic brands struggling to shake its position. In the emerging AI era, the iPhone 16 series is striving to catch up and even overtake domestic manufacturers with Apple Intelligence based on the A18, which is highly anticipated.

As the launch event approaches, tech enthusiasts worldwide are closely monitoring Apple's every move. It is believed that during the "Highlight Moment" launch event, Apple will bring us more surprises and innovations. Stay tuned for the exciting live broadcast at 1 AM Beijing time on September 10!

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