APPLE just showed off a flurry of new gadgets and I’ve already had a chance to play with them.
I got to try what I reckon is the iPhone 16’s best feature – but it was two other Apple tricks that really blew me away.
Let’s start with the iPhone 16 (out September 20 from $799/£799), which was announced at the Apple Glowtime event today.
It comes in four flavors: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
That’s no huge surprise, but what was a bit of a shock was the fact that all four models have a brand new button.
It’s called the Camera Control button, and it does exactly what you’d expect it to – plus a little more.
So you click once to launch the camera, and then click a second time to snap a video.
If you hold the button down then you’ll start recording video too.
Importantly, it’s not a normal button: it’s actually a pressure sensitive panel.
So if you lightly press on it then you can pull up your extra camera controls like zoom, focus, and photographic styles.
You can then swipe your finger along the Camera Control pad to zoom in or switch between settings modes.
I found it extremely easy to use, and you can imagine it becoming very quick once you get into the habit of accessing it.
It’s in the perfect place where your finger would naturally fall when taking photos.
And it’s a great way of getting people into the habit of using camera controls that they might otherwise ignore.
It should mean it’s a lot less fiddly to activate those controls.
But I’ll need to wait for a full review before I can give my proper verdict.
It’s also worth noting that Apple is upgrading the Camera Control later in the year.
You’ll be able to click and hold to access Visual Intelligence.
This lets you view real-world objects through your camera and find out information about them.
You could point your camera at a restaurant to get their hours or ratings, or even scan a dog to learn about its breed.
One of my favorite new upgrades was a major hearing update coming to the AirPods Pro.
Most Americans haven’t had their hearing checked in the last five years, according American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
And the same is likely true elsewhere.
With a new update, the AirPods Pro will let you do an at-home hearing test that takes just five minutes.
It’ll quickly reveal whether you’ve experienced hearing loss, and recommend some actions.
If you do have hearing loss, the AirPods Pro can then function as a hearing aid.
And to prevent further hearing loss, your AirPods Pro can dim loud sounds around you while still letting you hear – perfect for concerts, for instance.
This could solve a massive problem of people simply not realizing they’ve experienced hearing loss.
Here's what was announced at the Apple Glowtime event on September 9, 2024...
Beyond that, it means people with hearing issues (known or otherwise) can live more normally – and potentially avoid forking out for expensive hearing aids too.
Three Apple Watch models are also getting a great new health feature: Sleep Apnea detection.
And spotting it is important, as Apple explains: “Sleep apnea is a prevalent disorder in which breathing momentarily stops during sleep, preventing the body from getting enough oxygen.
“The condition is estimated to impact more than 1 billion people worldwide, and in most cases, goes undiagnosed.
“If left untreated, it can have important health consequences over time, including increased risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.”
Your Apple Watch will soon begin to track a new metric called Breathing Disturbances.
If it spots a consistent trend of modern to severe sleep apnea, you’ll be notified.
And then you can go to your doctor to discuss it – and hopefully get treatment.
It’s coming to the new Apple Watch Series 10, as well as last year’s Series 9 and Ultra 3.
Like Apple’s new hearing loss features, the Sleep Apnea detection could totally change someone’s life.
It might not be as flashy as better cameras or faster processors, but it can have a real impact on millions of AirPods and Apple Watch owners.
That said, I am a big fan of the new Desert Titanium color on the iPhone 16 Pro Max and will rave about it for weeks. I am human, after all.
