I turned on the live broadcast with little interest, but my eyes widened even more - Apple actually had a bad conscience this time? This is how I felt watching Apple’s autumn conference this year. When Cook appeared in the camera, the same way of greeting people was a bit tired. Compared with last year, the biggest change was that the background behind Cook changed from a green lawn and a rainbow gate to Apple headquarters.
He started to introduce it, but it didn't seem to be anything special. Every year, Cook comes up and refines a keyword first. Last year it was Apple Intelligence (Apple Intelligence), and this year it is "design."
I thought this meant squeezing out toothpaste again, and the biggest highlight of this conference was probably the visual design of "liquid glass", but then one explosive point was thrown out one after another:
· AirPods Pro 3 is equipped with real-time translation and heart rate monitoring functions, which means that Apple’s earphones are no longer just earphones and have begun to transform into “smart hardware”;
· Apple Watch has added an eye-catching feature "hypertension notification", and Apple Watch has made another breakthrough in health monitoring;
· Apple Watch SE3 is finally here. The last time this series was updated was in 2022;
· A new member of the iPhone series, iPhone Air, has a single lens, is ultra-thin and durable, replacing the Plus and becoming a product with a price between the standard version and the Pro version;
· The standard version of the iPhone 17 is finally equipped with a high refresh rate of 120Hz, and the iPhone 17 Pro finally uses three 48-megapixel lenses and an 8x lens... The typical "toothpaste squeezing" behavior that the iPhone has been criticized for many years has "corrected" this year.
Of course, there are also many updates in terms of chips. The A19/A19 Pro chip has been unveiled. In addition, there is also a newly designed N1 chip and a new generation modem C1X.
It is particularly worth noting that the appearance upgrade of the iPhone is no longer just about the color, but also different treatments on the back lens. In addition to the standard version, iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro have extended the bulge of the lens into a long strip. It is no longer an abrupt design of "where the lens bulges, where it is".
The "squeeze toothpaste" update method of spitting out a little bit at a time has been complained about for many years. It is like high-refreshing the screen. Apple can do it long ago, but it just does not match the standard version of the iPhone to create version differentiation, but users are surrounded by Android users and are "ridiculed". Even Cook's words "Only Apple can do" during a press conference have become a meme.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen an Apple press conference with so many highlights at the same time. The most interesting thing is that this time, you can clearly feel that the standard version of the product has more surprises, but the high-end versions such as Apple Watch Ultra and iPhone Pro Max have much fewer "privileges" in comparison.
Apple, which no longer talks about AI, has finally started to "work hard".
Let’s first take a look at the updates for Apple’s two major wearable devices, headphones and watches.
The last time the AirPods Pro product line was updated was in 2022, when Apple released AirPods Pro 2. It has since made some upgrades, such as the addition of hearing aid mode and "hearing health" functions last year.
This time, Apple released AirPods Pro 3. The biggest highlight is no longer the improved appearance, better sound effects, and clearer hearing (noise reduction), but the huge change in product positioning.
First of all, AirPods Pro 3 supports real-time translation function. After turning it on, if the person on the other side speaks language A to you, the headphones will automatically start "simultaneous interpretation" into language B. And when you want to communicate with the other party, you can directly speak language B, and the text translated into language A in real time will be displayed on the screen of your mobile phone. You only need to raise your phone and show it to the other party.
Of course, if the other party also has AirPods Pro 3 hanging in their ears, this step can be omitted.
According to Apple, “This amazing feature is powered by advanced computational audio on AirPods and the Apple Intelligence model running on iPhone.”
In addition, AirPods Pro 3 also supports heart rate monitoring. Apple stuffed the AirPods Pro 3 with a heart rate sensor, a custom photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that "emits invisible infrared light at a pulse rate of 256 times per second to measure the amount of light absorption in the bloodstream."
The sensor works with the AirPods Pro accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, and new built-in AI models on iPhone to track heart rate, calorie burn, and activity.
There's also a new fitness experience in the iPhone Fitness app called Workout Buddy, which uses Apple Intelligence to track workout data and fitness history.
It is true that as a headset, the core upgrade of AirPods Pro 3 is the improvement of sound quality. Apple claims that it has “the world’s best active noise reduction (ANC)”.
But what deserves more attention is undoubtedly the addition of real-time translation and heart rate monitoring functions, both of which are implemented with the support of Apple Intelligence. This means that Apple's headphones have officially transformed into a "smart device", rather than just a pair of headphones that are easy to use and have outstanding sound quality.
As for the watch product line Apple Watch, the two most noteworthy highlights at this conference are the addition of the “hypertension warning” function of Apple Watch S11 and the iteration of SE.
Apple is expected to receive FDA approval for the "hypertension notification" feature within this month.
What it is not: This feature does not mean that the watch can measure blood pressure and display readings in real time and cannot replace a blood pressure monitor.
What it is: Over a 30-day period, the watch's optical heart sensor will check if you have symptoms of high blood pressure and pop up a notification. Through this function, the watch can remind users of the possibility of high blood pressure and further confirm it through blood pressure monitors and other methods.
It is difficult to measure blood pressure on a smart watch, and no brand can do it so far. Apple's approach is very smart. It does not directly measure blood pressure and read it, which means it can be easier to obtain regulatory approval. It is also quite attractive to users with related health problems.
In fact, ears or fingers are better places for smart devices to measure blood pressure. Considering that AirPods Pro has begun to transform, it is just around the corner that watches and headphones will cooperate to further broaden the boundaries of the health functions of Apple Intelligence devices.
Another update worth noting is that both the low-end version of the watch, SE, and the high-end version, Ultra, have been updated. In comparison, SE has a larger upgrade.
Three years have passed since the release of the previous generation of Apple Watch SE. This time, the SE 3 is equipped with the latest S10 chip, which means that it finally has many features found on more expensive watches, such as sleep tracking and satellite information. In addition, SE 3 also supports gesture operations, always-on screen, sleep apnea detection, body temperature sensing functions, etc.
It is not difficult to see that as a low-end watch product, Apple has given SE 3 a lot.
The conscientious upgrade of the standard version and low-end version is a prominent feature of this conference.
The iPhone also gave me enough surprises this time.
There are four iPhone models this year as always, but Apple has made a lot of changes. The Plus model is gone, replaced by the iPhone Air.
The characteristics of iPhone Air, also emphasized by Apple, are ultra-light, ultra-thin, ultra-durable, and ultra-power-saving.
Thinness and lightness are the most intuitive, with a body thickness of only 5.6 mm and a weight of 165g. For comparison, the standard version of iPhone 17 is 7.95 mm thick and weighs 177 grams. The Galaxy S25 Edge released by Samsung at the beginning of the year also focuses on being thin and light, with a thickness of 5.8 mm and a weight of 163 grams.
In Apple’s own words,“You have to hold it in your own hands to believe it exists,”This may be a bit exaggerated. However, those who have already experienced it, such as CNET reporters, feel that the iPhone Air does feel quite good.
However, the thin and light design of iPhone Air also comes with some sacrifices. First, it only supports eSIM—Apple eliminated the physical SIM card slot to make more room for the battery. The iPhone Air also only comes with a 48-megapixel rear camera, which sounds far less impressive than the dual-camera system of the iPhone 17 and the triple-camera system of the Pro model. However, the iPhone Air's rear camera integrates 2x optical zoom, so you can take telephoto photos.
Apple says that even though the phone is thinner and should have a smaller battery, it has the same 27 hours of video playback as the iPhone 16 Plus.
This is largely due to the chip. The iPhone Air is equipped with the A19 Pro chip. It is also equipped with the Apple N1 chip that supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as the faster and more efficient internal 5G modem C1X - yes, just half a year later, Apple has updated its self-developed modem.
Apple says iPhone Air is“The most power-efficient iPhone we’ve ever built”. If you still feel it’s not enough, Air can also be used with the latest MagSafe magnetic mobile charger.
As for the iPhone 17 series, the first thing that must be mentioned is that iPhone has finally equipped all four models released this time with ProMotion displays. Both the Air and the standard version have a 120Hz high refresh rate. Also equipped are the N1 wireless network chip and C1X.
The standard main camera system features a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 12-megapixel macro camera. The front camera will be equipped with a square sensor, which can achieve a variety of photo directions when taking selfies. For example, you can take a horizontal wide selfie without turning the phone sideways.
This may be the most exciting time for the standard version of the iPhone.
The iPhone 17 Pro model is not bad either. First of all, it has a completely new appearance. The camera area has been redesigned to span the entire width of the phone.
iPhone 17 Pro adopts a new "camera platform" design. Highlights include a vapor chamber cooling system that helps regulate the heat generated by the more powerful processor; and three 48-megapixel telephoto cameras with 4x optical zoom and 8x "optical-like" zoom.
Apple has always been criticized for its telephoto lens. When Android users "played the original video" at a concert, iPhone users often could only shake their heads in despair. On the night of the "Blood Moon" not long ago, users across the country took photos one after another, which also verified the iPhone's obvious shortcomings in this regard.
The new iPhone Chinese version will be available for pre-order at 8pm on September 12th and will be officially released on September 19th.
In terms of price, iPhone Air starts at 7,999 yuan; iPhone 17 standard version starts at 5,999 yuan; iPhone 17 Pro starts at 8,999 yuan; iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at 9,999 yuan. This time, all new models have a starting storage capacity of 256GB, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max can support up to 2TB.
In addition to new products, this conference also "hidden" some highlights.
In terms of chips, the standard version of iPhone 17 is equipped with the A19 chip, and the other models are equipped with the A19 Pro chip. These chips are likely to be manufactured using TSMC's latest N3P process node, which is also expected to be used in Apple's upcoming M5 chips for iPads and Macs.
The A19 has six CPU cores and five GPU cores. The processor has four efficiency cores and two performance cores, while the GPU continues to advance with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, and MetalFX upgrades.
Like the A19, the A19 Pro six-core CPU uses two performance cores and four energy-efficiency cores. The performance core has more powerful branch prediction capabilities and higher front-end bandwidth, while the new energy-efficiency core has a 50% increase in last-level cache.
Apple says the A19 chip is "purpose-built to power Apple Intelligence."
Another highlight worthy of attention is that this time the iPhone continues to emphasize the "durability" of the product.
The iPhone Air, for example, has a slim titanium body, which Apple says is the most durable iPhone yet, and uses the same Ceramic Shield 2 coating on the front and back as the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. This makes iPhone Air four times more resistant to cracks than the previous iPhone model, and the 6.5-inch display is three times more resistant to scratches.
Another example is the introduction of a "second-generation super ceramic panel" into the iPhone 17's casing, which Apple claims can protect the upgraded always-on display from scratches.
Even in a demonstration video, the iPhone 17 Pro was lifted up and passed through flying metal keys, or the glass was broken to highlight its scratch resistance and non-breakability. Such a "down-to-earth" demonstration was very "un-Apple" and reminded people of the legendary Nokia.
Whether it is the release of new products in multiple silent product lines, or the truly eye-catching features, or the "competition" of Apple Watch SE and iPhone standard version, as well as the repeated emphasis on "durability", this Apple conference has a different flavor.
The reason why "squeezing toothpaste" has become a meme and is complained about every year is because users know that Apple can do it, but they want to differentiate their products through precise "knife skills", so some functions have never been delegated. When users’ expectations were met time and time again on “the biggest update is color”, disappointment gradually turned into dissatisfaction.
No longer squeezing out toothpaste is Apple’s belated response to users. After the new Siri has been difficult to produce and Apple Intelligence suffered from the controversy of "news summary nonsense", Apple also needs to regain the trust of the market.
I just hope that this kind of "down to earth" is not a short-lived emergency measure.