Apple unveiled a new series of iPhones including iPhone 15 Pro , on September 22nd, featuring a sleek titanium shell, a faster chip, and enhanced gaming capabilities. What stood out the most about the iPhone 15 launch was the fact that it did not result in price increases, a move that reflects the ongoing global slowdown in the smartphone market.
The event, which took place at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, occurred in the midst of continued economic uncertainty, particularly in China. China is Apple’s third-largest market, but it has been facing challenges due to increased restrictions on the use of iPhones in government offices. Additionally, Huawei Technologies, one of Apple’s competitors, recently introduced its first flagship phone in several years, which added to the competitive landscape.
Notably, Huawei boosted its shipment target for the new Mate 60 series smartphone, which comes equipped with satellite capabilities, by 20%. This development was reported by China’s official Securities Times shortly before Apple’s event.
Despite the anticipation, Apple’s presentation did not feature any groundbreaking surprises, leading to a 1.7% drop in its shares after the event.
Apple Embedding Machine Learning
While Apple refrains from explicitly mentioning the terms “artificial intelligence” or “AI,” it’s worth noting that this technology played a pivotal role in the introduction of several new features.
According to an Apple executive, the company leveraged machine learning to identify individuals in a photo, enabling users to easily convert a picture into a portrait either instantly or at a later time within the Photos app.
In addition to these innovations, Apple also unveiled new watches, including the Series 9 Watch featuring a unique functionality called “double tap.” With this feature, users can perform various tasks like answering phone calls by tapping their thumb and finger together twice, all without physically touching the watch.
Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams, explained that this feature relies on machine learning to detect subtle changes in blood flow when the user taps their fingers together. This innovation frees up the other hand, allowing individuals to multitask, such as walking a dog or holding a cup of coffee, while using the watch.
IPHONE 15 LAUNCH
Both the Pro and other iPhone 15 models will have a brighter display and a 48-megapixel camera as well as 100% recycled cobalt in their batteries.
Apple said the iPhone 15’s satellite connectivity can now be used to summon roadside assistance. It is rolling out the feature out with the American Automobile Association (AAA) in the United States.
Apple said that USB-C charging cables are coming to both its iPhone 15 and the charging case of its AirPods Pro devices. The move reflects requirements from European regulators to use USB-C and allows the use of the same charging cables already used for iPads and Macs.
“I was expecting Apple to try and spin the all USB-C decision in certain way but they didn’t they were very matter of fact in the way they talked about it,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies. She said the shift “brought some differentiation to the iPhone Pro, because there’s faster throughput for data transfer. That is going to be valuable for people” who use the device for professional photography, Milanesi said.
“Spatial Videos”
Apple also said the iPhone 15 Pro can 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.
The Pro’s use of titanium makes it lighter and stronger than previous models of other metals.
Bob O’Donnell, head of TECHnalysis Research said the steady prices were a surprise.
“I think both Apple and the carriers recognize that with consumers feeling pressure on their budget and the lack of dramatic changes it’s getting harder to convince people to upgrade. Keeping prices stable should help with that,” he said.
The iPhone 15 costs $799, the iPhone 15 Plus starts at $899 and the Pro series starts at $999. The Pro Max starts at $1,199, the same prices as last year for the same levels of storage. Last year, Apple offered a $1,099 iPhone Pro Max model with less memory.
Apple still relies on iPhone for more than half of its sales, but the global smartphone market has slumped from shipping 294.5 million total phones to 268 million in the second quarter. Apple’s shipments declined the least of any major smartphone maker, dropping from 46.5 million phones to 45.3 million, according to data from Counterpoint Research.
