Apple announced four new iPhones, three new Apple Watches, and new AirPods at today’s #AppleEvent 👀
Here’s a high-level overview of what to look forward to 🧵
To kick things off, Apple introduced three new versions of the Apple Watch: The Series 8, SE, and the brand new Ultra.
Some of the Series 8’s most notable new features include vehicle crash detection capabilities, a new low power mode to help extend its battery life, and ovulation tracking through temperature sensing.
Then, there’s the completely new Apple Watch Ultra, which the company claims is “the most rugged and capable Apple Watch ever.”
We’re not so sure it’s worth the hype 🤨
The Ultra is designed to appeal to the outdoorsy type: It has a raised lip around the screen to avoid impact damage, a new battery saving mode that could allow for up to 60 hours of use, a redesigned compass app, and a “backtrack” feature that relies on GPS breadcrumbing.
Our writer @davegershgorn's verdict on the Ultra: It’s better than most smartwatches, but compared to other extreme sport or expedition-grade smartwatches, it “looks meh.”
And honestly, we’d say the same about the second-generation AirPods Pro.
@davegershgorn Our @LaurenDragan described the new AirPods Pro as a smaller step forward than we’d hoped for. The battery life is a disappointing 6 hours, and the overall design is largely unchanged from previous versions.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan We like the idea of the case that can charge using the Apple watch cable, and the fact that Apple added volume controls to the AirPods is nice—although years behind the competition.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan Apple also claims to have improved the active noise canceling and isolation in the latest AirPods Pro model, but we’ll need to run tests to find out how true that is.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan The $250 price range seems steep to us based on specs alone, especially considering that we recommend less expensive earbuds with similar or better features. Unless you’re an AirPods fan who needs to replace your current pair, we recommend holding off on buying the new version.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan Now, moving on to the phones. There are four new models: the iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus (a larger version of the standard iPhone 14), the iPhone 14 Pro (a pricier, upgraded model), and the iPhone 14 Pro Max (a larger version of the standard Pro).
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan For the non-Pro models, the improvements from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 14 are primarily in the camera, which introduces a higher resolution sensor and a much faster aperture that will practically result in better pictures in low light.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max take that multiple steps farther with a new 48-megapixel main camera, which Apple says should also provide dramatic improvements to images in darker situations.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max truly stand out for one particular feature that has us (and seemingly everyone else on Twitter) excited: the Dynamic Island, which one Wirecutter editor called “annoyingly smart.”
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan The Dynamic Island takes the front-facing camera and depth sensor and moves it down into the screen, surrounding it with a black background in software that transforms to feature various user experiences like active calls and audio playback.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan Every iPhone 14 has the same vehicle crash detection capabilities as the new Apple Watches. They also have a new Emergency SOS feature that uses satellite radios to send texts and location data to authorities in the event that you’re lost and outside of cellular or WiFi coverage.
@davegershgorn@LaurenDragan We’ll be updating our relevant guides soon with final verdicts on whether or not these new devices make the cut to become picks, so stay tuned!
1/ There’s just nothing like picking up a good book and reading it undisturbed for hours on end 😌🧵
2/ Do you prefer reading a physical book or using an ebook reader (like a Kindle)? ⬇️
3/ We tested every competitive ebook reader available in the US, and we can say that the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is the right choice for almost everyone (yes, even for adults).
That means it's time to plan your next trip to a national park. Here’s a list of our favorite gear for on-the-go handwashing, cleaning up, eating alfresco, and more 👇🏼 nytimes.com/wirecutter/rev…nytimes.com/wirecutter/rev…
Prepping for the car ride there is just as important. Whether you’re traveling down the road or all the way to Yellowstone, you’ll need essentials for the ride there. nytimes.com/wirecutter/lis…nytimes.com/wirecutter/lis…
1/ Few things in life are as important as good sleep, and being tired all the time can impact things like your mood and eating habits.
When you’re tired, everything feels awful—we’re here to help with Sleep Week. Now until Feb. 21, we’re diving deep into all things sleep. 🧵👇🏼
2/ Yesterday we kicked off our Sleep Better Challenge— you can still sign up by texting Zzz to 917-810-3301. 📲
And later this week we’ll be sharing more about gear that’ll help you snooze better, and tips on how to build helpful habits for optimal rest.
3/ In the meantime, these are some things that help our Wirecutter staff fall (and stay) asleep. From blankets to diffusers, there’s something for everyone. 💤 nytimes.com/wirecutter/rev…
Several of our staffers recently admitted that they have toilet brushes that are 5+ years old. If you have an old toilet brush, we promise we’re not judging you.
In our experience, your brush will likely start to show signs of wear after 6 months to a year if you're cleaning your toilet regularly—but as long as the bristles aren't bent, falling out or discolored, you can hold off on getting a new brush.
If you’re using an old brush with worn out bristles, though, its handle will eventually start scraping against the toilet’s porcelain, causing scratches—and creating new places for germs to hide. At that point, you’ll want to get a replacement.
🆕 It’s not made by Apple, but the Zagg Pro Stylus matches most of the benefits of Apple’s Pencil and even exceeds them in some ways. wrctr.co/3qii7l5
This is no small feat, as every non-Apple stylus lacks the Pencil's greatest strength: hardware-&-software integration
Bc Apple makes the Pencil, iPad, iPadOS, & software kits, the Pencil can take advantage of more features, although the list of unique functions has shrunk.
The Zagg Pro Stylus also offers palm rejection & tilt support, two features we consider essential on a premium stylus.
The only drawing feature the Pro Stylus lacks is pressure sensitivity.