USB-C to USB Adapter (2015)

Apple’s USB-C to USB Adapter is a “dongle-style” adapter that allows older USB-A devices to be converted to USB-C or Thunderbolt 3. Apple described the adapter:

“The USB-C to USB Adapter lets you connect iOS devices and many of your standard USB accessories to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) enabled Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Plug the USB-C end of the adapter into a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone, and then connect your flash drive, camera, or other standard USB device. You can also connect a Lightning to USB cable to sync and charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.”

According to Apple, it “supports data-transfer speeds up to 5Gbps (USB 3.1 Gen 1).” Further, you may “Use the USB-A port of this adapter with flash drives, cameras, USB hubs, and other devices that connect to USB-A for data transfer or charging.”

Source: Apple (product, support)

AirPods Pro (Generation 2, 2022)

Apple announced the Generation 2 version of AirPods Pro on September 7, 2022. Apple described these AirPods as the “most advanced AirPods ever” and reported the product highlights in a press release:

“With the power of the new H2 chip, AirPods Pro unlock breakthrough audio performance — including major upgrades to Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode — while also offering a unique way to experience Spatial Audio that’s even more immersive. Now, customers can enjoy Touch control for media playback and volume adjustments directly from the stem, along with longer battery life, a brand-new charging case, and an additional ear tip size for a better fit.”

The H2 chip in the AirPods Pro Generation 2 provided better noise cancellation as the original AirPods Pro and cancelled “up to twice as much noise over the previous generation.” Apple also improved the bass and engineered a “crystal-clear sound across a wider range of frequencies.” To improve the fit of this version of AirPods Pro, Apple included a new extra-small ear tip as a custom size option.

Apple also included a variety of Adaptive Audio features in the AirPods Pro Generation 2. The adaptive features worked by “automatically prioritizing sounds that need your attention as you move through the world. By seamlessly blending pro‑level Active Noise Cancellation with Transparency mode when you need it, Adaptive Audio magically delivers the right mix of sound for any environment.” Other features included:

  • Voice Isolation—Improved the quality of phone calls in loud or windy conditions using advanced computational audio.
  • Personalized Volume—Used machine learning to understand listening preferences in different environments, and automatically adapted sound over time.
  • Conversation Awareness—Automatically lowered the volume of what’s playing when speaking with someone nearby.

Three personalized listening technologies included Personalized Spatial Audio, Dynamic head tracking, and Adaptive EQ. The MagSafe Charging Case that shipped with the AirPods Pro Generation 2 allowed charging with USB‑C, an Apple Watch charger, or a MagSafe charger. The case also included Apple’s U1 chip to allow Find My with Precision Finding. Finally, the new case included a structure for a lanyard loop.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Product)

iPhone 16 Pro Silicone Case with MagSafe (ultramarine, 2024)

The iPhone 16 Pro Silicone Case was “Designed by Apple to complement iPhone 16 Pro, the Silicone Case with MagSafe is a delightful way to protect your iPhone. Made with a 55 percent recycled silicone material, the case has a silky, soft-touch finish on the exterior that feels great in your hand. And on the inside, there’s a soft microfiber lining for even more protection.”

The case also included MagSafe magnets that extended the functionality of MagSafe built into the iPhone through the case. Apple described the functionality:

“With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 16 Pro, this case offers a magical attach experience and faster wireless charging, every time. When it’s time to charge, just leave the case on your iPhone and snap on your MagSafe charger, or set it on your Qi2 or Qi-certified charger.”

Apple named the color of this case “Ultramarine,” one of my favorite colors released by Apple so far. The color is a shade of blue with a hint of violet. Other Fall 2024 Apple accessories in Ultramarine include an iPhone 16 Silicone Case with MagSafe, a Sport Loop for Apple Watch, and a Solo Loop for Apple Watch.

Source: Apple

iPhone 7 (silver, 2016)

The iPhone 7 has a 4.7-inch, 1334×750 Retina HD display. The iPhone has a front and back camera: the rear camera is 12-megapixel and the front camera is a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with 1080p video.

The iPhone 7 was the first iPhone (along with the iPhone 7 Plus) to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack and only include a Lightning port for audio. Like the iPhone 6 and 6s before it, the iPhone 7 uses a “clickless” Home button that uses an internal Taptic-engine-powered solid state component. Although the iPhone 7 is not water-proof, it is splash, water, and dust-resistant.

The iPhone 7 came in several colors: silver (white glass front, silver back); gold (white glass front, gold back); rose gold (white glass front, pink-tinted gold back); black (black glass front, matte black back); jet black (black glass front, a high-gloss black anodized and polished black aluminum back); and later added a (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition (white glass front, red aluminum back).

The iPhone 7 uses the Apple A10 Fusion processor, 2 GB of RAM, and was available with 32 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of flash storage.

This iPhone 7 is silver.

Source: EveryMac

iPhone FineWoven Wallet (Black, 2023)

This iPhone FineWoven Wallet is made from Apple’s “luxury” FineWoven material and includes Find My support. Apple described the Wallet:

“Designed with both style and function in mind, the new iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe is the perfect way to keep your ID and credit cards close at hand. It supports Find My, so you can be notified of your wallet’s last known location if it gets separated from your phone… The wallet features strong built-in magnets that allow it to effortlessly snap into place on the back of your iPhone. You can even stack it on top of a case with MagSafe to create a look that’s unique to you. The FineWoven wallet supports up to three cards and is shielded so it’s safe for credit cards.”

Further, Apple describes FineWoven as “durable microtwill” with a “soft, suedelike feel.” Apple continues, “The FineWoven material was also designed with the earth in mind — made from 68 percent post-consumer recycled content and significantly reducing carbon emissions compared to leather.”

Apple created FineWoven as a replacement to leather and since then, customer reviews of the material have been polarizing. Consumer Reports reviewed the material and its verdict was to not recommend accessories made from the material, stating that with typical use, they look “like a toddler has been chewing on it.”

The Consumer Reports tester, along with several other reviewers and consumers, report that FineWoven scratches easily, attracts lint, and stains with oil or grease—compared to the leather cases they replaced.

Apple provides a 4-step cleaning process for FineWoven using a liquid laundry detergent and reports that the “material may look different and show wear over time as the fibers get compressed with normal use.”

This FineWoven Wallet is Black.

Sources: Apple (product, cleaning), Consumer Reports

Apple World Travel Adapter Kit (2011)

Apple’s World Travel Adapter Kit is a collection of plugs to replace the North American “duck head”-style plug to allow the use Apple’s various power adapters in power outlets in other countries, including: North America, Japan, China, United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Brazil.

Apple notes that: “The kit is designed to work with iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Mac notebooks. It is compatible with Apple USB-C Power Adapters, MagSafe, MagSafe 2, and MagSafe 3 Power Adapters, 10W and 12W USB Power Adapters, and Portable Power Adapters.”

The kit works with a wide variety of Apple products, including, “iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Mac notebooks. It is compatible with Apple USB-C Power Adapters, MagSafe, MagSafe 2, and MagSafe 3 Power Adapters, 10W and 12W USB Power Adapters, and Portable Power Adapters.” The plugs are laser-etched with the regions in which they are designed to be used.

Apple’s product code for this boxed collection is MB974ZM/B.

Source: Apple

iPhone 16 Pro Clear Case with MagSafe (2024)

The iPhone 16 Pro Clear Case was released along with the iPhone 16 lineup in September 2024. Apple described the case as “Thin, light, and easy to grip — this Apple-designed case shows off the brilliant colored finish of iPhone 16 Pro while providing extra protection.”

Like the previous versions of Apple’s clear cases, this case uses multiple materials that are molded together to provide protection, grip, and access to buttons, using “a blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible materials.”

In addition, this case adds a new button that works “seamlessly with Camera Control. It features a sapphire crystal, coupled to a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control.” Camera Control was a new feature introduced with the iPhone 16 lineup that added one-button access to the camera and its controls using a touch-sensitive side-button. On the Clear Case, the Camera Control button is white (not clear) and made of a conductive material to allow full functionality of the iPhone button.

Like its predecessors, this case has “built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone…[offering] a magical attach experience and faster wireless charging, every time. When it’s time to charge, just leave the case on your iPhone and snap on your MagSafe charger.”

Apple also mentions that “all materials and coatings are optimized to prevent yellowing over time,” a claim that, in my experience, has stood the test of time. I first purchased Apple’s Clear Case with my iPhone 11 in September 2019 and it, along with the iPhone 12–15 cases, shows very little evidence of yellowing.

Source: Apple

iPhone 16 Pro (256GB, black, 2024)

Apple announced the iPhone 16 lineup on September 9, 2024, and the phones were released on Friday, September 20, 2024. In a press release, Apple described the iPhone 16 Pro models:

“Powered by the A18 Pro chip and built for Apple Intelligence, the Pro lineup introduces larger display sizes, Camera Control, innovative pro camera features, and a huge leap in battery life.”

The iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and also the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Max were marketed specifically as “featuring Apple Intelligence.” However, no Apple Intelligence features were available at launch, and no release was was shared. Apple Intelligence, Apple’s name for Artificial Intelligence, was described as different than other versions of AI because it “harnesses the power of Apple silicon and Apple-built generative models to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks.” Further, Apple Intelligence “maintains the privacy and security of user data with Private Cloud Compute.”

The iPhone 16 Pro (and Pro Max) models were made from titanium with four available finishes: black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium. The Pro iPhone options offered no colors, just “finishes.” This example is black titanium.

The iPhone 16 Pro featured a 48MP Fusion camera that could record 4K video at 120 fps. The camera was further enhanced with “a new 48MP Ultra Wide camera for higher-resolution photography, including macro; a 5x Telephoto camera on both Pro models; and studio-quality mics to record more true-to-life audio.”

Apple also touted the bezel of the iPhone 16 Pro by saying it had, “the thinnest borders of any Apple product” with sizes including a 6.3 inch display on iPhone 16 Pro and a 6.9 inch display on iPhone 16 Pro Max (“the largest iPhone display ever”). The display on the iPhone 16 Pro was described as the Super Retina XDR display and had 2622 x 1206 pixel resolution at 460 ppi. It used Apple’s “latest-generation Ceramic Shield material that’s two times tougher than any smartphone glass.”

The iPhone 16 line introduced a new Camera Control button on the lower-right side. When turned sideways, the button was positioned in the traditional location of a camera capture button. Pressing the Camera Control button gave immediate access to the camera, and sliding your finger across the surface of the button allowed access to “functions like exposure or depth of field, and toggle through each lens or use digital zoom to frame your shot.” At release, the “two-stage shutter that lets you automatically lock focus and exposure with a light press” was not yet available, but was announced as coming “later this year.”

In addition to advanced camera and video capture, a new Audio Mix technology was also included with three settings that allowed for adjusting the way voices were recorded. According to Apple’s description:

  • In-frame—Only captures the voices of the people on camera, even if people off-camera are talking during the recording.
  • Studio—Makes voices sound like you’re recording in a professional studio equipped with sound-dampening walls.
  • Cinematic—Captures all of the voices around you and consolidates them toward the front of the screen — just like sound is formatted for the movies.

The iPhone 16 Pro measured 5.89 inches high, 2.81 inches wide, and 0.32 inch thick. It weighed 7.03 ounces. All iPhone 16 models used a form of the A18 chip—a major bump from the A16 chip used in the iPhone 15, and an increase from the A17 Pro chip used in the iPhone 15 Pro. Notably, Apple never released an A17 chip (only anA17 Pro)—they apparently skipped it in favor of using A18 generation chips in the iPhone 16 models to power their yet-to-be-delivered-at-launch Apple Intelligence features.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, product, Specifications)

iPhone FineWoven Wallet (Taupe, 2023)

This iPhone FineWoven Wallet is made from Apple’s “luxury” FineWoven material and includes Find My support. Apple described the Wallet:

“Designed with both style and function in mind, the new iPhone FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe is the perfect way to keep your ID and credit cards close at hand. It supports Find My, so you can be notified of your wallet’s last known location if it gets separated from your phone… The wallet features strong built-in magnets that allow it to effortlessly snap into place on the back of your iPhone. You can even stack it on top of a case with MagSafe to create a look that’s unique to you. The FineWoven wallet supports up to three cards and is shielded so it’s safe for credit cards.”

Further, Apple describes FineWoven as “durable microtwill” with a “soft, suedelike feel.” Apple continues, “The FineWoven material was also designed with the earth in mind — made from 68 percent post-consumer recycled content and significantly reducing carbon emissions compared to leather.”

Apple created FineWoven as a replacement to leather and since then, customer reviews of the material have been polarizing. Consumer Reports reviewed the material and its verdict was to not recommend accessories made from the material, stating that with typical use, they look “like a toddler has been chewing on it.”

The Consumer Reports tester, along with several other reviewers and consumers, report that FineWoven scratches easily, attracts lint, and stains with oil or grease—compared to the leather cases they replaced.

Apple provides a 4-step cleaning process for FineWoven using a liquid laundry detergent and reports that the “material may look different and show wear over time as the fibers get compressed with normal use.”

This FineWoven Wallet is Taupe, a shade of medium brown.

Sources: Apple (product, cleaning), Consumer Reports

iPhone 11 Pro Max Leather Case (black, 2019)

The Leather Case for the iPhone 11 Pro Max was made from “specially tanned and finished European leather, so the outside feels soft to the touch and develops a natural patina over time.” The case included “machined aluminum buttons match the finish of your leather case, while a microfiber lining inside helps protect your iPhone.”

The iPhone 11 Pro Max allowed wireless charging using the Qi charging standard of the time. This leather case was designed to allow wireless charging to pass through the case. (However, the case did not include Apple’s built-in MageSafe wireless charging—it was released a year later along with the iPhone 12.)

This iPhone 11 Pro Max Leather Case is black.

Sources: Apple, Wikipedia