Tag: 2025

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Apple Watch Series 11 (46 mm, aluminum, GPS, space gray, 2025)

Among the 12 press releases of the “base” Apple Watch models (original Apple Watch through the Series 11), 7 of the 12 have mentioned health and/or fitness features in the headline (or subhead). The Apple Watch Series 11 press release leads with “groundbreaking health insights” and specified hypertension notifications and sleep score as its primary new features along with battery improvements and a more scratch-resistant display.

Stan Ng, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing, said in the press release that “Apple Watch is the world’s most popular watch, using advanced sensing capabilities to empower millions of people around the world to better understand their health simply by wearing it, while also serving as a fitness coach, message center, mobile wallet, and beautiful timepiece.” He added that the “Apple Watch Series 11 is an indispensable companion that supports users’ health, fitness, safety, and connectivity throughout the day and night.”

The durability of the screen is described in more detail, noting that it is “Made from a unique Ion-X (ion-exchanged strengthened) glass…treated with a breakthrough Apple-designed ceramic coating that bonds to the glass at an atomic level through a physical vapor deposition process, significantly hardening the surface.”

The Apple Watch Series 11 was released with watchOS 26, using the Liquid Glass design also available on all Apple devices as of late 2025. Some of the new features added:

  • 2 new watch faces (Flow and Exactograph)
  • A new one-handed wrist flick gesture to easily dismiss notifications
  • Live Translation in Messages with Apple Intelligence
  • A Watch version of the Notes app (finally!!)

The Aluminum case options for Apple Watch Series 11 were available in Rose Gold, Silver, Jet Black, and a new Space Gray option. Titanium case options included Gold, Natural, and Slate.

The 46 mm model measured 46mm x 39 mm and was 9.7 mm thick. The aluminum/GPS model weighed 37.8 grams.

The screen was 416 x 496 pixels at 326 pixels per inch with an always‑On Retina display with wide‑angle OLEDs. It could display up to 2000 nits peak brightness down to 1 nit minimum brightness.

The Series 11 had an impressive list of sensors:

  • Electrical heart sensor
  • Third‑generation optical heart sensor
  • Blood oxygen sensor
  • Temperature sensor
  • Compass
  • Always‑on altimeter
  • High‑g accelerometer
  • High dynamic range gyroscope
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Depth gauge to 6 meters
  • Water temperature sensor

Connectivity options included support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks with Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; GPS systems including L1, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou. It used a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

This example is in the Aluminum Space Gray option in the 46 mm size. It shipped with a black M/L Sport Band.

Sources: Apple (newsroom, specs)

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iPad (A16) (Generation 11, 11-inch, Wi-Fi, 128GB, Yellow, 2025)

On March 4, 2025, when Apple introduced the iPad Air with the M3 chip, they also announced the iPad Generation 11 with an A16 chip. The entire press release for this iPad device release amounted to one paragraph:

“Apple today also updated iPad with double the starting storage and the A16 chip, bringing even more value to customers. The A16 chip provides a jump in performance for everyday tasks and experiences in iPadOS, while still providing all-day battery life. Compared to the previous generation, the updated iPad with A16 is nearly 30 percent faster. In fact, compared to iPad with A13 Bionic, users will see up to a 50 percent improvement in overall performance, and A16 makes the updated iPad up to 6x faster than the best-selling Android tablet.”

This iPad update was released soon after the announcement of Apple Intelligence. While Apple was touting Apple Intelligence and updating its devices to take advantage of the new features, the iPad Generation 11 was given a chip that did not allow Apple Intelligence. While this updated iPad is faster than the previous Generation 10 model, it does not meet the minimum specification of the A17 Pro chip to allow Apple Intelligence compatibility. Apple provided no explanation for this omission.

One notable upgrade was in storage on the A16 iPad. The iPad Generation 11 doubled its base storage from 64 to 128GB and was also available in 256 and 512GB configurations. 

Except for the A16 chip and upgraded storage, this iPad was nearly identical to the iPad Generation 10. 

The iPad Generation 11 measured 9.79 x 7.07 inches, and was 0.28 inch thick. It weighed 1.05 pounds (Wi-Fi model). It had stereo speakers, a front camera and microphone centered on the “long”landscape” (long) side to enhance the FaceTime experience, and included both USB-C and a Smart Connector.

Its Liquid Retina display was 2360 x 1640 pixels at 264 ppi and delivered up to 500 nits brightness. It supported the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and also the Apple Pencil Generation 1 (although clumsily since the original Apple Pencil used a Lightning connector for charging). 

The back camera was 12MP with digital zoom up to 5x supporting Smart HDR 4, geotagging, auto image stabilization, and burst mode. It could capture video up to 4K. The similar front camera was also 12MP and supported Center Stage in Landscape mode. It supported Smart HDR 4, but only could record 1080p HD video. 

The iPad Generation 11 had 5 sensors, including Touch ID, 3‐axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. 

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Specs)

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Apple Watch Sport Loop (Blue Cloud, 46 mm, Fall 2024)

The Apple Watch Sport Loop band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 42 mm and 46 mm Apple Watch models (2024), and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200 mm wrists (38, 40, 41, 42 mm) and 145–220 mm wrists (42, 44, 46, 49 mm).

Beginning with the Apple Watch 10, the 42 mm description became arguably more confusing, as the larger model of the original Apple Watch (Series 0 and 1) was described as “42 mm,” and now the smaller model of the current Apple Watch (Series 10) is described as “42 mm.”

Beginning in Fall 2024, Apple began offering bands in the monotone colors—a design concept first available nearly 10 years ago with the original Apple Watch. This Blue Cloud color is pale blue/light gray. The connector and closure plastics also matched the pale blue/light gray color of the band (as opposed to using contrasting colors for the plastics).

Apple also began describing this band as “Carbon Neutral” and including a description of the environmental benefits along with the general product description:

“Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Sport Loop features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. This weave is made with 82% recycled yarns, some of which contain material from discarded fishing nets. This band is carbon neutral. The Sport Loop contains 45% recycled content by weight, 100% of manufacturing electricity is covered by clean energy, and 50% or more of all carbon neutral Apple Watch products are shipped without airplanes.”

Sources: Apple, Bandbreite app

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Apple Watch Sport Loop (Neon Yellow, 46 mm, Fall 2025)

The Apple Watch Sport Loop band was woven from nylon thread to create a hook-and-loop closure. These bands were available for the 42 mm and 46 mm Apple Watch models (2025), and were offered in sizes to fit 130–200 mm wrists (38, 40, 41, 42 mm) and 145–220 mm wrists (42, 44, 46, 49 mm).

Beginning with the Apple Watch 10, the 42 mm description became arguably more confusing, as the larger model of the original Apple Watch (Series 0 and 1) was described as “42 mm,” and now the smaller model of the current Apple Watch (Series 10) is described as “42 mm.”

Beginning in Fall 2024, Apple began offering bands in the monotone colors—a design concept first available nearly 10 years ago with the original Apple Watch. This Neon Yellow color is bright yellow. The connector and closure plastics also matched the bright yellow color of the band (as opposed to using contrasting colors for the plastics).

Apple also began describing this band as “Carbon Neutral” and including a description of the environmental benefits along with the general product description:

“Soft, breathable, and lightweight, the Sport Loop features a hook-and-loop fastener for quick and easy adjustment. The double-layer nylon weave has dense loops on the skin side that provide soft cushioning while allowing moisture to escape. This weave is made with 82% recycled yarns, some of which contain material from discarded fishing nets. This band is carbon neutral. The Sport Loop contains 45% recycled content by weight, 100% of manufacturing electricity is covered by clean energy, and 50% or more of all carbon neutral Apple Watch products are shipped without airplanes.”

Sources: Apple, Bandbreite app

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iPad Air 13-inch (Space Gray, M3, Wi-Fi, 128 GB, 2025)

The M3 iPad Air 13-inch was announced on March 4, 2025, and was described as being up to 2x faster than the M1 iPad Air. The press release also touted:

“iPad Air with M3 brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to iPad Air for the first time—taking its incredible combination of power-efficient performance and portability to a new level… Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable while on the go, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for more room to be creative and productive.”

Apple mentioned that “The faster Neural Engine in M3 means iPad Air [is]…up to 60 percent faster for AI-based workloads…and support for advanced accessories, including the new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro.”

The 11-inch and 13-inch M3 iPad Air devices were available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray, with 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB configurations. This example is the 13-inch version of the iPad Air in Space Gray with 128 GB storage.

This 13-inch iPad Air Wi-Fi is 11.04 inches (280.6 mm) x 8.46 inches (214.9 mm), is 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) thick, and weighs 1.36 pounds (616 grams).

The Liquid Retina display is 2732 x 2048 pixels at 264 ppi and can display up to 600 nits brightness. It is powered by Apple’s M3 chip (8-core CPU with 4 performance cores; 4 efficiency cores; 9-core GPU). It has a 16-core Neural Engine.

The back camera is a 12MP Wide camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture that allows digital zoom up to 5x using a 5-element lens. It can capture Panorama photos up to 63 MP. It can record video up to 4K at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps. The front camera is a landscape 12 MP Center Stage camera with ƒ/2.0 aperture that can record video at up to 1080p (HD) at 25, 30, or 60 fps.

Its dual microphones can be used for calls, video recording, and audio recording and has landscape stereo speakers.

Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO5 and Bluetooth 5.3. Its sensors include Touch ID, 3‐axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor.

This iPad Air is using the Symmetry Series Folio case (for iPad Air 13-inch M2 and M3) by OtterBox in their “Starry Night” (black, clear, grey) color. The hinged folio design provides an adjustable stand, screen protection, magnetic sleep/wake, and protects the Apple Pencil while allowing charging while in storage.

Sources: Apple (newsroom, specs, product page), OtterBox

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Beats Solo Buds (Matte Ivory, 2025)

This is a somewhat rare example in my collection of a Beats accessory. Beats has been owned by Apple since 2014 as “a leading audio brand founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine” that primarily sells “premium consumer headphones, earphones, and speakers.”

The Beats website offers the headline for the Beats Solo Buds: Designed for music first. They describe that “Every design decision was focused on accurate music reproduction—from the drivers to the vents to the position of each intricate component inside…[resulting in] cleanly balanced tuning that gives you the full range and emotion of all your music, as the artists intended.”

Apple’s website describes these headphones as the “tiniest case we’ve ever made” and touts that “these mighty small earbuds are packed with incredibly big sound.” Each of the product’s features are outlined:

  • Designed for music first
  • Custom dual-layer drivers
  • Laser-cut venting
  • Four eartip sizes
  • Battery all day
  • iOS and Android friendly
  • Crystal-clear calls

The case measures 2.6 x 1.4 inches and is 0.9 inch thick. The case weighs 22 grams. Each earbud measures 0.75 x 0.81 inch and is 0.73 inch deep. Each earbud weighs 5.7 grams. The entire product including the case and 2 earbuds weighs 33.4 grams.

Wireless connectivity includes Class 1 Wireless Bluetooth.

The Apple and Beats websites offer the Beats Solo Buds in 4 colors: Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red. However, this Matte Ivory color is available exclusively at Walmart in the United States.

Sources: Beats (About, product page), Apple (product page), Walmart

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Apple Watch Sizing Guide (2025)

Beginning in 2020 Apple began offering Apple Watch band designs that were specifically sized to wrists. These bands included the Apple Watch Solo Loop and the Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop. These Apple Watch bands were available in sizes 1–12.

In order to allow individuals to determine their Apple Watch Band size, Apple provided three methods:

  • Printable Tool (online PDF)
  • Everyday items (using a “tailor’s measuring tape” or a narrow strip of paper)
  • Sizing Tool (in-store paper tool)

The first 2 options were available online. After measuring your wrist, Apple provided an online converter that allowed users to enter their wrist size to a maximum of 10 15/16 inch (although the Solo Loop only fit wrists to a maximum of 8 2/16 inches).

This third Sizing Tool option was available to Apple Store Customers. The tool includes the directions on the outer package, instructing individuals using diagrams to open the package, peel back an adhesive dot, wrap the tool around the wrist, and determine the band size based upon the location of arrows printed on the Sizing Tool.

This example is unopened and was obtained at the Deer Park (IL) Apple Store in December 2025.

Source: Apple (Solo Loop, Sizing Guide)

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iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case (Purple, 2025)

The TechWoven Case was introduced in September 2025 along with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple described the new material: “The TechWoven Case has a new technical woven fabric that uses multiple colored yarns, creating a dimensional texture and rich depth of color, while a protective coating provides resistance to scratches and stains.”

This TechWoven material was described by some reviewers as a replacement to FineWoven, the material Apple released in 2023 to replace its leather accessories when the company removed the material from its offerings as part of its carbon neutral “Apple 2030 climate goal.” FineWoven was generally regarded by many reviewers as unsuccessful and TechWoven was referred to as the replacement of the replacement with headlines such as “Apple Seeks to Repent for FineWoven Fail With New TechWoven Cases” and bylines that included, “Apple’s TechWoven case is cloth and, more importantly, not the old FineWoven mess.”

Apple described the iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case as offering “beautiful personalization and protection for your iPhone 17 Pro.” They noted:

“This case is made from a custom technical woven fabric, made from 100 percent recycled polyester. Multiple colored yarns are woven together on a Jacquard loom creating a dimensional texture with a rich depth of color. The sides of the case are coated with a lightly textured TPU for better grip. The refined anodized aluminum buttons provide precise and responsive feedback.”

This case also featured two connection points so it could be securely attached to the Crossbody Strap that was introduced at the same time as this case.

The iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case had “built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 17 Pro” and offered a “magical attach experience and faster wireless charging.” This example is purple.

Sources: Apple (newsroom, climate goals, product info), Vice

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iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case (Black, 2025)

The iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case was “Designed by Apple to complement iPhone 17 Pro, the Silicone Case with MagSafe is a delightful way to protect your iPhone.” This case also featured a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control button under the volume buttons.

Unlike previous Silicone case models, this one featured two connection points so it could be securely attached to the Crossbody Strap that was introduced at the same time as this case and the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple also noted that the case was “Made with a 45 percent recycled silicone material” and “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 charging functionality:

“With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 17 Pro Max, 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 25W or Qi-certified charger.”

This case was originally offered in six colors. This example is black.

Source: Apple

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iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case (Orange, 2025)

The iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case was “Designed by Apple to complement iPhone 17 Pro, the Silicone Case with MagSafe is a delightful way to protect your iPhone.” This case also featured a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control button under the volume buttons.

Unlike previous Silicone case models, this one featured two connection points so it could be securely attached to the Crossbody Strap that was introduced at the same time as this case and the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple also noted that the case was “Made with a 45 percent recycled silicone material” and “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 charging functionality:

“With built-in magnets that align perfectly with iPhone 17 Pro Max, 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 25W or Qi-certified charger.”

This case was originally offered in six colors. This example is orange.

Source: Apple