Tag: aluminum

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iPhone 17 Pro (Cosmic Orange, 256GB, 2025)

The iPhone 17 Pro was introduced on September 9, 2025, during a pre-recorded Apple event titled “Awe Dropping” that featured an animated/interactive Apple logo on a black background. The Apple logo resembled a thermal image, perhaps hinting that one of the products introduced might feature a new type of cooling system. That idea became a reality with the iPhone 17 Pro’s new “vapor chamber that is laser-welded into a strong, light, and thermally conductive aluminum unibody” was introduced.

Other iPhone 17 Pro features highlighted in the press release included:

  • “Both models feature A19 Pro, the most powerful and efficient chip for iPhone yet, enabling the advanced camera systems, next-level mobile gaming, and Apple Intelligence.”
  • “Three 48MP Fusion cameras — Main, Ultra Wide, and an all-new Telephoto — offer the equivalent of eight lenses, including the longest optical-quality zoom ever on iPhone at 8x, and the innovative 18MP Center Stage front camera takes selfies to the next level.”
  • “Both models feature the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover with 3x better scratch resistance, and for the first time, Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone.”

The iPhone 17 Pro (and Pro Max) featured new colors including a silver that uses two “refined” tones with the camera body and ceramic shield, an “elegant” deep blue, and a “bold” cosmic orange.

I found the cosmic orange option difficult to resist because previous Pro-model iPhone devices have not been available in colors that were not dark, desaturated, or otherwise dull.

This event included Apple’s first mention of the “plateau” that houses the camera on the back of the phone—previously informally referred to as the “camera bump.” (The plateau was also mentioned in the introduction of the iPhone Air in this Apple event.) Apple explained the protruding feature on the iPhone 17 Pro: “On the back, the plateau creates additional space for internal components — making room for a larger battery.”

Apple further described the vapor chamber cooling system:

“Deionized water is sealed inside the vapor chamber, which is laser-welded into the aluminum chassis to move heat away from the powerful A19 Pro, allowing it to operate at even higher performance levels. The heat is carried into the forged aluminum unibody, where it is distributed evenly through the system, managing power and surface temperatures to deliver incredible performance while remaining comfortable to hold.”

The display of the iPhone 17 Pro is described as a Super Retina XDR display in 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch sizes. It includes a new protective layer called Ceramic Shield 2 that Apple describes as “tougher than any smartphone glass or glass-ceramic, with…3x better scratch resistance and improved anti-reflection to reduce glare.” The display is an Always-On ProMotion (up to 120Hz) delivering up to 3000 nits of brightness. The same Ceramic Shield technology on the display is also on the back of the device, delivering a stronger finish that allows better conductivity for the MagSafe connector.

In addition to the new A19 Pro chip that is up to 40% more powerful than the previous generation Pro chips, the device contains the N1, “a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.”

Like many previous iPhone releases, the camera system was touted significantly throughout the release. Apple noted that the iPhone 17 Pro delivers “eight pro lenses in a user’s pocket.”

Back cameras:

  • 3 48MP Fusion cameras for sharper, more detailed images
  • 1 48MP Telephoto camera with a sensor 56% percent larger than the previous generation for brighter/more detailed photos
  • 1 4x 100mm optical zoom lens
  • 1 8x 200mm optical zoom lens

Front camera:
1 Center Stage front camera with “the first square front camera sensor on iPhone, offering a wider field of view and higher resolution — up to 18MP for photos — to capture more detail.”

Apple’s product website for the iPhone 17 Pro featured an impressive set of photos illustrating the various native zoom levels and equating them with their “8 pro lenses” claim:

  • 8x = 200mm
  • 4x = 100mm
  • 2x = 48mm
  • 1.5x = 35mm
  • 1.2x = 28mm
  • 1x = 24mm
  • 0.5x = 13mm
  • Macro

The iPhone 17 Pro video capabilities were also discussed with features such as Dolby Vision HDR, 4K 120 fps, ProRes, and support for ACES. In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro now adds ProRes RAW, Log 2, and genlock—a technique to precisely synchronize video across multiple cameras by industry leader Blackmagic.

The iPhone 17 Pro measures 5.91 x 2.83 inches, and is 0.34 inch thick. It weighs 7.27 ounces.

Sources: Apple (press release, product page)

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Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm, GPS, Space Gray aluminum case, 2017)

The Apple Watch Series 3 models looked identical to the Apple Watch models before them (original, Series 1, and Series 2), were available in the same sizes (38 mm and 42 mm), but were more powerful. The Series 3 had a faster processor, GPS, a barometric altimeter, and Siri support. This Apple Watch Series 3 is a Space Gray, 42 mm model.

The Series 3 Apple watch was the first to offer cellular service as an option, although this model is the GPS-only version. Apple described the Series 3 Watch in a press release:

“The third-generation Apple Watch is an amazing health and fitness companion with intelligent coaching features, water resistance 50 meters and a new barometric altimeter that measures relative elevation. Apple Watch Series 3 comes in two models, one with GPS and cellular, and one with GPS, both featuring a 70 percent faster dual-core processor and new wireless chip.”

This Apple Watch had a 312×390 OLED screen with Ion-X glass and a 7000 series anodized aluminum housing. Apple estimated the battery life at “up to 18 hours.”

The Apple Watch Series 3 used Apple’s S3 processor, “which allows for quicker app launch times and smoother graphics, and, for the first time, enables Siri to speak using the built-in speaker.” It also included a new W2 wireless chip that made Wi-Fi 85% faster and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 50% more power efficient. The watch shipped with watchOS 4.

Source: EveryMac, Apple

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Apple Watch Series 1 (38 mm, rose gold aluminum case, ink leather link band, 2016)

The Apple Watch Series 1 models were similar to the original Apple Watch (also known as “Series 0”), but used a more powerful dual core processor. Like its predecessor, this Apple Watch was controlled with a Digital Crown and a Force Touch display, and it needed to be paired with iPhone 5 (or newer).

This Apple Watch Series 1 model is a 38 mm version (a 42 mm version was also available) and used a 272 × 340 display.

The Apple Watch Series 1 was originally sold in four standard configurations:

  • silver aluminum case with white Sport Band
  • gold aluminum case with cocoa (dark brown) Sport Band
  • rose gold aluminum case with midnight blue Sport Band
  • space gray aluminum case with black Sport Band

This Apple Watch Series 1 has a rose gold aluminum case and is photographed with an ink Leather Link band.

Source: EveryMac.com

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Apple Watch SE (Generation 2, silver, 44 mm, GPS, Winter Blue Sport Band, 2022)

The Apple Watch SE Generation 2 was released along side of the Apple Watch Series 8 on September 7, 2022, and was described by Apple: “The redesigned Apple Watch SE delivers the core Apple Watch experience at a new starting price.” Apple positioned the SE Generation 2 as:

“…a great way for users to start their Apple Watch journey, use with Family Setup, or gift to their loved ones. Powerful upgrades include the S8 SiP advanced dual-core processor, the same processor that is in Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra, making it 20 percent faster than the previous generation, along with Crash Detection and international roaming.”

Notably, the Apple Watch SE Generation 2 used a back case made of a nylon composite material that made the Watch lighter, but arguably decreased the durability offered by the ceramic backs of the other models. While the Series 8 case sizes of the time increased to 45 mm and 41 mm, the Apple Watch SE Generation 2 remained at 44 mm and 40 mm.

While the Series 8 used an Always-on Retina display, the SE Generation 2 retained a Retina display that showed only when you looked at your wrist. Although the SE Generation 2 lacked the ability to run the ECG app, it had many of the same features of the Series 8 and even used the same S8 processor. The Vitals app on the SE Generation 2 included heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep duration, but lacked wrist temperature and blood oxygen sensors. The SE Generation 2 included Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, fall detection, crash detection, water resistance up to 50 m, Siri, Find My, and the same 18-hour battery life ast the Series 8.

The Apple Watch SE Generation 2 (GPS) was available only in Aluminum and in three colors, Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. The 44 mm size measured 44 mm x 38 mm x 10.7 mm and weighed 32.9 g; while the 40 mm size measured 40 mm x 34 mm x 10.7 mm and weighed 26.4 g. The screen sizes were 368 x 448 pixels (977 square mm display area) for the 44 mm option and 324 x 394 pixels (759 square mm display area) for the 40 mm option.

This Apple Watch SE Generation 2 example is a silver GPS model and shipped with a Winter Blue Sport Band.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, compare, specifications), Wikipedia

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Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm, aluminum, GPS, jet black, 2024)

Although the Apple Watch Series 10 was the most significant update to the Apple Watch to date, the design changes were not radical, and the new features were more aptly described as evolutionary—not revolutionary. That being said, the Series 10 was arguably the most elegant Apple Watch design so far. Apple described the Series 10 in a press release:

“The world’s bestselling watch is thinner than ever, featuring the biggest, most advanced display yet; sleep apnea notifications; faster charging; and water depth and temperature sensing.”

The most striking features of the Series 10 included the display and its relative thinness. The display was 46 mm (with a 42 mm option also available), and was reported to be up to 40% brighter when viewed at an angle. Compared to the Series 9, the size was just 1 mm larger, but notably, the larger Series 10 model was just 3 mm smaller than the Apple Watch Ultra (49 mm), and the smaller option at 42 mm was the same size as the larger option of the original Apple Watch (Series 0). At the same time, the 46 mm Series 10 had a larger screen—416 x 496 pixels, 1220 square mm display area—than the 49 mm Apple Watch Ultra 2—410 x 502 pixels, 1185 square mm display area. The Series 9, by contrast was 396 x 484 pixels with a 1143 square mm display area.

The thinness of the Series 10 was noticeable, even though it was only 1 mm thinner overall. The 45 mm Series 9 was 10.7 mm thick, while the 46 mm Series 10 is 9.7 mm; however, the Series 10 rounded-rectangle case was thinner with thickness of the round sensor accounting for the measurement. The Apple Watch Series 10 was also 2.3 grams lighter than the Series 9 (46 mm aluminum GPS model).

Regarding finishes, the Series 10 dropped the Stainless Steel option and replaced it with a lighter Titanium option in three colors: slate, gold, and natural titanium. The Aluminum models included the classic silver color, brought back a rose gold option, and introduced a new “Jet Black Aluminum” option that matched the previous glossy sheen of the black stainless steel models at a nearly $400 lower cost and reduced weight.

The Series 10 added some water features similar to the Apple Watch Ultra line, including a water temperature sensor; a depth gauge and app; and support for the Oceanic+ app for snorkeling.

The Series 10 added two new audio-related features. First, the new media playback feature added an enhanced speaker so users could listen to music and podcasts directly through the speaker on the Watch. Second, a new microphone added voice isolation for using the speakerphone and voice recording features.

Finally, I would like to note that the first generation (sometimes called the Series 0) of the Apple Watch was released nearly 10 years before the Series 10 (April 24, 2015), and the Series 10 will likely be the “current” available model at the 10-year mark. Thus, the Series 10 can represent 10-year anniversary of the product line. Since Apple offers an easy way to compare their different Watch models, here are some highlights to show how far the Apple Watch has come in nearly 10 years:

  • Size—Original: 42 mm and 38 mm; Series 10: 46 mm and 42 mm (the smallest available option now matches the size of the largest original Apple Watch)
  • Screen brightness—Original: 450 nits; Series 10: 2000 nits (Series 10 is over 300% brighter than the original Apple Watch)
  • Heart health notifications—Original: High/low heart rate notifications; Series 10: High/low heart rate notifications, ECG, Low cardio fitness notifications
  • Water resistance—Original: Splash resistant; Series 10: Water resistant to 50 m, depth gauge to 6 m, water temperature sensor
  • Battery—Original: Up to 18 hours; Series 10: Up to 36 hours in low-power mode (twice the battery life)
  • Finishes—Original: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, 18K Gold; Series 10: Aluminum, Titanium (the $10,000 and $12,000 Edition models were dropped after the original “Series 0” Watch)
  • Weight—Original: 42 mm 30 g; Series 10: 46 mm 36.4 g (Series 10 is 21% heavier)
  • Thickness—Original: 42 mm 10.5 mm; Series 10: 46 mm 9.7 mm (Series 10 is 8% thinner)
  • Screen size—Original: 42 mm 312 x 390 pixels, 740 square mm; Series 10: 46 mm 416 x 496 pixels, 1220 square mm (the Series 10 screen is 65% larger)
  • Number features—Original: 13 features; Series 10: 36 features (although this metric is subjective, many of the features listed by Apple include multiple points)

Sources: Apple (Press release, product, specifications, compare), Wikipedia

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Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, Cellular, Green Aluminum, Clover Sport Band, 2021)

The Apple Watch Series 7 is similar to the Series 6 that preceded it, but has a larger, edge-to-edge display, a more durable case, and faster charging capabilities. Like all previous Apple Watch models, the Series 7 uses Apple’s Digital Crown and a touch display with haptic feedback. Apple described the Series 7 as having “a reengineered Always-On Retina display with significantly more screen area and thinner borders.”

The Series 7 introduced two new sizes, 45mm and 41mm. This example uses a 45mm display. The display is a 396×484 LTPO OLED (approximately 1.9 inches) and is “Always On.” The display is protected by Apple’s scratch-resistant Ion-X glass.

Apple described the color choices:

“Apple Watch Series 7 introduces five beautiful new aluminum case finishes, including midnight, starlight, green, and a new blue and (PRODUCT)RED, along with a range of new band colors and styles. Stainless steel models are available in silver, graphite, and gold stainless steel, along with Apple Watch Edition in titanium and space black titanium.”

The Apple Watch Series 7 has a ceramic and sapphire crystal back. Upon release, Apple offered eleven pre-configured options:

  • Green Aluminum with Clover Sport Band
  • Starlight Aluminum with Starlight Sport Band
  • Midnight Aluminum with Midnight Sport Band
  • Blue Aluminum with Abyss Blue Sport Band
  • (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum with Red Sport Band
  • Gold Stainless Steel with Dark Cherry Sport Band
  • Gold Stainless Steel with Gold Milanese Loop
  • Silver Stainless Steel with Starlight Sport Band
  • Silver Stainless Steel with Silver Milanese Loop
  • Graphite Stainless Steel with Abyss Blue Sport Loop
  • Graphite Stainless Steel with Graphite Milanese Loop

Two aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 Nike options were available at release as pre-configured options:

  • Starlight Aluminum with Platinum/Black Sport Band
  • Midnight Aluminum with Anthracite/Black Sport Band

Two Apple Watch Series 7 Hermès options were available at release:

  • Space Black Stainless Steel case with patterned blue and black leather Circuit H Single Tour Band
  • Silver Stainless Steel case with brown leather Single Tour Deployment Buckle

In addition to the included Hermès-designed bands, Apple Watch Series 7 Hermès devices with black housings include a black Hermes Sport Band and models with silver housings include an orange Hermes Sport Band.

This example is cellular 45mm Green Aluminum and shipped with a Clover (medium green) Sport Band. The cellular version of the Apple Watch can send and receive calls without a tethered iPhone for an additional cost of about $10 per month.

Sources: Apple, EveryMac

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iPod nano (Generation 4, 8GB, purple, 2008)

Replacing the “squat” design of the Generation 3, the iPod nano Generation 4 (model A1285) returned to a “skinny” design similar to its predecessors. The new wraparound curved aluminum and glass case was offered in an unprecedented nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, and (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition. The display was a wide-format 2-inch (diagonal) color LCD display at 320×240.

The iPod nano Generation 4 used Click Wheel navigation and had either 8 GB or 16 GB of flash memory, capable of storing 2000 or 4000 songs, 7000 or 14,000 photos, and 8 hours or 16 hours of video.

Apple indicated that “You can distinguish the iPod nano (4th generation) from previous iPod nano models by:”

  • Its taller screen
  • Its curved surface
  • Its oval shape when seen from the top or bottom
  • The inclusion of an accelerometer that is used by the Shake feature.”

The iPod nano Generation 4 included an accelerometer (automatically switched to “Cover Flow” navigation in landscape orientation), games and videos only played in landscape, a new Genius feature to dynamically create playlists, and shake-to-shuffle for songs. Accessibility options were added including larger text and spoken menu items. It also included Nike+iPod support, FM radio tagging (using the Apple Radio Remote), support for audio crossfade, and games including Maze, Klondike, and Vortex.

Source: Apple (Identify Your iPod), EveryMac

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iPod nano (Generation 4, 8GB, (PRODUCT)RED, 2008)

Replacing the “squat” design of the Generation 3, the iPod nano Generation 4 (model A1285) returned to a “skinny” design similar to its predecessors. The new wraparound curved aluminum and glass case was offered in an unprecedented nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, and (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition. The display was a wide-format 2-inch (diagonal) color LCD display at 320×240.

The iPod nano Generation 4 used Click Wheel navigation and had either 8 GB or 16 GB of flash memory, capable of storing 2000 or 4000 songs, 7000 or 14,000 photos, and 8 hours or 16 hours of video.

Apple indicated that “You can distinguish the iPod nano (4th generation) from previous iPod nano models by:”

  • Its taller screen
  • Its curved surface
  • Its oval shape when seen from the top or bottom
  • The inclusion of an accelerometer that is used by the Shake feature

The iPod nano Generation 4 included an accelerometer (automatically switched to “Cover Flow” navigation in landscape orientation), games and videos only played in landscape, a new Genius feature to dynamically create playlists, and shake-to-shuffle for songs. Accessibility options were added including larger text and spoken menu items. It also included Nike+iPod support, FM radio tagging (using the Apple Radio Remote), support for audio crossfade, and games including Maze, Klondike, and Vortex.

Source: Apple (Identify Your iPod), EveryMac

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Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, Starlight Aluminum, with Pistachio Braided Solo Loop band, 2022)

The Apple Watch Series 8 is similar to the previous Series 7 model, but has a few more features including temperature sensors for health monitoring, a new Crash Detection feature, and a new Low Power Mode. Apple’s press release touts:

“Apple Watch Series 8 features the beloved design of Apple Watch, including a large, Always-On Retina display and a strong crack-resistant front crystal. With all-day 18-hour battery life, Apple Watch Series 8 builds on best-in-class health and safety features like the ECG app and fall detection by introducing temperature-sensing capabilities, retrospective ovulation estimates, Crash Detection, and international roaming.”

Like all previous Apple Watch models, the Series 8 uses a Digital Crown and a touch display. The 45mm size uses a 396×484 “Always-On” Retina OLED screen with Ion-X glass (the same size introduced with the previous Series 7).

The aluminum GPS models were available in four colors: Silver; Midnight (dark gray, almost black); Starlight (warm silver); and (PRODUCT)RED. Three Stainless Steel colors were available: Gold, Silver, and Graphite. All colors were available in 41mm and 45mm.

Two Stainless Steel Series 8 Apple Watch Hermès models were available in Silver and Space Black; thus, Space Black Stainless Steel was exclusive to the Hermès Series 8.

No Series 8 Apple Watch Edition models were offered. (Apple Watch Edition Series 7 models were offered in titanium and space black titanium.)

During the release of the Apple Watch Series 8 and iPhone 14, an extended demo of the Crash Detection was presented. Apple describes the feature:

“To enable Crash Detection, Apple developed an advanced sensor-fusion algorithm that leverages a new, more powerful gyroscope and accelerometer on Apple Watch… To create the algorithm, data was collected from these new motion sensors at professional crash test labs with common passenger cars in simulated real-world accidents, including head-on, rear-end, side-impact, and rollovers. In addition to motion data, Crash Detection uses the barometer, GPS, and the microphone on iPhone as inputs to detect the unique patterns that can indicate whether a severe crash has taken place.”

Soon after the the release of Crash Detection, media began reporting incidents of false positive reports. 9to5Mac reported that “even though Apple uses all-new hardware, an advanced algorithm, and over a million hours of crash data, false positives are still possible… roller coasters have been causing a number of erroneous automatic 911 calls by tricking Apple’s Crash Detection.” The Verge reported, “Apple’s iPhones and watches contain sensors and safeguards designed to trigger Crash Detection only in a true emergency. But skiers and snowmobilers are unknowingly setting it off.”

The release of Apple Watch Series 8 coincided with the release of watchOS 9. Among other features, for the first time, watchOS 9 allowed all Apple Watch users to access previously exclusive Nike watch faces: “Starting this fall, any Apple Watch user running watchOS 9 — even those without a Nike model — will be able to access all the Nike watch faces, including the fresh colors coming to the Bounce face.”

This Starlight Aluminum 45mm model shipped with a Starlight Sport Band. It is shown here with a Pistachio Braided Solo Loop band.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Product), EveryMac, 9to5Mac, The Verge