Tag: Apple Intelligence

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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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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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iPad mini (Generation 7, A17 Pro, Wi-Fi, 128GB, Blue, 2024)

Soon after Apple updated most of its hardware for use with Apple Intelligence, the Smart Folio for iPad mini was updated to Generation 7 with the A17 Pro chip—the bare minimum processor to allow Apple Intelligence features. At the time, Apple described Apple Intelligence as “the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy.”

This iPad mini had an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2266 x 1488 at 326 ppi, 500 nits brightness). Apple described the A17 Pro chip as offering “a huge performance boost for even the most demanding tasks, with a faster CPU and GPU, [and] a 2x faster Neural Engine than the previous-generation iPad mini.” This iPad mini also added support for the Apple Pencil Pro.

The iPad mini front camera was 12MP and included Center Stage: “as you move around, the camera automatically pans to keep you centered in the frame.” Apple described the back camera: “The 12MP wide back camera supports Smart HDR 4 for natural-looking photos with increased dynamic range, and uses machine learning to detect and scan documents right in the Camera app.” In addition, the back camera could record 4K video.

This iPad mini was available in three muted tones including Blue, Purple, and Starlight—and Space Gray. This example is Blue.

This iPad mini was 7.69 inches tall, 5.3 inches wide, and 0.25 inch thick. It weighed 0.65 pound. All buttons were along the top on the short side opposite the USB-C port, including the 2 volume buttons and the Top button with Touch ID. Each of the short sides also had speakers that allowed stereo sound output. Unlike other iPad models of the time, the front camera was placed on the short side.

Sources: Apple (press release, product page, specs)

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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)