At Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event, held Monday, they unveiled a range of hardware upgrades that promise to revolutionize both the user and developer experiences. The event marked the launch of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the AirPods 4. With these upgrades, Apple continues to push the boundaries of performance, health tracking, and immersive audio. For developers, these innovations present a wealth of opportunities to build cutting-edge apps and experiences that leverage Apple’s latest technologies.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 16 lineup introduces a leap in mobile performance with the new A18 chip, featuring enhanced AI capabilities, improved power efficiency, and a new Camera Control button for adjusting shooting settings one-handed. Both models boast upgraded OLED displays with dynamic refresh rates, and the iPhone 16 Pro takes it further with a more advanced camera system, a larger display with thinner bezels, and the best battery life ever in an iPhone with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Pro model also now supports spatial audio recording alongside spatial video, aimed at creating more captivating AR/VR experiences.

Developer Perspective: For app developers, the A18 chip opens doors to more sophisticated machine learning integrations. The ARKit updates, combined with enhanced LiDAR, make this an exciting time for AR developers. Additionally, the iPhone 16 Pro’s focus on spatial audio and video offers unique opportunities to explore 3D content creation, which could revolutionize media apps.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 features a redesigned ultra-thin chassis and a larger, more vibrant, always-on display. It includes new health monitoring features, such as continuous AFib detection and even a forthcoming FDA-approved sleep apnea detection feature. Several new bands let users customize their watch just the way they want, complete with matching watch faces.

Developer Perspective: The increased ability to customize complications opens up new possibilities for watchOS app developers. With more screen real estate and better performance, apps can now display richer data and offer more interactive experiences. The health APIs have also been enhanced, giving developers access to new metrics and features, ideal for fitness and health apps.

AirPods 4

The latest AirPods come with improved audio fidelity, spatial audio, a better fit for most ears, and longer battery life. They also introduce adaptive audio tuning that adjusts dynamically based on the user’s surroundings. The case now supports more robust Find My capabilities and comes with USB-C charging, aligning with the new charging standard across Apple products.

Developer Perspective: For developers, the new AirPods’ spatial audio enhancements are especially exciting, particularly for media and gaming apps. Adaptive audio tuning could offer more immersive audio experiences, and developers can tap into new APIs to optimize their apps for these features. And with the shift to USB-C, accessory makers have an opportunity to create unified products across Apple’s ecosystem.