Our Favorite Travel Features Coming to Apple Products [AirPods, iPhone, Watch, and More]

Updated: September 12, 2024, 8:06am CDT

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iPhone
Apple Watch
AirPods
Apple Intelligence
Final Thoughts

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Apple just held its annual event in Cupertino, California, to unveil its latest flagship products, and there is a lot to like if you are a fan of tech and travel.

The “Glowtime” event revealed some highly anticipated Apple products, including the iPhone 16 series, Apple Watches, AirPods, and more.

With big updates on some of our favorite devices, is it time to upgrade? Let’s take a look at the details.

iPhone

As expected, Apple unveiled updates to the iPhone, which will be available later this month. Buyers will have the choice between the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max in various new shades.

But with prices starting at $799 for the iPhone 16 (128GB) and topping out at $1,599 for the iPhone Pro Max (1TB), which option is best for you, if any? Well, that depends …

New features range from new colors and bigger and stronger screens to better battery life and upgraded cameras. As travelers, we know that the extra battery life could be worth the upgrade by itself.

Apple will also roll out Apple Intelligence, its personal AI system, to all iPhone 16 models that will integrate with every app on the device.

Technical highlights for each phone include:

iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max

6.3″ (16 Pro) and 6.9″ (16 Pro Max) displays
Apple Intelligence
Camera Control button
48MP Ultra Wide lens
4k Dolby Vision video recording
A18 Pro Chip
Latest-generation Ceramic Shield

Colors include Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.

iPhone 16 and 16 Plus

6.1″ (16) and 6.7″ (16 Plus)
Apple Intelligence
Camera Control button
12MP Ultra Wide lens
A18 Chip
Latest-generation Ceramic Shield

Colors include Black, White, Pink, Teal, and Ultramarine.

Bottom Line:

If you want the latest and greatest technology or are a traveler who could benefit from the extra battery life and better cameras, an upgrade to the latest iPhone could be worth it. Otherwise, there isn’t much of a difference from the older models.

Apple Watch

Fans of the Apple Watch will be happy to know that improvements are coming.

The Apple Watch Series 10 will be the thinnest watch with the biggest display that Apple has ever made. Tracking your fitness goals, monitoring your health, or checking your gate number will be even easier.

The Series 10 will come in 2 sizes (42mm and 46mm) and a variety of finishes, including an Aluminum case with options of Jet Black, Rose Gold, or Silver and a Titanium case with options of Slate, Gold, or Natural.

The Aluminum case starts at $399, whereas the Titanium starts at $699.

If you are looking for “the ultimate sports and adventure watch,” the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will get a new black titanium case starting at $799.

AirPods

One of the most popular travel accessories for any traveler is a good set of headphones. And Apple has a few options for you to choose from.

Apple’s entry-level earbuds, the AirPods 4, will get a big upgrade and will now have the option to feature Active Noise Cancellation for $179 (or $129 without). Plus, the case will receive a speaker, which will make it easier to find if you misplace it.

The AirPods Pro 2 will get a range of updates, including improved battery life and better noise cancellation. But the biggest update will be that the AirPods Pro 2 can also work as a clinical-grade hearing aid.

Users will be able to test their hearing at home and get immediate results and support. Plus, the Adaptive Audio feature will tailor the noise in your environment to your hearing. AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale (software update coming this month) for $249.

Finally, the flagship AirPods Max get a minor update in the form of new colors and a USB-C connection at a price of $549.

Hot Tip:

We have been big fans of the AirPods Pro for years; these new improvements should only affirm those opinions.

Apple Intelligence

The tech giant has been hyping up Apple Intelligence for a while now, and the public will soon get to experience it on their iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

Apple is describing the AI tool as a personal assistant in your device that will take Siri (love her or hate her) to a new level.

This technology will also power Apple’s Visual Intelligence (a take on Google Lens), allowing iPhone 16 users to press the new Camera Control Button on their phone and “instantly learn about everything you see.”

As a traveler, I can only imagine how many times I will be pointing my phone at planes to see where they are going.

Final Thoughts

Apple’s “Glowtime” event in California delivered a long list of updates to some of our favorite travel gadgets.

If you were looking for something groundbreaking, you may be disappointed, unless you were looking for a new AI assistant in your pocket.

For those of us in need of a smartphone upgrade, the iPhone 16 lineup looks to be a decent improvement from the iPhone 15, thanks to its bigger screen size, better cameras, and improved battery life.

If you are interested, pre-orders start on Friday, September 13, 2024.