The iPhone turns 15: a visual history of every model to date

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Fifteen years ago, Steve Jobs introduced the very first iPhone. He described it as three devices in one: a “widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone, and a breakthrough internet communications device.”

But since its first unveiling, the iPhone has become much more than that. It’s a symbol of the tech industry, of the modern era as a whole, and has made Apple the largest company in the world in terms of market capitalization. In 2015, it was speculated to be the most profitable product ever and helped grow Apple’s market cap to not just $1 trillion or $2 trillion — but as high as $3 trillion.

One reason for that is the steady pace of progress Apple has made to keep the iPhone at the top of the fray. It started...

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How to preorder new AirPods Pro

Apple’s second-gen AirPods will run $249 and launch on September 23rd. | Image: Apple

Apple’s “Far Out” event on Wednesday introduced a number of devices to Apple’s existing product lineup, including the iPhone 14, a ruggedized Apple Watch, and an updated version of the AirPods Pro. The second-gen AirPods Pro are set to launch on September 23rd for $249.99 and will be available to preorder starting on Friday, September 9th. Apple will continue to sell the entry-level AirPods at their original price of $179; however, it appears Apple is discontinuing the original AirPods Pro with the release of the second-gen model.

Not much has changed aesthetically from the previous iteration of the AirPods Pro, with the new model donning the same pearly white exterior as the original model from 2019. The noise-canceling earbuds also...

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How the iPhone 14 compares to the best Android phones of 2022

The iPhone 14 Pro measures up to the latest Android phones in many ways, including a fast-refreshing display. | Image: Apple

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have arrived. So, just like we always do, it’s time to dissect those specs. Apple’s 2022 iPhones have different processors, depending on the one you get. They also have different camera systems. Notably, the iPhone 14 Pro sports an always-on display and support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate. That just scratches the surface as to what’s new here.

If you’re curious about how these new iPhones compare to models from the past, we’ll have you covered pretty soon with a spec comparison. This post is focused on comparing the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro to some heavy hitters in the Android space. Specifically, the ones you can easily buy as an alternative to the latest iPhone, including the soon-to-be-replaced Pixel 6...

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Apple’s Fitness Plus soon won’t require an Apple Watch for signups

You’ll be able to work out — and meditate — without an Apple Watch. | Image: Apple

Apple announced on Wednesday that iPhone users will be able to subscribe to its premium Fitness Plus workout subscription service even if they don’t have an Apple Watch.

Previously, you couldn’t join the service without owning one of Apple’s smartwatches, which made signing up an expensive proposition. Since you need an iPhone to set up an Apple Watch, you’d have to own two Apple devices to join Fitness Plus. But with Apple bringing the Fitness app to the iPhone with iOS 16, no Apple Watch required, it makes sense that Apple would make Fitness Plus more easily accessible as well.

The update removing the Apple Watch requirement for Fitness Plus signups will be available later this fall, Apple says. I’m a happy subscriber to the service —...

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Klutzes rejoice: AppleCare Plus now covers unlimited repairs

Don’t drop it! But if you do, it’s not the end of the world. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

If you’re the kind of person who’s always dropping your phone, AppleCare Plus may have just become a much better deal. As MacRumors points out, the service now covers “unlimited repairs for accidental damage protection.” According to an archived version of the AppleCare Plus page from last month, you used to be limited to “two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months.”

Before you toss your phone in the air in celebration, though, do note that the service fees and deductibles are still around — a screen or back glass repair will cost $29, while “other accidental damage” will run you $99. Also, Apple’s fine print clearly notes that the damage has to be caused by “unexpected and unintentional events” to fall under...

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How to preorder the iPhone 14

This year, there are four new iPhone models to choose from. | Image: Apple

Apple announced the iPhone 14 lineup, consisting of the base iPhone 14, the slightly bigger iPhone 14 Plus, and the faster, more capable iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. Each of those links will take you to hands-on previews. Look forward to the full reviews, where we’ll be able to tell you if Apple’s A16 Bionic chip is worth upgrading to, as well as see how some of the cameras and other new features (like the satellite SOS) work in the real world.

If you already know that you want to buy one, here are the straight details: preorders start at 8AM ET / 5AM PT on Friday, September 9th. Almost all of the phones will release on Friday, September 16th, with one exception. That’s the iPhone 14 Plus, which comes out on October 7th. If you’re...

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Apple’s new AirPods Pro hands-on: sticking close to a winning formula

The design is very similar to the first-gen pair. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple just announced its second-generation AirPods Pro. There’s no big redesign overhaul here: these look a lot like their predecessors, with the most substantial upgrades coming on the inside and with new software features. The new AirPods Pro still have Apple’s signature stem and (again) only come in white. There’s now an extra-small ear tip size in the box at least.

The new Pros include Apple’s H2 chip, which the company promises improved noise cancellation over the original AirPods Pro — twice as much as before. They come with a refreshed case, which is also very similar to what came before but with a few convenient additions.

They still have stems and only come in white.

There’s a speaker on the bottom to make...

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Sony says Microsoft’s Call of Duty offer was ‘inadequate on many levels’

Sony and Microsoft are battling over Call of Duty_’s future._ | Image: Activision

Sony has labeled Microsoft’s offer to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation “inadequate on many levels.” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed to The Verge last week that the company is committed to keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation for “several more years” beyond the existing marketing deal Sony has with Activision. Sony isn’t impressed, though, just as Microsoft is in the middle of trying to get its $68.7 billion Activision Blizzard deal approved by regulators.

“Microsoft has only offered for Call of Duty to remain on PlayStation for three years after the current agreement between Activision and Sony ends,” explains PlayStation chief Jim Ryan in a statement to Games Industry.biz. “After almost 20 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation,...

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The iPhone 14 won’t have a SIM tray

Image: Apple

The new iPhone 14 lineup will ship without physical SIM trays — at least in the US. They’ll be able to use two eSIMs at once (and store more than that), but is the lack of a physical tray a big deal? And is it user-hostile and stupid?

First, a refresher on eSIMs: they’re SIM cards, but electronic, not physical. That means your phone can be provisioned remotely — no more going to a store to get a physical SIM. This makes it easier (in some ways) to switch networks or try one out — T-Mobile now uses eSIMs to let people test-drive its network for up to three months. As of iOS 16, you can even transfer your eSIM between iPhones via Bluetooth, which should make it almost as easy as a physical SIM — as long as you’re staying in the Apple...

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How to preorder the Apple Watch Series 8, Watch Ultra, and Watch SE

All three of Apple’s new watches are now up for preorder. | Image: Apple

Like clockwork, new Apple Watches have been announced, but this time there’s more than just one. During its recent “Far Out” event, Apple finally dished out the details on the new iPhone 14 lineup, along with the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and a new Apple Watch SE. Apple has never announced this many watches at once, and they’re now hitting three different prices simultaneously. That may make deciding between them a little more challenging, but when can you get yours once you finally make your pick?

The Apple Watch Series 8 and second-gen Watch SE are set to land on September 16th while the Watch Ultra is scheduled to launch on September 23rd, with preorders starting today. We’ve only had a little bit of hands-on time with...

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Hands-on with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

The Pro gains a new 48-megapixel main camera. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge

Apple just announced the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. They’re big upgrades to last year’s iPhone 13 Pro handsets with always-on screens, a new pill-shaped cutout that moves and animates, a faster A16 Bionic chip, and even an improved 48-megapixel camera.

The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max look very similar to last year’s 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, until you look more closely at the display. The new pill-shaped cutout means the notch is gone, kind of. It actually moves around and animates, in what Apple calls the Dynamic Island. Notifications and alerts will adapt and move around the pill-shaped notch, and Apple is using this system for live activity widgets and even when you swipe up to move background tasks like music playback to the...

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The iPhone 14 doesn’t have Apple’s latest processor

The 14 and 14 Plus don’t have a new processor. | Image: Apple

Apple has announced that the regular iPhone won’t be getting a new processor this year — instead, the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will be powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, the same chip that’s in the iPhone 13 Pro — though it does have a bit more grunt than the A15 that was in the regular iPhone 13 and the $429 iPhone SE from earlier this year, thanks to an extra GPU core. This is the first time that Apple’s not updating to a new processor for one of its flagship iPhones since the 2008 iPhone 3G, which featured virtually the same internals as the original iPhone.

The iPhone 14 Pro, meanwhile, has an A16 processor, which the company says is more power efficient, even when doing intensive tasks. The raw specs of the new chip are similar,...

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Kiwi Farms has been scrubbed from the Internet Archive

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The Internet Archive is no longer hosting backups of Kiwi Farms, continuing the forum’s removal from major web platforms. Twitch streamer Clara “Keffals” Sorrenti, who has led a recent campaign against the site, publicized the removal yesterday. Another tweet noted that a separate backup site has also been removed; searching either returns a response that “this URL has been excluded from the Wayback Machine.”

Kiwi Farms’ main site has been offline since security provider CloudFlare dropped it earlier this week, citing an “immediate threat to human life” due to threats and potential criminal actions from Kiwi Farms users. But until yesterday, many of its threads were available through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, including...

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Hands-on with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

The 14 and 14 Plus keep the notch.

The iPhone 14 is here, and it’s available in two sizes this year: regular and big. The standard iPhone 14 sticks with the 6.1-inch display — notch intact — and the 14 Plus brings a big 6.7-inch screen to the standard, non-pro iPhone series for the first time. That’s the story: aside from the new size, not much else has physically changed from the iPhone 13.

The 14 looks and feels identical to the 13, and the 14 Plus is a bona fide big phone. Apple makes some big claims for its battery life too, calling it the best battery performance of any iPhone to date. The screens are both Super Retina XDR displays. The 14 Plus looks every bit as big as the 13 Pro Max, but is noticeably lighter.

The iPhone 14 Plus is a handful with...

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Apple’s iPhone 14 event: the 9 biggest announcements

Kristen Radtke / The Verge

Apple just held its Far Out event, where it revealed its iPhone 14 lineup, three new Apple Watches, including the long-rumored Apple Watch Ultra, and the next generation of AirPods Pro earbuds.

If you didn’t get a chance to see the show for yourself, you can catch up on all the big news announced here.

The iPhone 14 gets a revived “Plus” model with a bigger size

Image: Apple

The iPhone 14 doesn’t come with too many notable upgrades over the iPhone 13, as they both come equipped with the an A15-series chip and a notch. Apple did, however, introduce a new Plus model that comes with a bigger 6.7-inch display and improved battery life.

Both devices come with an upgraded 12-megapixel main camera sensor, as well as a...

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Apple Watch Series 8, SE 2, and Ultra hands-on: triple the fun

The Apple Watch Ultra has a 49mm case and a flat sapphire crystal display. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Today was a big day for Apple wearables. Not only did Apple announce the brand-new Series 8, but it also refreshed the SE and unveiled the rugged Apple Watch Ultra. In other words, we have a totally new Apple Watch lineup.

The Apple Watch Ultra is the star of the show because it isn’t something we’ve seen before. It’s got a big honking 49mm rectangular display, which... truly is in a class of its own. Not only is it the biggest Apple Watch screen, but it’s also the brightest at 2,000 nits. As for how that wrist slab feels, it was actually lighter on my wrist than I’d expected, probably because its case is made of titanium. But make no mistake — it is a BIG watch.

Another thing that’s immediately apparent is the design tweaks Apple’s...

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Apple discontinues the Apple Watch Series 3

The Apple Watch Series 3, age 5, is survived by the Apple Watch SE 2, the Apple Watch Series 8, and the Apple Watch Pro. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

At WWDC 2022, Apple confirmed that the Apple Watch Series 3 wouldn’t support watchOS 9. Ever since then, the writing’s been on the wall. And now, it’s official: Apple has finally, finally removed the Series 3 from its online store.

It’s an understatement to say this was a long time coming. Smartwatch hardware generally starts to struggle after about three years, and the Series 3 first launched five years ago in 2017. At the time, it was the first Apple Watch to support LTE connectivity — a massive achievement at a time when few smartwatches were capable of making calls directly from the wrist. When the Series 4 was launched a year later, it remained in the lineup as a cheaper entry-level watch at $199. That’s also how much it cost right...

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This is Snap’s turnaround plan

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. | Alex Castro / The Verge

In a leaked internal memo, CEO Evan Spiegel explains how Snapchat aims to reach $6 billion in revenue and 450 million users

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Apple’s watchOS 9 launches later this month

The lunar watchface is just one of the many additions coming with watchOS 9. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge

Apple will release watchOS 9 on September 12th, the company announced at its “Far Out” event today.

The public beta of watchOS 9 has been available since July, showing off a number of useful new features orbiting a more robust suite of fitness metrics alongside other quality-of-life improvements. While it may not be quite as exciting as the announcement of a new Apple Watch or iPhone, the new OS will be available for anyone with at least an Apple Watch Series 4 and an iPhone 8 or later currently loaded with iOS 16.

The last major update to the watchOS gave us the ability to edit messages with the help of the crown on the Apple Watch, added more accessibility features, and the ability to create multiple timers, among several other...

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Apple now sells only 5G iPhones

A glimpse of the new lineup.

While Apple’s September 7th “Far Out” event brought us the new iPhone 14, it also spelled the end for some earlier models. From now on, Apple will only sell 5G-capable phones: the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 12, and the second-generation iPhone SE (2022).

Following tradition, Apple dropped the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max to make room for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Launched last year, the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max offered 120Hz screens, a new three-camera system, and Apple’s faster A15 chip. But Apple has made a habit of only offering for sale the latest generation of its Pro-series phones.

As a result, the new pricing for Apple’s iPhone lineup is as...

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Apple announces a new Apple Watch SE

The new Apple Watch SE. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Apple has announced a new Apple Watch SE. An upgrade to the original SE, the new smartwatch is the second generation of the company’s entry-level, cellular-capable model. The new SE will cost $249 for the GPS model and $299 for the cellular model, a $30 price drop from the original SE. The Apple Watch SE will be available starting September 16th.

The new SE will support the crash detection feature announced on the Series 8 and will be up to 20 percent faster than the first-gen SE thanks to a new S8 chip, the same chip found in the Series 8. It also has the same motion sensors as Series 8. The new SE will be available in silver, midnight, and starlight colors and has new color-matched back cases.

The SE will also support international...

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The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are official

Apple has announced the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus, preserving much of the iPhone 13’s design — including a notch for the phone’s selfie camera and Face ID sensors. That’s in line with rumors that indicated only the 14 Pro models would lose the notch. Either way, the 14 looks an awful lot like the 13 at first glance, with the same flat display and rails. The US models of the iPhone 14 also do away with the physical SIM tray, going all in on eSIM.

The iPhone 14 sticks with a 6.1-inch screen, while the 14 Plus offers a big 6.7-inch screen. The 14 Plus model claims to offer the best battery life of any iPhone. Both models continue to offer last year’s A15 Bionic chipset — a major shift for Apple, which has typically introduced a new processor to...

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Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II get serious about noise cancellation

The wired charging case can supply 18 hours of battery life to the QuietComfort Earbuds II. | Image: Bose

Bose doesn’t want Apple to hog all the limelight today. On the day Apple showed off its latest AirPods Pro model, Bose showed off the QuietComfort Earbuds II — $299.99 wireless earbuds that claim to deliver the “world’s best noise cancellation,” according to Bose’s press release. They’re available for preorder today in black (white is coming the first week of October), and shipping starts on September 15th.

I spent about 10 minutes with the new earbuds at the launch event, during which Bose barraged the press with a cacophony of sounds from everyday life (trains, planes, automobiles) to show off two new features: CustomTune sound calibration and Aware Mode with ActiveSense. It’s impressive; ANC always makes a big difference, but the leap...

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Apple’s new AirPods Pro can cancel twice as much noise

Apple’s new AirPods Pro will be available to order on September 9th. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

The long-awaited refresh of Apple’s AirPods Pro is here. On Wednesday, at its “Far Out” event, the company announced a second-generation pair of the popular noise-canceling earbuds with a new H2 chip that the company promises will offer improved sound quality and twice the noise cancellation.

The new AirPods Pro also come with a new charging chase that offers Find My support and a built-in speaker so you can track them more easily (and loop where you can attach a lanyard if you want another way to carry the case around). In addition to charging it with a Lightning cable or on a Qi or MagSafe charger, you’ll also be able to charge the case on an Apple Watch charger. And Apple says the AirPods Pro have better battery: 6 hours on a single...

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Apple adds souped up period and ovulation tracking to Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch cycle tracking app.

Apple Watch Series 8 will give users a retrospective estimate of when they ovulated based on data from a new temperature sensor.

Using two sensors on the Apple Watch Series 8 the built-in menstrual cycle tracking app will check users’ temperature at the wrist every five seconds overnight. This should allow for ovulation tracking as body temperature changes over the course of the menstrual cycle, and rises in response to ovulation.

WatchOS 9 and iOS 16 will also include changes to the cycle tracking app that flag any abnormalities in a user’s menstrual cycle based on the data they input about their periods. Deviations from someone’s normal cycle — like more spotting than usual — can be a signal of health conditions like fibroids or...

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The Apple Watch Ultra is finally here

After over a year of rumors, Apple has finally announced the Apple Watch Ultra — a rugged, premium smartwatch that now sits atop Apple’s smartwatch lineup. The watch introduces a new design with a bigger display as well as a new design for exploration and outdoor activities.

There’s a new button guard on the side, with a 49mm titanium case, redesigned digital crown, and a new Action button. The orange Action button can be customized for various purposes, including workouts, compass waypoints, and a new backtrack feature. The display has sapphire crystal as well as 2,000 nits of brightness. The buttons and crowns are also designed to work with gloves, which is a big concern for outdoor athletes. There are three built-in microphones to...

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Apple Watch Series 8 announced with temperature sensor, crash detection

The Apple Watch hasn’t gotten more expensive. | Image: Apple

Apple has announced its latest wearable, the Apple Watch Series 8. It includes a new temperature sensor, which Apple says “takes its commitment to women’s health even further.” The Series 8 also includes two new motion sensors to detect if you’ve been in a severe car crash. It’ll be available starting September 16th and will cost $399 for the GPS model and $499 for the cellular model.

The company says it can track temperature changes as slight as 0.1 degrees Celsius and that it checks your temperature every five seconds. The company says that tracking your body temperature overnight can help give you insights into your ovulation cycle, which it can use to enhance the watch’s cycle tracking feature for those who menstruate. The company...

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Why a text alert might have helped California keep the lights on

The sun shines behind electrical power lines during a heatwave in Hawthorne, California, on September 6th, 2022. | Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Images

Officials say an emergency cell phone alert played a crucial role yesterday in helping California avoid rolling blackouts during an extreme heatwave. Residents apparently jumped into action within minutes of receiving a text that urged them to save energy.

A remarkably severe and long-lasting heatwave has put increasing pressure on the state’s power grid since last week. Record-smashing temperatures in the triple digits have sent power demand for air conditioning soaring.

By Tuesday, demand hit an all-time high for the Golden State at 52,061 megawatts, according to grid manager California Independent System Operator (CAISO). CAISO issued a level 3 Energy Emergency Alert, its highest alert, at 5:17PMET that night. It signaled that...

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The best gaming headset deals you can get right now

Logitech’s budget-friendly G435 boasts color and comfort, as well as a host of solid features. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

A good gaming headset is practically a necessity these days. Clean and precise audio is essential for competitive gaming, allowing you not just to pinpoint your enemies but also to communicate effectively with your teammates. Moreover, recent developments in spatial audio and virtual surround sound have allowed headsets to meet — and occasionally surpass — more expensive audio setups, allowing even the most budget-conscious gamer to obtain a competitive edge at a fraction of the price.

While you could always invest in a massive pair of speakers, they’re likely to earn you the dubious distinction of the worst roommate of the decade. Thankfully, the right headset will allow you to keep the running and gunning to yourself, which is why...

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AMD reveals new naming scheme for its 2023 processors

Image: AMD

With the Ryzen 7000 series already on the horizon, AMD has released the naming scheme that it will use for the chips it releases next year (and in the years to follow, presumably). The system will apply to chips across AMD’s portfolio, from Athlons all the way up to Ryzen 9.

The new names will be fairly similar to the current names. They will continue to consist of four digits and a letter-constructed suffix, with numbers indicating processor generation and suffixes indicating power. But new numbers will make it easier to understand how powerful a given chip is directly from its name.

Here’s what each digit will mean:

• The first number refers to the portfolio year, with 2023 beginning as 7. (The first Ryzen processors...

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