Apple introduces iPhone 16: AI era and new Apple Watch expected – Multimedia –

However, the US company will not initially introduce the advanced AI functions in the EU, citing legal uncertainties. A new version of the operating system will enable iPhone use without Apple apps for the first time. There are also new Apple Watches.

The new iPhone models are expected to be presented from 7 p.m. CEST on Monday. At its September events, the technology company traditionally also refreshes its computer watch, the Apple Watch. And new models of the Airpods earphones are expected.

According to information from the financial service Bloomberg, the new iPhone will again be available in four versions this year: The standard iPhone 16 model and the more expensive and better equipped iPhone 16 Pro will each have two display sizes. The design will therefore largely be based on the current generation. A common upgrade is better cameras and more powerful chips. However, according to Bloomberg, the Pro models will have slightly larger screens than before.

Apple is also said to have come up with another button to act as a camera shutter release. It will work like a photo camera: light pressure activates the autofocus, and pressing it all the way down will take a picture. At the same time, the button will also allow you to control the zoom with swiping movements.

The phones will also get more RAM so that they can run new functions based on artificial intelligence. Of the old models, only the iPhone 15 Pro from last year is powerful enough for this. Now all new iPhones should be ready for “Apple Intelligence”.

Thanks to AI, the iPhone and other Apple devices are designed to make users' lives easier: summarizing missed emails and text messages, creating individual emoji symbols, fishing out information on demand – all of this should be possible in the future.

However, some of the new functions will not be available in the EU at first. The company points to legal uncertainties caused by the digital law DMA, which sets out rules for large platforms. Apple said it was particularly concerned that the DMA requirements for opening up to other manufacturers and service providers could compromise the protection of user data. But according to media reports, the functions of “Apple Intelligence” will also be gradually introduced for US users over several software updates.

According to the Bloomberg report, the Apple Watch will have a slightly larger display and will be noticeably thinner. The company introduced the computer watch ten years ago and brought it onto the market in spring 2015. The Apple Watch now leads the market and is the basis for the company's fitness business. The larger Apple Watch Ultra, in its third version, will mainly feature improvements on the inside.

It is rather unusual for Apple to present new iPhones on a Monday – but the company is avoiding two other events. On Tuesday, the first TV debate between presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is likely to attract the greatest attention in the domestic market. And in Europe, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) will announce its decision on the state aid dispute between Apple and the EU Commission, which will force the companies to pay more than 13 billion dollars in back taxes in Ireland. The ECJ could send the case back to the General Court of the European Union (GCC) in Luxembourg before Apple has prevailed.

In addition, rival Huawei will present its own innovations just a few hours after the iPhone event. The main product expected is a smartphone with a display that can be opened on two sides. Huawei was once number two in the global mobile phone market – until US sanctions caused the Chinese companies to lose their international importance. In China, meanwhile, Huawei is still strong.