Apple’s Wonderlust event on September 12, 2023, was one of those Apple events where the big question was not whether a new iPhone was coming, but whether Apple would finally make the changes people had been waiting on.
For me, the big thing going in was USB-C on the iPhone. I use my iPhone for video, photos, and day-to-day work, and Lightning has been the bottleneck for moving large files off the phone.
Quick Answer
The short version: Apple announced the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The biggest practical iPhone change was USB-C, especially for anyone who shoots large video files or wants easier accessory support.
The iPhone 15 Pro also moved to a titanium design, added the Action Button, improved camera options, and gained support for recording ProRes video directly to external storage. The Apple Watch updates were useful, but for me, the Ultra 2 did not feel like a must-upgrade if you already had the first Apple Watch Ultra.
What Apple Announced
This event was mostly about two product families: iPhone and Apple Watch. There was a brief Apple Vision Pro update, with Apple saying it was still expected to ship early the following year, but this was not a Vision Pro deep dive.
Apple started with the Apple Watch, moved through its environmental goals, then spent the rest of the event on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.
- Apple Watch Series 9
- Apple Watch Ultra 2
- iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
- USB-C accessories, including updated wired EarPods
- New FineWoven accessories replacing leather
USB-C Was The Big iPhone Change
The move from Lightning to USB-C was the part I was most interested in. If you only charge your phone at night and take normal photos, it may not feel dramatic. But if you shoot ProRes, RAW, or large video files, it matters a lot.
With Lightning, getting big files off the iPhone could be painful. AirDrop was not always reliable for large transfers, iCloud could take a long time, and I had even used FTP from my phone to my computer because it was sometimes the fastest option.
USB-C changes that. Apple talked about charging, data, audio, and video over USB-C. On the Pro models, the more interesting part was being able to connect external storage and record directly to it in apps like Filmic Pro. That is a real workflow improvement.
- USB-C replaced Lightning on the iPhone 15 lineup.
- The port supports charging, data, audio, and video.
- The Pro models make more sense for serious video work because of external drive support.
- Apple also moved wired EarPods to USB-C.
iPhone 15 And 15 Plus
The regular iPhone 15 models kept the familiar two-camera layout, but Apple upgraded the camera system with a 48-megapixel main camera. Apple also brought Dynamic Island to the regular iPhone lineup.
The back moved to a colored glass design, and Apple showed colors including black, blue, greenish yellow, yellow, and pink. The overall shape still looked familiar, so this was not a radical redesign.
One useful camera change was the way Apple uses the 48-megapixel sensor to give a 2x telephoto-style crop. Since the phone only has two physical rear cameras, that gives regular iPhone buyers a bit more flexibility without stepping up to the Pro line.
- 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus
- Dynamic Island on the non-Pro models
- 48-megapixel main camera
- 2x crop option from the main sensor
- USB-C instead of Lightning
- Starting prices shown were $799 for iPhone 15 and $899 for iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro And Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro was the more interesting phone for me. Apple moved to a titanium design, which should make the phone lighter, and kept the same general Pro look with three rear cameras.
Apple also replaced the mute switch with an Action Button. That is similar in spirit to the Apple Watch Ultra button. You can still use it for silent mode, but it can also trigger other actions and Shortcuts.
The camera system got the strongest updates. Apple talked about multiple focal lengths, a 48-megapixel main camera, better lens coating, improved stabilization, 4K ProRes at 60 frames per second, Log recording, ACES support, and spatial video capture for Apple Vision Pro.
The 5x optical zoom on the Pro Max was one of the bigger camera points. Apple described it as a 120mm equivalent. For people who care about photography and video, that is much more meaningful than a small yearly spec bump.
- Titanium design with black, white, blue, and natural titanium finishes
- Action Button replacing the mute switch
- A17 Pro chip
- Hardware ray tracing for games
- 5x optical zoom on iPhone 15 Pro Max
- External drive recording support over USB-C
- Spatial video capture for Apple Vision Pro
Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 received the new S9 chip, on-device Siri processing, brighter display support, and the new double tap gesture.
The double tap feature lets you tap your fingers together to trigger the main action in an app, such as answering a call or stopping a timer. It reminded me of the Apple Vision Pro gesture language, but on the watch it uses sensor data rather than cameras.
On-device Siri is also useful because health-related requests can be handled more privately and more quickly. Apple showed examples like asking about sleep or logging health data.
- S9 chip
- On-device Siri
- Double tap gesture
- Brighter display
- Improved precision finding for iPhone
- New colors and updated bands
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 got the same S9 chip and double tap support, plus a brighter display up to 3,000 nits. Apple also introduced a Modular Ultra watch face.
As someone using the first Apple Watch Ultra, I did not see enough here to make me want to upgrade right away. The Ultra 2 looked very similar, kept the same general design, and the improvements felt useful but not urgent.
If you do not already have an Ultra, the Ultra 2 looked like the better version to buy. But if you already had the first one, this felt more like a refinement year.
- S9 chip
- 3,000-nit display
- Double tap gesture
- On-device Siri
- Modular Ultra watch face
- Same general Ultra design
The Accessory Shift
Apple spent a lot of time talking about environmental goals. One practical result was the end of leather accessories from Apple.
Apple introduced FineWoven as the replacement material for cases and bands. From the event, it looked like a soft woven material, but durability is something that would need real use before judging.
Apple also talked heavily about recycled materials, smaller packaging, renewable power, and its goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.
- Apple stopped using leather in its accessories.
- FineWoven replaced leather for cases and bands.
- Apple emphasized recycled aluminum, cobalt, copper, and titanium.
- Carbon neutrality was a major theme throughout the event.
Key Takeaways
- The iPhone 15 lineup finally moved from Lightning to USB-C.
- USB-C matters most for people moving large photo and video files or using external accessories.
- The iPhone 15 Pro Max gained a 5x optical zoom and stronger video workflow features.
- The iPhone 15 Pro added titanium and replaced the mute switch with the Action Button.
- Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 added S9, double tap, and on-device Siri.
- If you already had the first Apple Watch Ultra, the Ultra 2 did not feel like a must-upgrade.
Watch the Video
The video above above for the full live watch party, including my real-time reactions as Apple announced USB-C, the iPhone 15 Pro camera changes, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the rest of the Wonderlust event.
