Apple Unveils AI-Enabled iPhones and AirPods That Can Also Be Used as Hearing Aids

CUPERTINO, Calif. – For months, Apple has been showing off its vision of how artificial intelligence will help users of its devices “get things done effortlessly.”

Now, the company is releasing new hardware that aims to bring artificial intelligence (AI) – or in this case, “Apple intelligence” – to a wider audience.

Apple on Monday pulled back the curtain on its new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro devices, all of which will be able to take advantage of the company’s new Apple Intelligence features as soon as they become available. The first wave of Apple’s generative AI tools are expected to arrive in a software update this fall, while more dramatic changes — like a smarter version of Siri — will have to wait until next year.

Some analysts say the increased spending on artificial intelligence, combined with a glut of older phones that users are clinging to, could spark a cycle of product upgrades for Apple, which is much-needed for a company trying to combat declining sales of its flagship product.

Apple’s nearly two-hour event on Monday also showed off Apple Watches with slimmer designs and brighter screens, new AirPods models and a key software update that will enable its existing $249 AirPods Pro headphones to function as hearing aids. That feature still requires Food and Drug Administration approval, Apple said.

Here’s everything you need to know about what Apple unveiled on Monday.

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro

Apple has unveiled four new iPhone models: the iPhone 16, the larger 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. As the company has emphasized at length, these are devices that have been — for better or worse — designed “from the ground up” to use AI tools.

Apple’s lower-end iPhone 16 ($799+) and 16 Plus ($899+) models have been upgraded with faster A18 processors, as well as “Action” buttons — dedicated keys that can trigger specific functions or shortcuts — that debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro series last year.

Meanwhile, the company’s iPhone 16 Pro ($999+) and iPhone 16 Pro Max ($1,199+) feature supercharged versions of Apple’s new processors that are meant to better handle gaming, creative tasks, and the company’s AI tools. The screens on these more advanced devices are also slightly larger than those on the standard models, though Apple’s redesign means users likely won’t feel the difference in their hands.

Apple Pro models also feature a new, higher-resolution ultra-wide camera—perfect for taking panoramic photos—and a range of videographer-friendly tools for improving the quality of audio recordings and recording time-lapse videos.

Thankfully, some changes are coming to all of Apple’s new iPhones at the same time. Every iPhone 16 now has a new touch-sensitive button that can be used to zoom and change key camera settings, and Apple says we’ll see significant improvements in battery life across the board – though it hasn’t made any specific promises.

New Apple Watches and Sleep Apnea Detection

The company has been talking about its software plans for the Watch since June, but it has added one new feature to the offering: sleep apnea alerts.

A newly developed algorithm for Apple Watch will alert users to “moderate to severe sleep apnea symptoms” and generate a report you can share with your doctor to help you manage it all. (The company says it expects FDA approval for the feature later this month.)

The feature will be available on the company’s older Series 9 and Ultra 2 models, as well as the new Apple Watch Series 10.

Apple’s new smartwatch — the latest version of the company’s popular mid-range wearable — has been redesigned to be thinner than the models they replace. That’s enough to make these devices the thinnest Apple Watches ever, though it remains to be seen how much that change will affect our wrists.

The screens squeezed into these watches are also larger than ever, although you can still see dark bezels running along the edges. For those who like to leave their watch screens on all the time, Apple says the new screens are brighter and easier to read at an angle – perfect for those moments when you need to discreetly check the time.

Apple has also updated its existing Watch Ultra 2. The company’s rugged, athlete-focused smartwatch is now available in black. Meanwhile, the affordable Apple Watch SE — previously rumored to be getting a plastic design — remains untouched.

Updated AirPods

To everyone’s surprise, Apple’s humble wireless earbuds received perhaps the most interesting upgrades of the entire show.

Apple hasn’t changed its $249 AirPods Pro, but they’re getting some of the company’s biggest software changes yet — like a set of hearing-testing tools. With an upcoming software update, you’ll be able to use your AirPods to take a clinically validated hearing test.

If your phone detects that you have mild to moderate hearing loss, you’ll be able to use AirPods as a set of smart, over-the-counter hearing aids that can amplify voices and environmental sounds around you as needed. Like the new sleep apnea detection tools in the watch, these features will arrive later this fall, once the FDA approves them.

Apple also revamped its audio lineup, starting with the $129 AirPods 4, which have been redesigned to look more like the company’s AirPods Pro. (The biggest difference: They don’t have those tiny plastic tips that dig deeper into your ear canal.)

For those who need to shut out the outside world, Apple also released a modified version of the open-air AirPods with active noise cancellation for $179. We haven’t had a chance to try this feature yet, but consider us a bit skeptical — these AirPods aren’t designed to isolate your ears like the Apple Pro models do, so the quality of the noise cancellation is a big question mark.

To sweeten the deal for these slightly more premium earbuds, they come with wireless charging support and a built-in speaker, making them easier to find using the company’s Find My app. And all of the company’s AirPods — including the updated versions of the on-ear AirPods Max — will now charge via USB-C.