MacFormat Autumn 2022

The arrival of autumn is always great news for Apple fans and this year is no different – in fact if you turn to p6, you’ll be able to read all about the new products Apple unveiled at its Far Out event in September, including the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, new Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Pro 2. But that’s not the only reason to celebrate. Turn to p20, and you’ll discover the incredible new features in iOS 16 – your next free upgrade to your iPhone’s operating system. We’re particularly excited by its new customisation options and the welcome enhancements Apple has made to apps like Maps, Messages and Mail. And you won’t even need a new iPhone to use them: iOS 16 is compatible with a…

Apple promised that its 7 September event would be something special – and it was, as we’ll reveal over the next five pages. Predominately prerecorded, the ‘Far Out’ event, held at Apple Park in Cupertino, gave us a whip-smart tour through all the new Apple products, starting with the new second-generation AirPods Pro and finishing with the range-topping iPhone 14 Pro, and with plenty of exciting reveals in between. The takeaway: Apple appears to have lost none of its capacity for surprise and invention, despite global events ranging from the pandemic to worldwide chip shortages. While Apple’s September events tend to focus on new iPhones, it’s arguably the Apple Watch that stole the show this time. That’s because, not only did Apple reveal an updated Apple Watch SE and the…

The new iPhone 14 isn’t a massively radical departure for Apple, but it’s arguably done enough to still make it the most popular iPhone for most people. The biggest surprise is that last year’s 5.4in iPhone mini has been ditched in favour of the iPhone 14 Plus, which comes in the same 6.7in screen size as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple’s biggest and most expensive iPhone. Inside, the iPhone 14 also retains the A15 Bionic chip of the previous model, although Apple says it now performs better and has longer battery life than before, with the iPhone 14 lasting for up to 20 hours between recharges, and the iPhone 14 Plus lasting for up to 26 hours between recharges. Both iPhone 14 models also benefit from an improved camera…

Apple always pulls something magical out of the bag for its flagship iPhone and this year’s model is no exception. Living up to its ‘Far Out’ billing, the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max not only feature massively improved cameras, but also include new Always-On Retina XDR displays, plus a new feature: the Dynamic Island. Centred around the smaller TrueDepth camera, the Dynamic Island is touted by Apple as an “interactive user experience” that can contain anything from notifications to easy access controls that you can use with a simple tap-and-hold. That means, in iOS 16, you can see and interact with background apps like Maps, Music and timers with third-party apps also supported. Variable refresh The Always-On display, meanwhile, takes one of the much-loved features of…

The world’s best-selling smart watch doesn’t have too much to prove – but it’s doubling down anyway with a new rugged version that’s ready for the rough stuff. Designed to meet the needs of mountaineers, triathletes and scuba divers, it’s likely to be as equally as home on a trip to Waitrose – and that’s because it’s packed with all the features you expect, and quite a few you don’t. First up is the design. While the Apple Watch has always been relatively chunky, the Apple Watch Ultra makes that vice into a virtue, with a big, bold, titanium case that comes with a rough-hewn Digital Crown on its prominent right side and an ‘international orange’ Action button on the left. On the top is a fully flat sapphire display…

> Thanks to the new S8 chip, the new Apple Watch SE is up to 20% faster than the original SE, and now boasts a 30% larger Retina OLED display screen. The new SE retains the optical heart rate sensor, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, and water resistance up to 50 metres of the first generation. These similarities aside, two new motion sensors – an improved gyroscope and new accelerometer – enable the new Crash Detection feature that’s also included in the iPhone 14 and other new Apple Watches, that can automatically notify the emergency services and your emergency contacts. It also features a revised back plate made from composite nylon material, which Apple says makes the Watch SE lighter than before.  Like the new Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8,…