5 issues Apple did not let you know at iPhone 16 launch occasion

Now that we have had two days to dig into each little element Apple shared at Monday’s “It is Glowtime” occasion, it is time to give attention to the stuff that was left unsaid.

There have been fairly a number of particulars Apple by no means talked about — however maybe ought to have — on the occasion. For the customers, a few of these are good, some unhealthy, and a few ambiguous, however they’re all fairly necessary, particularly if one is seeking to purchase one of many new Apple devices proven on the occasion.

Here is our listing of all of the hidden particulars that Apple type of glossed over on Monday, and when you’ve observed any others, do tell us within the feedback!

FineWoven instances are out, however FineWoven wallets are nonetheless right here

An Apple FineWoven case shown on an iPhone held by a person in their hand.

You’ll be able to’t purchase this case anymore, however you’ll be able to nonetheless purchase the pockets.
Credit score: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Forward of the occasion, rumors swirled that Apple wasn’t too pleased about customers being very sad about the corporate’s FineWoven equipment. The FineWoven stuff, experiences stated, is on its method out, and the experiences had been correct — properly, partially.

Apple’s FineWoven equipment didn’t get a point out from Apple at its occasion this yr, however the entire FineWoven instances for the iPhone had been faraway from the Apple Retailer. Oddly sufficient, the FineWoven wallets are nonetheless out there. It is laborious to invest on why Apple selected to take away the instances however depart the wallets, however my guess is that the instances, being the dearer gadget, drew extra anger from customers once they began to put on down.

It is also value noting that Apple did not exchange the FineWoven instances with a brand new, leather-like-but-environmentally-friendly materials. As a substitute, the corporate now solely presents Apple-branded clear instances and silicone instances for iPhones.

All of this makes it slightly laborious to present a transparent verdict; FineWoven instances clearly did not stand the take a look at of time, however we hoped for a substitute, which simply hasn’t occurred.

Verdict: Blended

The thriller of iPhone 16’s battery life

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Battery Life

Now we all know. Effectively, type of.
Credit score: Apple

All through the occasion, Apple saved saying that the brand new iPhones, each the 16 and 16 Professional selection, have improved battery life, however the firm would not share a single, exact determine associated to it.

Mashable Gentle Velocity

These battery life figures got here later within the type of Apple’s spec sheets for the gadgets, and the figures look nice, promising (roughly) a 15 % enchancment in battery life throughout the board (learn my detailed report for extra).

Nonetheless, one has to marvel: Why was Apple so coy in regards to the battery life enhancements? Maybe the corporate simply determined to not drown the viewers in additional numbers. Or, if we’re being actually optimistic, possibly the corporate is aware of the battery life enhancements are so good, that it desires unbiased reviewers to be amazed once they take a look at the telephones themselves.

We’ll know for certain once we spend some extra time with the gadgets. Till then, primarily based on the official specs, we’ll name this a win.

Verdict: In all probability good

AirPods Max nonetheless do not assist lossless audio

Apple AirPods Max

We had our fingers crossed, however it was not meant to be.
Credit score: Apple

The AirPods Max didn’t get a real improve on Monday; as an alternative, it acquired the AirPods Professional 2 therapy, through which Apple added new colours, a number of software program options, and switched the Lightning port out in favor of the extra common, and EU-preferred, USB-C port.

One factor that irked me when the AirPods Max launched was that they did not assist Apple Music Lossless (lossless audio compression) in any method, form or type. Here is Apple’s personal doc confirming it. That was 4 years in the past, when the AirPods Max had been initially launched and now, in 2024, there is a barely up to date model of AirPods Max which…nonetheless would not assist lossless.

Did we actually count on it to occur? No, however it’s nonetheless a bummer.

Verdict: Unhealthy

However you should buy cushions in new colours on your present AirPods Max

AirPods Max Ear Cushion in Purple

Actually love the purple AirPods Max? You may get simply the cushions, for $69.
Credit score: Apple

When you have the outdated model of AirPods Max, you most likely needn’t improve to the brand new AirPods Max, as the one large variations are the colours and the USB-C port changing Lightning.

However when you actually like the brand new colours, that are particularly Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Orange, you will get official ear cushions for the AirPods Max in these new colours. It will value you $69, but when the outdated cushions are worn out, maybe that is a greater improve than allotting $549 for your complete headphones.

Verdict: Good

The shows on the iPhone 16 and 16 Professional have a brand new trick

Apple iPhone 16 Pro display

1 nit minimal brightness: examine!
Credit score: Apple

The unhealthy information right here is that iPhone 16 and 16 Plus nonetheless do not assist ProMotion, that means their shows are capped to 60Hz. In addition they don’t assist All the time-On, which stays reserved for the Professional fashions. It is a bummer, provided that many mid-range Android telephones nowadays have 120Hz shows.

We like the very fact, nonetheless, that the entire new fashions — iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Professional, and iPhone 16 Professional Max — assist 1 nit minimal brightness.

If I needed to clarify how that can profit the iPhone 16 fashions, I might mutter one thing unintelligible whereas awkwardly staring on the ground, as a result of the 1 nit minimal brightness makes essentially the most sense when paired with All the time-On and StandBy, saving battery life and making the telephone simpler to have a look at in near-total darkness. However these options stay reserved for the Professional fashions for now; maybe the 1 nit minimal brightness is sign that Apple will deliver them to the common iPhones, too?

Verdict: Blended