News

In what is now an annual event, Fall has brought the latest iterations of new iPhone and Apple Watch products. We've broken down the key features and pricing of each.

This time of year is also known for major updates of iOS and macOS software. We'll give you some insight into whether you should apply the update today or wait a little while.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

We’ve broken down the salient features of the new iPhone 15 models so you can help decide which model might work best for you and whether you should upgrade.

The feature that will probably affect your life the most is the switch to a USB-C charging port. This feature is long-awaited and will make your life easier in the future, as all your other recent Apple devices as well as most other electronics manufacturers use this standard. However, your strategically placed arsenal of Lightning port cables will need to be swapped. You'll most likely have a blend of devices in your house using different types of charging cables for a little while.

What are the new iPhone 15 models and what are the key features?

iPhone 15

- USB-C charging ports, just like your MacBooks and iPads

- Roadside Assistance and Emergency SOS via Satellite

- 48-megapixel main camera with 2x Telephoto, plus wide-angle lens

- Colors - Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black

- Dynamic Island

- All-day battery life

- Charge other devices with power bank


$799 - iPhone 15, 6.1” display, 128GB Storage (up to 512GB)

$899 - iPhone 15 Plus, 6.7" display, 128GB Storage (up to 512GB)



iPhone 15 Pro

- USB-C charging ports, just like your MacBooks and iPads

- Upgraded 48-magapixel main camera with 5x zoom for Max, 2x and wide angle lenses

- Titanium frame = 9% lighter phone

- Charge other devices with power bank

- Colors - Black, White, Blue, Natural Titanium


Retained Features:

- Roadside Assistance and Emergency SOS via Satellite

- All-day battery life

- Dynamic Island


Pricing and starting options:

$999 - iPhone 15 Pro, 6.1” display, 256 Storage (up to 1TB)

$1199 - iPhone 15 Pro Max, 6.7” display, 256 Storage (up to 1TB)

Apple Watch Series 9 & Ultra 2

Apple’s latest Watch has a fairly significant update with a brighter screen, faster experience, longer battery, and improved construction. The latest double tap feature allows you to access your Watch without even touching it!

For those times when you don’t have a hand available to tap the screen of your watch, Apple has introduced Double Tap. The Apple Watch user just taps their finger and thumb together twice and thanks to the sensors inside the Apple Watch, and the power of the Neural Engine, the Watch will react as if the user had interacted with the Apple Watch and respond as if the primary button in the app had been tapped. Double Tap will arrive as a software update in October 2023.

Apple Watch 9 & Ultra 2 Features:

- Double Tap

- On-device Siri (not via internet)

- Brighter screen

- Longer battery

- Improved Ultra Wideband wireless connectivity

- Ultra 2 is made from Titanium

The larger Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an incremental upgrade to the original Ultra last year with marginal increases in processor speed, an increase of 50% in screen brightness, and the same ultra-tough construction to protect it from the elements.

Pricing and starting options:

$399 - 41 mm Apple Watch Series 9

$429 - 44 mm Apple Watch Series 9

$499 - 41 mm Apple Watch Series 9

$529 - 44 mm Apple Watch Series 9

$799 - 49 mm Apple Watch Ultra 2

HowNew macOS 14 Sonoma and iOS 17 Software Upgrades.

Should I Do it?

For the most part, when we are presented with new updates, we always recommend installing them. For iOS 17 we agree and encourage folks to update their iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Apple TVs to the most recent  major update. This will ensure you have the most recent security, compatibility, and features.

Most of you should also feel free to update your Macs to the latest macOS 14 Sonoma as well for exactly the same reasons. IT’s smooth, stable and the new features will improve the Mac experience.

However, for those of you who use many third-party software applications, there may be reason to wait as smaller software developers some times take time to work new compatible code into their software. Particularly, those of you who use Mail Plugins or Safari Plugins should double check that the plugins are compatible with Sonoma. Additionally, those of you who work in university or corporate settings where institutional software is involved should follow their recommendations with Sonoma compatibility. Lastly, if you have any compatibility concerns with any of your software, we always suggest that you go to the manufacturer’s web page or do a Google search for Sonoma macOS 14 compatibility.

Please make sure your devices are backed up before attempting to upgrade. Better safe than sorry.

Ideally, your Apple products will work most harmoniously running the latest iOS 17 and macOS 14 Sonoma. To understand some of the new features, we recommend reading MacRumor’s 50 New Features (https://www.macrumors.com/guide/50-new-macos-sonoma-features/) in Sonoma for a quick overview.
For the most part, we recommend to upgrade to iOS and macOS as your devices usually just work better and maintain the best compatibility. If there are any doubts, let us know and we'll research or answer your questions.