Apple’s fall hardware lineup is now on sale, putting the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5 in stores after their unveiling earlier this month.
This year’s upgrades are spread across familiar areas, but there are a few changes that stand out: much longer battery life on the iPhone 18 Pro, more frequent health measurements on Apple Watch and stronger noise cancellation on AirPods.
Here’s what’s new if you’re deciding whether any of them are worth an upgrade.
The iPhone 18 Pro puts battery life first
Apple gave the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max its new A20 Pro chip, but the more noticeable upgrade for everyday use may be how long the phones last between charges.
The company rates the 18 Pro for up to 24 hours of typical use and the Pro Max for 30 hours, which Apple calls the biggest battery improvement it has made to the iPhone. Both can also reach 50% charge in about 15 minutes with a compatible adapter.
The A20 Pro is paired with a redesigned vapor chamber that Apple says improves sustained performance by as much as 40% over last year’s models.
That should matter most during demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing and other workloads that keep the chip running hard for longer periods.
Photography gets a notable hardware change as well. The 48-megapixel main camera now has a variable aperture that physically adjusts how much light reaches the sensor, giving photographers more control over low-light shots and depth of field.
The basic sizes haven’t changed dramatically. The Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the Pro Max stretches to 6.9 inches.
What has changed is the price. The iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,199, $100 more than its predecessor, while the Pro Max starts at $1,299.
Apple Watch takes health tracking further
The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 share many of their biggest upgrades this year, including the new S11 chip and a redesigned Health Sensing System.
New green LEDs are larger and more efficient, allowing the watches to check heart rate every five seconds throughout the day. Heart rate variability measurements are also taken much more frequently than on the Series 11.
Apple is putting that extra data to use with Readiness, a new daily score based on recent activity, sleep and health measurements.
Rather than digging through several metrics, you’ll get a single number each morning intended to show how prepared your body is for physical activity.
Series 12 also gets some visible changes. Apple is offering eight finishes, including Pearl White and Night Blue ceramic models, while aluminum versions move to Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is 60% tougher than the Ion-X glass it replaces.
Siri is getting more capable on the watch as well. Live Rewind can recover the previous 15 seconds of audio picked up by the microphone, while Siri Recap can summarize recent conversations.
The Series 12 remains available in 42mm and 46mm sizes and still starts at $399.
The Ultra 4 takes the same health hardware and S11 chip but pushes battery life much further. Apple rates it for up to 50 hours of normal use, 18 hours of regular GPS workout tracking and 45 hours using its new Max Extended Workout mode.
That last mode is designed for particularly long endurance events, with Apple saying there’s enough battery life to track a 100-mile race. The Ultra also keeps dual-frequency GPS and built-in satellite communications.
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 remains $799.
AirPods 5 focus on noise cancellation
AirPods 5 don’t change the formula nearly as much, but Apple has upgraded two things you’ll notice immediately: how securely they fit and how much outside noise they block.
The new earbuds use Apple’s H2 chip and deliver up to 1.5 times stronger active noise cancellation than the previous generation, according to Apple.
Adaptive Audio can move between noise cancellation and transparency depending on what’s happening around you, while dynamic head tracking remains available for supported spatial audio.
Apple has also increased protection against the elements to IP57, giving the earbuds resistance to dust, sweat and water. Hands-free Siri and Live Translation are included as well, with the latter letting you hear translated speech through the earbuds during conversations.
Battery life reaches four hours with noise cancellation enabled on the base model. The optional USB-C Wireless Charging Case extends that to five hours per charge and up to 22 hours in total, while supporting both Qi and Apple Watch chargers.
AirPods 5 start at $129 and are available now.
All four products are available now, although Apple’s other major announcement from the event is still a few weeks away. The $1,999 iPhone Duo opens for pre-orders October 16 before arriving October 23.
