Apple Keynote 2024: Our experts weigh in on the biggest announcements

Our Back Market tech experts, Luis De Los Santos & Kewin Charron, weigh in on the announcements from the 2024 Apple Keynote. What announcements stood out from the event? Are any of the iPhone 16 upgrades worth it? How will the new Apple models stack up to its predecessors? What are the newest innovations that we should know about? How will this impact the industry? We'll dive into these answers and more with Back Market's Refurbishment Operations Managers.

"It's Glowtime": Recapping the Apple Keynote Event 2024

The annual Apple Keynote kicked off on Monday, Sept 9th with announcements on it's newest additions to their iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch lineups. Before we jump into the insights from our tech experts, Luis & Kewin, let's take a quick look at some of the event highlights.

• As expected, the iPhone 16 was announced starting at £799 with a few new updates and features:

  • The Action button found on the iPhone 15 Pro, will be available on all models. Apple also revealed a new Camera Control "button" for instant camera access.

  • The new A18 chip will be included to enhance AI features, energy efficiency and performance (30% more power than iPhone 15 and 40% faster).

  • Apple Intelligence will be available in American-English in October and will roll out in other English versions by end of year.

  • Visual intelligence will be available later this year and will allow users to get information about a place or thing by pointing your camera at it.

• The iPhone 16 Pro will start at £999 and offered similar features as the iPhone 16 like AI and the Action Button, but otherwise showcases typical upgrades like improved performance, better battery life, faster MagSafe charging.

• Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 10 starting at £399, featuring a bigger display (30% more screen area) and a thinner design.

  • The Series S10 chip will be able to detect sleep apnea (Also available on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 series)

• The AirPods 4 will be released at £129 or £179 with active noise-cancelling feature. This is the first time this feature is available outside the AirPods Pro series.

• While Apple is not releasing a new AirPods Pro series, they will offer new features on the AirPods Pro 2, including hearing protection and hearing aid.

Expert insight from Back Market: what you need to know from the Keynote

• Kewin Charron: Senior Lead Refurbishment Operations Manager (EU)

• Luis De Los Santos: Senior Refurbishment Operations Manager (US)

General impressions and highlights:

• Luis: "I found the keynote heavily focused on software, particularly AI integration, rather than ground breaking hardware changes. While the Action Button and rumoured camera button are nice additions to the iPhone lineup, they feel like minor improvements. For me, the hardware updates don’t justify the high price, especially when the iPhone 16 doesn’t bring enough new features over the iPhone 15 Pro (15 Pro will be AI-enabled as well). The vertical camera module was an interesting redesign, but I don’t think they’ll have a significant impact on consumer behavior. These are more design shifts than game-changing innovations, and they don’t feel like enough to make a huge difference in the market."

• Kewin: "One of the more unexpected elements was the rumoured redesign of the camera module on the iPhone 16, possibly shifting to a vertical layout. This change, will influence smartphone design trends across the industry."

Product-specific insights:

• Luis: "The iPhone 16 series offers solid improvements, particularly for photographers and those who want to experience Apple's latest AI capabilities. However, for most users, especially those with the iPhone 15 Pro, the new features may not justify the upgrade. The A18 Pro chip also offers faster performance, but for most users, the difference in day-to-day tasks will be minimal compared to the A17 chip. The Camera Control button and AI integration are neat additions, but Apple has historically delivered more compelling reasons to upgrade in previous models. This year, the changes feel more like refinements rather than a must-have leap forward. AI, Apple's biggest selling point here, will also be available on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max."

• Kewin: "Apple’s focus on AI integration and camera enhancements, particularly with the new buttons, gives it an edge over competitors like Samsung and Google, who are also heavily invested in AI and photography. But those features are already widely available. As always, Apple is not really innovating, but more bringing innovation to their product with a huge sense of integration in their ecosystem. The new Camera Button on the Pro models, which offers DSLR-like functionality, is particularly intriguing. This feature could revolutionise mobile photography by providing more granular control over focus and zoom, similar to professional cameras. This could be a game-changer for photography enthusiasts who rely on their phones for capturing high-quality images."

Strategic decisions and market impact:

• Kewin: "Apple’s latest offerings align well with current consumer trends, such as the growing importance of AI. The iterative improvements suggest that Apple is focusing on perfecting the user experience rather than chasing gimmicks, and integrates them in their strong ecosystem."

• Luis: "While AI-driven features are trending, I don’t think Apple is pushing the envelope enough with the iPhone 16. These updates are more about refinement than innovation, which could leave consumers underwhelmed. It aligns with trends, but it’s not leading them, especially considering that other companies are pushing harder on innovation and have developed better AI models without the help of OpenAI (ChatGPT) which Apple is relying on heavily for Apple Intelligence."

Software and ecosystem:

• Luis: "The AI-driven software updates are the most impactful, but they feel incremental. For Apple ecosystem users, these updates make their devices work more harmoniously, but they aren’t ground breaking, at least for iPhone. I am really excited about AI on Mac. For users fully invested in Apple, these updates will enhance their experience by making everything feel more connected and smarter, providing them with a better sense of ownership."

Hardware innovations and design:

• Kewin: "The new camera button and the potential redesign of the iPhone’s camera module are the standout hardware changes. These innovations continue Apple’s tradition of refining rather than radically changing its design philosophy, focusing on practical enhancements that improve the user experience."

Economic and environmental considerations:

• Kewin: "Apple once again emphasised its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility at this year’s event. However, it’s hard not to wonder whether these initiatives are truly substantial or if they lean more toward greenwashing—promoting an environmentally friendly image without making meaningful changes. While Apple has made some progress in areas like recycled materials and renewable energy, many of the announcements seemed like extensions of existing programs rather than ground breaking new efforts. Without more concrete actions or transparency about the impact of these initiatives, it could feel like a continuation of the same marketing strategy we’ve seen before."

• Luis: "Agree with Kewin here - Apple’s sustainability initiatives feel like more of the same. They’re making progress, but without transparent reporting on the actual impact, it’s hard to see these announcements as anything more than marketing. It doesn’t feel ground breaking or new."

Consumer considerations:

• Kewin: "Consumers who prioritise photography, AI advancements, or just want the latest technology should consider upgrading. Those with relatively new devices or who are satisfied with their current model may be better off waiting for a more substantial update in the future."

• Luis: "This is a phone pro photographers can benefit from, anyone else with recent Pro model iPhones should just get an iPhone 15 Pro."