New Delhi:

Noting that Apple’s latest iPhone 16 is being produced and has been launched globally from Indian factories, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that ‘Make in India’ initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is driving the creation of iconic products for the world.

Apple on Monday announced iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, built for Apple Intelligence, “the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy”.

This is the first time Apple has assembled its iPhone 16 Pro models outside China, highlighting a major shift in the tech giant’s global production strategy.

“Apple’s latest iPhone 16 being produced and launched globally from Indian factories! PM @narendramodi Ji’s ‘Make in India’ initiative is now driving the creation of iconic products for the world,” Vaishnaw said in a post on X.

Apple’s latest iPhone 16 being produced and launched globally from Indian factories!

PM @narendramodi Ji’s ‘Make in India’ initiative is now driving the creation of iconic products for the world. pic.twitter.com/Oi0qfcgYL2

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) September 10, 2024

The move underscores Apple’s strategic efforts to diversify its manufacturing base and enhance its global supply chain resilience.

According to GSM Arena, Apple’s decision to assemble its iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models in India reflects a broader trend of companies seeking to reduce their dependence on single countries for production.

For the past seven years, Apple has been progressively ramping up its production in India. This expansion is expected to elevate India’s share in Apple’s total iPhone production from approximately 14 per cent earlier this year to 25 per cent by next year.

In addition to the iPhone 16 Pro, there are reports indicating that Apple plans to begin production of the iPhone 17 exclusively in India.

By diversifying its production strategy, Apple aims to mitigate risks associated with over-reliance on any single country, particularly in light of geopolitical shifts and supply chain uncertainties.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Cupertino (California):

Tech giant Apple on Monday introduced its much-anticipated iPhone 16 series with Apple Intelligence, larger display sizes, camera control, innovative pro-camera features and a big leap in battery life.

Powered by the A18 Pro chip, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max feature a new 48MP Fusion camera with a faster quad-pixel sensor that enables 4K120 fps video recording in Dolby Vision, the company said in a statement.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium and desert titanium colours, in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. iPhone 16 Pro starts at Rs 119,900 and iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at Rs 144,900.

Customers in India will be able to pre-order iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max beginning this Friday (September 13), with availability beginning September 20.

“Customers who are looking for the best possible iPhone will be able to take advantage of this huge step forward, whether they’re applying edits to a photo without lifting a finger, rewriting meeting notes for a more professional tone, or using the advanced camera system to capture their next masterpiece in 4K120 fps in Dolby Vision,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in ultramarine, teal, pink, white, and black in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities. iPhone 16 starts at Rs 79,900 and iPhone 16 Plus starts at Rs 89.900. Pre-orders will begin on September 13, with availability beginning September 20, said the company.

The tech giant unveiled Apple Watch Series 10, featuring a refined design and new capabilities. It also features new sleep apnea notifications, faster charging, water depth and temperature sensing and new health and fitness insights and intelligence in watchOS 11.

Apple Watch Series 10 is available in both aluminum and titanium, in an array of stunning colors and finishes. Jet black is a new polished aluminum finish that is distinctively reflective and sleek, while new titanium cases — available in natural, gold, and slate — have a spectacular jewellery-like shine.

The users in India can now pre-order Apple Watch Series 10, with availability in stores beginning September 20. Apple Watch Series 10 starts at Rs 46,900 and Watch SE is available starting at Rs 24,900.

Apple Watch Series 10 is nearly 10 per cent thinner than Apple Watch Series 7, Series 8, and Series 9.

The company also introduced Apple Watch Ultra 2 in a new black titanium finish and enhanced with features in watchOS 11 that make the most rugged and capable Apple Watch even better.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 features most accurate GPS in a sports watch, the brightest display of any Apple product, and up to 36 hours of battery life with regular use or up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode.

Customers can also pre-order AirPods 4 for Rs 12,900, with availability beginning September 20. They can also pre-order AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for Rs 17,900. AirPods Pro 2 are available for Rs 24,900, said the company. They can also pre-order AirPods Max with USB-C charging for Rs 59,900, with availability beginning September 20.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Apple on Monday unveiled an artificial intelligence focused-iPhone 16 lineup, a sleeker Apple Watch, AirPods 4, and said new AI features will be added to its devices next month.

Here are some products tech behemoth Apple launched at the event:

NEW IPHONE LINEUP

The iPhone 16, starting at $799, comes in two sizes — 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches. The phones are powered by the new A18 chips, which feature a 16-core neural engine designed for generative AI-linked tasks and Apple Intelligence.

The phones also come with a customizable action button, allowing users to perform a variety of functions such as recording voice memo, identifying songs, and translating phrases.

APPLE WATCH UPGRADES

Apple unveiled its latest Watch Series 10 starting at $399, which the company claims is its thinnest and fastest charging watch ever.

The Series 10 will be powered by Apple’s new S10 chip, which includes a four-core neural engine that will allow machine learning activities and power features such as double tapping on device, Siri dictation, along with crash and fall detection.

Apple also highlighted the health-linked features of its watch, such as sleep apnea detection. The watch will monitor a new metric during sleep called breathing disturbances and will notify users if they display signs of sleep apnea.

AIRPOD MODELS

Apple’s AirPods 4, powered by a new custom H2 chip, start at $129 and come with improved audio quality and personalized spatial audio.

Users can also interact with Siri while using the AirPods by nodding “yes” or shaking their head to say “no” in response to Siri announcements. The charging case has USB-C ports.

The company also said that its AirPods Pro 2 can now be “transformed” into a personalized hearing aid via an upcoming software update, boosting the specific sounds in real time, like parts of speech or elements within a user’s environment.