7 Things at 7: iPhone 16 first impressions, Qualcomm buying Intel and more.
Apple launched the iPhone 16 series last week, which means this week was the official launch day. Apple sold out of the Pro Max model within hours — which happens every year — but the real story is the non-Pro phones. These are the ones to watch out for this year.
Early reports suggested that iPhone 16 pre-orders were below last year's, but T-Mobile’s CEO refuted this, saying that demand had exceeded expectations. Apple doesn’t break out sales numbers by device, but I would love to see which of the four models is the most popular.
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Beyond the world of Apple, there was big news in the semiconductor industry, with reports suggesting that Qualcomm was exploring an acquisition of Intel. We’re hard at work on reviews of all the iPhone 16 series, so this week’s 7 Things at 7 is a little shorter than normal! Let’s get stuck in!
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1️⃣ Apple reviews are underway: first impressions of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16
I’ve got the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, and iPhone 16 Pro here, and reviews of all three devices are underway! You can expect the full review of the iPhone 16 Pro here on Impact, while I’ll publish the iPhone 16 review on Android Police.
This year, I returned to the regular iPhone 16 Pro instead of the Pro Max I had used last year. Why? The camera finally gains the 5x telephoto zoom that was exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and so far, I am enjoying the smaller size. It’s the perfect size, but the biggest problem is likely the battery life. The jury is still out, but I’m not impressed by the battery.
I’ve unboxed all three phones, and the Ultramarine iPhone 16 once again reaffirms that I wish Apple would make more colorful Pro phones. Ultramarine is a beautiful color, as is the Teal iPhone 16 Plus, and the Titanium Pros feel boring.
Stay tuned for much more, but here’s a quick hands-on:
2️⃣ The Apple Watch Series 10 is gorgeous…
I love the Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 that Apple announced last week. It’s thin, light, and sleek. It’s a great device for the tenth anniversary of Apple’s most impactful product, but it also raises the question of where Apple goes next.
I suspect the focus will be less on hardware and more on additional health features like non-invasive blood sugar monitoring. That feature is still years away, but it’s the one that I’m most excited about.
Watch OS 11 isn’t a huge step forward for the Apple Watch, and there are few AI features on display, so the focus this year is on the hardware. The new Series 10 is lovely, but the battery life is the key problem. I’m still testing it, but it’s about 36 hours on a full charge. Coming from the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it’s a noticeable downgrade, and sadly, this won’t last two full days.
I’m testing it alongside the Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7, which brings me to my next point.
3️⃣ … but the Pixel Watch 3 might be my favorite wearable
I haven’t finished my review of the Pixel Watch 3 yet, but I am enjoying it a lot. It’s a fantastic device, and the battery life is exceptional. 34 hours into this test, the Apple Watch Series 10 has 10% battery remaining, the Galaxy Watch 7 has 20%, and the Pixel Watch 3 has 35%. It’s shaping up to be the best of these three!
I also like the Pixel Watch 3's Cardio Load and Target Load features. They help guide my daily activity levels and ensure my heart remains healthy. We’ll see how long-term use improves my health, but a few weeks in, the Pixel Watch 3 has earned a spot on my wrist.
It will likely be used alongside the Apple Watch Series 10; if I can have two phones, surely two watches is also acceptable?
4️⃣ The AirPods 4 have also arrived
I love September and the new tech season, but this is proving insanely hectic. It shows no signs of abating, and there is still much tech to cover, not least the new AirPods 4.
I’ve got the version with ANC, designed to offer most of the AirPods Pro experience at a lower price. So far, the ANC seems to deliver a solid experience, which is a surprise given the lack of silicon ear tips.
It’ll be interesting to see whether I return to the AirPods Pro 2 or keep these, especially as the former will offer hearing tests later this year. This seems to be a great fourth generation of Apple’s wireless buds. However, I’m only a few days into the review, so I will reserve my final judgment.
5️⃣ I have a LOT of iPhone cases here and coming soon
This whole section could be called iPhone Corner, but this week's last installment of Apple involves cases. The iPhone cases and accessories industry is a highly lucrative business, but it is also fiercely competitive.
I’ve worked with many case companies over the years, and at IFA, I saw many iPhone 16 series cases before the phone was even announced. I’ve now received some of these and have a lot more coming, so stay tuned for a lot of coverage.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for a full video on the best iPhone 16 cases in the coming weeks; over 50 cases are winging their way to me, so it promises to be a detailed comparison and the only one you’ll need to watch to find the best case!
6️⃣ Qualcomm buying Intel? Surely not!
This week, one of the most surprising — and equally least surprising — news pieces was a report that Qualcomm has been looking at acquiring Intel. On the one hand, it makes sense: Intel has struggled in recent years but still owns a valuable IP portfolio, and Qualcomm loves making acquisitions.
On the other hand, it doesn’t: Intel’s market cap is half that of Qualcomm’s, making any acquisition's financial terms incredibly challenging. Coupled with inevitable regulatory concerns, there’s a strong chance that any acquisition wouldn’t be approved, but would it even make sense for either company? There are a lot of questions, but there are ways that it could make sense, especially for Qualcomm, given its recent resurgence in the PC market.
You can read more about Qualcomm’s purported interest in Intel at The Verge. You can also read the original story at the WSJ and the further corroboration by the New York Times. It also turns out that Qualcomm isn’t the only company interested in acquiring Intel.
7️⃣ Snapchat has new spectacles… that require a subscription
If the world of subscriptions wasn’t ridiculous enough, Snapchat took it a step further with its new Spectacles ‘24. The new device has notable improvements in field-of-view, resolution, and hand-tracking. It is designed to offer the best hardware for developers to build the next generation of AR experiences.
Being targeted at developers means that Snapchat can charge ridiculous amounts of money for the Spectacles ‘24. How much, I hear you ask? $99 per month + tax, with a minimum 12-month commitment. That’s a monthly subscription for a pair of AR glasses. It’s a minimum cost of $1,200, which is, quite frankly, absolutely ridiculous. Oh well, at least there’s a new, simpler Snapchat, for what that’s worth.
📆 Upcoming Calendar
What’s upcoming in the tech world that you need to know about? We know this year will be different regarding tech launches, but things are always happening, so here’s what to watch out for!
- September 26: The Xiaomi 14T series will be launched in Berlin, and they should be fantastic, affordable devices.
- September 26: A new Samsung device will probably be launched on Thursday! Samsung has launched pre-reservations for the Galaxy S24 FE, which end on Wednesday, suggesting a launch on Thursday!
👀 Two carve-outs this week!
What about beyond tech? Here are a few bonus things that may interest you!
As mentioned last week, we’re moving away from Substack. This is expected to happen in the next few weeks, and you may likely get registration emails from our new CMS (powered by Ghost) before it happens!
I have more to say on this, but I’m very happy with the new site and newsletter design and options so far!
Thanks to IFA, I missed something I was looking forward to: an in-person Acquired FM show at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The recording is now up, featuring a live interview with Mark Zuckerberg.
That’s all for this week. See you next week, and stay tuned for lots of content this coming week as well!
Impact by House of Tech is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.