Apple event 2023 recap: iPhone 15 price, colors announced; Apple Watch Series 9 unveiled

Apple unveiled its latest products, including the new iPhone 15 models and Series 9 Apple Watch, during its annual September event in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday.

The standard iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the larger 15 Plus starts at $899. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, and the larger iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199.

All four iPhone models will be available for preorder Sept. 15 and available in stores Sept. 22.

The Series 9 watch will also go on sale Sept. 22 and be priced at $399.

The keynote presentation, which was called "Wonderlust," was held on Apple’s campus at the Steve Jobs Theater. The event has become an annual staple on the tech calendar, dating back to the debut of the original iPhone in 2007.

Here's what was announced at Apple's 2023 event:

iPhone 15 price, features

Apple debuted the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max Tuesday.

The standard iPhone 15 will start at $799, while the 15 Plus will start at $899. The iPhone 15 will have a 6.1-inch display, and the 15 Plus will have a 6.7-inch display. 

The phones will have Dynamic Island, a redesigned notch at the top of the screen that takes up less visual space. The feature was first added to the iPhone 14 Pro models last year as a tool to track ongoing activity, like directions or the music you're listening to. 

The iPhone 15 base models will get the A16 chip used in the iPhone 14 Pro models.

What does the iPhone 15 look like?

iPhone 15 release date

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will be available for preorder on Sept. 15, and they will be available online and in stores on Sept. 22.

iPhone 15 camera

The standard iPhone 15 models will have an improved camera system that will allow for greater optical zoom, switching from a 12-megapixel main camera sensor to a 48-megapixel version. 

The new camera has the same resolution as the camera on the iPhone 14 Pro.

iPhone 15 colors

The iPhone 15 will debut in five colors – black, blue, pink, white and yellow.

iPhone 15 Pro price, features

The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, while the iPhone Pro Max starts at $1,199.

The iPhone 15 Pro will have titanium sides, which replaces the stainless steel used since the iPhone X. The iPhone 15 Pro models will also have the faster A17 chip that the company claims will improve the mobile gaming experience.

iPhone 15 Pro camera

The iPhone 15 Pro models will have three cameras, similar to previous models, and a 48-megapixel main camera sensor.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera will have several new and updated features, including 5X optical zoom.

iPhone 15 Pro colors

The iPhone 15 Pro models will come in black, dark blue, dark gray and light grey.

Apple Watch Series 9 price, 'double-tap'

Apple also announced the newest model for the Apple Watch: the Series 9.

The primary upgrade comes from a new processing chip, called the S9 SiP, which the company claims will be faster than the one introduced in 2020.

The Series 9 will look similar to previous models, but it will have updated colors including pink, starlight and silver.

The Series 9 will also have a new feature called "double tap." The feature allows users to answer a call or control any number of actions in an app by tapping their index finger and thumb together, twice.

The watch will go on sale Sept. 22 and be priced at $399.

More about Apple Watch:How to get it

Apple Watch Ultra 2 price

Similar to the Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will also have the "double tap” feature and have the S9 SiP processor.

The Ultra 2 will have on-device Siri, enabling faster, more accurate responses thanks to the S9 SiP.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be $799.

APPLE WATCH ULTRA SERIES 2:OUTDOOR SMARTWATCH BUGALOO

Apple USB-C charger

Apple confirmed that its phones will move away from the company's Lightning charging system to a USB-C port. The changes will begin with the iPhone 15 line and AirPod charging case.

The change comes on the heels of regulations passed by the European Union to standardize the charging ports for electronic devices sold on the continent.

New iPhone 15 will use USB-C chargers:What to know about Apple's charging cord switch

Apple events through the years

More than 30 million people watched Apple’s 2022 event on YouTube.

Apple unveiled the iPad in 2010, the Apple Watch in 2014 and the AirPods in 2016.

With more than 1.2 billion iPhones sold, Apple has “become a core part of people's lives around the world," Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told USA TODAY. 

Apple generated more than $394 billion in net sales last year, and since its January 2007 unveiling of the first iPhone, the company's share price has risen more than 5,000%.

Apple:16 years after the iPhone's launch, why Apple continues to play a huge role in our lives