iPhone 16 Plus, Watch 10 and AirPods 4: How Apple's newcomers are doing

The iPhone 16 Plus is an excellent choice for those who want to upgrade their iPhone if their model is not very recent (13 and below). But also for those who want to approach iOS and the Apple world for the first time. It is not a revolution, but a solid evolution that will meet the needs of most users.

Small and necessary aside: everything, of course, is subject to the arrival of Apple Intelligence. This smartphone, in fact, will be the first to get Cupertino's artificial intelligence, which should arrive in Italy in 2025. And that will make all the difference in the world.

The latest smartwatch from Apple is the Watch 10. Those expecting a revolution like the iPhone X, being the tenth model, were perhaps a little disappointed. But this Watch has its uses. Especially for those who don't like the (flashier) Ultra model. This is certainly Apple's most elegant watch, but in terms of features it is also a great companion for sports enthusiasts.

We found the 10 to be a solid and consistent update to Apple's smartwatch line-up. While it doesn't completely revolutionise the user experience, it does introduce a number of welcome improvements. Starting with the Oled display, which is not only brighter but also larger (the edges have been reduced).

Apple Watch 10

The size and weight show the effort made by the Cupertino company: the Watch 10, at 9.7 millimetres thick, is the thinnest ever produced. And it looks good on the wrist.

During the test, we noticed how Apple continues to invest in monitoring physical activity, introducing new training modes and improving the accuracy of tracking vital parameters. The real novelty is the detection of sleep apnoea, a feature that can be very useful for users' health. Too bad about the autonomy, then. Because two days of use is a mirage, and the user is often forced to charge it when going to bed, missing the opportunity for night-time tracking. With a bit of getting used to it, a solution can be found (charge it before bed?), also because it only takes 30 minutes to get about 80 per cent charge (if you use a good power supply...).

The launch price is high, especially for the cellular models. Models from previous years can be used to save money.

Finally, the product that convinced us the most: the AirPods 4, which in our opinion represents a significant evolution of Apple's line of wireless earbuds, combining a number of improvements in terms of design, functionality and sound quality. After several years of success with the previous generations, Apple has further refined the user experience with this new model, making it a very attractive option.

The design has been revamped somewhat (they are slightly smaller, and the charging cover is also smaller). The edges are more rounded, which makes them more comfortable in the ear, even during long listening sessions.

But the most interesting innovations concern sound quality and an incredible (for this type of in-ear headphone without the classic silicone grommet) noise cancellation. Apple has integrated new dynamic drivers that offer a richer sound range, with deep bass and detailed high frequencies. The active noise cancellation (ANC) is a real surprise. Not only is it effective in reducing background noise, but it also offers a smoother transition between isolation mode and Transparency mode, allowing you to hear the sounds of your surroundings naturally. Let's be clear: don't expect ANC equal to that of the AirPods Max-style headphones. These AirPods 4 do their job just fine, considering they're on-ear headphones.

Other interesting things: the ease of connecting and switching from one Apple device to another (thanks to the new H3 chip); the adaptive spatial audio function, which automatically adapts the sound according to the movement of the head, creating an immersive effect when listening to multimedia content; the possibility of configuring 'gestures' that allow (for example) one to answer a call by simply lowering one's head.

The battery life of the AirPods 4 has increased slightly compared to previous generations. You can get around 6 hours of continuous playback on a single charge, while the charging case provides up to 30 hours of total usage.