Exploring the Ultra 3: A Smartwatch for Adventurers

Fresh off a day filled with new Apple products, The Verge’s ground team reports back on everything they’ve seen — and touched. Allison Johnson walks us through the new iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro lineups, making sense of all the new camera features and wondering just how thin a phone really can be. After that, Victoria Song talks about why the AirPods Pro 3 may have been the big hit of the day, plus all the details on the three new models of Apple Watch. Finally, Jake Kastrenakes tells us about his first experience live at an Apple event, explains the appeal of a crossbody strap, and has a theory about why an orange phone is such a big deal.

Further reading:

• The eight biggest announcements during Apple’s iPhone Air event | The Verge
• All the news from Apple’s iPhone 17 event | The Verge
• Apple announces the ultra-slim iPhone Air | The Verge
• iPhone Air hands-on | The Verge
• Apple iPhone 17 hands-on | The Verge
• Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has the biggest battery of any iPhone | The Verge
• Apple’s iPhone 17 drops the Plus, but gains a bigger, faster display | The Verge
• iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max: our initial hands-on impressions | The Verge
• The 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $1,999. | The Verge
• The iPhone 17 comes with Apple’s new in-house networking chip | The Verge
• Apple’s new iPhone Air accessories include a slim MagSafe battery, TechWoven case, and crossbody strap
• Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air | The Verge
• All right, what new Apple stuff are we buying? | The Verge
• The new iPhones all have Center Stage front-facing cameras | The Verge
• Apple announces AirPods Pro 3 with ‘world’s best ANC’ and heart rate sensing | The Verge
• The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has 42 hours of battery life and satellite connectivity | The Verge
• Apple announces new entry-level $249 Apple Watch SE 3 with always-on display | The Verge
• The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air
• Apple’s new MagSafe battery is only designed for the new iPhone Air
• Phone 17 Pro “clear” case that is MOSTLY NOT CLEAR 
• Apple barely talked about AI at its big iPhone 17 event | The Verge
• iOS 26 is out on September 15th | The Verge
• Apple’s macOS Tahoe 26 update releases September 15th | The Verge
• Apple reveals iPadOS 26 release date | The Verge
• Apple will launch watchOS 26 on September 15th | The Verge
• Apple’s using more recycled materials in its iPhones and watches

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