This week in Apple: iPhone 11 series launched, Apple Watch Series 5 tags along

There was a lot of Apple news this week, but the biggest was the launch of the 2019 series of iPhones: the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The new phones look similar to last year’s iPhones albeit with a new rear camera module shape and triple-lens setups for the 11 Pro and the 11 Pro Max.

Along with the new iPhones, Apple also released the latest addition to the Apple Watch line, an updated iPad, and official release and pricing information for Apple Arcade and Apple TV Plus. Apple also announced that, like its line of laptops, the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad will be constructed of 100% recycled aluminum moving forward.

Although most of the attention was on the Apple launch event, there were some other notable happenings elsewhere, including an unexpected delay in the macOS release cycle, AppleCare Plus adopting a monthly subscription model, and Apple’s new lawsuit.

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest!

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max launch: The cameras are the real star of the show in this year’s updated iPhones, even if fans and experts alike say they need to come with a trigger warning. They all receive Apple’s updated A13 Bionic SoC, Dolby Atmos support, and Slofies — Apple’s cheeky way of saying slo-mo selfies. All three devices are available for pre-order now. The iPhone 11 pricing starts at $699. iPhone 11 Pro pricing starts at $999 for the 5.8-inch model and $1,099 for the 6.5-inch model. Apple will keep the iPhone XR and iPhone 8 in the lineup at the reduced starting prices of $599 and $499, respectively.
• Apple Watch Series 5 announced: The latest Apple Watch receives an always-on display, a built-in compass, a new Apple Maps app, and international emergency calling, even when the watch is not connected to an iPhone. Pricing for the Apple Watch Series 5 GPS models will start at $399 and LTE models will cost $499, though there is no pricing information released about the announced Nike and Hermes special editions yet.
• An incremental update to the iPad: The standard iPad is Apple’s best selling product in the iPad line of devices, outselling the Air, Pro, and Mini. The standard iPad got a bit of love this year, receiving an upgraded 10.2-inch Retina display, Apple Pencil and keyboard support, iPadOS, and a starting price of $329. For those of you that didn’t notice, yes that is less than the starting price of the latest Apple Watches.
• Official information announced about Apple Arcade and Apple TV Plus: Both Apple Arcade and Apple TV Plus received some facetime at Apple’s event, and each service will cost $4.99 a month for the whole family. Apple Arcade comes with a one-month free trial and will be available September 19. Apple TV Plus will be available November 1, but people who purchase any new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV hardware device will get one year of Apple TV Plus for free. Everyone else can get a seven-day free trial to try out the service.
• Latest macOS update will release later than usual: Historically, Apple has unveiled new macOS versions in June and released them in September. This year, Catalina will release in October, one month later than usual.
• AppleCare Plus now available through a monthly subscription: One of the main reasons people buy Apple products is for its fantastic customer support. Now, Apple customers can receive AppleCare Plus coverage for their devices as long as they’re willing to pay the new monthly subscription even if they are older. This could drastically increase the lifespan of devices, giving Apple another notch in its customer service belt.
• Apple is getting sued: Irish firm Solas OLED sued Apple, alleging the Apple Watch, the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro, and some of Apple’s recent iPhones infringe on Solas OLED’s patents. Even though Apple doesn’t make its own OLED screens, Solas OLED claims Apple is responsible for these infringements. Thankfully Apple’s evaluation is looking great, and the company could be valued at 1 trillion dollars again, so whatever Solas is asking for is most likely pocket change to the silicon valley tech giant.

Thinking about making the switch?

If you are currently an Apple user thinking about making the switch to Android, we have multiple articles and guides that can help you with that process. Despite how it might seem, moving from iOS to Android is easier than ever, and many of the services and systems on iOS have similar or even the same counterparts on Android.

The best place to start would be our guide on how to switch from iPhone to Android, which goes over all the basics. We also have more specific guides, such as how to transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. We also have app guides that will give you the best alternatives to iOS staples, such as our list of best alternatives to FaceTime on Android.

If you’re looking for a great Android device to replace your iPhone, consult our list of the best Android smartphones available now.