The major Apple event for September 2023 is now done and dusted, with the four-strong iPhone 15 series being revealed in full. But there was a lot more to the Apple ecosystem story from the 'Wonderlust' launch event: from the 'USB-C-ification' of the line-up – AirPods Pro 2 included! – to upgraded plans incoming for Apple's iCloud+ cloud storage service.
Previously iCloud+ was only available in 50GB, 200GB and 2TB storage options – priced at £/$0.99, £/$2.99, £8.99/$9.99 per month, respectively – but now there will be new 6TB and 12TB capacities added (date TBC) for those looking to upgrade their storage capacity subscription by a significant margin. It'll be the ideal expansion high-end users have been waiting for.
No pricing has yet been announced for these new higher-capacity tiers, but an educated guess of £24.99/$27.99 and £/$49.99 for the 6TB and 12TB options respectively would make logical sense. That's also priced in the ballpark of what Google charges for its 5TB and 10TB equivalent cloud-storage options, so would be competitive in this market.
I think this iCloud+ upgrade makes a lot of sense to launch right now, given the increased capabilities of the iPhone series' 48-megapixel cameras and Apple's ProRes format growing in popularity. More content creators and videographers are shooting in this raw format, which uses up a significant amount of space compared to other compressed options, so I'm sure that pros will be welcoming of this expanded cloud storage option.
Of all the iPhone 15 handsets to gain the biggest upgrades generation-to-generation, however, it's the iPhone 15 Pro Max's new 5x optical zoom camera that has particularly blown my mind – its tetra-prism technology sounds like a mighty intelligent way to solve the physical scale issue that optical zoom lenses demand, whilst retaining a wide-open aperture (here at f/2.8), for serious shooting potential.
I look forward to trying out the iPhone 15 Pro Max – and no doubt an impending shooting obsession would then quickly require a 6TB/month iCloud+ subscription! Although with so much new kit revealed at the event, I may have to figure out if I want an Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Vision Pro or yet other Apple kit in the pre-order bag first and foremost. Choices, choices...
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
Mike is T3's Tech Editor. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and his beat covers phones – of which he's seen hundreds of handsets over the years – laptops, gaming, TV & audio, and more. There's little consumer tech he's not had a hand at trying, and with extensive commissioning and editing experience, he knows the industry inside out. As the former Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years where he furthered his knowledge and expertise, whilst writing about literally thousands of products, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more.
-
Netflix's new sci-fi with Stranger Things star has something for all the family
The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, is coming to Netflix in March 2025
By Mike Lowe Published
-
I review electric toothbrushes for a living and these are the 3 best deals on Amazon this week
If you're looking for a new electric toothbrush, you've come to the right place
By Lizzie Wilmot Published
-
I tried the iPhone 16 Pro on safari – now I want one for the huge camera upgrade
The iPhone 16 Pro's zoom boost is a game-changer
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple’s now delivering big discounts on its best iPads
The fastest M1 iPad Pro and Air models are now appearing in the Apple refurb store
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
iPhone 17 Pro and entire iPhone 18 series tipped for a very important upgrade
The next iPhone Pro / Pro Max is expected to boost speeds through extra RAM
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
All-new Apple iPad mini 7 gets a surprise announcement – pre-orders now open
Apple isn't waiting for its next event to give us the news we've been waiting for
By Rik Henderson Published
-
This iPhone SE 4 feature may be missing in action
The iPhone SE 4 may resemble the most recent iPhones, but it looks like it'll be lacking one key feature
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Your iPhone could soon be the perfect partner for sports events, gigs and shows
Digital concert tickets could soon include everything from playlists to the location of your pals
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple’s slowing down its schedule for everything other than iPhones, says insider
The iPhone will remain an annual upgrade, but a new report says Apple plans to slow down its release schedule from 2025
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple’s next big launch tipped for 1 November – and that should include iPad mini
M4 Macs and the long-awaited iPad mini update are pencilled in for a November launch
By Carrie Marshall Published