Apple launched new features and devices today, along with highlighting its partnerships and ecosystem in a wide-ranging event in San Francisco that included the introduction of the company’s largest tablet to date in the form of the new iPad Pro.
Sure to kick off a flurry of upgrades, preorders for the company’s new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus start Sept. 12, and the devices themselves will be available on Sept. 25 in a half-dozen countries, including the U.S. New features include a 12-megapixel camera that takes photos that appear “live” on the device and move when pressed; support for LTE-Advanced, Wi-Fi with multiple-input/multiple-output technology and 23 LTE bands; the ability to record 4K or ultra-high-definition video; and faster touch identification. As with earlier iPhone 6 models, the 6S and 6S Plus support voice over LTE, Wi-Fi calling and Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and it comes in new finishes: gold and rose gold.
Apple also touted the next evolution of multitouch screens with what it is calling 3D Touch, or the screen’s ability to differentiate between different amounts of pressure in order to “peek” or “pop” into content on the device. A light touch results in a peek, or a curtailed view of content on the device, while exerting more pressure pops a user into the actual content without having to go through opening the application.
The two new iPhone 6S models are available in 16 gigabyte, 64 GB and 128 GB models, priced at $649/$749/$849 for the iPhone 6S and from $749/$849/$949 for the iPhone 6S Plus.
Apple used the event not only to highlight its own hardware and operating system, but spotlighted developers who are working with its Apple Watch and Apple TV offerings as well as the new iPad Pro, which it expects will kick off a new wave of advanced applications.
The iPad Pro is Apple’s new flagship tablet and will be available starting in November. The 12.9-inch display sports 5.6 million pixels, which Apple said is practically twice the size of Apple’s previous largest model, with 78% per screen area and a new four-speaker architecture for sound, and new accessories including a “smart keyboard” and Apple’s take on the traditional stylus, the $99 Apple Pencil. As with the new iPhones, the Apple Pencil responds to delicate pressure changes and adjusts its output in a manner more like a physical drawing device – although it does need to be charged.
The price tag is similarly enlarged: $799 for the basic 32 GB Wi-Fi model (which supports the new 802.11ac spec for faster Wi-Fi), $949 for a 128 GB Wi-Fi model, and $1,079 for a 128 GB model with both cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Perhaps the most unexpected collaborative moment was when Microsoft representatives were welcomed to the stage as part of Apple’s preview for the iPad Pro – not only included, but lauded as promoting productivity. Microsoft’s Kirk Konigsbauer demonstrated some of the features for Microsoft Office on the new iPad Pro, including support for the new Apple Pencil. The iPad Pro represents a definite challenge to Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, which also supports a stylus and keyboard.
T-Mobile US’ John Legere may have summed it up best on Twitter:
.@Microsoft onstage at #AppleEvent??? #kumbaya #twilightzone
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) September 9, 2015
But seriously…awesome to see @microsoft, the kings of productivity, combine with the power of #Apple #iPadPro. #amazing
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) September 9, 2015
Interestingly, Apple launched its own upgrade program for iPhone, through which customers can get an unlocked iPhone 6S or 6S Plus from Apple retail stores at $32 or $37 per month and enable them to get a new iPhone every year. The company also significantly cut storage prices for consumers, with its iCloud storage offering now starting at $1 per month for 50 GB, and ranging up to a terabyte of cloud storage for $10 per month; the latter option used to cost $20 per month.
Among other product announcements from the event:
- Apple Watch got a makeover with new finishes in rose gold, gold and anodized aluminum, new band collections and a collaboration with luxury designer Hermes just in time for the holiday season. Beyond looks, the company emphasized third-party “complications” for the watch and the fact that more than 10,000 apps are available for the device though Apple’s app store. Among those of note: GoPro turns Apple Watch into a viewfinder for its cameras; users can speak into iTranslate to get their words translated to one of more than 90 languages; and AirStrip uses Apple Watch to enable at-home monitoring of pregnant women and their babies, as well as other health care information and scheduling for doctors.
- Apple TV now includes games and content from Netflix and Hulu, so users can go to one place to find content across multiple subscription services as well as Apple content. Apple’s virtual assistant Siri gets even more ubiquitous in the new Apple TV set up, which includes a “Siri button” on the remote and offers voice control for searches, can search for and display information unrelated to the TV content, and a “what did they say” feature that replays content with subtitles.
