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A new iPhone, an upgraded iPad and a revamped Apple TV were among the major announcements coming out of San Francisco Wednesday morning (September 9) from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).
While the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will look similar to last year’s iPhone 6, it comes with beefed up features such as a faster processor, updated software, a 12-megapixel camera capable of shooting 4K high-definition video and a new pressure-sensitive screen.
After the iPhone 6 sold more than 100 million in its first six months following last year’s debut, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he’s constantly been asked how he follows up a success like that.
“While they may look familiar, we have changed everything about these new iPhones,” he told a packed auditorium.
The CEO described the mobile devices as not only the “the most advanced iPhones ever” but also the “most advanced smartphones in the world.”
Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer, said in a video played during the “Hey, Siri” event that the 3D Touch debuting on the iPhone 6S would offer “distinct, tactile feedback for your actions.”
The feature recognizes not just touch but also the pressure and force being applied to the screen. The iPhone will perform different actions depending on how long and how hard someone presses on the screen.
The 6S also comes with a new, optional rose-gold finish, and a 4.7-inch screen for the 6S and a 5.5-inch screen for the 6S Plus.
Pre-orders for the 6S and 6S Plus begin Saturday (September 12), while the device itself will be available in Canada and the U.S. on September 25.
In the U.S., the new iPhone will follow the same pricing scheme as its predecessor. Prices for Canada were not released but if the same practice is applied north of the border, the iPhone 6S would run between $250 and $500, depending on the model. The 6S Plus would cost between $475 and $550.
All prices are based on customers entering a 24-month contract with a wireless provider.
Apple also unveiled the iPad Pro, an upgraded tablet computer featuring a 12.9-inch screen — the largest screen yet for the device — that will ship in November.The 5.6-million pixel screen is large enough to feature a full-sized keyboard on its display.
“This is the most advanced display we have ever built,” said Apple senior vice-president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller.
But in a left turn for Apple, the company also introduced a physical keyboard accessory as well as a stylus known as the Apple Pencil.
Before his death, Apple founder Steve Jobs was known for being vehemently against the idea of a stylus.
The iPad Pro has a 10-hour battery life, its new chip doubles its bandwidth to memory and the device also comes with a four-speaker audio system that automatically balances between the left and the right depending how users hold it.
The starting price for the iPad Pro US$800 and runs up to US$1080, depending on the model. The stylus goes for US$100.
Apple also introduced a revamped version of its Apple TV digital media player.
“The TV experience itself hasn’t changed that much in decades,” Cook said.
“We believe the future of television is apps.”
The revamped device will allow owners to shop online on their couch and iPhone users can play video games with their friends on a TV set (the iPhone functions as a controller).
Meanwhile, Apple TV’s new remote has a glass touch surface people can use to glide through the new interface.
The remote responds to voice-activated requests through its Siri feature. This will allow viewers to search through iTunes, HBO and Netflix, among other providers, by telling Siri what film or genre they’re interested in.
For example, someone can tell Siri they want to watch a James Bond film but only one featuring Sean Connery. The Apple TV will pull up all available movies fitting those categories, such as Dr. No.
Apple also briefly mentioned it would debut NHL Game Centre Live in 2016.
A 32 gigabyte model will sell for US$150 and the 64 gigabyte model goes for US$200. The revamped Apple TV drops in October.
