aNewDomain — Apple brought colleagues and press to San Francisco to discuss the next iPhone, Watch OS2 and other “magical” features from its brand. At this point, the iPhone iteration is in the “S” phase. This means that the new features of the smartphone are small upgrades, such as a faster processor and better camera. No big deal, right?
But what about the iPad and other rumored items up the sleeve of Apple? It all comes out in the press conference, and I’m here to report.
Apple iPad Pro
The iPad Pro sets out to challenge the Microsoft Surface Pro line of products when it comes to productivity. Ironically, Apple had representatives from Microsoft to demo the new iPad Pro working in tandem with Microsoft Office. Perhaps the age-old feud between the two tech giants is waning.
The iPad Pro screen is now a 12.9-inch retina display. An A9X processor is installed to help make the graphics and applications work smoothly. Apple added accessories similar to Microsoft, like the Apple Pencil ($99) and Smart Keyboard ($169), for additional productivity. Will this put a nail in the coffin of the Surface Pro series?
The iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 32GB model.
Apple TV
The device formerly known as the “Apple hobby” has now been reborn with an updated operating system, user experience and remote control. Yes, the Apple TV is looking to be the future of your home television experience.
The remote control utilizes swiping to navigate through screen menus and has a microphone that allows users to dictate voice commands to Siri. By joining Siri and Apple TV the user gets deep metadata access, which will return more precise search information and in-show navigation on your big screen.
The Apple TV really looks like a fresh infusion to the set-top-box world. The screens look like your typical grid layout, but the usability seems to be much better and intuitive. It seems to be centered around heightened interaction with your favorite television shows, and it even offers live sports.
The Apple TV looks to be an amazing $149 experience when launched in late October 2015.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch‘s operating system is getting an upgrade — dubbed “OS2.” This brings more watch faces for consumers and pleases developers as it makes creating apps easier. Apple currently has over ten thousand apps for the Apple Watch. Will this number grow?
iPhone 6S And iPhone 6S Plus
Most understand that the “S” iteration of the iPhone isn’t one to brag about as far as new specs and features. Apple touts that while the phone looks like its predecessor, it’s not like its predecessor. It’s so much more.
I think the “look” isn’t the same at all — there’s a rose-gold version now available. Ew. Definitely not my color. I digress …
The original iPhone changed the world of smartphones with multi-touch, and now the new 3D Touch is out to change how you interact with your iPhone. 3D Touch is based on pressure, specifically how hard you touch your phone. The amount of pressure sensed displays different data on your screen. Gestures in 3D Touch are used more for typical actions, such as replying to a message or even deleting it.
Oh, and the camera (now 12MP) and Touch ID button have been updated. You expected those to update, right?
The nerd in me would love to get more into the sensor changes, but I won’t bore you with that. In short, shots captured with the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus will look even better, and 4k video will also be available. Sadly, most consumers won’t have a way to truly appreciate the 4k video playback, but at least it’s an option.
Live Photos looks like an interesting feature to bring your photos to life. Think of Google’s “Auto-Awesome.” Live Photos will render across all your Apple devices, giving you the look and feel of an animated .GIF file.
I’m really impressed with the announcements from Apple (and that’s saying a lot, as I’m an avid Google user). The iPad Pro just may put the Surface Pro to bed with its price point and capabilities. The Apple TV may disrupt the market, knocking away Roku and Nvidia with pricing and the easy-to-use remote. The Apple Watch is … well it’s there. Nice looking device, but it’s not something everyone will use or need, but we all know that.
The new iPhone will get all the iPhone 5S customers (with the “free upgrade” concept in the U.S.) and maybe a few customers that are ready to jump from the HTCs and Samsungs of the world. Of course, the Move to the iOS app will make things easy for those consumers. Pricing for the iPhone 6S line starts at $199 and $299 with September 12 pre-order and September 18 availability.
What are your thoughts of the announcements from Apple? Leave me a comment below. Is your credit card ready to order the new Apple Gear? You can watch the full presentation here.
For aNewDomain, I’m Ant Pruitt.
All image screenshots captured by Ant Pruitt
