Apple has made everything from phones and music players all the way to watches and iPads. But they announced some new updates to existing gadgets and the release of some new ones during a press conference at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium last Wednesday. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changing and what’s to come.
iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus
“While they may look familiar, we have changed everything about these new iPhones,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The phones are now made with an aircraft-grade material called 7000 series aluminum which makes it stronger and unlikely to bend or break. They also come in four colors: rose gold, space gray, gold and silver.
Apple has also updated the phone with a rear camera that has 50% more pixels than the iPhone 6 and the front camera now has 5 megapixels giving a sharper picture.
“Live Photos” is a new feature that combines photo and video. When the user takes a photo with this feature, it’ll record a second and a half video afterwards. Then the user can go back and tap the photo to view the video.
The iPhone also got a 3D touch screen and faster fingerprint sensors added to it.
These new phones will start at about $650 and $750 for the 6S Plus. They go on pre-sale September 12 and will be released in stores September 25.
Apple TV
Apple TV is going to feature apps to watch Netflix and Hulu and channels like ESPN and ABC along with apps to play different games.
“Apps are the future of television. Think about it. On your mobile devices and computers, you already use apps such as Netflix, Hulu, WatchESPN, and iTunes to watch TV shows. And that’s exactly where TV in the living room is headed,” according to Apple’s website.
Apple TV has a new remote, a third-party App Store and an overhauled operating system. The TV’s black remote has a glass touch surface and very little buttons on it. Instead, the remote control uses bluetooth to control the volume and has the user either ask Siri to find what to watch or swipe on the remote to skim through options.
iPad Pro
Apple is now making a bigger, better iPad. It is now 12.9 inches and now has more pixels than a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display which is the biggest screen they have ever built in an IOS device, according to Apple executive Phil Schiller.
The iPad Pro will also be a lot faster. It has enough power to edit three streams of 4K video at the same time and has 10-hour battery life now.
Along with iPad Pro, Apple is coming out with a smart keyboard and an stylus called the Apple Pencil which can be used with the the iPad Pro.
This new device starts at $799.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch was released in April and Apple describes it as “our most personal device yet because it’s the first one you actually wear.”
Apple has now created more band options including a lightweight sports band and a wrap- around brown leather band. The watch itself will also now be available in gold and rose gold.
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