In Flint Center for Performing Arts, Apple announced a new mobile payment platform, advanced touchscreen smartwatch and 2 large-screen iPhones. The audience was very impressed with standing ovations and many outbreaks of applause. The press, VIPs from the technology, fashion, entertainment industries and Apple employees all in attendance showing support.
The New iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
After an always gripping introductory video, Phil Schiller Apple's senior vice president announce two new iPhone models today, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Both getting a beautiful re-style with smooth, brushed aluminum rear curving gently into the front screen almost, resembling small iPads.
The iPhone 6 includes a 1334x750 pixel resolution on a 4.7-inch display. iPhone6 Plus brings a 1920x1080 display on a 5.5-inch screen. The phones however are exactly the same except for the size.
The new A8 processor is promised to be 87% more efficient than its predecessor, while offering 25% more power to the CPU and up to 50% faster GPU speeds than the iPhone 5s' A7 chip. With the M8 motion coprocessor working in addition to aiding image stabilization, you can now tell when you're walking, cycling or running and can track if you're traversing up and down stairs with a new barometer that detects changes in air pressure.
These devices each feature Touch ID home buttons and NFC. The iPhone 6 will go on sale Friday, September 19th. The starting contract at $200 for 16GB, $300 for 64GB, and $400 for 128GB. The 6 Plus starts at $100 more.
The Apple Watch, Apple's Wearable Technology
The must unknown topic of the day was if Apple was in fact going to unveil the long-rumored wearable tech product. The company did more than just unveil but amazed. The Apple Watch has arrived!
Cook stated "Apple watch is the most personal device we've ever created," followed by a standing ovation and round of wild applause. Apple's CEO calls it "a new intimate way to connect and communicate direction from your wrist."
This smartwatch which is accurate within 50 milliseconds is not only technologically impressive but also is quite styling. You have a fair amount of choices in both hardware and faces allowing you to customize and stylize your watch to meet you personal groove.
Cook stated "With every breakthrough, Apple has also had to have a breakthrough in user interface,". What they made sure we knew however was that they didn't simply take the iPhone interface and shrink it to a watch size, and believe that their new interface will make for a fantastic experience.
With a menu composed of small bubble shaped app icons you can arrange wherever you like and may even group them together with other related apps. By twisting the crown you zoom in and out on the group of apps and then to open up an app you would simply tap it. They have a new feature called Glances which lets you swipe upwards from the bottom of the screen to cycle through customizable screens. Apple even decided to include Siri in the advice so now we will in fact see people talking with their smart watches, we are all the new James Bond.
The Apple Watch will launch with a apps such as Maps, customizable watch faces and third-party apps. Third party apps from businesses like W Hotels and American Airlines. It also includes several health and fitness apps which use information gathered by both your iPhone and Apple Watch. The Apple sensors will even give you a view of your daily activities, essentially being both a smartwatch and fitness tracker in one.
The Apple Watch certainly impressed but lets hope it can deliver. It will start at $350 and go on sale in early 2015.
Apple's Mobile Payment System: ApplePay
"Payments is a huge business. Every day between credit and debit, we spend $12 billion, and that's just in the United States," cook stated in his introduction to what a huge business payments is and a space that have yet to be digitally cracked.
Apple has been working with MasterCard, American Express and Visa to design their new ApplePay system which is already working with over 220,000 merchants at launch. These merchants include Whole Foods, Macy's, Target and Walgreens. Using your NFC you simply tap your phone to the pay terminal and the security code is given. You start by adding a snapshot of the your card which then must receive verification from your bank. After that it's simply swipe your phone payments. Apple has stated that Apple will not collect your purchasing data in other words what you purchase is between you and the merchant.
Another new technology that Apple is trying out and only time will tell whether it is user accepted or not. ApplePay will launch in the U.S. in October with an update to iOS8.
Apple has yet again proven their ability to not only create new technologies but also shown that they are one of the best at doing it. With these three new products we will certainly see more Apple products on a daily basis and that's saying something.
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