Very early this morning Apple held their annual keynote press conference, announcing some new Apple products and the update of some current products. With the release dates happening over the next month, we want to give you a heads up on what is coming so you can decide whether its right for you.
The iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is the biggest and most powerful iOS device ever built by Apple. The screen sits at 13”
(similar to Apple’s smallest laptop screen), and has more pixels than the 15” Macbook Pro with retina display, making it the most advanced display ever created by Apple.
With a 10-hour battery life, 2x faster storage performance and faster than 80% of PCs the iPad Pro is a very powerful device. It holds a 3rd-generation 64-bit A9X chip, 2s memory bandwidth, 2x faster storage performance, 1.8x faster than A8x and Desktop-class CPU.
With a four-speaker audio system, one at each corner, the iPad Pro has three times the volume of the iPad Air 2. It also automatically balances left and right, depending on how you hold the iPad. You can also edit 3 streams of 4K video simultaneously.
The iPad Pro also offers a keyboard, allowing users to type similar to a laptop (this appears to be Apple’s answer to Microsofts ‘Surface 3’). The device uses Apple Dome Switch from the MacBook. It also uses brand new connector technology, Smart Connector, meaning the power and data connects magnetically to the smart keyboard. As well as this Apple have introduced the Apple Pencil. When using the pencil, the iPad detects the pencils position twice as fast as it would a finger. Technology in the pencil detects position, force and tilt giving users the precision of being able to touch a single pixel. Apple suggests the battery lasts for hours and will use a lightning connector to recharge it by plugging into the iPad Pro. Apple are creating this product to be used in schools and workplaces, offering a device that can be used like an iPad or a laptop.
The Apple TV
For the first time in years Apple have updated their Apple TV. Putting their focus on Apps, they believe that the future of TV is watching through an App.
Apple have integrated Siri, the iPhone’s personal assistant, to the Apple TV allowing users to say phrases like “Recent movies with Hugh Jackman” and have the options appear on screen. Whilst watching a movie users can also ask Siri questions such as “Who starred in this movie?” and answers will pop up on the bottom of the screen.
The remote has also been updated, with a glass touch surface across the top that makes it fluid and precise to move around.
iTunes, Netflix and more are bringing out new content for the Apple TV – diverting their attention to Apple’s belief in the revolution of TV Apps.
Apple have introduced tvOS, similar to iOS but for the TV. This operating system allows games to be built for the Apple TV. For example, Activision are bringing out Guitar Hero to play on an app through the Apple TV. Multi player will also be introduced in the near future, allowing users on iPhones and iPads to join in. The games will be played with the remote, similar to a Wii. Apple will also introduce online shopping through the TV.
iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
They may look the same as the previous iPhone models, but Apple assures us “The only thing that’s changed is everything”.
Firstly, Apple have introduced a new rose gold colour in the 7000 aluminium series. Now offering the four colours; space grey, gold, silver and rose gold. The new iPhones have new glass; the strongest in the industry, incorporating dual ion-exchange process.
The iPhones will also host a new interface – 3D Touch, the next generation of multi touch. The iPhone can recognise force, enabling new gestures called Peek and Pop.This works on your home screen to get short cuts to the things you do frequently. Press lightly and it gives you a peek at the content. Continue pressing and it pops you into the content itself. You can peek at flights, getting quick view of flight status data. You can peek at mail or events, and swipe to do common tasks. Facebook can update status or check in from your iPhone’s home screen.
Hosting a new A9 chip, new transistor architecture the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus is optimised for real-world use. It is 70% faster than the A8.The new iPhone will incorporate the 2nd generation Touch ID sensor, which is 2x as fast as the previous one seen in the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.
The iPhone also has an all-new 12MP iSight camera, hosting 50% more pixels than before, giving you a tremendous improvement in detail on your photos. The autofocus is faster and more accurate, giving you substantially better photos than seen in all previous iPhone models. 4K video shooting is also included in the new iPhone, as well as the ability to edit 4K videos on your device.
Overall there appears to be many changes to the iPhone and how we use it. Apple have said it will be more intuitive.
