A packed house of Apple fanatics sat in anticipation at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on September 9th, 2015. At precisely 11 a.m., a roar of applause welcomed Apple CEO Tim Cook to the minimally designed stage where he began the 2015 Apple Special Event. The two and a half hour event was live streamed throughout the world and is currently available on the Apple website. Throughout the program, Apple unveiled new products and detailed their features and functionality. Apple invited a variety of executives, developers, and brand partners to speak as well as offer compelling demos. While being well produced, entertaining, and informative, the event takes a whole afternoon to watch. Not everyone has that kind of time, especially with holiday shopping looming around the corner. We have watched the feature-length tech event for you and distilled it into a concise product roundup.
Bill Graham Civic Center during Apple’s September 2015 event
Apple Watch
Apple announced Watch OS 2, the new operating system for the Apple Watch, which will be released in late September. The new OS will allow for a broader usage of the digital crown twist control, customizable watch faces, and greater force touch capabilities. The greatest promise of Watch OS 2 is a thorough integration of 3rd party applications such as GoPro and Facebook Messenger. The Apple Watch will have a few new finishes, including gold and rose gold, as well as new band colors for the fall. The device sells for the same price, starting at $349.
Apple worked together with Hermes on a high-fashion collection that features hand-stitched straps and a special face. The Hermes Apple Watch does not have a price at this time and is set to release in October.
iPad Mini 4
The new iPad mini 4 packs “the power and performance of the iPad Air 2” into a smaller mini enclosure, which now weighs just 0.65 lbs. The device has a 7.9in Retina display and two cameras. The A8 chip makes it 30% faster than the iPad Mini 3, and has 60% faster graphics. Utilizing iOS9, which was released on September 16th, the Mini 4 can support split screen apps. This feature is great for checking email and browsing the web at the same time. The iPad Mini 4 is available now with prices starting at $394.
iPad Pro
Apple claims the iPad Pro is the “biggest news in iPad since the iPad.” The Pro boasts their most advanced display technology. At 12.9in and 2732×2048 pixels, the display has a greater pixel density than a MacBook Pro with Retina display. While being the largest iPad to date, it maintains portability with 6.9mm thickness, a weight of only 1.5 lbs, and a battery life of 10 hours. The iPad Pro utilizes the new 64-bit A9x processor, which is 1.8x faster than the previous iPad. This new processor makes the iPad Pro faster than 80% of portable PCs on the market. The Pro has a four speaker audio system that automatically balances left and right based on the orientation of the device. The speakers can deliver three times the audio volume of the iPad Air 2. The iPad Pro has a release date of November 2015. Prices begin at $799 for 32GB of storage, $949 for 128GB, and up to $1079 for a 128GB model with cellular connectivity.
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPad Pro
iPad Pro Accessories: Smart Keyboard & Apple Pencil
The side of the iPad Pro has a new Apple-designed interface called the Smart Connector that allows for seamless connection and communication between the Smart Keyboard and iPad Pro. The Smart Keyboard doubles as a kickstand for movie watching and folds over as a protective case. At only 4mm thick, it does not compromise the portability of the Pro. The keyboard is made of an Apple woven fabric with no gaps between keys, to protect against spills and debris. The Smart Keyboard will be available in November for $169.
The Apple Pencil is a new take on the stylus that is “designed to look and feel like a familiar tool but it delivers something extraordinary. Precision that actually gives you the ability to touch a single pixel.” The iPad Pro can detect the difference between your finger and the Pencil and both can be used simultaneously. The Apple Pencil generates twice as much position data than a finger, which equates to precision and a delay of only milliseconds. The Apple Pencil relays the pressure used to control the weight and thickness of lines. Additionally, the angle of the Pencil is calculated to allow for shading strokes. The Apple Pencil charges via lightening port and has a 12-hour battery life. The Apple Pencil will be released in November for $99.
New Apple TV
Apple believes the future of TV is apps. Through apps, you can search for what you want and watch it where and when you want. Apple integrates this philosophy into the new fourth-generation Apple TV. Apple has improved on the previous Apple TV model to deliver more powerful hardware and a new user experience. There is a universal search function that allows searching across all apps like iTunes, Netflix, and Hulu. A newly integrated Siri voice control is more contextual than ever. Ask Siri “What did she say?” during playback and she’ll rewind the last scene and provide captions. The Bluetooth 4.0 remote has a touch surface like an iPhone that allows for swiping and scrolling. The remote also has a gyroscope built in for gaming purposes. The newly developed tvOS allows for third party developers to create apps specifically for Apple TV. Early developers working with this operating system include Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Guitar Hero, and more. The new Apple TV will sell for $149 for 32GB; $199 for 64GB and will be released in October.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
While retaining the physical characteristics of the iPhone 6, the 6s advances iPhone functionality and features. The iPhone 6s has a new A9 processor chip which is 70% faster at CPU tasks and 90% faster for graphics than the previous model. The new model utilizes 3D touch, which makes it sensitive to pressure. This enables new gestures such as holding an app icon for a shortcut to various actions or using a hard press to preview links. Siri can be called up by saying “Hey Siri” as opposed to holding the home button. The rear camera has been upgraded to feature 12MP, faster auto-focus, and it can shoot 4K videos. The front facing camera has also been upgraded to 5MP and now uses the display screen for an adaptive flash while in selfie mode.
Apple also released their live photos feature. Every time you take a photo, the iPhone will record 1.5 seconds before and after to create a gif-like effect with sound. Apple believes that this “living photo” will create a more dynamic way to preserve and relive the memories we capture on our devices. A stronger aluminum alloy casing and a more durable glass screen make the iPhone 6s less prone to flexing and cracking. The 6s will be available in a new rose gold color as well as silver, gold, and space gray. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will go for the same prices as the original iPhone 6 – starting at $199 for the 16GB 6s and $299 for 16GB 6s Plus. For $32 per month, you can lease an iPhone and then return it for a new model every single year. This price includes AppleCare+ warranty. The pre-orders for the 6s and 6s Plus started on September 12th and will be available on September 25th.
Apple Senior Vice President Philip Schiller debuts the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
