Well that was worth waiting for wasn’t it?
We are covering the BIG announcements about the new iPhones, Apple Watches and all the other details in our in-depth print magazine articles this week and next week.
But we can give you an overview of the major news that broke and where to find out more about the great Apple products we’re going to love and pore over for many months and years to come.
iPhones
iPhones – Three new models were announced yesterday. The iPhone Xs in two sizes and the iPhone XR. The Xs is the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus while the Xs Max has a 6.5 inch Super Retina display screen making it the largest iPhone yet.
Both Xs models have IP68 water resistance rating and have “the most durable glass ever in a smartphone” with enhanced scratch resistance according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of Global Marketing. The phones are made of surgical grade stainless steel and come in Space Gray, Silver and Gold colors.
They have wider stereo sound, improved Face ID algorithms which Schiller says is the most secure facial recognition service yet. The A12 bionic chip that powers them helps enable real-time machine learning and opens apps up to 30 times faster.
They have a 12 MP wide-angle camera with improved True Tone flash, an all-new sensor, optical image stabilization and a 6-element lens. They also have an improved battery offering 30 minutes more phone life than the original X and will cost between $999 and $1099 depending on memory size.
The XR was also unveiled in five aluminium colors including white, black, blue, coral and yellow with an LCD display dubbed Liquid Retina and an hour and a half longer battery life than the iPhone 8 Plus. Prices will start at $749.
Apple Watch
Apple Watch – The new Series 4 was announced with a definite slant towards the healthy living and workout orientated customer.
The new Series 4 comes in three main colors – Space Gray, Silver and Gold – along with Hermes and Nike variations are also available along with colored bands, a multicolored leather band or an attractive gold stainless steel band.
The highlights of the range are that they are 2mm bigger than previous incarnations with bigger screen sizes. They come in Bluetooth only models beginning at $399 or cellular models starting at $499.
As well as all round performance and component improvements, it is the first over-the-counter consumer device in the United States to incorporate an ECG (electrocardiogram) monitor to monitor heartbeats and an impressive new feature where it will detect if the users suffers a hard fall. It will offer to call personal contacts or emergency responders and if it does not get a response within 60 seconds, will contact them automatically.
What More?
As well as iOS12 being officially launched, Apple also announced improvement to the HomePod device.
It will be able to make and receive phone calls through Siri and transfer them to a nearby iPhone. It will now also be able to set multiple timers, search songs by reciting lyrics and locate other Apple devices in a location.
