eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Apple didn’t disappoint with its Sept. 9 product announcements, unveiling a largest-ever 12.9-inch iPad Pro table for the enterprise, revamped and updated iPhone 6s models, intriguing updates for Apple Watch, the new version of Apple TV and a long-rumored iPad Mini 4.
The new devices were announced during a two-hour media event in San Francisco where Apple CEO Tim Cook and a who’s-who list of Apple executives paraded out new features and improved capabilities for the company’s products.
“Huge morning for us,” said Cook in a presentation that was also streamed live on the Internet.
The updates to the iPhone 6 line are impressive, but probably the biggest news of the day is the big-screen, business-aimed iPad Pro, which has been rumored for some time as a device that could help the company capture a larger foothold in business computing.
To add emphasis to this point, Cook said that Apple is “partnering with IBM and Cisco to redefine how people work in the enterprise” with the new iPad Pro. “We asked ourselves, how can we take iPad even further? Today, we have the biggest news in iPads since the iPad. It’s the most capable and powerful iPad we’ve ever created.”
Instead of just making the iPad with a bigger display, Apple has given the new business-targeted machine more power and performance than any iOS device the company has ever made, said Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Apple.
Running the new iOS 9 operating system, the iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch diagonal display made up of 5.6M pixels, which is more pixels than a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, he said. “It’s an amazing experience. This is the most advanced display we’ve ever built.”
The latest iPad includes Apple’s new third-generation 64-bit A9X chip, which has two times the memory bandwidth of previous versions, helping to make the machine faster than 80 percent of the portable PCs shipped in the past year, he said.
The iPad Pro also includes 10-hour battery life, Apple’s first-time-ever four-speaker audio system and a weight of 1.57 pounds. It also features an 8 megapixel iSight rear-facing camera, a 5MP FaceTime HD camera, Touch ID and superfast 802.11ac WiFi.
Also available are two optional accessories–a snap-on physical “Smart Keyboard” for users who desire the feel of real keys and the new Apple Pencil, which allows users to “draw” on the iPad with a stylus for accurate inputs.
When they become available in November, the iPad Pro will come in silver, gold or space gray and will be priced at $799 for 32GB with WiFi, $949 for a 128GB version, or $1,079 for a 128GB model with both WiFi and LTE cellular. The accessory keyboard is priced at $169, while the Pencil is $99.
Meanwhile, the new iPad Mini 4 is priced at $399.
Big Updates in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
The big-screen iPad Pro wasn’t the only important news from the event. Just as important are the long lists of updates and improvements being made to the company’s iPhones, which include higher performance, better cameras and a new feature called 3D Touch that adds new input capabilities for users to help them get the most out of the devices.
3D Touch is the latest generation of Apple’s established multi-touch input system, said Schiller. It not only recognizes familiar gestures, but also the amount of force being provided by a user on the screen.
“3D Touch works on the home screen, giving you shortcuts to the things you do frequently,” he said. “Press lightly and it gives you a peek of the content. Keep pressing and it pops you into the content itself.”
The new iPhone 6s includes a 4.7-inch display, while the 6s Plus includes a 5.5-inch display, both of which are wrapped in a new stronger cover glass. Both new phones are built around Apple’s fastest smartphone chip, the A9, which is a third generation 64-bit chip.
Meanwhile, the cameras on the latest devices also got a major upgrade, through the addition of an all-new 12MP iSight camera that has 50 percent more pixels than earlier devices. Both phones are also now capable of 4K video, run on iOS 9 and include new 5MP FaceTime HD front cameras.
Apple Unveils iPhone 6s Models, 12.9-Inch iPad Pro, Apple TV Upgrade
Preorders for the new iPhones will begin on Sept. 12 while the devices will go on sale on Sept. 25 in the U.S., China, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and other nations.
Prices for the iPhone 6s will start at $199 on a two-year contract for a 16GB model and range to $399 for a 128GB version. Prices for the iPhone 6s Plus will start at $299 for a 16GB model and range to $499 for a 128GB version.
Apple is also introducing a new iPhone Upgrade Program that will allow customers to pay a monthly rate for their device, starting at $32 per month for 24 months, and allow them to get a new model each year.
Apple Watch Updates
The company’s smartwatch is getting new colors, models and new capabilities, including apps such as Facebook Messenger, iTranslate and one that works as a viewfinder for GoPro cameras. In addition, the latest Apple Watch OS 2 operating system will be released on Sept. 16, adding myriad new features and updates.
Starting in October, some upcoming Apple Watch models will include designs and craftsmanship from fashion house Hermes, while new colors and models are on the way from Apple’s own design team, including Sport models in rose gold and space black in anodized aluminum.
The New Apple TV
The new version of Apple TV includes an improved remote, Siri integration, new capabilities for Apple Music, a new operating system, improved gaming and multi-player options and more. Apple TV now includes a 64-bit A8 processor, fast 802.11ac WiFi and will come in two versions—a 32GB model for $149 of a 64GB model for $199. The earlier Apple TV version will continue to be sold for $69. The new devices will be available in late October.
How Analysts See the New Devices
Several IT analysts told eWEEK that they see the latest Apple devices as a mixed bag for the company.
Charles King, principal analyst of Pund-IT, said the improved cameras and 3D Touch features in the new iPhones “are intriguing, but I have trouble seeing them driving significant upticks in sales. That’s mainly because the new camera specs still lag some Android devices, but the success of 3D Touch could get a boost if developers run with it.”
The most significant news, he said, are the upgraded enterprise features in the new iPad Pro, including multi-tasking and side-by-side display capabilities that had previously been available on Windows devices. “The fact is that with these improvements, the iPad is finally becoming workable as an actual business computing endpoint,” said King. “That’s a big deal both for Apple and for partners like IBM and Cisco that are promoting and supporting Apple products among their respective customers.”
Avi Greengart, a mobile device analyst with Current Analysis, told eWEEK that “Apple TV is a terrific set top box with lots of potential, but presumes that consumers are willing to pay a premium for the experience and gaming. It does nothing to change the dynamics in the industry overall—Apple is not offering packages of content, or providing any way to watch and record live TV.”
Jan Dawson, chief analyst of Jackdaw Research, told eWEEK that the Sept. 16 release of the Watch OS 2 operating system will give the Apple Watch a needed lift, including apps and performance that “should be snappier, more functional, and far more varied in their capabilities. I believe this new phase of its history will change the Watch as much as iPhone OS 2 changed the iPhone, and make it a much more compelling device, while creating big new opportunities for developers.”
In addition, the new watch and band options should also help diversify the appeal of the Apple Watch in both the premium and low-end segments, with both the Hermes watches and the new colors for the Sport option, wrote Dawson. “This, coupled with the holiday season, should make for a really big calendar Q4 for Watch sales.”