The estimated reading time for this post is 9 minutes
Yesterday was the day the tech world had been waiting for with eager anticipation. Even those who aren’t Apple fans were a bit curious about which of the many rumors were true. Apple revealed what they have in store for us in the coming months. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Three new things were announced by Apple yesterday:
- iPhone 6
- Apple Watch
- Apple Pay
All three work together to help make your daily life easier. If you’re looking for updated Apple tech, then yesterday’s announcements were certainly good news for you. Apple also gave a gift to all iTunes customers with a bonus announcement at the end of the presentation.
iPhone 6
The new iPhone comes in two varieties:
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7″ screen while the 6 Plus has a 5.5″ screen, earning it the “phablet” moniker. The differences between the two models go beyond screen size however. You can compare iPhone models side-by-side at the Apple Store online.
Here’s a video from Apple showing you the design and relative sizes of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus:
http://youtu.be/RS5mzvqWM-c?list=PLHFlHpPjgk713fMv5O4s4Fv7k6yTkXwkV
Hardware
The phones, while larger in screen size, are thinner in depth. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are a mere 0.27 inch (6.9 mm) and 0.28 inch (7.1 mm), respectively, which make them thinner than the iPhone 5s at 0.30 inch (7.6 mm). Both phones are available with up to 128 GB of storage.
The screens are improved with both phones having Retina HD displays and a copious quantity of pixels per inch: 401 ppi for the 6 Plus and 326 ppi for the 6.
Under the hood both phones have an advanced A8 processor, which is smaller and faster than the iPhone 5s A7 processor. The phones also come with an M8 processor that registers the motion of the phone. The M8 can detect both distance and elevation, making the 6 and 6 Plus more effective as activity trackers.
The phones will be faster too, with advanced Wi-Fi and LTE antennas. They will be able to transmit calls over Wi-Fi and seamlessly transfer between Wi-Fi and your cellular signal without calls being dropped, according to Apple. T-Mobile will be the first carrier in the US to offer this feature, beginning in 2015.
VainGlory
Apple used the new game app VainGlory to demonstrate both the advanced display and processing capabilities of the new phones:
http://youtu.be/LBO-SdwNmlU
Note: this is the first game from the developer, Super Evil Megacorp, which they described as similar to Capture the Flag but with crystals.
Camera
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus get updated cameras with faster focus capabilities and improved face detection. Panorama photos can be much larger (up to 43 mb) and you will be able to take time-lapse photos. Improved slow motion video capabilities will be available on both phones.
If you’re looking for a reason to splurge on the 6 Plus beyond its larger screen size, note that only the 6 Plus has an added feature of Optical Stabilization for videos.
Battery Life
The iPhone 6 Plus has significantly better battery life than the iPhone 6 but both have as much juice, if not more, than the iPhone 5s.
The 6 Plus has up to 24 hours of talk time with up to 16 days of standby time. The 6 Plus has up to 14 hours of talk time while the iPhone 6 has up to 10 days of standby time.
Pricing and Availability
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are available in silver, gold and space gray with three sizes of storage. Prices in the US:
iPhone 6 with a 2-year contract:
- 16 GB $199
- 64 GB $299
- 128 GB $399
iPhone 6 without a contract:
- 16 GB $649
- 64 GB $749
- 128 GB $849
iPhone 6 Plus with a 2-year contract:
- 16 GB $299
- 64 GB $399
- 128 GB $499
iPhone 6 Plus without a contract:
- 16 GB $749
- 64 GB $849
- 128 GB $949
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ships with iOS 8, which will launch on September 17 for current iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices.
Pre-orders begin on Friday, September 12 with delivery on September 19 in US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK.
Apple Watch
Apple is entering the smartwatch market with the announcement of its Apple Watch, which was received with a standing ovation by the audience at the event. The Apple Watch comes in two sizes and three styles, with interchangeable bands, giving you plenty of smartwatch choices. The biggest surprise of the day might very well have been that the company chose the name Apple Watch instead of the widely rumored moniker iWatch.
Here’s a video from Apple introducing the Watch:
http://youtu.be/gCluaJe3lb4?list=PLHFlHpPjgk713fMv5O4s4Fv7k6yTkXwkV
The device is available in two sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm in height, for each model:
- Apple Watch, made of polished or space black stainless steel
- Apple Watch Sport, made of space gray or silver anodized aluminum
- Apple Watch Edition, made of 18k rose or yellow gold
The lens of the watch is made from sapphire glass for strength and durability, according to Apple.
Watch Faces
You can choose from form and functionality with 11 watch faces available, many of them customizable. You can add weather, calendar, stock quotes, maps, music and more. Or you can just see the time.
Apple demonstrated the Astronomy watch face which shows you Earth, complete with a dot showing your location on the planet. You can swipe to see the moon, then swipe to see the upcoming phases of the moon, then swipe out to see the solar system, then swipe out again to identify the planets.
Apps
Many apps are already available for the Watch, with many more expected by the time of launch. Apple is making a software development kit available now so you can expect the watch to arrive with an app store filled with plenty of options.
Functionality
The Watch can sync with your iPhone so you can start a task on the Watch and finish it on your phone. You can use the Watch as a remote for your Apple TV, your iTunes music and iTunes Radio. The Watch screen can be used as a view finder for your iPhone camera and you will even be able to check in to your American Airlines flight with your Watch.
You can throw away your GPS device when you get your Apple Watch. The display can show maps and navigate you in real time, using vibrations to alert you when it’s time to turn. The Watch uses different vibrations for right and left turns so you don’t even have to look at your Watch to know where to go.
Calling Dick Tracy! The Watch will even work as a walkie-talkie.
Messages
You’ll be able to see and respond to messages from your Watch. You can read your text messages and tap Reply. Using Smart Reply, the Watch will offer you choices to respond based on the words in the message. For example, if your spouse asks you if you want to go to McDonald’s or Panera for lunch, the Watch will offer you the two choices as a reply.
Alternatively, you can reply by tapping the microphone icon and speaking your response. You then have the choice of sending the audio file or having your message transcribed into text.
Heartbeat
The Apple Watch has sensors in the back that record your heartbeat. That information can be entered into health and fitness apps to track your pulse rate or sent to a loved one to profess your feelings.
Activity Tracker
You can use the Watch to track your activity, set daily goals and remind you to move. The Watch can detect when you’re standing or sitting and alert you to move at least once an hour. Using the Activity app, you can track your movements and activity throughout the day.
Syncing with the iPhone
The Watch works with the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, 6 and 6 Plus. Most of the functionality depends on the connection between the iPhone and the Watch so if you don’t have one of these models of iPhone, well then you shouldn’t be getting the Apple Watch.
Charging the Watch
The Watch is charged with a magnetic cord that attaches to the back of the Watch.
Telling Time
The Apple Watch can also tell you the time. Surprising, yes. Advanced technologies make the Watch accurate to within 50 milliseconds of “the definitive global time standard,” according to Apple. The Watch can also detect the local time and adjust automatically.
What We Don’t Know about the Apple Watch
Apple didn’t reveal the battery life for the Watch, how water-resistant it will be, or whether it will be adaptable for left- and right-handed people. But Apple did assure us that it would be worth the wait.
Availability
The Apple Watch will be available beginning in Early 2015, with prices starting at $349. Count on the 18k gold Edition Watch costing a wee bit more than that.
Apple Pay
You may someday tell your grandchildren about the days we actually had to pull out a wallet to pay for an item. The company introduced Apple Pay yesterday, a new service that uses NFC technology in the iPhone 6/6 Plus and the Watch to let you pay using your credit card.
You connect a credit card or debit card from a participating bank by authorizing the card you use on your iTunes account. You can add additional card by taking a picture of the card or typing in the number.
Apple doesn’t record your credit/debit card number(s) or keep track of what you paid, where you shopped or how much you spent. Instead, your device is assigned an encrypted account number by Apple. Every Apple Pay transaction generates a unique number that authorizes the payment.
At over 220,000 participating retailers, including stores such as McDonald’s, Disney and Macy’s, you hold your thumb over the Touch ID Home button on your iPhone 6/6 Plus and tap your phone to a terminal at checkout. Bam! You’ve just paid for your item.
Apple Pay also works with the Apple Watch, though it’s not yet clear if you also need to have the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus to use Apple Pay with the Watch.
Apps
You’ll be able to use Apple Pay with certain apps. To pay, just tap an Apple Pay button and your credit card will be charged and the item will be shipped to the address you have on file.
Availability
Apple Pay becomes available in the US in October for iPhone 6/6 Plus and in 2015 for the Watch, with other countries to follow.
Bonus
At the end of the presentation, Apple introduced U2 who performed a single from their new album, “Songs of Innocence.” As a gift to iTunes customers, Apple is giving away the U2 album for free.
Your Thoughts
Are you excited about Apple’s announcements? Are you planning to get an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus? Are you craving an Apple Watch? Are you looking forward to Apple Pay? Are there any announcements you were hoping for but didn’t happen yesterday? Let us know in the Comments section below!
HI, CAROLYN
WoW!!! Really Great post
I love this phone really great feature A8 processor, iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7″ screen while the 6 Plus has a 5.5″ screen. coolllllllllllllll……….
Thanks for sharing have a good day 🙂
Hi SmithLopez, Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and are excited about Apple’s announcements. I appreciate you sharing your impressions with us, SmithLopez.
Hi Carolyn,
Oh how I love your blog posts. The really are great, informative & fun to read. I share them constantly with friends.
We are long time shareholders of Apple & big fans. I actually wish I were more geeked out than I am so I could use all the devices to their full capabilities 🙂
My wife & I plan on both getting the new IPhone 6. I Am getting the 6+ 128 & she is still undecided on which one, she is more concerned with size I love the advanced features on the 6+. I am that person that definitely needs the optical stabilizer because I can’t hold a camera still to save my life! Seriously though we plan to order both phones on Friday.
Apple Pay!!! Wow! Total game changer & I love everything about it. Put a dagger in credit cards & change the payment landscape forever. This was absolutely huge! I could not have been more excited about a product than I was about Apple Pay. From a shareholder perspective, the revenue streams should be quite positive but from a consumer standpoint, I think this really changes the whole landscape of the future. As far as the the naysayer already coming out ad saying”but our info may get stolen online”, seriously folks, I trust Apple & Apple security far more than my banks online security abilities & I think those people may not fully understand how the dynamics of that all works. I am a big fan, can you tell?
The Apple Watch. I can only say, anyone who has known me my whole life knows that I can not stand having anything on my wrists or hands. I have never worn watches, bracelets, and or rings. Yes, I wear my wedding ring out of respect to my wife, but if working out, etc I do not. I think it goes back to my gymnastics, coaching & athletic careers but never liked it. With that being said… I can not wait for the watch. I will wear that bad boy and am excited about the capabilities. ( How about that cool little feature where you can pulse your partner & tell them let’s discreetly leave the party…haha..too funny…and fun!
I also think there is much more to the Apple Watch that was not revealed yet and looking forward to hearing all.
Finally, Tim Cook, many have wanted to say, “but he is not Steve Jobs”. Well, Steve Jobs knowing his situation picked Tim Cook obviously for one reason, trust. Trust that he would carry on his legacy and the Apple brand which was more important to him than anything. Well I think Tim Cook just knocked it out of the ballpark yesterday. Kudos to Mr. Cook & his whole team.
Also, Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake!?! core!!! Huge score!! Talk about spokespeople with awesome relevance to today’s marketplace & culture. Well done…
Also, U2, free album…nice touch. Way to go Apple!
Thanks Carolyn,
Ed Spinelli
Hi Ed, Thank you for your kind words and for sharing Wonder of Tech articles with your friends.
I can see why your wife is undecided about which one to get. She may want to hold both to see which one she prefers. The iPhone 6 Plus has more screen space, optical stabilization and a much longer battery life. But some people prefer a smaller phone.
Yes, Apple Pay may truly be a game changer. The ease and security of making payments could mean a rapid adoption rate.
Yes, the Apple Watch is very, very cool. That’s saying something if you’re willing to wear a watch in spite of not wanting to wear one previously.
You’re right, there probably will be so much more the Watch can do once it launches, especially with additional apps. The iPhone continues to add functionality, even after all these years.
Thanks so very much for sharing your enthusiastic and insightful thoughts with us, Ed!
Thanks Carolyn for your quick and thorough info on the new Apple lineup
Tim Cook certainly didn’t disappoint this time around. It’s hard to question his leadership after that performance yesterday. He had promised a great lineup of new products this year and he delivered.
Sales of the new iPhones will be through the roof because there are many millions of iPhone 4 and 4s users that are overdue for an upgrade. Of course many of them are suffering from battery life issues because batteries do degrade over time.
Of course one of the major objections to iPhones has been screen size. That issue was just taken off the table. The 6 plus is larger than the Galaxy S5 and slightly smaller than the latest Galaxy Note 4 Phablet.
The Apple Watch is another story altogether. Like the iPhone and iPad before, there have been competitive products available but none have really caught on. Even Samsung’s six – count ’em six – smart watches have received mediocre reviews. One thing I’ve not heard mentioned in the hundreds of stories about the new device is how Apple stole a page out of IBM’s 1981 playbook when they introduced their first PC and named it the “PC”. The word “watch” will forever confuse everyone just like PC sometimes means a Windows computer and with increasing frequency means PC and Mac to distinguish “old” computers from mobile devices. How many kids will be disappointed next year when they ask for a “watch” for their birthday and receive a $99 knockoff when they mean Apple Watch!
As far as design is concerned the new “Watch” looks much more attractive than many of the other products available. Functionality shown yesterday will likely explode as more partners come on board and more apps are developed. That is the case with mobile devices today – the basic piece of hardware is almost immaterial. It’s the apps and other services that make or break the products.
As always Apple seems to have nailed the UI (User Interface) with the addition of a rotating crown – it’s hard to imagine they actually added a button to the case but it works. Could you imagine trying to pinch to zoom on a screen the size of a postage stamp!
Finally with the NFC enabled payment system Apple is jumping into the battle of the century in mobile payments. I just saw an article wondering if Apple would introduce NFC in their next iPhone with arguments on both sides – an article written in 2011. Of course Android fans will point out that NFC has been in several generations of their devices – but try to find someone who has actually used it – not an easy task. Having several hundred million credit cards on file from iTunes accounts combined with a “token” based payment system that does not expose your credit card information to anyone inside the store or out is a major advantage. They’ve attacked both convenience and security with one blow. Our fifty year old credit card system is long overdue for replacement.
One more thing – any non-iPhone user attracted to the Apple Watch will become an iPhone user because the watch without an iPhone would have limited value and it won’t work with Android devices.
Thanks again Carolyn – keep ’em coming
Hi Gary, Wow you make a lot of excellent points here. Yes, the market for the 6/6 Plus should be huge, both from people upgrading from their older phones and those who were hoping for a larger screen iPhone. These models are a major advance from previous iPhones.
Even though Apple didn’t name its watch the iWatch, people continue to use that name. I was at a gathering last night when someone asked me if the Pebble watch I was wearing was an iWatch. Maybe Apple couldn’t get the trademark worldwide so stuck with the Apple Watch name but the world may not catch on to that name. After all, it called the iPad 3 the New iPad but that name didn’t stick (for good reason).
I look forward to seeing the Apple Watch in person. Some people won’t care about the style, they just want the functionality, but others will care passionately. With all the choices of styles and bands, most people should be satisfied.
Good point, who would have guessed that Apple would add a button to the Watch? If the display can be flipped 180 degrees, then Lefties will rejoice.
I have a friend who is an Android fan and swears by NFC. He has cards in his car and on his nightstand to turn Bluetooth on and off with a tap. With the addition of NFC to the next generation of iPhones and Apple Watch, look for developers to further exploit that functionality in ways we haven’t yet imagined.
You’re right, because smartwatches now are restricted in compatibility, your likelihood of switching types of phones is reduced. When cars become restricted in compatibility, then you’re really locked into your phone!
Always a pleasure to see you here at The Wonder of Tech, Gary. Thank you for enhancing the conversation with your insights!
Good news for all Iphone lovers first time Apple has released 3 products and spec all about iphone 6 were awesome I hope Apple will have good result on market.Thanks for sharing it.
Hi Shameem, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! It will be interesting to see how successful the new Apple products will be. So far, they’re off to a great start!
Let’s all welcome Apple to the normality. A few more years and they will all the features Android had for years now…
Hi Dan, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, many of the features on the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have been on Android devices for a while, such as NFC. Android devices have also had access to Google Wallet for years. Apple has a history of arriving later to the market but improving on usability. Time will tell whether Apple has succeeded again with its latest phones.
Hi Carolyn,
I am very excited about iPhone 6 Plus. In fact, I am going to place the pre-order to replace my iPhone 5s with 6 Plus 🙂
I did not pay much attention to Watch and Pay yesterday when I saw this. But, you have done a great job of explaining them here. Thank you for that.
I think Apple Pay is a terrific initiative. I look forward to test that out as it rolls out 🙂
Cheers,
Kumar
Hi Kumar, That’s very exciting you’ll be trading in your iPhone 5s to get a 6 Plus. Sometimes the updates in one year aren’t worth getting a new phone but this year there seems to be a big leap.
You can test out Apple Pay soon with your new iPhone 6 Plus, Kumar!
Thanks so much for your kind comment here, Kumar!
Hi Carolyn,
My heart is fluttering over the new Apple IPhone 6 Plus! I have an An Apple 5 and am in love with it, but it is rather quite bulky. I like the new design of the Apple 6 and am crazy over the new screen. Not to mention the hardware and software… I’m actually in love with this phone.
I do have to see if I can trade in my old one for this. I feel like a little kid at Christmas saying I want it I want it!
You have done a great job explaining all that it does and that my friend is much appreciated.
When it comes to the watch, I would love that toy, but my eyesight is not so good, so I don’t know how well it would work for me.
Thank you so much for this superb job you have done. Now I just have to convince my husband that I need it lol.
-Donna
Hi Donna, Thank you very much for your kind words of praise. Yes, this news from Apple is very exciting. You’re right, it’s amazing that the new phones are thinner even though they pack so much more beneath the hood.
As your current phone is an iPhone 5, which will be 2 years old soon, you may be able to trade it in and purchase a new iPhone 6 at the lower price with a two-year contract.
Stay tuned to The Wonder of Tech for an upcoming article on the best places to trade in your phone!
Wow! I watched the announcements on the news, and read your article. I never thought I’d be saying this but … I want the Apple watch! And I’m not a watch person. As for the phone, I am also excited for that. I still have a 4S, holding out with the latest phones. But now that they are here, I am wondering if I should get a 6, or go for the 5S, which is being seriously discounted. What do you think?
I’m also intrigued about Apple Pay, but honestly, am concerned about the security of my credit card information. What’s your thoughts on that? How secure do you think this will be?
Hi Carol, Great questions!
I will be doing a future article on how to choose which iPhone to buy. Your choices are first based on budget. If money is tight, then the iPhone 5s is a great phone at a great price.
But this year the leap in advancements of the iPhone is bigger than ever. The larger screen sizes, much better battery life and addition of NFC technology are all massive advancements.
NFC technology is required for Apple Pay but there is so much more that can be done with NFC. Once developers start to use NFC on the iPhone, people will really begin to see the potential of this. NFC alone would be a strong reason to view the iPhone 6/6Plus as a significant upgrade.
Yes, Android phones have offered NFC phones for a while, but developers haven’t made much use of the technology yet. With the adoption of NFC by Apple, developers will have much more incentive to make the most of it, for both the iPhone and Android phones.
With Apple Pay, Apple has much on the line for security so the company has very strong incentive to make it work securely. Your credit card information isn’t stored on the phone (see above for how Apple Pay works) so it can’t get stolen from your phone.
From the demonstration at the Apple event, it appears that Apple Pay works with Touch ID so you would need both your iPhone and your fingerprint to pay with Apple Pay. That may make Apple Pay much more secure than credit cards which only need a signature which could be easily forged.
Time will tell how secure Apple Pay is. When it launches next month, many people will be eager to be the first in line to test it out. Apple seems to have the security in place to make it work well, but until it’s launched we can’t be sure.
If Apple Pay truly offers both improved convenience and security then Apple will have scored a big success with its new payment system.
Hi Carolyn,
Apple again has came up with new Ideas and innovation. Though, the camera quality has been leveled up but, apple is still stuck on a 8MP camera. And with this price range I guess they should atleast focus on this.
I loved the idea of Apple pay. Hoping to see more companies to join hands for easy plastic money transfer for better experience.
Hi Aditya, “Focus” on the camera? Lol, great pun!
You’re right, Many people were hoping that Apple would make the jump to 13MP while others swear that the number of megapixels doesn’t matter as much as the other advanced features in the iPhone 6/6 Plus camera.
I agree, Apple Pay is very exciting. If Apple can give us better security and more convenience with credit and debit card payments then that will be a much better experience!
Hmm… what an innovation. A cell phone. These people are visionary geniuses.
Just like their first products. How innovative were the apple computers? You know, the ones that wouldn’t run any software other than a word processor, data base, and spread sheet? The ones that Apple wrote?
Just like their original “innovative” products, I find the hype laughable. And that people buy into the hype even more so.
None of their products have ever met their hype in my estimation and these products are no exception.
Step away, folks. Nothing to see here.
Hi Qadir, Good points. Apple wasn’t the first with a computer when it launched the Mac, MP3 player when it launched the iPod, nor a smartphone when it launched the iPhone, nor a tablet when it launched the iPad.
Very few of Apple’s products have been truly innovative. The iPhone 6/6 Plus offer technologies that have been on Android phones for years. The Apple Watch isn’t the first smartwatch. And Apple Pay is similar to Google Wallet.
But when Apple launches a new product it offers design features that make the product appealing to consumers. Not every product is a big hit, but enough are to make the company very successful.
Apple products aren’t a good fit for everyone. But today plenty of people will be pre-ordering the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and will be thrilled with their new phones. I’m pretty sure you won’t be one of them and that’s great. The most important thing is that you have the tech that works best for you!