It’s September, which means Apple fanatics everywhere are on the edges of their seats waiting for the latest and greatest products to be released. Apple has a tendency to create a new iPhone every 12 months and, as predicted, the ninth generation of the iPhone is upon us.
Although it seems like the first iPhone wasn’t created too long ago, it has been eight years since its introduction. This past Wednesday, there were big announcements concerning several of their products and a new ‘invention’ altogether: the Apple Pencil.
Many Apple customers were debating the legitimacy of the announcement, believing it a parody of sorts. After all, you can buy several top-of-the-line Ticonderoga pencils for a mere 99 cents, whereas the Apple Pencil is going for $99.
The Apple Pencil is actually a stylus specifically created for the new iPad, as well as old and new applications alike. It serves as a pen, pencil, marker or whatever writing utensil it may be, with realistic pressure and shading abilities. In case you were wondering, the late Steve Jobs did turn over in his grave during the announcement.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were also unveiled, and while their appearance is exactly the same as their predecessor, the internal changes are significant. Despite an identical look, the latest’s outer shell is made with the more durable Series 7000 aluminum and a new rose gold color option. Unfortunately, I don’t think these enhancements decreases the likelihood of shattering the glass screen.
Apple’s motto for the new iPhones is “The only thing that’s changed is everything.” The mantra is certainly a stretch, but there are several new features, including 3D touch, a 12 MP camera, 4k video, iOS 9 and more. The iPhones are available to pre-order at midnight.
Up next, the iPad Pro is a whopping 12.9-inches. Sales for iPads have declined, coinciding with the manufacturing of larger iPhones, so the big selling point is the detachable hard keyboard.
This model is blatant copy of Microsoft’s Surface, which was bashed on by CEO Tim Cook back in 2012. It seems Cook had a change of heart, incorporating Microsoft technology into several applications as well.
The biggest revamp is the Apple TV, equipped with the new operating system tvOS, mirroring the software on the iPhone and iPad. That means Siri is also included on the remote, and she is more accurate and specific than ever before.
My favorite addition to Siri’s abilities is the option of asking “What did she say?” into the remote to jump back 15 seconds. The common expression is often exclaimed amongst movie-talkers and show-distracters, and now we have the ability to rewind to a critical point without missing the next line. That’s enough of a reason to splurge for the much needed update of the Apple TV.
I refuse to cover the updates of the Apple Watch because I still believe it to be one of the most asinine products on the market. Yes, even more so than the Apple Pencil, because at least that product is capable of charging in a mere 15 seconds to give you 30 minutes worth of battery life.
Apple continues to be a powerhouse, and it never disappoints. If you are still sporting older generations of any of these products, now seems like a prime time to invest in some of the most advanced technology of its kind.
