Apple unveiled its newest twists on technology on Wednesday in San Francisco. It was a packed house as usual that turned up for a glimpse at a product line that Apple is counting on to retain its faithful disciples and win new converts.
The trend-setting company is taking a small step with its latest iPhone while trying to make a bigger leap in other key markets. The latest attempt is with its largest iPad yet and a long-awaited overhaul of its online video box for TVs.
Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook began the morning by talking up the Apple Watch, saying customer satisfaction for the new product was 97 per cent. Apple is working with French luxury goods maker Hermes on a new watch collection, and Facebook Messenger is coming to the device, he added.
A software update for the Apple Watch will also come next Wednesday,
As expected, Apple’s next iPhone is making relatively minor improvements to the model last year that generated more excitement because it boasted a larger screen.
What to Expect:
Release Date: September 25, pre-orders begin on Saturday
Pricing: Starts at $200
The markets getting it right away are the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK.
The sale also comes with a commitment to a two-year wireless contract. The price for last year’s iPhone 6 model is dropping to $99 with a two-year contract.
A new tablet coming out in November may also give more people a reason to buy an iPad. Called the iPad Pro, it features a nearly 13-inch, diagonal screen and is designed to appeal to corporate customers and government agencies.
Since releasing its original iPad, Apple Inc. has confined the screen size to 10 inches and focused on selling the tablet to consumers. But sales have been falling since 2013 amid competition from lower-priced tablets.
What to Expect:
Release Date: November
Pricing: From $799 to more than $1,000
Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook unveiled a new version of its Apple TV product. It now comes with an app store and a voice-controlled remote control.
Cook described the new Apple TV, a product which the company long called a ‘hobby’, as the future of television, offering personalisation and ease of use.
What to Expect:
Release Date: Late October
Pricing: Starts at $149, more expensive than competing devices from Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV and Google’s Chromecast
(With agency inputs)
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