It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about the cooler weather or the changing of the leaves. I am, of course, talking about the annual Apple Event. This year, Apple sent out their invitations with a simple tagline: “Hey Siri, Give Us a Hint.” Did you try asking Siri to give you a hint? If you did, you were likely greeted with nondescript “clues.” It’s all part of the buildup.
Every year, hype and speculation are at the forefront of Apple Events — and this year is no different. If you’ve spent any time reading rumors, you most likely have a good idea of what they’re unveiling. It turns out, the rumors were pretty accurate. So, what exactly did they unveil?
The event kicked off with a welcomed refresh of the Apple TV. Included in this refresh is a new design, new user interface, Siri and Touch Remote, and the App Store. Needless to say, Apple is proving they’re not done with the TV.
One of the worst kept secrets is the addition of another iPad to their lineup. Speculation has been swirling for quite some time about the alleged “iPad Pro.” Apple doesn’t disappoint. The iPad Pro is a 12.9-inch tablet with a 2732×2048 resolution. This gives the iPad Pro a whopping 5.6 million pixels, which is more than any other device in their line up!
Alongside the iPad Pro, Apple also unveiled the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. The Smart Keyboard is similar in nature to Microsoft Surface’s keyboard. The Apple Pencil is interesting. Being able to charge it via the lightning port is fantastic, but how will it fair in the hands of working artists?
On social media, people have been quick to bring up Steve Jobs’ infamous 2007 keynote address. Jobs was always against using styluses for Apple products. Perhaps out of context, it would still be interesting to see what his take on this would have been.
Perhaps the biggest announcement was the new iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. Everyone knew they would make an appearance, but how would it differ from the current models?
It’s no surprise that the new iPhones have a new A9 chip and improved cameras. The Touch ID has seen an update, as well. The design is identical. The only difference is a stronger ion-strengthened glass and thicker Series 7000 aluminum. Remember Bendgate? A new Rose Gold color option will be available. I’ve never been a fan of the gold color option, so I doubt Rose Gold will change my mind. Be that as it may, the color options remain the same. For me, the most interesting feature is what they’re calling “3D Touch.”
3D Touch combines multi-touch and pressure sensitivity to allow for new gestures. Users can “peek and pop” to content depending on the pressure of their tap. A short press allows you to peek underlying content; a long press, switch content. It will be interesting to see how developers will use this new gesture-based method. I believe it has a lot of potential.
The Apple Event was intriguing. Although the rumors were accurate, there were some curveballs that Apple threw at us. Was this years unveiling a success or a dud? Do you have an opinion on the new/updated products Apple unveiled? Will you be at the front of the line for the new iPhone or iPad Pro? Hit us up in the comments and let us know your thoughts.
(Image and video courtesy of Apple. Image courtesy of Imgur)
