Apple Event round-up: iPhones and watches all day
At today's Apple event, we finally got to see all the things we've been anticipating and expecting. The Apple Watch — formerly and unofficially the iWatch — was announced, as were two new iPhones. Additionally, we got to see a plethora of new software tweaks for Apple's mobile efforts, and a slew of new hardware advancements that make Apple's newest offerings their best ever.The Apple Watch (which I still want to call the iWatch) gives an excuse for Apple fans to both stay with iOS, and interact with their world in new ways. Apple Watch works in just about every way you'd imagine a good wearable would; it corrals your health data, allows you to utilize mobile payments easily, and brings a new interface and experience to the fold.
Apple Watch has a unique design aesthetic, which we can see plenty of fans not being to thrilled with. It's a bit bulkier than we'd hoped for, but is necessarily so. The S1 chipset inside is sandwiched components, which naturally adds to the overall heft. Still, Apple made good use of that chubby design, bringing in a neat way to switch out watch bands, and rounding the edges for a better swiping experience.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are Apple's answer to Android, plain and simple. As consumers edge toward larger phones, Apple is answering the call. A bit late to the game with regard to screen size, the iPhone 6 is still a winner. Retina HD promises a new take on what can be done with pixels, allowing for better color saturation and viewing angles.
The iPhone 6 camera is also impressively improved, even though it keeps with the 8MP count we've seen on the iPhone 5S. What Apple is doing with those pixels is a different story. This time around, OIS is inbound, making for clearer pics from the hardware side of things. When it comes to software, a feature called Focus Pixels determine the direction of your focus point. From there, it decides how to best move the camera to snap the best pic possible.
About that iPhone 6 Plus — it's big, but handles it well. The biggest iPhone can support landscape mode, making it as much tablet as phone. In that respect, Apple could pinch some market share from their iPad mini lineup, but it's unlikely. The steep price will probably not take much attention away from the iPad mini, but when it comes to usability — the experience is similar.
Of special interest for both the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch is NFC. Apple is not using NFC as you may know it to currently exist, with file sharing at the forefront. NFC is being used to bolster Apple Pay, which is how Apple will safely and securely allow you to use your Watch or iPhone to pay for things at a store.
As for software, the reach is deep. Beyond the camera, Apple is further instituting Metal, which strips away a lot of the buffer between your games and the processor. Though it's a Developer thing, what you and I will see is better graphics, faster gameplay, and a deeper interaction with what is going on. Pair that with an Apple TV, and you are getting an experience that beats just about anything not a PC or dedicated gaming console.
The event itself was like other recent Apple events — laid back, but busy. Tim Cook glossed over the hard numbers we're used to at these types of events, instead rolling dead into the iPhone 6. He clearly wanted to keep it as concise as he could, and there were three really big announcements to make in about 90 minutes.
When it is all said and done, things in Apple-land are looking good. Two new phones that bring in a lot of what people have been wanting, and a wearable that has a huge upside. Software improvements will aid in the experience, and build nicely on the foundation iOS 8 is laying.
Please do click the links embedded in this post, too. We've gone hands-on with all the new hardware today, so please check the links below as well. After you do, let us know what you thought of the event today. Did you get all you wanted or were expecting? Did Apple's new wearable bring all you want? Sound off in the comments section below!