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Apple held the most anticipated tech launch of the year on Tuesday. Thanks to a series of leaks beforehand, we pretty much expected everything we got – new iPhones, Apple Watch, a payment system and a performance by U2. But what did we learn?
First off it looks like this is the end of “i”. All the new products launched – as distinct from new versions of old products – started with Apple. Apple Watch, Apple Pay. Everyone says CEO Tim Cook is a team player, so ...
Second, you had to be there. All big tech events have bad wifi, this is a rule. But on Tuesday, Apple took it a step further, giving us a broken live stream that, when it was working, was occasionally overlaid by someone translating the event. It was kind of like being at the UN, only more irritating.
Eventually some bigger news emerged.
Apple Watch
The first big new product under Cook, Apple Watch is not really a watch, it’s “a compelling beginning [to] actually designing technology to be worn, to be truly personal,” designer Jony Ive said.
It’s also a comprehensive health and fitness device, it’s GPS-enabled and it hooks up with your iPhone – a dream for NSA agents and jealous-minded partners everywhere. And it’s expensive. The standard Apple Watch is made from polished stainless steel and comes in at $349. There will be a gold one too. Lux!
Analysts were into it. James McQuivey, vice-president at Forrester Research, wrote, “Apple’s Watch strategy, though not coming to a store near you soon, has firmly established the smartwatch as a new category. Would-be competitors may take solace in how many months they have before the watches go on sale, but they have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to compete with Apple on the more complete experience the Apple Watch offers. It’s not just a device; it’s a lifestyle.”
Twitter was less kind.
So excited for the Apple Watch. For centuries, we’ve checked the time by looking at our phones. Having it on your wrist? Genius. #AppleLive
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 9, 2014
Here it is spinning, nicely.
Apple Watch: did Angela Ahrendts get it right? http://t.co/1DcCgqQ7AL http://t.co/P1pELFokyg #AppleLive
— Guardian Tech (@guardiantech) September 9, 2014
It’s square – in all kinds of ways. And it’s big. Our resident gadget expert Samuel Gibbs was not impressed on first glance: “Apple’s highly anticipated smartwatch, the Apple Watch, seems uncharacteristically complicated from the company that prides itself on simplicity and ease of use. Compared to the current Android Wear smartwatches from Google, the Apple Watch seems cluttered with too many features packed onto a small screen. The design also looks bulky and the cost significantly more than others.”
You can read all about it here.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Bigger, faster, thinner, stronger, kinder, more humane, loving. Wait, what? Just bigger and better (in tech spec terms) and otherwise much the same? Oh, OK then.
It’s all about the “phablet” these days and now Apple no longer has size issues. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7in screen – compared with the current 4in screen of the iPhone 5S – while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5in screen.
There’s a better camera, and both iPhones are powered by a new A8 processor that is 25% faster than the previous iPhone and 50% more power efficient for increased battery life. What next for iPhone 7?
It's iPhone 6 launch day! I wonder what Tim Cook's got up his sleeve... http://t.co/RschJld5KX #iPhone6 #Apple pic.twitter.com/aAaLKRlp8F
— ITProPortal (@ITProPortal) September 9, 2014
Read all about it here.
Apple Pay
Away from the gadgets, Apple unveiled what may prove to be the truly revolutionary announcement of the day. Apple Pay will let people transfer credit and debit card account details to their iPhone (or Apple Watch) and pay using those devices.
McDonald’s, Macy’s, Panera Bread, Disney and others have already signed up for the service, which uses NFC (near field communication) payments to transfer money. Starbucks, Pret a Manger and others already accept NFC but Apple’s vote makes it a near certainty that the technology is going to become widespread.
Tim Cook said: “We’re gonna start by focusing on payments. Payments is a huge business. Every day between credit and debit we spend $12bn. That’s over $4tn a year, and that’s just in the United States … 200m transactions a day. That’s 200m times we scramble for our credit cards and go through what is a fairly antiquated process.”
More here.
One More Thing
Tim Cook LOVES U2. And unless U2 are truly awful human beings, they should return the favour. (Not) everybody’s favourite Irish rockers got a huge shout out from Cook, who launched their new album as a free download to iTunes’ half a billion users.
“We are the blood in your machines oh Zen master Tim Cook,” Bono told the Apple boss as he Beyoncéd their new album – Songs of Innocence – to iTunes.
In return Cook got to do this Dad-tastic finger bump with Bono. Cook told fans afterwards: “We are not kidding, that just happened.”
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