Tech News Via Manila Bulletin Apple unveils smartwatch, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus by AP September 11, 2014 Cupertino, California – Apple unveiled its long-anticipated smartwatch Tuesday, introducing a device that aims to put many of the functions of a smartphone onto a smaller screen that’s never more than an arm’s length from the wearer’s eyes. Apple smartwatches Apple Inc. also used the occasion to present the next generation of its iPhone – the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, two larger models that reflect the company’s attempt to catch up with rivals that have been winning over fans with bigger screens that enhance videos and game playing. The Apple Watch, the company’s first completely new product in four years and its first wearable device, is also Apple’s most ambitious expansion since CEO Tim Cook replaced Steve Jobs three years ago. The watch made its debut alongside a service that seeks to turn Apple mobile devices into a payment system that will eliminate the need for consumers to bring cash or plastic cards to the checkout stand. The bigger iPhones are expected to unleash pent-up demand among Apple zealots who have been pining for a larger screen, virtually assuring the new models will be a hot commodity this fall and through the crucial holiday shopping season. Although the iPhone figures to be Apple’s main moneymaker for the foreseeable future, the new smartwatch was the marquee attraction of Tuesday’s show. The Cupertino company held Tuesday’s coming-out party in the same Silicon Valley auditorium where Jobs unveiled the Macintosh computer 30 years ago. Just as the Mac convinced more people to buy PCs for the first time, Apple is convinced that its new watch will become a must-have accessory for the masses after it goes on sale early next year. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus The device also may turn into a proxy for how well Apple is faring under Cook. Apple has not entered a new market since Jobs died in October 2011, raising questions whether the company’s innovative powers have been waning under Cook. Apple is a late arrival to the still-nascent market for wearable technology. Several other companies already sell smartwatches that have been greeted with widespread indifference. But Apple has a reputation for igniting dormant markets after the company shifted the direction of digital technology with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Other MP3 music players, smartphones and tablet computers were first to market, but the devices didn’t enthrall consumers until Apple imbued them with its magic touch. The iPhone 6 will feature a 4.7-inch screen, up from the 4-inch screen on the models released in each of the previous two years. The iPhone 6 Plus will boast a 5.5-inch screen and other improvements, including longer battery life, that will cost an additional $100. The screen resolution on the Plus version will be sharper than previous iPhones. With the larger screen comes a new horizontal view of the home screen. Usually, icons are stacked vertically, even when the phone is turned horizontally. App developers will also have new tools to rearrange their content to take advantage of that larger screen. The new phones are not as big as Samsung’s latest flagship phones – 5.1 inches for the Galaxy S5 and 5.7 inches for the Note 4 – but they will be large enough to neutralize a key advantage Samsung and other Android manufacturers have had. Notably, Samsung’s Note phone isn’t getting bigger this year. Last year’s Note 3 was 5.7 inches. Instead, Samsung is emphasizing other hardware features, such as a sharper screen. It’s also releasing a model with a curved edge to display weather, time and other information on the side of the phone. The audience erupted with cheers as Cook proclaimed that he had one more thing.’’ It was how Jobs used to close his keynote addresses. That one more thing was named the Apple Watch, rather than the iWatch that many people had been speculating. Cook says Apple had to invent a new interface for the watch because simply shrinking a phone would not work. Much of the interaction will be through the dial on the watch, which Apple calls the digital crown. It’s used to zoom in and out of a map, for instance. Apple also worked with app developers to create new functionality. Users will be able to unlock room doors at Starwood hotels or remind themselves where they parked cars with a BMW app. Admin chinG
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 21:31:28 +0000
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