Every year, in September Apple’s larger-than-life event, takes place to show off the latest and greatest Apple toys and services. So, just like every year, this year also Apple held the event but the only difference this time was that it was held virtually. With the exception of iPhone 12 (which is set to be released on October 23), everything else was on the menu. The company launched off a range of gadgets at the event, including a few new Apple Watch models, a few iPads, and updates to its services lineup. With that said, lets briefly review the products that were launched in this Apple event.
Apple Watch Series 6
Jeff Williams (he is Apple’s chief operating officer or COO, in case you don’t know), took the stage from Cook to talk about the star of the show, which he called the company’s “most colorful lineup ever.” It will come in a new navy blue, new graphite, and new Product Red but will offer a similar design to previous-generation Apple Watch models.
On the inside, the Series 6 is packed with a new sensor that can track blood oxygen saturation — which can help the Watch track information about breathing and heart rate. Almost twenty percent faster than the Series 5 chip, the new S6 chip integrated into the Series 6 can handle an always-on altimeter, for tracking elevation and for the new blood oxygen monitor.
Other features include an always-on display that’s two times more brighter than the Series 5, along with a series of new watch faces including countdown, GMT, emoji face, and others. The California-based company also for the first time offered a way to use an Apple Watch without pairing it 1-to-1 with an iPhone, offering what it calls “Family Setup.” And, there are a number of new watch bands, including the “Solo Loop,” made of silicone it is an uninterrupted expandable band that simply slips onto the wrist. It will be available in 7 colors.
The price of Apple Watch Series 6 is $399. It started shipping on September 18, 2020.
Apple Watch SE
Well, the rumors were true, as the California-based company announced the budget-priced Apple Watch SE too. Touted by the company as the perfect watch for new customers, it features the same overall design of the Apple Watch Series 6, supports Family Setup, Fall Detection and all others such features, and has the already-powerful last-generation S5 processor which is fast enough for everything the Apple Watch is used for.
Like the Apple Watch Series 6, the Apple Watch SE started shipping on Sept. 18. Of course, perhaps the best thing about the device is that it’s a lower-cost watch starting at $279 — meaning that it’s more affordable than ever to get a latest-generation Apple Watch model. Moreover, if you want an even more affordable Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 3 is still available for $199.
iPad Air
Featuring a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with relatively small bezels around the edges, iPad Air is the first iPad since the iPad Pro to get an edge-to-edge display. Unlike the iPad Pro, however, the device still has Touch ID — which is now integrated into the power button on the top, rather than in the now-gone Home button. Simply put, there’s no Face ID on the device at all.
On the inside, the device is far more powerful than the previous-gen model. The Air includes an Apple Silicon A14 Bionic processor and just as we expected, Apple is using the same 5nm processor in the iPhone 12 lineup too. The first Apple chip to use a 5nm processor, according to the California-based company, the chip delivers a forty-percent CPU performance boost over the previous-generation iPad Air, along with a thirty-percent increase in graphics performance. The device also has a USB-C connector, which helps ensure that it works with more third-party accessories. A great new addition is the USB-C port in it, which helps ensure that it works with more 3rd-party accessories.
The device supports Apple’s most-loved accessories too. You’ll be able to use the Apple Magic Keyboard with it, along with the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil. The iPad Air starts at $599, and will be out on 23 October in five different colors (rose gold, silver, space grey, green, and blue).
iPad
Apple’s CEO introduced the new iPad, beginning with saying that in the ten years of the the device over five-hundred-million iPads have been sold. Although it features the same overall design on the outside, the new entry-level iPad gets the Apple A12 Bionic chip for improved performance. According to the California-based company, the new device offers a forty-percent GPU boost over the last-generation model. Not only that, but the A12 Bionic brings Apple’s Neural Engine to the entry-level iPad for the first time, enabling more AI features.
The device supports the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, but unlike Air, it only supports the 1st-generation Apple Pencil. Like previous-generation models, it starts at $329, or for the educational purpose, it will be available for $299. It started shipping on September 18, 2020.
Apple One
Apple is trying to make its services as easily accessible as possible. With the long-awaited Apple One Service all the Apple services will be available in one plan. Meaning you’ll be able to pay for all the Apple’s services in one monthly payment, while saving a little dough. It will cover Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, News+, Fitness+, and iCloud.
Apple One starts at $14.95/mo for the Individual plan, which includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud. The Family plan comes at $19.95/mo and includes 200GB of iCloud storage and the ability to share with up to 6 family members. And, the Premier plan adds Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+, along with 2TB of iCloud storage — and comes at $29.95/mo.
Apple Fitness+
There was a rumor that the California-based company is working on a fitness service, and the company took the wraps off of that service at the event. Called Apple Fitness+, the new service integrates with the Apple Watch workout app to offer guided workouts, while still showing info such as heart rate, time and so forth. The new service is available for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV — and when you start the video, it’ll automatically start the corresponding workout on your Apple Watch.
There are all sorts of different workout modes available such as Yoga, cycling and so forth. The service will be available before the end of 2020, and comes at $9.99/mo, or $79.99/year. If you buy a new Apple Watch, you’ll get 3 months of the new service for free, and as mentioned above, it’s available in the Premier subscription of the new Apple One bundle.
That’s it, thank you for reading!