I spent
most of my time yesterday afternoon listening and watching Apple CEO Tim Cook and
his associates announce, display, and demonstrate the supposedly
magical, almost miraculous, mind-boggling and mysterious features of their new
products: the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, the Apple Pay and the Apple Watch.
I prefer
to give a full review of the products after I get to test them hands on at
the Apple store when they become available. I cannot wait!
As I
watched our Apple stocks go up while Cook and company was demonstrating, I
could not help but examine the features.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus APPLE
Currently,
I have the iPhone 5s. The iPhone 6 is supposed to be larger and thinner. It
features an aluminum body and glass front that curves around the sides.
The screen size is 4.7 inches and has over 1 million pixels. The iPhone 6 Plus
has a 5.5 inch-screen and has over 2 million pixels.
A very
important feature that was highlighted during the announcement was the iPhone’s
enhanced camera, which according to Apple includes image-stabilization
functionality.
Pre-orders
begin September 12 and the new phones will be available on September
19. I will definitely upgrade but still unsure whether to get the Phone 6
or the iPhone Plus. The fact that the iPhone 6 Plus is the “phablet” equivalent
is seemingly more attractive to me at this point.
I
understand that “the company seeks to entice customers with an expanded lineup
of products and services designed to keep them within its technological
ecosystem.”
Apple Pay
Apple introduced the
company’s new mobile payments tool called Apple Pay. Reports say that it
aims to let users make payment purchases from their iPhone or Apple Watch.
They introduced this new tool based on the factual data gathered “that
Americans make roughly 200 million purchases per day for goods without
sharing credit card, address and other personal information with a merchant.”
According
to Tim Cook, “Apple Pay uses short-distance wireless technology called
near-field communication, or NFC, to enable users to make purchases -- a system
already built in to many Android phones. Apple has teamed with financial
industry heavyweights including American Express (AXP),
Mastercard (MA) and Visa (V)
and says Apple Pay will work at more than 220,000 retailers nationwide. Apple
has been working with companies like McDonald's, Disney, Target, Subway, and
Whole Foods to integrate its service as well.”
Apple
Watch
Apple CEO Tim
Cook announces the Apple Watch during an Apple special event at the Flint
Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 9, 2014 in Cupertino, California. JUSTIN SULLIVAN, GETTY IMAGES
Apple
also presented its new wearable device. It is called Apple Watch. Tim Cook
described it as the “next chapter” in the company’s history and
“breakthrough".
"Apple
Watch is the most personal device we've ever created," Cook said. "It
will redefine what people expect from a watch."
According
to Ian Fogg, senior director for research firm IHS, "This Apple Watch is a
first-generation device, and whether it is successful or not Apple will aim to
iterate and make it a must-have companion for every iPhone owner."
Users
navigate by tapping and swiping the face, as well as through a crown on the
right side of the watch that brings up apps. Apple Watch, which works with the
iPhone 5, 5c and 5s, as well as the iPhone 6, will be available
early 2015.
On
Twitter, I got this tweet together with other followers:
I'm
backstage and this is my first tweet from my iPhone 6. It's amazing. You're
going to love it.
