APPLE-As expected, today’s Apple event was chock-full of new products and interesting surprises. From brand new iPhones to a potentially game-changing Apple TV, there’s no question that Apple is still operating at full throttle.
Here is a rundown of Apple’s most important announcements from the company’s special event.
As anticipated, Apple on Wednesday unveiled the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. One of the device’s more compelling features is something Apple is calling 3D Touch, in essence the ability for the OS to detect the pressure of touch on the display.
Consequently, Apple showed off completely new UI gestures that are now possible with the new iPhones. Other new features include a blazing fast A9 processor, a 12-megapixel camera, and the ability to record video in 4K resolution.
In something of a bummer, the new iPhones will still have an entry level model with 16GB of storage. Typical iPhone pricing, however, will remain the same. The new iPhones will launch on September 25.
Live Photos
One interesting new feature for iPhone 6s is Live Photos, which gives photos a small bit of action. The feature, set as a default setting for the iPhone 6s Camera app, records 1.5 seconds before and after the image is taken.
When users view that image, using the also newly announced 3D Touch to press onto the image on the screen, the brief video will play, making the image appear to briefly come to life. This CNET video taken at the event gives a good example
Apple Pencil and iPad keyboard
The most intriguing new feature of the iPad Pro is that it comes with support for a stylus, a device Apple has taken to naming the Apple Pencil.
Positioned as a $99 add-on, the Apple Pencil is laden with sensitivity sensors so that the app you’re making markings in will know if you want to make wide or thin pencil strokes based on how hard you press down on the screen with it. Apple also introduced a smart keyboard to go along with the new iPad Pro. That accessory will sell for $169.
Apple TV as a TV guide
With faster hardware and a revamped UI, the new Apple TV provides a fresh take on how we watch Television, with Apple CEO Tim Cook noting that the “future of Television is apps.”
The new Apple TV can be activated via Siri. Some of the interesting, specific commands Apple demoed included “Show me the episode of Modern Family featuring Edward Norton.” Like clockwork, the appropriate selection of content was called to the screen.
Users can even command Siri to fast forward 7 minutes into a show if they so choose. Also of note is that the new Apple TV remote is touch-sensitive, thereby enabling users to scrub both forward and backwards easily.
Apple TV as an entertainment system, complete with an app store
Though not quite ready to take on the Xbox One or PS4, Apple’s new Apple TV may be an attractive set-top box for casual gamers and families.
The new Apple TV will have its own SDK, offering developers the opportunities to develop some really interesting new apps for the living room. Some of the apps Apple demoed during its presentation had a very distinct Wii-like quality to them, with the the Apple TV remote itself used as a makeshift videogame controller.
Other apps demoed were MLB.TV live baseball streaming and Gilt shopping, all integrated with Siri and native apps like Weather.
