Hey, Siri!
Wednesday, September 9th marked the date of the highly anticipated “Hey, Siri” event hosted by Apple Inc. in San Francisco. This event was preceded with a lot of speculation about the release of a huge array of products, ranging from a larger iPad, to a new iPhone, and even including a refresh to the Apple TV brand.
The program was jam-packed with massive new upgrades to both hardware and software. The first major upgrade announced was the new iPad Pro. The iPad Pro aims to truly maximize productivity and multitasking capabilities by offering more screen real estate and offering true, side by side multitasking. This feature was available on the previous iPad offering; however it was specifically catered for the iPad Pro. It allows you to run full-sized iPad apps, side by side. So basically, you can be running to iPads at the same time, all on one device. It also includes a much needed improvement to the speaker system of the iPad line. This device contains 4 speakers, one on each corner of the device, to provide an immersive audio experience.
In addition to this brand new iPad, Apple decided to unveil some new accessories that work specifically with this larger iPad. These include a brand new keyboard case as well as a new stylus, penned Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil includes Force Touch capabilities, which allow it to sense the amount of pressure used and convey that information to the iPad. Together, this product could be an ultimate powerhouse of productivity.
Apple also unveiled a new iPad Mini 4, which in essence contains all the innards and capabilities of the iPad Air 2, but compacts it into a smaller and sleeker form factor.
The most widely anticipated product of the night would have to be the refresh of the iPhone line. Every year, Apple updates its devices with the latest technologies and killer new features. This year, the changes came primarily in the software and the feature set of the device. They introduced a new feature, called 3D Touch, which allows the device to recognize how much pressure is being put on the screen. This allows for a new dimension of interaction on the iPhone. You can now tap to directly open an app, touch to peek into an app, and push a little deeper to open the app from the preview. This 3D touch feature is also used in many various games and applications with many practical applications. Another notable addition was a larger, 12 MP camera with True Tone flash and multiple unique new features. For instance, there is now a “Live Photos” mode which allows you to take a roughly 3 second long “picture” that contains movement and all the excitement that cannot normally be captured in a still photo. On top of the amazing photo quality, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus also contain 4K video capture, so that you can capture all of your favorite moments in the highest quality possible. The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus also contain Apple’s latest processor, the A9 with a built in M9 motion coprocessor. This processor is stronger than ever and boasts console-class graphics as well as a 70% faster CPU. This makes the latest iPhone a force to be reckoned with.
One of Apple’s most forgotten products, the Apple TV, was also reinvented at this large event. The new television kept the same box design, but sports a much larger feature set. It comes with a brand new “Siri Remote”, which has a few physical buttons, but also includes a touchpad as a way to interact with the interface. In addition to that, the remote control has an accelerometer and gyroscope, so t can measure movement. This allows for the remote controller to be used in many ways for gaming and just interacting with the TV on its own. The new Apple TV also comes with a redefined user interface that promises to be a lot more user friendly and efficient. One of the biggest features that the new Apple TV boasts is a universal search through its apps. This allows you to search once through all your apps at the same time. It really helps when you are looking for a TV Show or a Movie, and you’re not sure if it is available on Netflx or Hulu or if you just have to go and buy it off iTunes.
All and all, Apple had a very jam-packed event. The company that is known for innovation and thinking forward has brought out a new generation of products for consumers to get their hands on. Let’s see how the world reacts!