Apple marketing chief Philip Schiller unveiled a few new products Monday at Flint Performing Arts Center in Cupertino, California. The tech giant introduced their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Apple Watch and a new mobile payment system.
First was iPhone 6, a larger, thinner phone with an aluminum body and curved glass sides. Whereas that model has a 4.7 inch screen, the screen on the iPhone 6 Plus is 5.5 inches. The base model’s screen has over 1.1 million pixels, while the plus has over 2 million. Both models feature an enhanced camera with image stabilization technology.
The new phones will be available for pre-order on Sept. 12 and released on Sept 19. With a two-year contract, the iPhone 6 is available for $199 for 16 GB of memory, $299 for 64 GB and $399 for 128 GB. The iPhone 6 Plus is priced at $299 (16 GB), $399 (64 GB) and $499 (128 GB).
The bigger news came when Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed the Apple iWatch. “Apple Watch is the most personal device we’ve ever created,” Cook said. “It will redefine what people expect from a watch.”
The $349 iwatch is available with six interchangeable bands and comes in stainless steel, aluminum or 18K gold. Users navigate the watch by tapping or swiping its interface as well as through a crown on the side that brings up apps. The watch will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5c, 5s and iPhone 6 and will be available early next year.
Cook also announced a new mobile payment system, called Apple Pay. The tool will allow users to make payments from their phones or watches without having to give their financial and personal information to merchants. Apple has teamed with financial companies American Express, Mastercard and Visa for the venture. They’ve also been working with McDonald’s, Disney, Target, Whole Foods and Subway to integrate its services.
Apple hopes these new products will help bolster the faith in the company’s creativity, which has been waning since the late Steve Jobs handed over the reins. “A lot of other companies don’t need to be as bold on a frequent basis as Apple,” Soumen Ganguly, a director at consulting firm Altman Vilandrie & Co., told CNET ahead of Apple’s latest commercial launch. “But people have come to expect it from Apple. They’re only as good as their last great product, and we’re four years away from that.” Cook seems to have faith that the Apple Watch will fill the void, calling it a “breakthrough” and the “next chapter” in the company’s history.
[Source: CBS News]