Apple shows off HomePod speaker, updated software
APPLE has long been an innovator in mobile technology. Yet Monday at its annual developer conference here, the company at times appeared as if it was playing catch up.
That was especially so when the company, the maker of the iPhone, took the wraps off HomePod, a speaker that will ship in December, and which follows both Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home speakers. It was the first new product category from Apple since it rolled out the Apple Watch in 2015.
In addition, Apple introduced new iPads and Mac computers at the event, and updated the operating systems that power its devices.
Hello, HomePod, Apple’s new speaker.
Amazon pioneered Echo, a device that lets you play music, look up basic information and control your lighting and other home accessories. Now Apple’s answer to the Echo – the HomePod – is here, kind of. Apple showed HomePod on Monday, and it will be available in December.
The Siri-powered speaker looks spiffier than either Amazon’s or Google’s version – it’s a cannister wrapped in a shiny mesh speaker.
The company also said that it has prioritised the speaker’s sound, which can be lacklustre on rival devices. HomePod has an array of speakers to create virtual surround sound.
“You don’t have to know what any of that is, just know that it sounds incredible,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s marketing chief, who added that HomePod will be priced at $349.
New iPads debut, even as sales shrink.
Apple’s developer conference typically showcases software improvements. In a departure from that routine, Apple showed a lot of new hardware this time. That included updated versions of the iPad, which has been declining in sales.
The new version of the iPad Pro has a 10.5-inch display, 20 percent larger than the previous 9.7-inch model, and will start at $649.
A powerful new iMac Pro.
One of Apple’s splashiest hardware debuts on Monday was a brand new iMac Pro that will support up to 18 core processors and include a graphic chipset called Radeon Vega.
Translation: It’s Apple’s all-inone desktop on steroids.
The iMac Pro will start at $5,000 and ship in December.
With this device, Apple is catering to members of the professional community, like filmmakers and hard-core coders.
Updates for iOS, MacOS and WatchOS.
Every year, Apple updates the underlying operating systems that power its devices.The changes are geeky – remember, these are aimed at software developers! – but they eventually trickle down to how we use iPhones, Macs and Apple Watch.
The most important update was to iOS, the operating system that underpins Apple’s biggest seller, iPhones, as well as iPads. Apple introduced iOS 11, with improved camera software, upgrades for Siri and expansion of its mobile payment system Apple Pay, and a new version of Apple Maps with indoor mapping and features to prevent distracted driving.
Since the show is about giving new tools to developers, Apple also focused on emerging technologies. Specifically, Apple highlighted augmented reality, a way for people to view and digitally manipulate the physical world.
The iPhone supports augmented reality with games like Pokemon Go. Apple on Monday said it was offering a new tool kit for bringing advanced augmented reality applications to iPhone and iPad.
With Apple’s operating system for the Apple Watch, the c o mp a n y d e mo n s t r a t e d changes including a new Siri watchface that uses the Siri voice assistant to suggest directions, show calendar items and generally predict what you will want to see. The most substantive changes to Apple Watch focused on fitness, including the ability to track new types of high-intensity workouts.
Apple also unveiled a new operating system for its Mac computers, called High Sierra. The company made privacy a key selling point with this and said the next version of its Safari web browser would block videos that automatically start playing and stop advertising trackers. While users will probably welcome those changes, the development was another blow to web publishers, who rely on ads that Apple will now block. Apple added optional ad blocking to the iPhone and iPad last year.