Apple Event Roundup
Everything the tech giant announced this fall.
In the last two years, Apple has focused its iPhone hardware upgrades primarily on the camera. Better lenses, better zoom, and higher clarity have been the highlight of Apple's recent announcements. While these changes are definite improvements, Apple has been perfecting advancements made by competitors instead of leading the charge with innovation. This isn't necessarily Apple's fault; the iPhone is an amazing product that seems to have matured.
“ADDITIONAL CAMERA LENSES AND INCREASED STORAGE CAPACITY WILL ONLY TAKE A COMPANY SO FAR WITHOUT INNOVATING NEW FEATURES.”
The future of Apple's growth will likely be lateral. Additional camera lenses and increased storage capacity will only take a company so far without innovating new features. This is probably why Apple has been focused on paid services. In August, Apple released the Apple Card for consumers and tied the benefits directly to future purchases of its products with a targeted cash-back program. In October, Apple Arcade debuted with exclusive titles for Apple consumers. And November adds Apple TV Plus to the services catalogue, featuring shows that are produced and owned exclusively by Apple.
So who's the target audience for new Apple products, and where is the company headed next? From the newest generation of the iPhone and iPad to Apple's new menu of services, here's a rundown of the 2019 fall announcement and what it means for customers.
“THE THREE CAMERAS REMIND ME OF A COCONUT”
The internet had a field day with the design of the new iPhones. The iPhone 11 looks like what we're used to, but the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max both took a lot of guff due to the prominence of the extra camera lens. Comparisons were made to the three holes in a coconut and a surprise face emoji, and images lampooning the new design as excessive trended on Twitter for a few days. The overall presentation of the new design at the Apple announcement was partially to blame. It felt a bit like when someone arrives unprepared for an oral presentation in English class and spends 30 minutes focused on the significance of the cover art chosen by the publisher; look at what I did, as opposed to what I didn't do.
The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max are upgrades of the XR, XS, and XS Max, respectively. In a price comparison, the new iPhone 11 starts at $699. The XR started at $750, making the iPhone 11 a great deal if you didn't upgrade your iPhone last year. However, the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are both selling for the same cost as their predecessors, starting at $999 and $1,099 respectively.
In addition to creating a cheaper entry point with the iPhone 11, Apple is pushing its buying programs where existing customers can trade in existing iPhones for discounts. For example, if you have an iPhone 7 Plus that's in good condition, you can save up to $200 on a new iPhone. You can also sign up for a financing plan. Now that two-year contracts are a thing of the past, Apple has joined cellular carriers in allowing users to pay off their new iPhones in monthly installments.
The pricing, trade-in program, and financing options all suggest that Apple is trying to make up for the decline in recent hardware sales. Apple has always been a luxury brand, but the high cost of the iPhone may be outstripping customers' ability to keep up with the newest releases. Now that Apple is slowing down the price hikes, buyers might have a chance to get their hands on the newest iPhones. But are the new iPhones really that big of an upgrade?
All three of the new iPhones have many shared features; the A13 bionic chip upgrades the iPhone's machine-learning to enhance your photography with better edge detection, improved highlights, and a new Night Mode that takes low
light photography to a professional level. Apple also added the slow-motion selfies, dubbed “slofies,” that allow you to take slow-motion videos on your front-facing camera. All of the new iPhone models have a new Portrait Lighting effect called High-Key Mono as well.
“THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE GENERATION OF HARDWARE AND THE NEXT IS GETTING SMALLER.”
With the newer iPhones, you can edit your films in the Photos app with the added cropping and trimming tools. You also have a wide array of filters to pick from to give your video footage a unique twist. Shot in 4K at up to 60 fps, you'll notice a big difference in color and clarity compared to your iPhone XR. All three iPhones also have increased drop protection, increased water resistance, and new dust-resistant technology to reduce Lightning port-related drama.Beyond that, what separates the iPhone 11 from the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are the cameras.
WHO’S BUYING THE IPHONE 11?
Casual Apple consumers who aren't concerned with owning the best camera should buy the iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 increases the battery life from the XR by one hour and has a 20 percent faster CPU. Like the XR, the 11 comes in an array of colors, including a few new options; purple, white, yellow, green, black, and product red. The iPhone 11 continues the XR's legacy of a 6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina display.
WHO’S BUYING THE 11 PRO AND 11 PRO MAX?
According to Apple, the more expensive iPhones are for “professionals,” but professionals of what? If the specs are anything to go by, Apple is pushing its more expensive iPhones as cameras that can make phone calls as opposed to smartphones that happen to include cameras.
Both the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have the much derided three-lens array. With that extra rear-facing lens, Apple is inching closer to creating a one-stop photo- and video-editing suite. Alongside the wide and ultra-wide rearfacing lenses, the additional telephoto lens creates higher clarity and better color contrast, allows more light in, and takes wider photos than previous iPhone models.
The main difference between the 11 Pro and the 11 Pro Max is the screen size. The 11 Pro, like the XS, offers a 5.8-inch OLED display while the 11 Pro Max offers the same screen size as the XS Max at 6.5 inches. Combined with the A13 chip, the 11 Pro has four extra hours of battery life compared to the XS and the Pro Max has five hours more battery life compared to the previous generation.
All of these advancements point toward the higher-end iPhones targeting photographers and videographers and the lower-end iPhones targeting the average consumer.
NOW YOU CAN SELECT A WATCH BAND: APPLE WATCH SERIES 5
Good news, everyone; Apple's invented the option to pick the color watchband you prefer without having to buy it separetely. The new Apple Watch introduces the Watch Studio to the Apple store, where buyers can mix and match watch cases with the band of their choice.
In addition to the Watch Studio, Apple introduced the Watch Series 5. The Series 5 is available in aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and ceramic. Prices start at $399 for the GPS model and $499 for the cellular version, the same launch costs as the now discontinued Series 4.
WHO’S BUYING THE APPLE WATCH SERIES 5?
The price point indicates that Apple is trying to attract new users to the Apple Watch. Unlike the iPhone, smartwatches are still relatively new technology with more upward momen
tum. It's in Apple's best interest to get as many buyers invested in the Apple Watch as possible in these early stages. In that respect, the new watch seems to be aimed at a general audience. This is great news, because the Series 5 features are definite improvements and include innovative steps missing from the incremental changes to the iPhone.
The new watch has an always-on Retina display that responds to ambient light. This means that you can view your watch at any time without having to raise to wake and without worrying about disrupting a darkened movie theater. The always-on display is powered by an ultra-low power display driver and overall improved power management compared to earlier models.
Along with the always-on display, the Series 5 has an enhanced Workout app and a new Compass app showing real-time elevation, latitude, and longitude. Unfortunately, Apple did not include sleep tracking in the Series 5, despite earlier speculation. However, the watchOS 6 does include a Cycle Tracking app for menstruation and a Noise app for keeping your ears healthy.
A SURPRISE TWIST: APPLE ANNOUNCES THE IPAD 7
Tim Cook unveiled the new iPad at the September announcement, in spite of rumors suggesting that no new iPads would be announced until October. Unlike with the iPad Air, Apple chose to announce the iPad 7 on stage as opposed to via press release. The new iPad has a better and brighter display than the iPad 6, is geared toward supporting the iPadOS, and works with the first-generation Apple Pencil.
WHO’S BUYING THE IPAD 7?
Starting at $329, the budget iPad 7 is another indication that Apple is struggling not to outpace the budget of the average consumer. With a 10.2-inch Retina display, the iPad 7 is only slightly larger than the iPad 6 and comes with the impressive-sounding A10 Fusion CPU. This new CPU is better equipped to handle the increased processing load of the new iPadOS. The iPad 7 also boasts the iPad Pro's Smart Connector, meaning you can use your full-size wireless keyboard with your iPad 7.
APPLE ARCADE, APPLE TV PLUS, AND THE FUTURE OF APPLE SERVICES
Apple announced that Apple Arcade would launch for the iPhone on September 19 with rollouts for other platforms corresponding with the release of software upgrades. Apple Arcade is only $4.99 per month for the entire family with a one-month free trial for over 100 titles with new games set to
“WITH AN INCREASED
FOCUS ON SERVICES, WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE MORE MONTHLY FEES IN THE FUTURE.” arrive each month. The service includes games from independent as well as big-name developers.
WHO’S SUBSCRIBING TO APPLE ARCADE?
Unfortunately for Apple, the service is unlikely to appeal to serious gamers. However, by excluding pay-to-play content, the Arcade subscription is a great option for families. Casual games often have in-app purchases that add up over time. Excluding those games from the Arcade in favor of a library curated by Apple means that parents can rest a bit more easily when it comes to their children's mobile gaming habits.
APPLE TV PLUS: IT’S LIKE AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, BUT TINY
Apple TV Plus is set to launch November 1 for $4.99 per month. Like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, Apple is investing in original programming. Unlike other subscription services, Apple is only hosting original programming. It's a clever but risky investment. Television is expensive to produce, and if users aren't interested in the content, that's a lot of money in the hole. But, by offering the subscription at a low introductory cost, Apple has a good opportunity to test the new service.
WHO’S SUBSCRIBING TO APPLE TV PLUS?
Cinephiles and television bingers are likely to at least try the one-month subscription. And anyone who buys a new Apple device will get one year free. The catalogue is cheap compared to its competitors and, unlike other streaming services, has content no one has already watched so often they've memorized every line. If the new shows are any good, the subscription service is likely to attract, retain, and grow new customers in the coming year.
ONE MORE THING?
In a departure from previous announcements, Cook didn't end the event by announcing one more thing. We were anticipating either the Apple Tag (a Bluetooth tracker), an upgrade to the Apple TV, or possibly an outlier like a camera band for the Watch Series 5. The absence of a surprise release left a lot of room for speculation about where Apple is headed in the future.
Whether Apple continues to focus on new services or try to strike a balance between luxury and casual price points, it is clear that the difference between one generation of hardware and the next is getting smaller. With an increased focus on services, like Apple News Plus, Apple Card, Apple Arcade, and Apple TV Plus, we should expect to see more monthly fees in the future. We might also look forward to more financing options for upgraded luxury lines as well as more budget-friendly options without all the bells and whistles.
Regardless of where Apple goes next, one thing is likely; we'll continue to buy what the tech giant has to offer and trust that a return to innovation isn't far off in Apple's future.