Every year around this time I get excited. Why? Because I'm upgrade-ready to get a new cell phone-and this is usually the time of year when Apple comes out with their new iPhone. This year, I really need it.
The September Apple Event streamed live today, unveiling new products and goodies for all of us tech geeks to get excited about. I've provided a high-level breakdown of the announcement of new products and current product enhancements Apple will be releasing this year.
Let me first preface this by stating that this was my first Apple keynote that I've ever watched. I don't know what the keynotes have been like in previous years, but the video ads shown were absolutely out of this world. No joke, half of them looked like promos for Coachella 2016. All of the jingles had major Weeknd vibes.
Microsoft and Apple: No Bad Blood Here
What feud? Microsoft executive Kirk Koenigsbauer joined the stage to unveil Microsoft Office on the iPad Pro, and there wasn't any bad blood to be found.
Adobe also unveiled three new apps available in November for the iPad Pro, complete with enhanced Photoshop features like facial detection and Photoshop Sketch using their watercolor tool. The groundbreaking feature was the medical tool demoed by #fiercefemale Irene Walsh of 3D4Medical. The tool will allow doctors to show patients their diagnosis visually in high definition, providing new levels of medical accuracy. #GetItGirl
Get all the smarts from the
demo.
Apple Watch
#WATCHGOALS: Apple isn't messing around when it comes to its accessories. They are partnering with fashion giant Hermes for budget-friendly watch bands. This has me super stoked, of course, because when else would I be able to blow money on a Birkin bag? #SlayAppleSlay
No more getting lost:
Apple Watch is also adding transit to maps, which allows you to easily use and find public transit. City girls, this will be your jam.
"Like" this: Facebook Messenger is also coming to the watch, with text and audio message features, plus the ability to share your location. This promises to be better than "dropping a pin." Has anyone else not figured out how to do that successfully yet?
Siri's throwing shade at Rosetta Stone: iTranslate has 90 built-in languages.
Air Strip: This HIPAA-compliant messaging feature will allow pregnant women to test the heart rate of themselves and their baby, and send the results to their doctor.
Siri gives back: The watch is also available in a red band with a stainless steel case. The model will go to a global fund to fight AIDs.
Get excited: The watch iOS 2 will be available for download next week on September 16, and the new style accessories will be available in October, coming in 38mm and 42mm and at the same price as the current sport lineup.
iPad Pro
Meet the biggest, baddest iPad yet: The quick breakdown is that the display is bigger (similar to the iPhone upgrade from last year) at 12.9" diagonally, the same height as the current iPad Air. The
iPad Pro has an increased retina display for better color and brightness (and will also save energy), plus a graphic performance that's gone up by 360x-this is the biggest jump for graphic enhancements on iPads to date.
My favorite enhancement is the battery life: This bad boy will last up to ten hours, allowing you to play your favorite Spotify playlist on repeat as long as you want. Speaking of music, the device has 3x the audio power of the iPad Air 2.
iPad Pro Accessories: Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil
The iPad Pro wouldn't be complete to take down the Surface without a fully-loaded keyboard, the
Smart Keyboard. It's made of a super durable and lightweight material and a Smart Connector that allows for seamless connectivity. The best part about this keyboard is that it's stain resistant, so you don't have to worry about ruining your keyboard while gorging on ice cream during your next Netflix-binge.
Apple Pencil was all the rage at the event, equipped with technology that will actually make designers want to use it. This thing isn't a stylus, that's when your nails are too long to man your device.
The Pencil, partnered with the Pro, allows users to use both their hand and the Pencil at the same time and allows for flexibility to create different strokes through its position, force, and tilt. Check out the example from the keynote below made with the Pencil. I mean, I want this design to be my next tattoo:
Apple TV
My TV lovers, this is a must-have: touch screen surface remote, high-definition video screensavers, Apple Music, and a Gilt app-making shopping for discount couture seamless. There were so many fun features added to the Apple TV, you'll have to view them for yourself in the the
ad video.
What We All Want To Hear About: The iPhone 6s
Complete with a better display, more durable glass, and a rose gold color, the new iPhone has yet to unveil its potential. 3D Touch is a cool feature, but I don't feel like we can grasp its greatness until we actually play around with it. The camera was super impressive, though, upgrading to 12MP (50% more pixels than before), the ability to take a live photo, and twice as fast wifi as before.
Apple also came out with an upgrade program, making it easier for all of us to own an iPhone. Check out the
full demo for all the dirty details to convince you to trade in your model 6 (6s available September 25.)
Other Noteables
There is now an Android app that lets Android users easily transfer their data to an iPhone. That's throwing some major shade, and I'm fine with it.
tvOS: Allows developers to create their own Apple TV apps; currently there are 11 million registered users.
Gaming perks: Check them out in the
keynote recording.
One Republic performed: Sorry, One Directioners.