Two new bigger iPhones, the long-rumored Apple Watch, iOS 8, and a new Apple Pay service introduced at the company’s launch event Tuesday gave fans lots to fawn over. Most of the new products announced by CEO Tim Cook at the event, broadcast live from the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, will be available later this month. But on the Apple Watch, Cook remained coy, saying only that the device would be available in “early 2015.”
The two new iPhone 6 models feature continuous, seamless designs with no distinct edges. The iPhone 6 screen comes in at 4.7 inches and the iPhone 6 Plus at 5.5 inches. The cover glass curves around the sides of the handsets, where they meet with the aluminum enclosures.
Both models are significantly slimmer than previous versions, coming in at thicknesses of 6.9mm and 7.1mm, compared with the 7.6mm for the iPhone 5s. Both also feature the new Retina HD display of 1920×1080 pixels. Both displays feature full sRGB wide color gamut.
A8 Chip Is 25 Percent Faster
Users will be able to take full advantage of the larger screen of the 6 Plus with a new landscape view that extends to the Home screen, as well as a larger keyboard. Both models are powered by Apple’s new A8 chip, which is 25 percent faster than the A7 and offers up to 50 percent faster graphic rendering, and is 50 percent more energy efficient.
Each phone also includes a barometer that senses air pressure to measure relative elevation and an M8 coprocessor to measure information from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. The iPhone 6 will also support Voice over LTE — wide-band high-quality calls that make conversations sound as crisp and clear as if you were face-to-face. It also comes with faster Wi-Fi based on the 802.11ac protocol, up to three times faster than Wi-Fi on the iPhone 5s.
The camera, meanwhile, is an 8-megapixel iSight with 1.5 micron pixels and a 2.2 aperture. In addition to having the ability to zoom in and out, the new camera can also move vertically and horizontally for improved image stabilization. The camera can also capture slow-motion video at 120 or 240 frames per second.
The iPhone 6 is available for pre-order beginning Friday, and will hit Apple store shelves Sept. 19. The iPhone 6 starts at $199 for the 16 GB model with a wireless carrier contract, with 64 GB and 128 GB models priced at $299 and $399. The iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299 for 16 GB, with 64 GB models priced at $399 and 128 GB at $499. (continued…)
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