When Apple CEO, Tim Cook, took the stage at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, yesterday, to announce a slurry of new products (and services) that the Cupertino, CA company had obviously been working hard to perfect over the last several months – the world was watching.
The unprecedented level to which Apple was able to build the hype that preceded the event, was obvious (if a little unnerving), but as the keynote began – it became increasingly clear that we were in for something more than just a few new iPhones.
The company dropped the expected announcement of its updated iPhone models just under 10 minutes into its live-streamed presentation, signalling the popular product line was about to take somewhat of a back seat to what was to come next.
More on that, later.
For now, we get to talk about Apple’s latest enhancements to iPhone.
“The original iPhone,” Cook said opening the iPhone-focused segment of the keynote, “set the bar for which the category would forever be defined,” and for every iPhone that followed, he says, Apple has built on the vision of the original iPhone – pushing it even further.
Cook introduced the two new models by saying the hardware upgrade was “the biggest advancement” in the history of iPhone, before handing it over to Phil Schiller who took us through the basics.
Running with the tagline “Bigger than Bigger,” the iPhone 6 – and its larger brother, the iPhone 6 Plus, arrive as the first offerings in Apple’s iPhone product line that use displays larger than 4-inches.
Complete with the company’s new-generation “Retina” displays, (which Apple is calling “Retina HD,”) ultra-thin backlight, photo-aligned IPS liquid crystal screen, and ion-strengthened glass that Schiller notes “curves around the sides to meet seamlessly with the aluminium back,” the LCD on both models now arrive with “duel-domain” pixels – a technology that, Schiller explained, allows for a broader angle of view with accurate colours.
Lining up the new models on-screen, alongside the iPhone 5S, “If you don’t know, here’s their sizes,” Schiller joked, (hinting at the many leaks we’ve seen over the last several months, were pretty accurate in this regard).
Just as expected, the models arrived in 4.7-inch (iPhone 6) and 5.5-inch (iPhone 6 Plus) flavours. Going on to compare the screen resolutions of each model, Schiller noted that the iPhone 6 is set to come packed with the same 326-pixel-per-inch density of the iPhone 5S, while having a slightly larger overall resolution of 1334 x 750.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 6 Plus – Schiller said, will come with “a full 1080[p] display, at an even higher pixel density” (1920 x 1080). In terms of thickness, Schiller noted, the iPhone 6 comes in at just 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus will land with an overall thickness of 7.1mm – making both models thinner than the iPhone 5S (7.6mm). This took “an incredible amount of engineering,” the Apple executive said.
Software Advantages
In terms of extra screen real-estate, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that there is bundles more space for seeing more content on the new iPhones. Schiller says that Apple is specifically going to take advantage of this additional screen space on the iPhone 6 Plus, citing that iOS 8 will now show a ‘two-up display’ for supported apps, allowing you to see different types of content in one simultaneous view.
For example, the Messages app on the iPhone 6 Plus will show you even more of your conversation from friends or family when in portrait, but turn the device landscape, and you’ll also be able to see your messaging contacts on a separate pane that now sits to the left of that conversation view, (as above).
“Your weather shows more of your day, stocks – for those of you who follow [those], now has a two-up display,” Schiller said.
The addition arrives alongside a few other notable software features that Apple is adding to both devices, which, it says, will help you “use [them] with one hand.” — “What’s Reachability?” Schiller asked rhetorically, “well if you double [tap] the Touch ID button, this is what happens. The whole UI slides down so that you can use it with just one hand.”
Of course, Apple’s improved support for landscape mode on the iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, also extends to the “home screen” – which now has the option to new viewed horizontally, with the app dock sitting on the right.
Graphics + Performance
As you would probably expect, Apple’s latest-generation iPhones also come with a boost to their internal graphics and processor capabilities. Now powered by Apple’s “A8” processor, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus now offer “up to 50 times faster” in processing speeds, and “up to 84 times faster” in overall graphics power, compared to the original iPhone.
The chip itself is also 50% more efficient, which Schiller explains means Apple can “drive performance over a longer period of time.”
Bringing out Super Evil Megacorp’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephan Sherman, onto the stage to show-off the A8’s graphics enhancements in all their glory, the demo focused around the studio’s new iOS title “Vain Glory” – an attempt to bring the “hardcore gaming experience of the console,” to mobile.
The demo was impressive, given it’s the studio’s first ever game designed for the platform. “Vain Glory” will be available for download on the App Store, this Fall.
Battery Life
Moving on, Schiller then got talking about the iPhone 6 (and Plus)’s battery life. Impressively, the company says that it has managed to excel on battery life in “every aspect” with the new smartphone.
Notable takeaways, include:
– 50 hours of audio playback (iPhone 6), versus 80 hours on the iPhone 6 Plus
– 11 hours of video playback (iPhone 6), versus 14 hours on the iPhone 6 Plus
– 11 hours of Wi-Fi browsing (iPhone 6), versus 12 hours on the iPhone 6 Plus
Schiller then turned attentions back to Apple’s A8 SoC (System on a Chip). Citing that the new chip has the capability to tell when you’re cycling, walking or running, Apple’s next-generation SoC also comes with the ability to measure ‘distance’ (such as how far you went on that last weekend sprint), and – for the first time – can now measure elevation- It even works for “flights of stairs” … “We all need to run more flights of stairs,” Schiller joked.
These useful additions to Apple’s processing chip arrive courtesy of the SoC’s new ‘Barometer’ sensor, which can now measure “relevant elevation” from air pressure – something that will also tie-in with Apple’s new ‘Health’ app, Schiller highlighted, set to ship with iOS 8 – later this month.
LTE + Networking
With regard to support for carriers and LTE, Apple says that the iPhone 6 (and iPhone 6 Plus) will carry with them support for 20 LTE bands, which Schiller added is “more than any other smartphone,” and it means that Apple is now working with over 200 carriers.
Schiller went on to describe a new wireless carrier technology – called “VoLTE” – or “Voice over LTE.” “It means we can take the voice call from a 3G network, and move it up to the 4G LTE network,” the Apple executive said.
There’s also support for Wi-Fi calling. This is great if you don’t have a great connection – or if you’re at home and using your local network to make a call, “if you need to run out,” Schiller says, “the call will hand-off to the 3G network – seamlessly.”
Cameras
The camera modules on the iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, have also received upgrades. The devices will land with a 5-element 8-megapixel, “true-tone” flash rear-facing shooter, that also comes with a new-generation “iSight” sensor.
The new sensor brings with it a number of notable improvements, the main one:
Focus Pixels – “Let’s look inside [...] You can see these dedicated pairs of focus pixels … and what they do, as the lens moves in and out, it can tell when an object is in focus or not.” “it’s a technology used by high-end DLSRs” – “Twice as fast at focusing” than the previous generation … “It all adds up to incredible photos.” (Schiller).
The sensor also allows for the taking of “even bigger” panoramas – now at 43 megapixels.
These cameras are ‘the same’ across both models, said Schiller, apart from one feature. While the iPhone 6 is set to use ‘Digital Image Stabilization,’ the iPhone 6 Plus will introduce for the first time a new feature called ‘Optical Image Stabilization.’
This essentially just means that the lens in the iPhone 6 Plus can move in even more directions to compensate for any potential ‘shaking’ when talking photos and video with the device.
The “Slo-mo” feature Apple introduced with the iPhone 5S, last year, also saw a beefing to support taking even slower videos at 240-frames-per-seconds – again, exclusive to the iPhone 6, and more costly – iPhone 6 Plus.
Moving to the front of the device, Schiller then went on to detail the improvements Apple has made to its front-facing “FaceTime HD” camera. Citing that the company’s all-new FaceTime HD sensor is “killer for taking those selfies,” Apple has also added the ability to activate “burst mode” here – allowing you to take several shots in quick succession.
“These are the best phones ever made,” Schiller wrapped up the segment by saying.
Pricing + Availability
The iPhone 6 will arrive in Gold, Silver and Slate Grey, starting at $199 – with a two-year carrier contract, and 16GB of internal storage.
To moderate applause, Schiller also announced that Apple had bumped the second tier of the device to offer 64GB of internal storage for $299, (versus the previous 32GB), and for those who need a lot of space there’s an all-new 128GB storage configuration at $399.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 6 Plus will start at $299 for 16GB, and incrementally run to $399 for 64GB, and $499 for 128GB- again being available in the same colour options as the iPhone 6.
In light of the announcement, Apple also took the opportunity to drop the entry-level models of both its iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C to their new contract prices of just $99 and FREE (two-year wireless contract required).
Both devices will start shipping in the U.S – and 8 other countries (Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan) – on September 19, “in those countries you’ll be able to pre-order them starting this Friday (September 12),” said Schiller, and Apple is looking to be in 115 countries by the end of 2014.
You can learn more about the iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus – at Apple.com
We’ll have a ton more detailed coverage for you regarding what else Apple announced during its September 9 media presser, in the coming hours.
Keep it locked to our September 9 Hub for the latest.