Apple Unveils Latest New Products and Services
Apple Introduces Fitness+, New iPads, Watches and more at Annual September Event
Tuesday marked yet another Apple event that introduced a wide assortment of new products and services. Apple has had these kinds of events on an annual basis, and the pandemic did not stop it in 2020. These showcases have been a signature action for the company who for many years now have featured new products in a showcase type manner. On Tuesday, Apple unveiled new products that updated or introduced the Apple Watch, the iPad, the Fitness+, Apple One, and more. The event lasted slightly longer than an hour and was pre-recorded. Below is a look at each of the new products Apple announced Tuesday.
Read More »Tuesday’s anticipated event kicked off with an appearance by Apple CEO Tim Cook, who appeared on screen from the top floor of Apple’s headquarters. He made a brief statement about the focus of the event and briefly mentioned the coronavirus.
From there, Cook began to discuss the Apple Watch and its many positive contributions to people’s overall health. The device has even been used on the frontlines in fighting the coronavirus.
This was of course a build up to Apple’s introduction of the new Apple Watch Series 6. This is an update on the product, which was initially released in April 2015. The Apple Watch usually has a new version released annually in September, so this new edition comes as no surprise.
Stylistically, the new version of the Apple Watch will let users purchase versions in both blue and red for the first time. Perhaps more importantly, the Series 6 will be able to keep an eye on a person’s blood oxygen level in just 15 seconds. This is because the Apple Watch 6 has a sensor built in. This is a wanted new feature by many concerned with their health, because blood oxygen saturation helps measure a person’s respiratory health. The company will also back three different studies to verify the new tool’s accuracy and overall benefits.
In addition, the newest Apple Watch will run 20% faster than the last version and is also similar to the processor found in the iPhone 11. The company also asserted that the screen will feature a brighter display so users can read better while outside.
Apple is offering this new version of the Watch for $399 and will be in stores this Friday with preorders beginning after the announcement.
Apple Watch SE
A large chunk of the segment surrounding the new Apple Watches was showcased by the company’s COO Jeff Williams. After the Apple Watch Series 6 was unveiled, Williams introduced another version of the Watch called the Apple Watch SE. This version is slightly different because it is less expensive and has models that can be used with Wi-Fi or cellular connections. Apple also will have a Family Setup feature for this model that allows this version of the Watch to be used without an iPhone.
The cost of this new Apple Watch SE will be $279 with preorders starting Tuesday and available in-stores on Friday.
It is also worth noting that the new Apple Watches will not come with a charger included. This is because Apple is trying to move toward being more environmentally friendly, and the company is already assuming that many people will already have an older version of the Watch with a charger already.
Fitness+ services
The next product released during this Apple event was the Fitness+ service, which will give Watch users access to various training videos and will focus on workouts. The Apple Watch will sync with workout videos found on other Apple devices like iPhones, Apple TV, and iPads. Different styles of workouts will be available like dance, yoga, treadmill and much more with many of the offerings not requiring any equipment at all. These videos will be published on a weekly basis and will include up to the second statistics about a person’s workout data. The service is somewhat similar to Peloton.
Apple One
The rumored Apple One finally got its official launch on Tuesday. Apple One will bundle a variety of Apple services into one monthly subscription cost in an effort to get users to try more products while also saving them money in the process.
The service will have three different price points, including:
Individual, $14.95/ month: Includes iCloud storage, Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade
Family, $19.95 / month: Five family members will be able to use the same services as the individual
Premier, $29.95 / month: Everything offered in the individual and family packages and Apple News+ and the new Apple Fitness+
8th generation iPad
Apple also unveiled the new version of its popular iPad, which has been a staple product of the company since April 2010. The iPad has reportedly sold more than 500 million models in the last decade. The latest version is the iPad 8th Generation. This version features a faster processor and is further optimized for school usage. The new iPad will be available for $329 for individuals and $299 for schools. Like the Watches, it is available for preorder now and will be in stores this Friday.
iPad Air
The iPad Air has been an important product for the company, especially during the coronavirus pandemic where it has seen sales boosted. The newest version of the iPad Air will be available in five different colors (silver, rose gold, space gray, blue and green) and have a slightly different design than previous models. This new version will have an edge to edge screen.
In addition, the iPad Air will have a fingerprint sensor that has touch ID capability to detect a person’s unique fingerprints. The device will run a full 40% faster than the last version, and can be charged with a USB-C connector. The Lightning charger will be a thing of the past for the iPad Air.
The newest iPad Air will run customers $599 and it will be available in October.
Other notes from Tuesday’s Apple event
Apple is also set to release the iOS 14 on Wednesday with a chunk of new features. CEO Tim Cook announced this news and it should be another tidbit of good information for Apple diehards. These new features will include enhancements in security features, the ability to use widgets and organize the phone’s home screen, and more.
The Tuesday event also did not mention the highly anticipated iPhone 12. The announcement of Apple’s new phone will wait until a later event, which will most likely occur in the next month. There was also no mention of anything having to do with headphones or speakers, but these audio devices may be introduced along with the iPhone 12 soon.
All of these new products come at a time when many people are thinking about home schooling and also look forward to the holiday season. The Coronavirus pandemic has also increased the demand for these kinds of tech products and Apple hopes its latest set of announcements is just the beginning of the buzz in the last quarter of 2020.
