September 12th saw one of Apple's most ambitious event yet. With rumours circulating months before the date of the launch, Apple enthusiasts and the average smartphone user alike were desperate to find out what Apple had in store for their tenth anniversary, and they did not disappoint. For example, the outstanding iPhone X which, whilst isolating a major proportion of the public with the not so humble price tag of £999 – the most expensive smartphone to date, represents the future of the smart phone. The Apple Watch Series 3 which can now be purchased with cellular activity, meaning users no longer require their iPhone to receive calls and iMessages, they can simply use their new wearable, and the upgraded Apple TV, which now includes 4K and HDR capabilities.
The event represented the future of Apple and the direction of where their products are going. Each different product seemed to link together and reflected the latest innovations within the technology, securely cementing Apple's position as the pioneers of the technology industry.
The latest edition of the Apple Watch will be released on the 22nd September, retailing at £329 without cellular connection and £399 with cellular connection. Watches will now notify users when their heart rate is abnormally fast, and with Stanford, users can opt in to receive notifications when the device senses any irregular heart beats.
Undoubtedly, the most exciting feature of the watch is its cellular connectivity. Apple watch users will now be able to leave their iPhone at home and rely solely on their Apple Watch. Although it's unlikely to work with devices running on anything less than iOS 10, users will now be able to receive calls, iMessages, use Siri and maps anywhere, and stream 40 million songs. The device will also utalise the Find My Friends feature which switches to the Apple watch when a users iPhone is left at home. The W2 wireless chip speeds up down loads whilst simultaneously saves energy consumption, making it the most powerful wearable Apple have created to date. Although there were voices of concern surrounding the cellular's activity impacting the battery life, Apple insists that the device will have an 18-hour battery life.
Releasing on the 22nd September for £179, Apple's 5th Generation Apple TV with 4K and HDR capabilities will display the sharpest and crispest images. Although there was no mention of the Home Pod, Apple's 5th Generation Apple TV represents what's to come in Apple's ventures into home technology. A handy feature of the devices is any HD TV content purchased through iTunes will automatically convert to the highest native quality at no extra cost, allowing users to view films and programs at the highest possible quality.
Most of the disappointment from the event centred around the iPhone 8/8 Plus. Although Apple introduced a wireless charging feature and have seemed to update the camera and speakers – because everybody plays music from their phones, there was not enough differences from the iPhone 7 to get fans excited. The iPhone 8/8 Plus still uses Touch ID and has kept the home button, and aside from a glass front and back adding to user's anxieties of smashing their devices, the design isn't too much to separate it from the 7. Adding to the disappointment, whilst both models include a 12MP camera, the dual lens camera will only be available on the Plus. Although the upgraded camera features a new sensor, Pixel Engine and optical image stabilisation, there isn't too much to motivate iPhone 7 users to upgrade their device.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will be released on the 22nd September, the iPhone 8 retailing at £699 for the 64GB model and £849 for the 256GB, and the iPhone 8 Plus at £799 for 64GB and £849 for the 256GB model.
For most people streaming the event, the excitement mainly centres around the latest iPhone. The iPhone 8/8 Plus may have brought disappointed to viewers, with no mention of many features rumoured to be included in the latest device, but Apple defiantly saved the best till last with the sleek and sophisticated iPhone X.
Although hopeful customers will have to wait until October 27th to pre-order and November 3rd for the release, there is plenty to get excited about in the meantime. Apple have abolished the trademark home button, instead opting for Super Retina OLED edge-to-edge display and facial recognition technology. The iPhone X is faster, sleeker and better than any of it's predecessors, representing the future of the iPhone, using sophisticated facial recognition technology, demonstrating a leap forward in augmented reality technology with ARKit and of course, wireless charging.
Its cameras are better. It not only features a dual lens camera on the back of the device, it's highly sophisticated front camera allows for accurate facial recognition technology – which Apple claim is 20x more secure than Touch ID. The iPhone X has all the additional camera features of the iPhone 8/8 Plus with an additional facial depth sensor which gives users amazing photography and editing software, introducing the new feature, portrait mode which produces professional level lighting without the need for any additional equipment.
Retailing at £999 for the 64GB model and £1149 for the 256GB model, the iPhone X is the most expensive smartphone on the market. Barclay's analysis, Mark Moskowitz had predicted a loss of market shares in Apple to other smartphone providers as a survey found only 18% of Apple customers are willing to pay the premium. But, we will have to wait until November 3rd to see the full response to the ambitious pricing structure.
Whilst the upgraded design and hardware of the iPhone X made up for the disappointing announcement of the iPhone 8/8 Plus, some sceptics may argue that Apple have not done enough to persuade customers the iPhone X is truly worth the expensive price. Samsung and LG have both released devices that include edge-to-edge display and have promised devices that make use of innovations within technology such as dual lens and optical image stabiliser, therefore, Apple may have to rely on their trademark design and brand name to carry the iPhone X to success, something that hasn't let Apple down in the past. It will be interesting to see how the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and LGV30 effect Apple's sales. However, this Apple Event represents the beginning of the future within the technology sector.
Remember to look out for next week's blog where we will be discussing in depth the possibilities from the developer kits announced at the conference.