Staff Writer
Apple
iPhones are one of the biggest fads of this decade. Apple unveiled two new iPhones that have several new
features on September 9 in Cupertino, California. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the
company was launching "the biggest advancement in the history of iPhones."
The
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are newer, bigger, and sleeker additions to the Apple
family. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a Retina HD
screen. The screen is
reinforced with ion-strengthened cover glass to prevent easy breaking. In
addition there is a oleophobic coating on the screen that resists fingerprints.
The devices come in gold, silver, and space gray. The phone is similar to its
predecessors in terms of features, but most of the features have been upgraded
into better versions. On the camera front, each phone has more distinguished
optics that perform better in low levels of light. The details and resolution
on images are clearer than ever.
The
iPhone 6 Plus is larger than its standard relative. The display is a huge 5.5
inches that resembles a tablet more so than a phone. Some have dubbed it the
‘Phablet’. Many of its features are the
same as the iPhone 6. Fitting the phone in your pocket may prove to be
impossible. Thats the reasoning that many people use when they choose the
smaller version. In fact, size does seem to be an issue among young people.
“The iPhone 6 plus does seem a little big for me,” said sophomore Avery Kinlaw.
“That’s why i’m getting the regular iPhone 6 for Christmas.” Preorders for the
two phones begin on September 12 and ship on September 19.
The
storage space has been upped to a whopping 128 GB with lower options of 16GB
and 64GB available. Prices decrease as the gigabytes decrease. For those buyers
who like to store tons of pictures, the 128 GB option is the best bet. The
phone is faster than its previous models with even clearer graphics that rival
those of a computer. Battery life is perhaps twice as long thanks to an A8
processor chip that is 50% more energy efficient.
Completing
Apple's announcement, they also introduced a Smartwatch and Apple Pay. The
watch, which starts at $349, is expected to come out in early 2015. The watch
can take your pulse and direct you to places using a new ‘vibration direction’.
Apple has not revealed much other information regarding the watch but inferring
from the comments Apple already made, it is expected that the device will have
to be charged nightly. There is hope for the buyers who want capability. The
charging will have MagSafe technology which means buyers can simply hold the
connector to the back of the device and it will snap into place. There is one
negative feature though; in order for the smartwatch to work a person has to
have an iPhone 5 or higher. The Apple Watch is meant to be a supplement or an
accessory to an Apple owner’s phone. Without the watch matched to an iPhone, it
can’t do much. Apple also introduced Apple Pay which allows people to purchase
goods with their mobile device through their iTunes account. Apple pay supports
the three biggest credit card networks: American Express, MasterCard, and Visa.
Businesses, including McDonald's, Macy’s, Disney Store, Walgreens, and Subway
support this payment method.
For
those looking to stand out, there are three different styles of watch, two
sizes, and six different watch bands.
