New additions to the pantheon of Apple products
Maybe you heard that Apple had a little meeting this week? It was, in fact, a highly anticipated event with high expectations, and Apple didn’t disappoint. Here’s a great video that covers the whole meeting in five minutes. For us, the two most exciting announcements are about the iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch.
iPhone 7 and 7+ highlights
To date, Apple has sold over a billion iPhones, making it the best selling product in the history of the world. And it just keeps getting better. Here’s a complete CNET review of the iPhone 7, but here’s what we’re impressed by:
- New finishes: In addition to matte black, gold, silver, rose gold, they new introduction is jet black. They use a special process to create it, but you’ll need a case to keep the finish pristine.
- Display: 25% brighter display with wider color range.
- Sound: Actual stereo speakers so the device is 2x louder than the iPhone 6S and has increased dynamic range.
- Speed: 40% faster than 6S, making it blazing-fast in terms of speed and processing. Noteworthy: Now 32 GB (yes!)Â is standard on the lowest priced model.
- Camera: If cameras are your thing, this one is amazing. The iPhone 7 has a 12 megapixel camera with image stabilization. The 7+ has all this and has two lenses—wide angle and telephoto lens, plus 2X optical zoom.
- Battery: 1-2 hours longer battery life.
- Life preserver: You will never again have that sinking feeling when you accidentally drop your iPhone in the toilet. Although it’s not waterproof, the phone is now good in up to a meter of water.
If you’re in the market for a new phone (especially if you have a iPhone 5), we think this is a terrific product. Preorders start on Sept 9, and the phones will ship in September 16th. See Apple.com/iphone for details.Apple watch – Series 2
In addition to the iPhone, Apple’s watch has some great new improvements including:
In addition to the iPhone, Apple’s watch has some great new improvements including:
- Waterproofing: It’s waterproof in up to 50 meters and designed for active people. For swimmers, it adds a lap counter and distance, among other features.
- GPS: In both Apple Watch Series 1 and 2, GPS is now standard. That means for hikers, there are third-party apps with downloadable hikes that include directions and points of interest.
- Other merits: The new watch offers a variety of options for band colors and casing materials. It’s 50% faster than Series 1. The screen is twice as bright, making it more visible in sunlight. Call 911 with one button with your location. With Apple Watch OS3, the device is also more responsive to taps. Here’s a complete CNET review of the the new Apple Watch.
The new Apple Watch starts at $369 while Series 1 starts at $269. Because of the numerous new features, we’d recommend the Series 2 if it’s in your budget. Orders start on September 9, and they ship on September 13.