Apple unveils 3 new iPhones and the Apple Watch Series 4
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 4 and three new iPhones at its annual keynote event on Wednesday.
Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the event, which comes a year after the introduction of iPhone X, by touting how the company is approaching its 2 billionth connected iOS device, and then handed off the presentation to other executives who introduced new products, which include features like heart-monitoring technology approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the new A12 Bionic chip, “the smartest, most powerful chip in a smartphone,” according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
New iPhones
Apple is introducing three new iPhones: the XS ($999), XS Max ($1,099), and XR ($749).
The XS and XS Max, which will be available for pre-order on September 14, share the following specs:
- Display: OLED HDR ‘Super Retina’ display features 5.8-inch diagonal (458 ppi), and the XS Max features a 6.5-inch diagonal (458 ppi), which is the biggest iPhone display available
- Body: Thinner, rounded corners, curved design
- Colors: Gold, silver, and gray
- Camera: 12 megapixel dual camera with wide-angle and telephoto lenses
- Computational photography: Users can change the depth of field of photos after they’re taken
- Processor: A12 Bionic chip is said to execute “5 trillion operations per second” and launches apps 30% faster than older models
- Storage options: 64 GB, 128 GB, and 512 GB (prices start at 64 GB)
- IP68 water-resistance rating (resistant down to 2 meters for up to 30 minutes in liquid)
- Battery life: iPhone XS is expected to last 30 minutes longer than older models
- Pressure-sensitive screen
- Improved and wider stereo sound
- Protected by the “most durable glass ever in a smartphone”
- Features “the most secure facial authentication ever in a smartphone”
Upgraded hardware in the new iPhones also enables improved video game experiences, including a new mobile iteration of The Elder Scrolls saga dubbed Blades…
… and augmented reality versions of older games like Galaga.
Apple Watch Series 4
Boasting that the Apple Watch is the world’s “number one watch, period,” the company is branding its latest iteration of the smart watch as an “intelligent guardian for your health.” That’s primarily because the watch features electrical heart sensors that allow you to take an electrocardiogram (or ECG) that can check for signs of heart disease and other conditions.
“This is the first ECG product offered over the counter, directly to consumers,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Now, you can take an ECG anytime, anywhere, right from your wrist. You just open your app and put your finger on the digital crown.”
Dr. Ivor J. Benjamin, president of the American Heart Association, called the heart-monitoring feature “game-changing” at the event. The heart-monitoring feature can also detect signs of atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that increases the risk of stroke and other heart-related conditions.
The new Apple Watch can also detect when a person trips, slips, or falls and is able to automatically call emergency services if a user is unresponsive following such an accident.
Other features of the Apple Watch Series 4 include the following:
- Display: 30% larger screen that stretches to the face’s edges
- Body: Thinner
- Speed: 64-bit dual-core processor is expected to give twice as fast performance as previous watches
- Digital crown: Newly equipped with haptic feedback
- Colors: Silver, gold, and space gray
- Speakers: Redesigned to be 50% louder
- Battery life: Same 18-hour lifespan as Series 3
- Improved cellular reception
- Prices: GPS $399, cellular $499
- Availability: Order 9/14, available 9/21
