English edition of Asharq Al-Awsat – the world’s premier pan-Arab daily.
Advertisement
A pair of the new Apple AirPods are seen during a launch event on September 7, 2016 in San Francisco, California.
Apple also launched Apple Watch Series 2, the next generation of its popular smartwatch, with features including a water resistance 50 meter rating for swimming, and built-in Global Positioning System so users can now run without an iPhone.
While the focus on fitness helps, Apple still needs a breakthrough app to nudge the smartwatch into the mainstream – and it remains unlikely to find it in Pokemon Go, the popular augmented reality game that is coming to the gadget later this year, Gillis said.
Before introducing the new watches and phones, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives made several other announcements from the stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. “Our smartphones are packed with technologies, and we want more – it’s all fighting for space”. The old Apple mantra, “it just works”, is officially dead this week.
Apple enthusiasts in India will be able to get their hands on the latest iPhone 7 from October 7 for Rs 60,000 onwards. Some consumers and analysts are considering waiting until 2017.
Apple promises a number of advances with these new earphones, including a rechargeable case that can hold 24 hours worth of listening time, the ability to recognize whether you have the devices in your ears, and the ability to detect new audio feeds and switch to devices in close proximity.
Also, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come with stereo speakers: a first for Apple. The iPhone 7 Plus comes with an extra telephoto camera capable of optical zoom. Starting at $649, it is the same price as the 6S predecessor.
“Despite being touted as a credible numbered sequel, it was hard to escape the feeling that the iPhone 7 is very much an iterative device rather than the step change needed to allay concerns of falling fortunes”, he said. The updates are coming September 16. “However, when taken in combination with the W1 chipset, a rise in convenience is offset by a clear aggregate move by Apple to move iOS device owners’ accessories purchases away from third parties and industry standards, and more distinctly into Apple’s own product families”.
In reality though, many people will pick up the new iPhone 7 or 7 Plus on contract, which will somewhat mask the cost of Apple’s latest flagship pairing. On completion of an outdoor workout, view a route map that shows variations in speed in the Activity app on iPhone. “If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone”, says Apple. It has also become the top selling smart watch. The hardware looks almost identical to current Apple Watch models, but this time the timepiece is waterproof.
Apple Watch Series 2 was announced with a better, faster, processor and swim-proofing.
Advertisement
Shares of Fitbit Inc, which makes activity-tracking bands, closed down 2 percent on the emergence of such a high-profile competitor.
