Apple took the stage at their Town Hall auditorium at their headquarters in Cupertino today and announced new hardware, software, and accessories for those hardware devices.
Since Apple is turning 40 on April 1st, the event started off with a video showcasing where they have been over the past forty years. Afterwards, Tim took the stage and took a moment to discuss the milestone, then jumped right into their announcements.
An update on the Apple Watch was first on their list of product announcements today. Tim said that the watch has been incredibly popular, and took a step to make it even more appealing by dropping the starting price to $299, down from $349. A new watch band made from woven nylon was announced, as well as new colors for the existing bands.
A software update for the Apple TV was next on the agenda. Since the launch of the fourth generation Apple TV, this is the firs major update that will add many new features to the set top box, including home screen organization via folders, voice dictation for usernames and passwords, as well as Bluetooth keyboard support. The new update should be available for download later today.
After announcing that there would be a new member of the iPhone family, the iPhone SE was unveiled, looking incredibly similar to the iPhone 5S, but with upgraded specs, similar to those of the iPhone 6S, including the A9 processor, 12 megapixel camera, faster networking, and more. The new iPhone replaces the iPhone 5S, which has remained an incredibly popular member of Apple’s iPhone lineup. It starts at $399 for 16 GB, with a 64 GB model also available for $499. It will be available for preorder on Thursday, March 24th, with general availability starting next Thursday, March 31st.
iOS 9.3 was next to be discussed at today’s event. The new OS launches today, with several new features. Night Shift mode, which changes the display’s color temperature to a warmer tone at night is probably the biggest feature in the update. Improvements to other apps have also been made, including the ability to password protect notes.
The ultimate PC replacement, otherwise known as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro was unveiled next. According to Apple, many people have begun using the 12.9-inch iPad Pro as their primary computing device, which is something that I could never see myself doing, unless the iPad ran OS X instead of iOS. Anyway, the new iPad Pro features a 9.7-inch True Tone display, that will automatically change the display to match the color temperature of the room, making it feel more natural to use. As far as specs, the new iPad Pro weighs less than one pound and matches its larger brother for specs, boasting an A9X processor, quad stereo speakers, and a 12 megapixel camera. A smart keyboard accessory will also be available for the new iPad Pro, as well as support for the Apple Pencil.
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be available in space gray, silver, gold, and rose gold, starting at $599 for 32 GB, $749 for 128 GB, and $899 for 256 GB. Preorders start on Thursday, March 24th and the new iPad will be available next Thursday, March 31st.
Apple also announced the launch of a new powered Lightning to USB adaptor, which will allow users to connect cameras, microphones, and almost any other USB powered device into their iOS device to use.
Tim Cook ended the event by announcing that this will be the last product announcement at their current campus, since they are working on building a new campus that they’ll be moving into at some point next year.
While there were a good amount of announcements today, this was probably the shortest Apple keynote in several years, lasting only about an hour.
Which of Apple’s announcements today are you most excited about? Will you be purchasing any of their new products? Let us know by leaving a comment below or tweeting us @TechInformus!