HOBI Weekly Blog Recap (3/20-23/23)
Apple concluded their annual September event earlier this afternoon and put an end to all iPhone 7 speculation. Along with revealing the newest version of their flagship mobile device, Apple showed off new Watch updates, iOS 10, revamped Apple Music platform, App store exclusives, a new education platform called ConnectED and iWork improvements.
Apple kicked off their event with an update to Apple Music and then followed with the official announcement that Nintendo is joining the App store with a new game designed exclusively for the App Store, Super Mario Run. This is the first time Nintendo has designed any kind of game for smartphone use. Along with the new Nintendo collaboration, Apple revealed Pokemon Go will now be compatible with Apple Watch.
Tim Cook, CEO, then announced the ConnectED initiative and revealed new updates to iWork. ConnectED is a national initiative combining government and tech companies to bring technology to underserved schools. The newest version of Apple’s iWork suite will have the capability for multiple users to update documents simultaneously, making iWork a stronger competitor towards Google Docs.
Apple then moved on to showcase the new Apple Watch Series 2, the second generation version of Apple’s wearable device they revealed last year. The initial Apple Watch, now called Apple Watch Series 1, is still available for a lower price, but with a cheaper processor. The Series 2 is designed almost identically to its predecessor, but now includes a water-resistant shell and GPS chip so the device can be worn while swimming, and no longer requires a phone for mapping.
A second version of the Series 2 watch will also be released. Apple collaborated with Nike to create the Apple Watch Nike+. This device is designed to focus on the fitness functions of wearable, and has exclusive access to Nike+ Run Club. Both the Apple Watch Series 2 and Apple Watch Nike+ will begin at $369.
After the Watch reveal, Apple unveiled the latest iteration of the iPhone. The iPhone 7 is very similar to the 6S in appearance, but will come in a new glossy matte model, along with the traditional gold, rose gold, silver and matte black options. The new device is also water and dust resistant, and could possibly be dropped into shallow water.
The new design confirmed many rumors that had been flying over the summer. Apple ditched the headphone jack for stereo speakers, and new earbuds that can be attached via Lightning port, or new wireless earbuds called AirPods. Along with no longer having a headphone jack, the new device hosts two 12-megapixel cameras on the back of the device. Most notably, the iPhone 7 reportedly has the best battery life of any iPhone, thanks to the new A10 fusion processor.
The new iPhone 7 starts at $649 for a 32GB model, and iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769 for a 32GB model. Pre-ordering begins this Friday and the devices will be available in-store September 16.
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