Apple introduced new apple watches, iPads, and subscription services in their annual September product launch. This year is quite different than others though, because there was no announcement of a new version of their best selling product, the iPhones. It was mentioned that the new device is delayed until October.
The introduction of their iOS 14 was made on Tuesday as well. This is their software for the mobile operating system. iOS 14 will be available for all products on Wednesday. The iOS updates routinely include new features, bug fixes, and advancements in the operating system.
The Series 6 Apple Watch has new features including two different versions of the physical watch. they are launching an “SE” version of the watch which is a slower but is also over $100 cheaper than the standard version. There are new features added to the Series 6, such as a brighter display, a faster processing chip, and even new blood oxygen level tracking technology. The new watches will be available on Friday.
The iPad is another Apple product that is getting a few upgrades in 2020. The major adjustments including the FaceID feature. Additionally, the iPad is converting from the current Lighting Cable charging cord, which most all other apple products are using, to the universal USB-C Cable.
Apple is one of the top tech companies nationwide and their continued technological advancements are always admired by the tech industry. It is always very interesting to tune into their launch in mid-september and see how they have out done themselves from the year prior.
source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/09/15/apple-event-2020-watch-ipad-announcements/5798048002/
I don’t mean to be that stereotypical Android guy but I think I have to just for a quick minute. This apple product release was great and I think it is very exciting seeing what new is all coming. But, with the hardware release also came a software release with IOS 14. This update brought widgets, moving apps around, and various customization options mainly to the home screen of the phone. I have had an Android since I first got a phone and I find it funny that Apple is releasing features that Android has had for close to 10 years and people now love it.
These were features that were a key Android focus and did not incentivize any Apple users to convert to Android for. I find it amazing that Apple can come out with really old, copied, ideas and their consumer base absolutely love it and praise them for it. Apple really has it going on with marketing and how well they push out these things tho their customers. I don’t think there is any other company that could blatantly copy an idea and make it out of top afterward. Props to you Apple.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/all-the-apple-ios-14-features-your-iphone-just-got-that-android-users-had-first/
I am very excited about the Apple updates. I think every time Apple comes out with another product, I will get it and then I never do. But this time I really want the the Apple Watch series 6. I think the updates are good for the economy, and most of the time when apple comes out with new products, their stocks go up and people pre-order the products. Apple adds a lot of jobs to the market to, and the new products are why they can do that.
https://angeloueconomics.com/keep-up-with-ae/economic-impact-of-apple-angeloueconomics/
I am probably in the minority of Apple consumers when it comes to their family of products and these reveal events. I own an iPhone and most likely will never switch to android. I also own air pods, an iPad, and I might get and apple watch. But, I don’t see myself ever buying a Mac. Macs are by far the most popular laptop on college campuses, but I will always go with a PC or windows based laptop. Also, I’m definitely not an Apple fanboy, so these events never have me just jumping out of my shoes. I watched the whole thing as I still like new technology, and I thought it was a good show. Nothing was like WOW breath taking, but they showed good improvements and added value on their products especially the base model iPad. my least favorite parts of the show was the new Apple Watch and the Apple services bundle. I feel like the watch is over priced and the value isn’t there for me. And for the new Apple One bundle, I would have to see how much in savings it actually comes out to, but on the face, for me, I’m not interested in the majority of them so I’ll pass, but I can see for someone completely invested in Apple to like this.
The new Apple devices, such as the new watch and iPad are exciting new additions to apple’s repertoire. It is expected that the iPad would make the switch to this USB-C cable like other Apple products have gradually been doing, but this is annoying to apple product users because it is yet another product that you have to buy (if the one it comes with breaks or you just need more than one).
The new IOS is also interesting, but it does contain some features like the widgets which are similar to the Android phone displays.
Overall I think people are generally excited about the new releases and I believe the new watches and Ipad will sell very well. It is also a very nice addition to include a cheaper version of the Apple watch, especially while a lot of people in the US are struggling with financial issues.
I do suspect though that the most highly anticipated device which Apple typically announces, which is the new iPhone, will end up being the most talked-about new apple product/feature of the year.
Source:https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/15/apple-event-live-updates.html
I’ve updated my phone to IOS 14, and I found that Apple is giving a really good try on protecting user’s privacy. First, I have noticed that every time you copy and paste something, it will tells you where do you copy and paste from. Also, when you are using some apps that need to access to your photos, it will ask you your permission to access into your album. Or you can only give the permission to the app to only access the picture that you choose. Furthermore, when you are using microphone, the apple will display a little dot on the top right of your phone.
Since privacy issue is always one of the biggest concerns to people, Apple is trying to protect user’s privacy as much as they can. I think this is the biggest surprise for me about the IOS 14.
Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/90551232/the-top-7-ios-14-privacy-features-what-you-need-to-know
One major part of this new software updated is a new look and features for Siri. In an article by the Verge, it is stated that Siri is “supporting 20 times more facts than just three years ago”. This is such a drastic increase in knowledge in a relatively short time period. Most of this is due to more advanced AI and technology capabilities. Siri is able to connect to more apps as well as pick up on certain information and facts quicker than ever before. In this new IOS update, Siri will now include a translation feature. Not only is this game-changing for Apple since they are now able to compete with Google Translate, but it also adds a huge component to Siri. The world is more connected now than ever. With the increase of Zoom, companies are able to have real-time meetings with people all over the world. The ability to have Siri to quickly speak into and translate sentences will help drastically. This new IOS update includes many features that are major steps in technology compared to the original Siri.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/22/21294281/apple-ios-14-siri-redesign-translate-app-wwdc-2020
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’m no longer excited for Apple updates. They basically inundate the market with new, extremely expensive products that seem only minutely different to me. I feel like they can’t maintain this growth, and some of Apple’s decisions they have made (high prices, changing the headphone jack, etc.) make them seem extremely greedy and money hungry. Not only are we paying a premium price for these products, but as new ones come out, the older ones become less efficient and more obsolete. Is this really what Steve Jobs envisioned?
Source: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/7-reasons-weve-fallen-out-of-love-with-apple.html
Apple messed me over. I bought an option during our class discussion, and I lost a significant amount of money. It’s okay; I watched their Livestream, and it was fascinating. i believe they are posed to be significant players in the fitness market now. Rather than just competing in the wearables market, they are direct competitors with Peleton; moreover, their affordable watch and more attainable Apple One service make their ecosystem all the more appealing. This is a good investment, just not a good one day call on release day with an expiree on September 18th and theta of -.38. Apple’s watch SE is a great move for the consumer wearables market. While not cheap, per se, it is much less expensive than their latest offering and offers a modern twist for new consumers who may not need the best of the best. According to Apple, ”
Same iconic design and large display as Apple Watch Series 6.
Powerful S5 dual-core SiP
for fast performance.
Fall detection and Emergency
SOS for your safety.”
With these features in mind, Apple does not want to dissuade users. This is the Apple watch for everybody, everywhere. It offers everything they might need, and it does not discount any consumer. For people with more money or more expensive taste, the Apple Watch 6 serves them. The new Apple Air does the same exact thing. By offering consumers the chance to have a Pro-like device at a fraction of the cost, Apple is pursuing their dream of getting people to live off of iPads, rather than on Macs. While this may be a long way out, this iPad will definitely be able to help some people get into the Apple ecosystem is a much heavier way.
While my option may not have been a great investment, Apple’s stock surely is, with its diverse range of income sources and avenues for growth. I am excited to see where they go; I have completely bought into their lifestyle, for better, and more likely, for worse.
Sources: https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-se/
https://www.cnet.com/news/ipad-air-getting-bigger-more-colorful-everything-to-know-about-apple-newest-tablets-2020-8th-generation-ipad/
Personally, I am not excited about a lot of the Apple releases in the years past. They’ve had some new cool stuff such as the bigger screens, new displays, and faster chips, but its been rather boring with apple lately. They just keep getting more expensive for products that are not super innovative. If they focused on giving stuff such as better battery technology, cellular connectivity tech, or something like multi-tasking would be more interesting. With the most recent iPhones, it was more along the lines of us getting more cameras for a ridiculous price tag. Apple is throwing itself under the bus too, by trying to pump out new devices every year and adding less and less between generations. I think Apple should start taking their time with developments and stop trying to shove new phones out every year. They should start making more cost-friendly devices and innovating in a way that reduces costs. With the way smartphones have been lately, people are soon not going to want to pay these premiums that are being tagged onto the latest and greatest models.
I think Apple has almost trapped itself into this sort of obligatory cycle of releasing a new project every year. This prevents them from actually taking the time to truly committing to something “innovative” and “disruptive”. I can also see the other side of how releasing a new product and IOS update at such a pace gives them a large set of data to reflect on. They are able to see what material or software works, and what doesn’t. While this instant feedback has led to incredible growth in term of I-phones and I-watches, the Macbook seems to be slagging behind it’s cheaper and much more innovative competitors. Take the Huaweii’s Matebook for example, it looks like a cheap Macbook ripoff, but it’s actually better. The most recent one has intel’s 8th gen processors (an upgrade the Mac has to wait generations to implement ). The MacBook only has an i5 and can go upto an i7 at max. Essentially Huaweii has outperformed Apple, a company that invests heavily in it’s software. It will certainly be interesting to see how Apple will recover and even compete with these upcoming products in the coming years. As an Apple consumer myself, I am excited to see the improvements this competition will bring.
SOURCE: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/matebook-x-pro-2019-vs-macbook-pro
As an Apple consumer, I can honestly say I have never watched an Apple Event. The only reason I knew this Event was happening was because of the chatter about it in the IST Zoom Chat during class on September 15. I think that Apple releasing products is always groundbreaking, as so many people are Apple consumers, but I believe this Event was lackluster. Many people were disappointed due to the iPhone 12 being postponed, despite Luca Maestri stating, “Last year, we started selling iPhones in late September. This year, we project the supply to be available a few weeks later” (Iyengar 2020). The production of new iPhones seems to be delayed due to COVID19 affecting the supply chain. Even though the phone did not launch, the buzz around the phone is still alive. Many consumers are predicting that this will be the first phone with 5G capabilities. Though the global 5G network has not been created yet, Apple is forced to keep up with its competition as “Almost all of the major Android brands now have at least one 5G line in the market” (Iyengar 2020).
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/15/tech/iphone-12-release/index.html
Apple has certainly improved and advanced their technology from years before. The new series 6 watch, first off, looks and sounds to be super high tech with technology that is for sure not in any of their other watches. Also the iPad sounds to have great new features too. I personally own lots of Apple products and rely on them for a lot of different tasks in my life, so when they come out with new, advanced products, it’s exciting and something I look forward to. I currently own a series 4 Apple Watch and a new iPad, but after looking into and reading about the new watch I’m considering getting a new one. I’m excited to hear about more Apple products coming out, like the new iPhone.