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Watch the Engadget staff react to Apple's 'Hey Siri' event
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-623616{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-623616, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-623616{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-623616").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Let's start with the obvious: Engadget is not a newspaper, and we don't have an editorial board. But what we do have are a video camera and a bunch of staffers with strong opinions about all things tech. Immediately following Apple's "Hey Siri" event yesterday, we rounded up eight editors in our San Francisco office to sound off on everything from the new iPhones to the iPad Pro to the Apple TV. Here's what they had to say.
Apple's OS X El Capitan launches on September 30th
Apple's latest desktop OS upgrade, dubbed "El Capitan," is scheduled to launch on September 30th, Apple announced today. El Capitan is like an update within an update: It's named after a landmark inside of Yosemite (the name of the previous OS version) and it features a series of minor, yet useful, tweaks. El Capitan offers a new split-screen view, changes to email and app management, drag-and-drop options for Notes, and updates to Safari and Maps, among other improvements. We got our hands on the developer build back in June and concluded it was a nice upgrade, if not revolutionary: "There simply is no killer feature this time around. But as minor as some of them may seem, they're all at the very least nice to have, and in many cases genuinely useful."
Watch Apple's 'Hey Siri' event in under 10 minutes
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-99404{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-99404, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-99404{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-99404").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Missed our liveblog of Apple's "Hey Siri" event earlier today? Couldn't sit through the whole two-hour livestream? Whatever the case, this is your second chance to take it all in. We've distilled the long presentation down to a little over nine minutes, preserving just the highlights. Here's everything you need to know about today's announcements, in a fraction of the time of the actual keynote.
The iPad Mini 4 vs. the iPad Mini 3: What's changed?
The iPhone might have gotten bigger, but there's still a place in our hearts for small tablets, as evidenced by today's announcement of the iPad Mini 4. It offers more screen space than the iPhone 6s Plus while being more pocketable than the iPad Air 2. And, unlike the iPad Pro, you can still easily hold this in one hand. But what makes this worth upgrading from the (now discontinued) iPad Mini 3? We've got the specs for both lined up right here so you can see if the Mini 4 is fresh enough for your dollars.
Dancing in the dark with the new, improved Apple TV
Last year's Apple TVs were a lot of things. Streaming boxes. Keynote-watching tools. Must-haves for Airbnb hosts. Most importantly, though, they were Trojan horses for Apple's content, means for Cupertino to worm its way into the heart of your living room. While the Apple TVs of the past were more or less content to take on the Rokus of the world, today's newer, faster, more capable model is gearing up to battle your Xbox. And you know what? It's got a pretty good shot.
A closer look at that fancy new Hermes Apple Watch band
It might not have been the most groundbreaking thing Apple announced today. In fact, I'd wager that new Apple Watch bands rank at the very bottom of the list, behind new iPhones, a refreshed Apple TV and a big-screen iPad Pro. (I'll let you all weigh in on how you'd rank the other three.) That said, this is a gadget blog, and what are we here for, if not to give you a healthy serving of gadget porn? Chief among the new bands is a leather one made by luxury brand Hermes, available in a "Single Tour" style for $1,100 (ouch) and a "Double Tour" version that wraps twice around your wrist for $1,250 (double ouch). Also pictured: matching Hermes watch faces, because of course. If that's a little outside your budget, Apple also unveiled new silicone "Sport" bands in a host of colors. There's really not much more to it than that -- we think our gallery of hands-on shots tells you all you need to know. Get all the news from today's iPhone event right here.
The iPhone 6s Plus vs. the iPhone 6 Plus: What's changed?
With today's announcement of the iPhone 6s Plus, it looks like larger-screen iPhones are here to stay. And, while plenty of users jumped on board when the iPhone got a bump to 5.5 inches with the 6 Plus, Apple isn't going to try and entice anyone with another screen size bump -- the 6s Plus' major upgrades are on the inside. While you'll have to wait for our full review, we've lined up the specs of the 6 Plus and 6s Plus to get a better idea of what improvements you can expect if you pick one up.
Pre-event Apple rumors nailed almost all of the surprises
If today's big Apple event taught us one thing (beyond the fact that Tim Cook's music taste remains questionable at best), it's that the rumor mill has fully figured out Apple's game plan. If you've been paying attention to the news over the last few months (particularly if you've been reading 9to5Mac), there was almost nothing to be surprised by. The iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 were unveiled; a new app-friendly Apple TV will be coming soon; and Apple's new iPhones are largely what we expected. That doesn't mean that there wasn't a ton of news jammed into today's two-hour event -- it's just that just about every bit of it was predicted ahead of time. Let's go through the announcements in detail and see exactly how the rumor-mongers stacked up.
The iPhone 6s Plus vs. the competition: Big is beautiful
Apple may have finally embraced larger phones last year, but this year's announcement of the 6s Plus doesn't mean we're going to see a 6-inch iPhone any time soon. We're still looking at the same 5.5-inch screen size, though with faster internals and some snazzy new features like 3D Touch. But, with larger displays becoming the norm, users now have to think about more than just the screen size. We've matched up the iPhone 6s Plus against some leading handsets to make it easier to decide which big-screen phone has what it takes to be your next device.
Apple TV supports 'Guitar Hero Live,' 'Disney Infinity' via Bluetooth
Guitar Hero Live, Skylanders SuperChargers and Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions are on their way to Apple TV, iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch in the fall. Additionally, Disney Infinity 3.0 is heading to Apple TV by the end of the year. But that's the old news. Here's the new, technical bit: Apple TV supports MFi-based gamepads, rather than non-certified Bluetooth options, as outlined in its description. MFi is a licensing program for devices that connect to Apple products and you can read more about it right here. Basically though, Star Wars fans and wannabe rock stars can rest easy. The newly designed, Bluetooth Guitar Hero Live instruments will work across all Apple devices, including Apple TV. Disney Infinity 3.0 will get a wireless Bluetooth base just for Apple TV (note that the console version of that base is wired, sometimes leading to terrible accidents). Skylanders SuperChargers uses Bluetooth devices and these will work with Apple TV as well, according to Activision.
The iPhone 6s vs. the competition: Is it enough?
The iPhone 6s is here, featuring the same basic body as last year's edition but with a new rose gold aluminum finish, a stronger glass display and pressure-sensitive 3D Touch. There are quite a few improvements under the hood as well, including a faster processor and an improved OS. But, with rival companies coming out with phones that are lean, fast and affordable, is the 6s still the must-have handset this fall? We've been impressed with offerings from Samsung and LG this year, but how do they fare against Apple's latest?
Apple's September iPhone event by the numbers
It's that time of year again -- the magical season wherein Apple tells the rest of us which devices will serve as status symbols for the next 12 months. The company also revealed a massive new iPad Pro, its second watchOS iteration and a new Apple TV. Here's what went down, numerically. Get all the news from today's iPhone event right here.
Pressing issues: Our first look at the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
So those new iPhones -- the 6s and 6s Plus -- took their tour of the stage here in San Francisco and are being prepped for a worldwide launch on September 25th. Now the question is whether or not all the new goodies Apple crammed inside them make these updated phones worth some more of our collective dollars. The (very) early answer? Yes, but it'll take time for these things to really shine.
The new Apple TV vs. the old Apple TV: What's changed?
The new Apple TV is here to finally put all the rumors to rest. But, with three years since the last version was released, Apple's new box has a lot of catching up to do. Resolutions, apps and games -- a lot has changed for set-top players. To make things a little easier, we've lined up all the need-to-know information about the 2012 and the 2015 Apple TVs to see the difference a few years can make.
Here's our first look at the new, supersized iPad Pro
Today at its annual iPhone press event, Apple didn't just unveil two new handsets, but also a refreshed Apple TV and the long-rumored iPad Pro. As the name would suggest (and as leaks already told us), this is a supersized tablet meant, with a 12.9-inch screen, an optional pen (excuse me: Pencil) and a click-in keyboard. Though the pen and some forthcoming Adobe apps underscore how this might be useful for creative pros, the split-screen view and added processing power might also make it a good fit for other kinds of workers, running the gamut from spreadsheet monkeys to engineers to people in medical fields. I had a chance today to play with the new Pro and its accessories for a few minutes, and while it's too soon to tell how this stacks up next to, say, the Microsoft Surface Pro or even a similarly priced touchscreen laptop, it's definitely not too early to share some first impressions.
The iPhone 6s vs. the iPhone 6: What's changed?
We've just wrapped up this year's big iPhone event, which means iPhone owners now get to ponder over whether or not to upgrade their handsets. It's easy enough when there are plenty of cosmetic changes and new features to really distinguish a new iPhone from your old one, but this time around we're looking at an iterative 'S' version where, aside from a new rose gold color, the improvements are not always obvious at first glance. Fortunately, we've got the specs for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s lined up for your perusal right here. So you can decide whether it's got enough additional oomph for you to dig out your wallet now, or wait until next year's edition instead.
The iPad Pro vs. the competition: Super-size your tablet
Last year Apple embraced the mantra that "bigger is better" for the iPhone. Now it's done the same with the iPad line, in the form of a larger-screen 12.9-inch tablet. But Apple isn't the first to make a big tablet, and not even the first to call it "Pro." How does the iPad Pro compare to other large tablets, like the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and the Surface Pro 3? We've lined up the specs side by side so you can decide which one you'd rather hold in your lap while you work.
Apple introduces a carrier-free iPhone upgrade plan
Apple announced an alternative to paying your carrier for new iPhones at its press event today. Dubbed the iPhone Upgrade Program, the new system will allow customers to get a new phone every year while upgrading to the new flagship device annually. The 24-month installment plan starts at about $32 a month for the 16GB iPhone 6s. As the Apple website explains, "After 12 installments, you can get a new iPhone and start a new iPhone Upgrade Program. No more waiting for your carrier contract to end. Just trade in your current iPhone for a new one, and your new program begins." This is similar to installment plans offered by the major carriers, albeit for an unlocked device that also includes Apple Care. The program launches at 12:01 AM on September 12th alongside the 6s pre-orders.
Apple drops prices on the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus
Sure, the brightest stars in Apple's smartphone universe may be the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, but what if you want a big-screen iPhone on a (relative) budget? Don't worry, you're covered: Apple has dropped the prices on its older iPhone models. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus now start at $99 and $199 on 2-year contracts ($23 and $27 per month on typical installment plans, or $549 and $649 outright), making them much more palatable. The iPhone 5s is sticking around, too, and you can pick it up for free on a contract, $19 per month on installments or $450 up front.
iOS 9 will be available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch September 16th
An official announcement of new iPhones usually means a release date for the latest version of Cupertino's mobile operating system as well. Today was no different as Apple announced that iOS 9 would be available as a free download September 16th. When it arrives next week, you'll be privy to new features like a new and improved Siri, system-level security settings and split-screen multitasking on the iPad (hello, iPad Pro). Native apps like Maps (now with transit info), Notes and others have also been refreshed, so if you haven't been adventurous enough to test-drive the public beta, there will be a load of new stuff for you to try. And there's that brand-new News app too, serving up personalized content to your devices for reading on the go.
