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These days, Apple is content to follow trends, not set them
Watching this week's Apple event gave me a sense of deja vu. With every new feature the iPhone maker announced, I felt like shouting something along the lines of, "The Simpsons already did it!" It felt as if everything Apple was doing was a riff on something another company had tried and tested before. Sure, Apple might be taking what others did and (possibly) making it better (maybe). But the company is also letting others take risks and innovate in its place, particularly when it comes to photography -- an area where it used to shine.
Apple Arcade is a tough sell, despite its low price
At last, Apple has put a price on Apple Arcade, its video game subscription service. Five bucks per month? At first blush, that seems like a pretty good deal for a curated library of small but high quality games that you can play on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. After all, it's cheaper than many console and PC-centric subscription services, including Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Now and Ubisoft's Uplay+. The more I think about it, though, the less convinced I am that anyone will actually pay for Apple Arcade. For the vast majority of people, the service just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Apple's keyboard folio shouldn't cost half the price of its new cheap iPad
When Apple announced a new base model iPad with a larger screen and a smart connector, I was hooked. I've been fixated with buying a new iPad precisely because of the smart keyboard folio, but it's been a little pricey. For me, that one accessory is transformative, turning a tablet into a pure writing machine, and if it was affordable, all the better. Apple wants to charge you $159 for a $329 tablet's keyboard.
iOS 13 file confirms Apple is testing an augmented reality headset
Hints pulled from iOS 13 code have already shown signs of the rumored AR headset that Apple is supposedly working on, but now there's clearer proof than ever. Developer Steve Troughton-Smith points out a readme in a new release that explains to employees how they can run the augmented reality apps on an iPhone without using the actual headset. 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo showed how the iOS 13.0 gold master and iOS 13.1 beta releases contain Apple's "StarBoard" system shell to run AR apps as well. According to Smith, the code suggests that rendering could be handled on the iPhone itself, and the use of an additional gamepad/motion control device. Apple's plans for augmented or virtual reality went unmentioned during today's iPhone event, along with other rumored announcements like a new Apple TV or ultra-wideband location Tags. Still, the leftover notes suggest that it could've been a late scratch, or perhaps that something new is, as rumored, around the corner for next year.
iPhone 11's ultra-wideband chip helps you AirDrop with the right person
Apple introduced the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro with nary a mention of its rumored tracking tags, but the underlying technology appears to be present and accounted for. True to earlier reports, all iPhone 11 models include an ultra-wideband chip, the U1, that should eventually have a variety of uses for highly precise location finding. Apple's product pages mention one feature that will be available very shortly, on September 30th: point your device toward someone else with a U1-equipped iPhone and AirDrop will prioritize them to share files faster. This won't make a night-and-day difference, but it could be helpful if you're trying to swap photos with a gaggle of iPhone-toting friends.
Apple can make TV+ ubiquitous through brute force
Apple CEO Tim Cook didn't waste any time at the company's 2019 iPhone event. One of the first announcements he made was that Apple's highly anticipated video-streaming service, Apple TV+, will launch November 1st for $4.99 per month. Since introducing it in March, Apple has teased a number of the originals that will be exclusive to Apple TV+, including series such as For All Mankind, The Morning Show and Dickinson. And while Apple has managed to get plenty of A-list celebrities to join its push into original content (like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell and Jason Momoa), that may not even be the company's best weapon as it takes on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon and, soon, Disney.
All the important news from Apple’s iPhone 11 event
Apple premiered its vision of the future today at its big September event in Cupertino, California. As expected, the company unveiled three new smartphones: the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. New to the iPhone is the "Pro" naming convention for its flagship models, aimed at targeting a higher-end user base with a new triple-camera system, advanced photo and video editing tools and faster performance. Both phones feature a new "Super Retina XDR" display; the Pro comes with a 5.8-inch display and the Pro Max will feature a 6.5-inch display.
Apple Arcade exclusives have to be better than Frogger
Let's get one thing clear right away: Some Apple Arcade games will be fine. They'll be good, even. Sayonara Wild Hearts looks like a rapid-fire, neon-streaked music video in game form, while Jenny LeClue is a spooky and dense investigative experience more than five years in the making. Beyond a Steel Sky is the long-awaited sequel to beloved late-90s cyberpunk title Beneath a Steel Sky, and it's coming to Apple Arcade. So is The Pathless, a stylish, mythical adventure from the studio behind Abzu, and Overland, the post-apocalyptic strategy game from indie royalty at Finji. All of these games are coming to Apple Arcade, but they have another thing in common: They're launching on other platforms, too.
Watch Apple's 2019 iPhone launch in under 15 minutes
On Tuesday, Apple held its annual fall hardware launch. With it came the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, as well as the Apple Watch Series 5 with an always-on display. A new $329 iPad with 10.2-inch display is on the way as well. The company also shared further details on Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, revealing they'll launch on November 1st and September 19th respectively. Even more exciting is the fact that both services will cost only $4.99 per month for the entire family. Per usual, Apple also revealed launch dates for its operating system updates. Both iOS 13 and watchOS 6 will launch on September 19th, with iPadOS coming slightly later on September 30th. Compared to some past Apple events, Tuesday's keynote was blissfully short. Still, we've managed to condense the entire presentation to just 13 minutes.
iPhone 11 hands-on: Still cheap and cheerful
Personally speaking, the iPhone XR was my favorite of the three iPhones released last year. It's bigger than the too-small (for me at least) iPhone XS, and didn't require the hand contortion that the XS Max did. It came in some fun colors. It had the best battery life of any iPhone I tested in 2018. It might not have been the most exciting device Apple has ever released, but it took most of what was great about its more powerful cousins and made it available to more people. What's not to like?
Apple's iPhone event by the numbers
Apple had a full slate of announcements ready for its iPhone event in Cupertino on Tuesday. The company showed off updates to its flagship phones and tablets, revealed pricing for its upcoming streaming services, and gave the assembled crowd a deep dive into the inner workings of its new camera system. Here are some of the highlights.
The iPhone Pro Max vs. the competition: Big ones
Phone users love big screens and, as a result, handsets have been creeping ever closer to seven inches each year. Apple is no exception, debuting the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max last fall to compete with the likes of the Galaxy Note line. This year's iPhone Pro Max isn't bigger, but it is more powerful with a triple camera setup that uses some impressive machine processing to deliver the best photos and video. How does that stack up against the phones that have grown in size? We've thrown up a table with some of the Pro Max's closest rivals, if not in dimensions but in power, to see how the specs measure up. Of course, the real test will be our review, so be sure to join us in a few weeks for the final verdict.
A brief first look at Apple's seventh-generation iPad
It didn't receive much lip service at today's keynote, but Apple has unveiled a new 10.2-inch iPad, the seventh generation in the company's long line of tablets. This also means Apple has axed the last 9.7-inch model, a size that once defined the iPad line. Like the device that it replaces, this new 10.2-inch tablet supports Apple Pencil input, though that writing implement continues to be sold separately. This time, though, the entry-level iPad also gets Apple's Smart Connector, allowing you to snap on Apple's $159 keyboard folio, also sold separately. In my brief demo, I was most struck by how bright the screen is. At 500 nits it doesn't compare to a new flagship iPhone (one device announced today tops out at 1,200 nits), but I'm old enough to remember when 500 nits was the spec on high-end notebooks. This is a $329 tablet, cheaper than even most low-end laptops. The new iPad is up for pre-order today, with shipments starting September 30th. As stated, it starts at $329, but if you want LTE too, then the base price goes up to $459. All told, built-in storage ranges from 32GB to 128GB.
Where’s my USB-C iPhone?
Over the years, reports have come and gone on the notion that Apple will swap from Lightning to USB-C on its iPhones — matching rival Android phones, and its own MacBook range. But it was unlikely to happen and then it didn't happen.
The iPhone 11 Pro vs. the competition: Battle of the cameras
The new flagship iPhone is here, and Apple's added the word "Pro" to its name — the first time Apple's used that term for a handset. And no wonder: The camera on the iPhone 11 Pro is a triple-lens setup that takes nine images with each press of the shutter and uses a neural engine to assemble the best picture possible. It'll need to deliver in order to keep pace with rival flagships like the Pixel 3 (or next month's Pixel 4) and the Galaxy S10 or Note 10. Where else does it shine? And where does it fall behind? Check out our table below for the essential specs, and join us later this month for our full review.
Apple Watch Series 5 first look
Apple just unveiled the newest Apple Watch (we're up to the Series 5 now) and -- I mean this in the nicest way -- but there isn't much to see. Whereas last year's model, the Series 4, ushered in a new, larger screen and a built-in electrocardiogram test, the differences in the Series 5 are difficult to notice at a glance. Chief among them: an always-on display that's constantly visible at dim brightness, but that wakes up to a fuller brightness when you tap it.
iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max hands-on: More cameras, more fun
Today's Apple demo room felt like more of a madhouse than usual, and the clear star of the day so far has been the iPhone 11 Pro. Among other things, the Pro represents the biggest shift to the iPhone's branding since the 4S kicked off a multi-year naming trend. There's much more to this phone than just a name change, though. It might not seem like the most exciting step forward from devices like the iPhone XS and XS Max, but there are a few things here that really help the flesh-out the iPhone formula.
The iPhone 11 vs. the competition: The new midrange
It's iPhone time again — and we're back to a more traditional numbering scheme. We're looking at the iPhone 11, which has a 6.1-inch screen and new colors (like green!) as well as improvements to the processor and water resistance. And of course, there's the camera setup, which introduces an ultra-wide shooter and an automatic night mode. But Apple isn't the only one with a high-spec low-end phone out in the market. Google gave us the Pixel 3a and 3a XL and Samsung introduced the S10e earlier this year; we found both to be surprisingly capable handsets. So we're stacking up these three phones, plus the OnePlus 6T. As for our full review of the iPhone 11: it won't be out for a few weeks, but you can always peep our upcoming hands-on later today.
Apple Watch Studio lets you pair any band and case
To date, you've had fairly limited ways to create Apple Watch band and case combos -- retail only has a small number of each to try out, and even the web configurator only lets you go so far. You won't be left wondering for long, at least. Apple has unveiled a Watch Studio for its retail and online stores that will let you pair any band with any case. That's 1,000 pairings, Apple said. The company didn't outline the differences between the two (besides retail's advantage of physical try-ons, of course), but the in-store crowd will get to see combinations on iPad kiosks.
Apple's iPhone XR and iPhone 8 get big price cuts
If you're not jumping straight into the future with Apple's new iPhone 11 family, picking up a slightly older model is one way to upgrade without spending "flagship" money. Now that the new phones have been announced you can pick up the previous-gen for even less, now that price cuts have been announced for the iPhone 8 and iPhone XR. The two-year-old iPhone 8 now starts at $449 without any sales or discounts, while last year's mainstream model, the XR, is available for $599. You won't get the latest and greatest hardware -- can you live without Deep Fusion photography? -- but these phones are still slated to receive iOS updates that keep them secure and add new features, including iOS 13 when it's released later this week.
