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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.
Apple's iPhone 6s camera makes a huge leap in quality
Apple has completely overhauled the camera on the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, giving it much higher resolution and 4K video. The new iSight camera now has a 12-megapixel sensor, 50 percent more than the iPhone 6's shooter. The new iPhones will also be Apple's first to go beyond 1080p video with Ultra HD 4K. Apple hasn't touched the pixel count on its last three iPhone models, which stayed at eight megapixels, despite other improvements. However, it clearly felt the need to counter rivals like Samsung's Galaxy S6, which has an excellent 16-megapixel camera.
Apple's iPhone 6s is here, and it's all about '3D Touch'
Apple just announced the iPhone 6s and... it's pretty much exactly what we expected. Staying true to tradition, the iPhone 6s looks practically indistinguishable from last year's device (there's a new iPhone 6s Plus as well). It's built out of the same 7000 series aluminum as the Apple Watch Sport (which should allay bending fears), and it includes an even stronger glass display. The iPhone 6s also brings over the Watch's "Force Touch" feature, except now it's called "3D Touch." It allows you to press down on the screen to open up new options throughout iOS 9, and it offers a bit of tactile feedback as well thanks to a revamped "Taptic Engine."
Apple unveils speedy A9 and A9X processors
New iOS devices usually mean new processors, and sure enough, Apple has taken the wraps off of some fresh silicon. The A9X in the iPad Pro is a doozy, packing up to 80 percent better performance than the A8X from the iPad Air 2. It's a champ beyond raw computational power, too, with twice the graphics and storage performance as well as double the memory bandwidth. Supposedly, the A9X is more powerful than 80 percent of portable PCs released in the past year -- that's a bold claim that we'll want to verify for ourselves, but it's certainly promising.
Apple's first major Watch update arrives September 16th
The iPhone 6s might be what most people are waiting for (or that iPad Pro), but that doesn't mean Apple Watch owners aren't getting any attention. As expected, Cupertino just confirmed the first (significant) software update for the wearable will arrive next week -- September 16th.
Report: the iPhone 6s will get 'always-on' Siri mode
As usual before an Apple event (which is today, in case you've been cave-bound), the rumor mill is churning out new information. We're now hearing that Apple TV will run an all-new operating system called osTV, based on iOS 9, according to 9 to 5 Mac. It'll reportedly carry a similar interface to the current Apple TV, but will sport iOS 9 (and OS X El Capitan) touches like transparency effects. The changes don't sound too drastic, but new Apple TV OS branding that matches watchOS and iOS would be a new development. Apple TV is supposed to also get a new AirBnB app.
What to expect from Apple's 'Hey Siri' iPhone event
Gosh, is it September already? The impending leaf death and the moaning of young'uns going back to school are usually accompanied by shiny new Apple gewgaws to gawk at, and this year is no exception. We'll be schlepping cross-country to bring you all the news from Apple's "Hey Siri" event at 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern on Wednesday, but before we grab our boarding passes and all our cameras, let's recap what we think the company's got in store for us.
The next iPhone's Force Touch reportedly trumps that on the Watch
Many expect the upcoming iPhone to include a pressure-sensitive screen, but just what will it entail? Will it be an upsized version of what you saw on the Apple Watch? Not by a long shot, if you ask 9to5Mac. Its sources claim that the future handset is using a next-generation version of Force Touch that recognizes three dimensions of input, not just the existing two. Reportedly nicknamed 3D Touch Display, it'll respond to multiple levels of pressure (a deeper press will trigger different functions, for instance) and allow app makers a whole new level of functionality. Just what Apple will do with this rumored feature is still up in the air, but you'll only have to wait a few days to get the full scoop.
Apple's iPhone 6S and 6S Plus event takes off on September 9th
It's that time of year again. Apple's next iPhone event will take place on September 9th at 10AM PT, live at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. This is expected to be the unveiling of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which are reported to have animated wallpapers, 4K video capabilities, upgraded 12-megapixel cameras and front-facing flash, among other new features. We may even see something about force-touch iPhones. The event invite is light on details, as usual, but features the tease, "Hey Siri, give us a hint." So, of course, we asked Siri and have posted its responses below.
iPhone 6S might sport animated wallpapers like Apple Watch
Yet another feature that's been on Android for years might be finally making its way to the iPhone: animated wallpapers! Specifically, Apple is reportedly planning to bring over the elegant "Motion" Apple Watch faces to the iPhone 6S, according to 9to5Mac. So far, those Apple Watch screens include things like swimming jellyfish, blooming flowers and fluttering butterflies that pop up when you check the time. For the iPhone 6S, sources say Apple is working on animated screens featuring koi fish swimming around a pond and moving smoke. The big difference between Apple's approach and what we've seen on Android so far: It sounds like it's focusing on just animating lock screens. That should add for a cool effect when you wake up your phone, but without eating up battery life like a moving wallpaper on your home screen.
WSJ: Samsung launching Galaxy Note 5 early to beat Apple
Samsung is believed to be bringing the launch date of the Galaxy Note 5 forward by a few weeks in order to beat Apple to the punch. The Wall Street Journal believes that the Korean company will announce its phablet gigantophone in August and get it into stores ahead of the iPhone 6S. It's a break from tradition, since Samsung normally refreshes the Note line at IFA in the first week of September. Last year, however, the iPhone 6 arrived around the same time and, presumably, stole enough thunder to prompt the change.
Leak hints the next iPhone might record 4K video
Tired of recording 'just' 1080p video on your iPhone while your friends produce clips in glorious 4K? You won't have to look on with envy for much longer, if the latest rumors are on the mark. A tipster on China's Sina Weibo has posted what appear to be leaked details of the next iPhone's rear camera, and it'll reportedly jump to 12 megapixels with 4K video recording. There's no guarantee that this is in the cards, but it jives with earlier claims that Apple's future handset will focus on camera upgrades. You're not likely to see design changes, if 9to5Mac's photos are accurate, so photographic improvements like this will likely be more important this time around.
Apple reportedly starts making force-sensitive iPhones
Those rumors of a pressure-sensitive iPhone just gained a little more weight. Bloomberg sources claim that Apple has begun "early production" of iPhone models that incorporate Force Touch input. Full-scale manufacturing would start as soon as July, if all goes well. Don't expect these devices to be conspicuously different, though. The tipsters say the devices will be similar on the outside to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, right down to the 4.7- and 5.5-inch screens. In other words, this could well be the stereotypical iPhone "S" release -- all the big improvements (such as Force Touch, a faster processor and upgraded cameras) may be found under the hood.
iOS 9 code hints at an iPhone with a front camera flash
Like it or not, selfies remain A Thing -- and there are signs that Apple is about to embrace those narcissistic photos through a hardware upgrade. Programmer Hamza Sood has discovered code in iOS 9 which suggests that the next iPhone's front camera will get a flash (increasingly common on camera-centric phones), so nighttime won't prevent you from putting yourself in the frame. You could also see some big improvements to video and software-only features, including 1080p recording, 240 frames per second slow-motion capture and panoramas for those extra-wide group shots. There's no guarantee that any of these features will make the cut in future devices, but they hint that Apple is eager to move past the creaky 720p front cam it offers today. Photo by Will Lipman.
WSJ: The next iPhone will get a force-sensitive touchscreen
Apple's recently announced MacBook and Watch both understand the difference between a gentle press and a hard shove. It should surprise nobody that the company is likely to add this technology, dubbed Force Touch, to the next generation of iPhones. The Wall Street Journal has called around its circle of people familiar with the matter, who all say that it'll be the headline feature for the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. In addition, those in the know believe we'll soon get a fourth color option to choose from: pink.
