Apple’s September 10th event has come and gone, unveiling this year’s lineup of the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad along with new services like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.
As expected there’s a lot of information to unpack here, so here’s everything you need to know:
iPhone 11
The star of Apple’s event is undoubtedly the newest generation of iPhones, which have received a slight change in naming conventions.
In what we’re guessing is an attempt to make every product in their catalogue feel like a premium one, the successors to the flagship iPhone X and XS Max are now called the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, while the new iPhone XR is now the “standard” iPhone 11.
All three phones come equipped with Apple’s latest A13 Bionic Processor, which means that they should all run at the same efficiency no matter which model you choose.
Apple claims that the A13 is said 20 percent faster than last year’s A12, and will provide four to five hours of additional battery life as compared to its predecessors.
As was the case last year, screen is where the phones start to deviate — the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max come with a new “Super Retina XDR” OLED display, while the iPhone 11 continues to use a Liquid Retina LCD display that — while no slouch itself — is less sharp in comparison to its Pro counterparts.
The biggest upgrade this year, however, comes in the form of photography — Apple has (finally) caught up with other brands by adding a ultra wide camera to the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, which brings the camera count to three.
The option to take wide-angle shots — coupled with new features like Night Mode — opens up a wealth of new possibilities for iPhone photography, and we can’t wait to try it out for ourselves.
The iPhone 11, on the other hand, also adds an ultra-wide camera on top of its previously-single-camera setup.
If you’re looking for a new iPhone but not willing to drop upwards to S$1,500 for one, the iPhone 11 is becoming an increasingly attractive option.
All three phones will be released on Friday, the 20th of September, with pre-orders starting a week before on the 13th at 8pm.
The prices remain unchanged from last year, with the 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max starting at S$1,149, S$1,649 and S$1,799 respectively for their 64GB versions.
Apple Watch Series 5
Apple also unveiled the fifth version of the Apple Watch today, fittingly named the Apple Watch Series 5.
While this new iteration remains relatively unchanged from the paradigm shift that was last year’s Series 4, one significant addition is the always-on display, which as the name suggests, means that the screen can now be left active indefinitely to display important information at all times.
If you’re worried that this will drain the watch’s battery faster than you can say “anybody got charger?”, don’t worry — the watch will intelligently dim when your wrist is down, and Apple claims that you’ll still get an 18-hour battery life out of a full charge.
And as was hinted in the Watch OS6 beta, the Series 5 also comes in a new titanium finish, which is said to be lighter but just as strong as stainless steel.
After a year of absence, the ceramic version also makes a return, though be prepared to drop upwards of S$1,899 for that.
Like the iPhone 11, the Apple Watch Series 5 will be released on the 20th of September (though you can order one right now at Apple’s website). The price starts at S$599 and S$749 for the Aluminium GPS and GPS + Cellular versions respectively.
The update has also caused the Apple Watch Series 3 (which is still very useable, if you ask us) to drop to an affordable S$299, so you might want to consider that if you’re thinking of testing the waters without breaking the bank.
iPad
While Apple didn’t reveal a new iPad Pro at its event, it did unveil the seventh-generation of its “classic” iPad.
While its predecessor measured 9.7-inches, the newest version comes in slightly larger at 10.2 inches.
Apple says that the newest version comes with improved brightness and a better viewing angle, but other than the size increase that there isn’t much to write home about, honestly.
The new iPad is available for order starting today, and will cost S$499 and S$649 for the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models respectively.
Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade
Apple also took the opportunity to drop some details about their upcoming Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade services.
Apple TV+ — the company’s new streaming service/answer to Netflix — will launch on the 1st of November, and will cost a very affordable S$6.98 per month.
The service can be streamed on pretty much every Apple device, and will feature a host of original shows, movies and documentaries that feature big names like Jason Momoa, Jennifer Anniston and Samuel L. Jackson, to name a few.
If you were planning on making a trip to the Apple Store, here’s some good news — any purchase of an iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod Touch or Apple TV from today onwards entitles you to an entire year of Apple TV+ for free.
A single Apple TV+ subscription can also be shared with up to six family members (or friends), so it’ll cost a little more than a dollar a month per person to try this out.
Apple Arcade, on the other hand, will be launched next week on the 19th of September alongside the highly-anticipated iOS 13 (hellooo night mode). The game subscription service will cost US$4.99 (S$6.98) a month, and will offer more than 100 games with no ads or additional in-game purchases.
Like Apple TV+ a single subscription can also be shared among six family members/friends, which adds up to less than a dollar a month per person.
Apple is also offering a free one-month trial, so there’s really no reason not to try it out.
