iPhone7, Apple Watch Unveiled
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
Will changes ignite sales for Apple?
Apple Inc. has revealed its latest iPhones — the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — in an effort to reignite sales of its technology, according to MSN. The latest iPhone includes a force-sensitive home button, a two-camera system, and a sharper screen, but no longer sports the traditional headphone jack. They are also water resistant — a big plus for the phones according to CNN.
The home button vibrates when the user presses it, something Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said is “creating new feelings and experiences that could not have been created before.”
The iPhone 7 boasts twice the minimum amount of storage as its predecessor and starts at $649 while the larger-screened iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769. The iPhone 7 Plus also sports two camera lenses to improve image quality on wide-angle and close-up shots. In addition, both phones now have an optical image stabilizer, a new lens, and a 12 megapixel sensor.
But not everyone is enthusiastic about the iPhone7, with many consumers saying they will hold off upgrading until the release of the iPhone 8, which should coincide with Apple’s 10th Anniversary. Bob O'Donnell of research firm TECHnalysis told Reuters, “While the camera improvements for the iPhone 7 Plus are nice, they are incremental for most and the lack of headphone jacks could offset that for others.”
Apple also unveiled its new smartwatch which includes a version of Pokémon Go. The Apple demo also included a new game, Super Mario Run, based on the Super Mario videogame character and designed specifically for the touch-and-tap experience.
The second-generation smartwatch is called Apple Watch Series 2 and is 50 percent faster, has a brighter display, and adds water resistance to its features as well as a built-in global positioning system. Available versions also include a ceramic case and Nike edition. The Series 2 starts at $369, while the older watch will drop to $269.
“I predict Watch sales will improve dramatically,” Tech analyst Patrick Moorhead told Reuters. “Most of the current Watch owners are early adopters and the next wave could be 10 times the size of that market.”
With the removal of the headphone jack, Apple may also be trying to push the industry towards wireless headphones, and the company previewed their new AirPods at the unveiling as well. AirPods can be synced with various Apple devices and last for five hours of listening time per charge. They are $159, and will be available in late October.