Apple unveils iPhone X and 8
THE landmark new iPhone model has been described by its creators as “the biggest leap forward since the original”.
APPLE has unveiled its landmark iPhone X model, which its creators have described as “the biggest leap forward since original”.
Chief executive officer Tim Cook took to the stage at Steve Jobs Theater overnight to begin a new chapter for the world’s most valuable technology firm.
Speaking for the first time at the company’s new campus in Cupertino, California, Mr Cook unveiled three new iPhone models, including the premium tenth anniversary model.
Here is everything you need to know.
IPHONE X
The biggest announcement during Mr Cook’s presentation was the details of the new iPhone X (pronounced “10”), which he described as “the biggest leap forward since original iPhone”.
“Our teams have been hard at work for years on something that is important to all of us: the future of the smartphone,” he said.
“It is only fitting that we are here in this theatre on this place to reveal a product that will set the tone for the next decade.”
The iPhone X will have an edge-to-edge screen that will be unlocked via game-changing face-recognition sensors.
“It is all screen. It is beautiful to look at and incredible to hold,” marketing vice president Phil Schiller said.
The iPhone X has glass on the front and back with a surgical-grade stainless steel band around the sides.
It is water and dust resistant and will come in space grey and silver.
Mr Schiller said it had a new Super Retina Display with the highest-pixel density ever seen on an iPhone.
“The level of quality and responsiveness and efficiency is a breakthrough in mobile displays,” he said.
The 5.8-inch display will offer 2436-by-1125 resolution, high dynamic range (HDR) in both Dolby Vision and HDR 10, and OLED technology, which means each pixel creates light itself so there is no need for backlighting.
iPhone X home button will be replaced with gestures, look at this demo! #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/f0yucTMNYt
— yazan (@yazanshawish) September 12, 2017
“The first OLED display great enough to be in an iPhone,” he said.
The home button has been removed, so users will need to tap the screen to wake up the device and swipe right at the bottom to reach the home screen.
“Once you do it for the first time, you’ll know there’s never been a better way,” he said.
“The same fluid gesture also works for multi-tasking.”
Because there is no home button and TouchID, the iPhone X has facial recognition to unlock the device. This tech will be hidden next to the front-facing camera.
“This is the future of how we unlock our smartphones and protect our personal information,” he said.
The FaceID works by projecting 30,000 infra-red dots on your face to check it against a stored image.
Apple has also ensured FaceID works if you change your hairstyle, don a hat or wear glasses — so it will adapt to your face over time. It will also work in the dark.
Also, the FaceID uses Secure Enclave data protection technology and won’t unlock unless it has the user’s attention.
Apple tested the technology with Hollywood special effects experts to see if it could be fooled with masks and they had no luck.
You can also use your face to adjust emojis before you send them.
According to the company, there is only a one in 100,000 chance it can be hacked. TouchID was one in 50,000.
However, there was one big risk.
“If you happen to have an evil twin, you need to protect your data with a passcode,” Mr Schiller joked.
The iPhone X has 12-megapixel cameras with larger and faster sensors, a new colour filter and deeper pixels. It also includes dual optical image stabilisation for better lowlight zoom, quad-LED TrueTone flash and has been tuned for augmented reality (AR) applications.
Mr Schiller said iPhone X had portrait mode and portrait lighting from the front camera, which amounted to “a breakthrough in the photos you can take for selfies”.
Apple announced it also had to make some big changes to the battery, which now offers two hours more life than the iPhone 7.
“All this performance comes with a hit to battery life, so it’s important to tell you that we’ve increased it,” he said
The iPhone X also means you can kiss those painful charging cords goodbye. The new model has been made to work with Qi wireless charging, with the company releasing its own wireless charging dock known as Airpower.
The iPhone X will be available in 64GB and 256GB for $A1579 and $A1829, respectively.
Pre-orders open on October 27 and shipping begins on November 3.
IPHONE 8 AND 8 PLUS
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will be faster than its predecessors and offer a upgraded camera.
“It’s truly amazing how much iPhone impacts the world each and every day. Our intention with iPhone has always been to create something so powerful, so immersive and so magical, that the hardware virtually disappears,” Mr Cook said.
The 8 and 8 Plus will have aluminium banding around the edge, with glass on the front and back — the strongest glass ever on a smartphone — and will come in silver, space grey and gold.
They have been sealed for water and dust resistance, include new displays with True Tone that adapts colour and temperature to ambient light and have new stereo speakers that are 25 per cent louder than iPhone 7.
An Apple-designed graphics processing unit (GPU) makes it 30 per cent faster than the A10 chip.
Photography has also been made easier with an Apple-designed image signal processor, which allows for faster lowlight auto focus, improved pixel processing and noise reduction.
An all new 12-megapixel sensor with 83 per cent more light and an improved portrait mode.
The 8 Plus has stuck with dual 12MP sensors and will include a dual-camera feature called “Portrait Lighting”, which allows users to rework the lighting while composing the shot to add a sense of depth.
In terms of video, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus can shoot 4K 60 frames per second and 1080p 240 frames per second in slow-mo. The iPhone is calibrated for augmented reality photos, apps and games.
As expected, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have been made for wireless charging and will use the Qi system used by restaurants, shops, cars and airports.
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will be available in 64GB and 256GB. The iPhone 8 will start from $A1079, while the iPhone 8 Plus will start from $A1229. Both devices will be available for pre-order beginning September 15 and will be in stores beginning September 22.
APPLE TV
Mr Cook said there had been big changes to the way we watch television.
“Throughout the history of the TV, there’s been a few key inflection points that have transformed the way we experience television,” he said.
Of course, he was leading toward the company’s new product Apple TV 4K.
Software vice-president Eddy Cue said the new Apple TV was capable of playing 4K HDR content — with the whole user interface remastered for the resolution.
Mr Cue said at the heart of Apple TV 4K was a new A10X processor — the same as the iPad Pro — and a new version of tvOS.
The company also has a big push for content for its customers.
“We’ve been working with the large Hollywood studios to bring all of their 4K HDR content in iTunes for the same price as HD,” he said.
Additionally, if you have previously bought HD movies from iTunes, they will be updated to 4K automatically. Netflix and Amazon Prime apps will also be getting an update to play 4K.
Mr Cue said there would also be more live sports and news in the TV app, with new streaming services such TenPlay and 9Now included for Aussie fans.
Apple TV 4K will be released on September 22 and will retail for $A249 and $A279 for the 32GB and 64GB, respectively.
APPLE WATCH
Mr Cook said the Apple Watch was the number one smart watch in the world in terms of revenue, with an industry-leading customer satisfaction rating of 97 per cent.
“Apple Watch was designed to help people stay active and motivated so they can have a better day and I am happy to tell you more people are doing that than ever before,” he said.
After playing a montage of people explaining how the Apple Watch helped motivate people with health and fitness, Mr Cook invited Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams on stage.
Mr Williams announced Apple Watch Series 3, which now has cellular built in so you can go anywhere without your phone thanks to the ability to receive notifications, make calls and send messages.
“This has been our vision from the very beginning. The ultimate expression of Apple Watch,” he said. “It’s really nice to know you can be reached if needed while staying in the moment.”
Mr Williams added cellular changed the way people could listen to music.
“With Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Music, you can stream 40 million songs,” he said.
By adding a new dual-core processor, Apple Watch can now also use Siri. There is also a new chip for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and an altimeter — an instrument for determining altitude.
To ensure the Apple Watch remains sleek and elegant, the company integrated a tiny electronic SIM and made the display itself the antenna.
“The biggest challenge of all was adding cellular. If you don’t do it right, it gets so big it looks like a house arrest bracelet.”
The Apple Watch will be available on September 22 and will cost $US329 without cellular or $US399 with cellular.
Mr Williams also said WatchOS was getting a big update.
“We’re adding smart activity coaching, a completely redesigned workout app, new features for swimmers,” he said.
Mr Williams said one of the biggest changes was an enhancements to the heart rate app, which will now show both your resting heart rate and recovery heart rate on the watch face.
Apple Watch will also notify you when it detects an elevated heart rate when you’re not active and will be able to detect arrhythmia.
WatchOS 4 will be available on September 19.
‘TODAY AT APPLE’
Angela Ahrendts from Apple Retail launched “Today at Apple”, new sessions held at the Apple Store which will allow entrepreneurs, students and teachers to master skills like photography and coding.
The classes will take users out to the public and will teach them how to get the most out of their Apple devices.
“We started with things that are core to Apple’s DNA ... like photography, music, gaming, and app development,” she said.
What do you think of the announcements? Continue the conversation in the comments below or with Matthew Dunn on Facebook and Twitter.
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