Posted on 09/09/2014 10:58:38 AM PDT by Red Badger
Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, an update of its flagship smartphone with larger screens.
“Today we are launching the biggest advancement in the history of the iPhone,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the start of the company’s press event in Cupertino, Calif., where Apple is headquartered.
The iPhone 6 will feature a larger 4.7 inch retina HD screen, while the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus model also will be offered. The full 1080p HD screen features no borders with glass that covers the entire surface and curves around the edges of the thinner device.
A new camera protrudes a bit out the back. While it has a new sensor, the camera is still 8 megapixels. However, the new camera does a better job of recognizing faces in scenes, and delivers better focus, especially in low light conditions, with the iPhone 6 including digital image stabilization, while the iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization.
An improved video camera also enables slow motion video to be captured at 120 fps or 240 fps.
The iPhone 6 screen will boast over 1 million pixels, the iPhone 6 Plus over 2 million pixels.
The handsets, with faster Wi-Fi built in, also feature a new A8 chip, which makes graphics 84 times faster than the original iPhone. The devices also are 50% more energy efficient, although battery life remains about the same as the more recent iPhone5s. The iPhone 6 Plus, however, features a longer battery, given its larger size.
Still, the A8 chip marks an improvement over previous iPhones, given that it’s 25% faster when it comes to processing power and boasts 50% faster graphics.
Calls can now also be made via Wi-Fi when cell conditions are poor.
Pricing for the iPhone 6 starts at $199 and goes to $399. The iPhone 6 Plus will start at $299, with the highest priced at $499.
The devices, which become available Sept. 19, will come in gold, silver and space gray.
The iPhone 5 continues to perform well for Apple.
The smartphone, introduced in 2012, is still its most popular handset with a 27% share, followed closely by last year’s iPhone 5S, at 25%, according to research firm Localytics.
Yet the update to the iPhone, first launched in 2007, is important to Apple since it represents over half of the company’s revenue.
Analysts already anticipate that the new iPhone 6 models will sell more than 75 million handsets by the end of the year.
While the iPhone essentially created the smartphone revolution, Apple has faced some stiff competition recently from Samsung with its Galaxy line of devices. Amazon, however, has struggled with its Amazon Fire Phone, which the company recently discounted by $200 to 99 cents in order to boost sales.
Apple live streamed the reveal of its new devices and software here from the Flint Performing Arts Center in Cupertino, Calif.
“Today, we have some amazing products to share with you and we think at the end of the day you will agree that this too is a very key day for Apple,” Cook said.
Streaming problems here too, Safari kept locking up...and the Chinese translation was confusious?
I will get the large one to assist with my senior citizen vision.
That 6 Plus is definitely a sexy looking phone, but I prefer Android, because I like to ‘get under the hood’ and make alterations and ‘hack’ the stuff I use. I’ll wait and see what Samsung does to counter Apple.
A year ago, I never thought I’d be saying this, but the new Blackberry phones are pretty nice.
I have an iphone 5 and an original ipad. The ipad is just so outdated that I was thinking of buying a new one. Now I’ll just get the larger iphone 6 and not buy the new ipad.
It’s about time they upped the size. Samsung has been killing them on that.
Now I might actually consider the iPhone next time around ... but I sure won’t camp out or stand in line for one. That’s just craziness.
Cool Dick Tracy watch they got there, but again ... nothing I’m going to kick down a door to get. Seems too thick, IMO, and I’m sure the price is going to be more than I’d be willing to pay. No thanks.
I am pleased to hear that Amazon's Fire phone price dropped. I may get one now. But 99 cents is still lot of money to risk on a flashy geegaw. My old Nokia dumb phone still works even though it looks like it barely survived a nuclear strike.
BUT I love my Kindle Fire so if the Fire phone is anything like it I know it will do the job I need it to do.
No such thing exists as "Samsong Galexay".
If you can't spell it, you probably don't know much about it.
I expect the watch will be an iFlop, except for the Apple loyalists that would buy Apple Dish-washing Detergent, if they started selling it.
I don’t think many people under the age of 40 wears a watch. Virtually everything we look at has the time one it, including the phone we keep on us at all times. Why WEAR something that displays the time?
The Apple Pay has the potential to bring in some big bucks. I noticed eBay on the stock market took a hit over its introduction ... back to back with PayPal.
Love those phones. The cellphone version of the VW - takes a beating, lasts forever, and costs nothing.
I love it because the battery lasts for days. I charge it maybe 3 times a month if that. But of course it isn’t constantly churning like a smartphone is with updates and such.
I’m a low-tech guy, so Nokia works for me. I’m starting to like the camera feature on the smartphone. That’s about the only thing I miss on the Nokia.
It always looks good in the presentations.
Then I go to the store and usually change my mind.
For me, getting one is mute. I have no plans to upgrade my phone, and it will not run with a 4S phone, I’d still love to see it at my local Apple store next year.
Hey, hey, Obunga has to keeps tabs on you, and that takes battery power!
I think a lot of people will do that. I actually bought an IPad mini about 6 months ago (just before this was announced, alas!) because I wanted to reduce the size and weight involved in carrying my early generation IPad. It turned out to be almost as heavy and pretty fragile, for some reason, and there’s now a crack in the glass although I don’t recall ever having dropped it.
So go for the new phone! I’m going to get the smaller of the phones (I think, because I haven’t seen either one) because I have small hands and, being a woman, don’t generally have big pockets or any other place to easily carry a larger phone. My bag is FULL!
Not funny. I have a recurring nightmare inwhich an Obamadrone hones in on my Kindle Fire and releases a Hellfire missile at me because I am reading the latest Matt Bracken novel on it...
Apple fan boys must be in ecstasy today, their dead god just drop new mana from heaven!
The reality is, apple is over priced and underpowered. It’s the product for form over function!
But I will admit, it’s really pretty!
Phones keep getting bigger and bigger and thinner and thinner, they're approaching the antithesis of that 80's Moto phone that carriage_hill posted (which while clunky, at least fit the aspect ratio of your hand correctly). The new ones are like holding a sheet of paper to the side of your head. Guess they assume everyone's going to use a Bluetooth earpiece or something.
My Daughter also uses hers to send me pics of her art projects. I put them on my Kindle Fire so this proud papa can show them around. I figure the Fire phone will be able to do that. But I still like having my Nokia dumb phone. It works and it takes a beating.
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