Apple yesterday unveiled the new Apple Watch and two iPad updates at an event held at its headquarters in Cupertino, near San Francisco, California. As was the case with a previous presentation, the event was organized without an audience due to the coronavirus pandemic and had several presenters, in addition to the CEO of the company Tim Cook.
As anticipated in recent weeks, Apple has not presented new iPhones, having accumulated some development and production delays due to the pandemic, and should dedicate a subsequent event to its smartphones within a few weeks.
Apple Watch Series 6
The new model of Apple Watch aesthetically reproduces the same design of the two previous versions of its smartwatch. Unlike its predecessors, the Series 6 has a few more sensors, starting with a system for detecting one's oxygen level in the blood. The watch takes the measurement automatically several times during the course of the day, but it is possible to take a reading at any time via an app which takes 15 seconds to give a result. There is of course also the sensor to detect the heartbeat, as on previous versions.
Apple has announced the launch of three research projects with some of the largest scientific institutes in the United States, which will be able to use its smartwatches to conduct studies on asthma, heart problems and the effects of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus and which in some cases can lead to severe symptoms affecting the respiratory system.
The new smartwatch has an S6 processor, up to 20 percent faster than the previous version used on the Series 4 and with some changes on the Series 5. The model presented yesterday also offers a faster charge speed, around 90 minutes to be fully charged. , and an autonomy of 18 hours.
The Series 6's face is up to two and a half times brighter than the previous model, which should make hours, notifications and applications more legible even in bright sunlight. An altimeter has also been added that provides real-time data on the altitude at which you are, a useful option especially for those who go hiking in the mountains.
The watch case is available in silver, space gray, gold aluminum and blue, with a new set of straps.
The new Apple Watch Series 6 will be on sale from September 18 at a starting price of 439 euros for the version without cellular connection, and 539 euros for models capable of connecting directly to the cellular network without the need to go through an iPhone. .
Apple Watch SE
Apple also unveiled a cheaper version of its smartwatches, which can be considered the heir to the Series 3 watches. The new Apple Watches SE have several features in common with the new Series 6, but are not equipped with either an always-on dial to read the time (it activates only when you turn your wrist to look at the watch) or a sensor for detecting levels of oxygen in the blood. Also missing is the function to perform a complete electrocardiogram, introduced starting with the Series 4 models.
The processor inside the Apple Watch SE is the same as the Series 5, so it offers about double the computing power of the version originally used on the Series 3. The dial is 30 percent wider than the Series 3, because the new model uses the same design introduced starting with Series 5 last year.
The idea behind the Apple Watch SE is to offer most of the features of the Apple Watch, but at a lower price, a bit like the iPhone SE model compared to the more elaborate and expensive ones. The starting price for the basic model is 309 euros and 359 euros for the one with the possibility of connecting directly to the cellular network. It will be available starting September 18th.
Series 3
Apple has also kept the Series 3 on sale, without adding changes and therefore offering it at an even lower price. The basic model costs 229 euros.
No power supply
All Apple Watches on sale from now on will not have the power supply in the package, but only the magnetic charging cable, to be connected to a power supply you already own. In this way, Apple says it wants to reduce its environmental impact, considering that over the years, between smartphones and other devices, everyone has accumulated more power supplies and various types of power supplies at home. The same policy should be adopted for the next iPhones, but for now there has been no official confirmation from the company.
Family
For family members who don't have an iPhone, such as children and seniors, Apple has introduced a new option that allows you to set up multiple Apple Watches through one iPhone only. Each smartwatch set up with the family function can be managed remotely and some functions can be limited, depending on the needs. The option can be used to stay in touch with your young children and know where they are, or as a safety tool in case of emergencies with older people.
Fitness +
Apple Watch owners will be able to access the new Fitness + service, which gives the possibility to follow personalized workouts, which update and adapt according to their performance detected by the watch sensors. Fitness + costs about 9 euros per month, but in its initial phase it will only be available in the United States and a few other countries, excluding Italy.
iPad Air
Apple has updated the iPad Air, its intermediate tablet model between the basic iPad and the iPad Pro. The new version has a very similar to that of the iPad Pro, with thinner bezels around the screen and the fingerprint sensor that has been moved to the access key, freeing up more space on the front of the device.
The screen is 10.9 inches (2360 x 1640 pixels) and the tablet uses an A14 Bionic processor, which makes the iPad Air up to 40 percent faster than the previous model. It has a USB-C port which should make the tablet a little more versatile in connecting with external devices than the previous port with a proprietary standard from Apple.
The rear camera is 12 megapixel, while the front one is 7 megapixel. The device is compatible with Apple Pencil for writing and drawing directly on the screen, and with several other accessories available for the iPad Pro.
The new iPad Air has a starting price of 669 euros and will be available from October. Available colors: silver, space gray, rose gold, green and light blue.
iPad
The base model of iPad has been updated with the replacement of the processor: it now has the A12 version, which is faster. The design has remained the same, with the possibility of using accessories such as Apple Pencil.
The new version of iPad is sold at a starting price of 389 euros.
Apple One
In recent years, Apple has significantly expanded the amount of services available through its devices and beyond. To put some order and give the possibility to manage everything in a single subscription, Apple One was presented yesterday. The program has three plans to choose from:
• Individual with Apple Music, Apple TV +, Apple Arcade and 50 GB of iCloud space for € 14.95 per month;
• Family with Apple Music, Apple TV +, Apple Arcade and 200 GB of iCloud space for € 19.95 per month, to be shared with up to six people in the family;
• Premier with Apple Music, Apple TV +, Apple Arcade, Apple News + and Apple Fitness + (where available) and 2 TB of iCloud space for € 29.95 per month, always with up to six family members to share it with.
The Individual and Family plans will be available from autumn, while the Premier plan will for now cover a limited selection of countries which do not include Italy.
iOS 14 and watchOS 7
New operating system versions for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch announced early summer will be available for download starting from today, Wednesday 16 September. To avoid any nasty surprises, it is always best to back up your data before proceeding with the update.
And the iPhones?
As he had anticipated at the beginning of the summer, this year Apple will not present the new iPhones in September, as has almost always happened in the last years. The delay is due to the setbacks caused by the pandemic both in the completion phase of the new models and in the start of their production. The iPhones 12 will therefore be presented in a few weeks (there is no official date yet) during a further event.
