First Time For Everything
It looks like the pressure is on, over at Apple. The Cupertino based company has reported its first dip in iPhone sales the products initial release in 2006. This is also the first dip in Apple's sales since 2003. iPhone sales have dropped 16 percent, this quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Overall sales dropped by 13 percent, down to $50.6 billion. In China alone, iPhone sales plummeted 26 percent. This is no surprise, considering the increase in foreign phone companies offering powerful devices, at much lower prices. No Signs of Getting Better? According to Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at the Bernstein brokerage firm, "there's no question that Apple's best days are behind it. The company grew at astronomical rates, and it's now so big that its ability to grow at those rates doesn't exist anymore." According to forecasts of the current quarter, things are not looking up for Apple. Projected revenue for this quarter is expected to go from $41 billion to $43 billion. This is a lot lower than what Wall Street was expecting. Will things get better for Apple? When? According to Tim Cook, this drop in sales is due to the regular two-year product cycle of the iPhone. Tim Cook went on to say, "If you look at our installed base of iPhones today versus two years ago, it's increased 80 percent."
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For some time now, rumors had been circulating about Apple's March, 2016 event. It seemed like we were getting more and more info on Apple's latest devices on a daily basis. So much so, that the event seemed almost unnecessary. But, as always, nothing is "confirmed" until Apple says it is. Well, today all of those rumors were finally confirmed. As many were expecting, we saw the "all new" iPhone SE and and The New [9.7-inch] iPad Pro. iPhone SE The iPhone SE is Apple's solution to bringing back the 4-inch smartphone. This was one of the rumors that was a toss-up. There were sources stating that the SE would be a "smaller, thicker iPhone 6s", and then there were those saying it would be " a revamped iPhone 5s". Unfortunately, the latter has turned out to be true. The iPhone SE takes [most] of the specs from the iPhone 6s, and puts them in an iPhone 5s casing. It seems like the only thing that the iPhone SE didn't inherit from the iPhone 6s is the 3D Touch display. For me, the biggest "issues" I have with the iPhone SE are;
The New iPad Pro
Along with the iPhone SE, Apple also announced a smaller version of last years powerhouse tablet, the iPad Pro. This new iPad (still just iPad Pro) takes all of the power of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and puts it in a 9.7-inch housing. The 9.7-inch iPad even comes complete with the 4 stereo speakers, smart connector, and Apple Pencil Support. The smaller iPad Pro even comes equipped with something that its larger sibling doesn't. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a "True Tone Display". This means that the iPad Pro display will adjust the lighting of the display in response to the lighting of the environment, similarly to the way paper does when it reflects different light. Another big upgrade that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the camera. The new iPad features the 12-megapixel iSight Camera found on the iPhone 6s/6s Plus. The one downside (for some) is that with the new camera, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro also inherited the infamous camera bump found on the latest iPhones. I personally prefer the size of the 9.7-inch iPads over the size of the pro. I think that it's a much more practical size for those that aren't looking to use the iPad as a laptop replacement. My only complaint with the new iPad Pro (which might end up not being a problem at all) is the True Tone Display. After seeing this feature demoed I am willing to test it, but I'm not thrilled about it. So, as long as that feature gives you the option to turn it off, all is good. What do you think about Apple's "new" devices? Are they necessary? Has Sony just confirmed that the iPhone 7 Plus will feature dual-camera? According to Sony, their dual-lens camera technology will make its way into devices from "major smartphone players" in the year 2016. This information was shared by Kenchiro Yoshida, Sony's CFO, during the company's Q3 earnings call. Although, Sony cameras are used by numerous smartphone manufacturers, it is probably safe to say that Apple is the biggest. When asked, Yoshida would not specify which companies would be executing this technology. Thoughts Now, I do think that these dual-lens systems are great, and offer some great features to smartphones. For example; the ability to adjust focus after taking a photo, or the versatility of having the two different lens types. I do also think that there is one very small downside to having a dual-lens camera on your smartphone. This downside will not be an issue for many smartphone photographers. This issue I'm referring to is external lenses, or lack there of. If the iPhone 7 does feature a dual-lens camera, things like the Olloclip, Moments lens, and iOgrapher become irrelevant. Now, obviously without getting our hands on this new iPhone, there is no way of knowing if the features that the dual-lens system adds will be worth the trade. What do you think? Do you think that an iPhone with two rear-facing cameras is a good idea? Why? Why not?
Apple finally released the final version of iOS a couple of days ago, (September 16). I waited until today to update my iOS devices to avoid any of the chaos of updating on release day. Last year, I tried updating my iPhone and iPad on release day, and I can honestly say that it wasn't the funnest experience. Between the constant notices from Apple saying that my update wasn't available at that time, due to the amount of people trying to update their devices. Plus, on top of that, the slower than normal download speeds. It made for an aggravating update experience. I will be covering the top (in my opinion) changes to this years iOS update. What's New With iOS 9, you are getting the same look as the previous two versions of iOS. One thing you probably will notice is that iOS 9 does have a couple of new built-in apps. These apps are Apple News, iCloud Drive. Apple's new News app lets you save all of your favorite news sources in one place. These sources range from the top news organizations to indie publications. The News app learns what stories you like to read and as you keep using it, it will provide more accurate recommendations. iCloud Drive allows you to access any files that you have saved on your iCloud. The iCloud Drive app is essentially Apple's in-house version of Dropbox. This will work between all iOS devices running iOS 9 as well as Macs that have access to iCloud Drive.
Other than the two apps mentioned above it appears that many of the changes made in iOS 9 were purely refinements from the previous versions of iOS. For example, the row of recent contacts has been removed from the multitasking window. Also, the left home screen has made a return; and has been redesigned to show your most used contacts and apps, as well as nearby places and top recommended news articles. Another refined feature is Siri, she has been given several new commands, and the Siri interface has been changed to look more like the Apple Watch's. In terms of the mobile devices (iPhone 6/6 Plus and older), these are the biggest changes made for these devices. It seems as though many of the changes made with iOS 9 were either made for the newer devices. For example, many of the new iPad features such as Picture in Picture and Split View will only be available on the iPad Air and newer/iPad Mini 3 and newer. Final Thoughts It if clear that iOS 9 isn't a huge overhaul in terms of what's changed from last year's update. It is a good refinement, but many of the biggest additions will only be available on the newest Apple devices. So far, my favorite change to iOS is the addition of the News app. It is a great way to find all of the latest stories from all of your interests, without having to search for too long. iOS 9 is supposed to run smoother and faster than iOS 8, but I haven't noticed any difference in speed. According to many other users, iOS 9 actually lags more. I personally haven't experienced this yet, but if it's true, hopefully Apple fixes it with an update soon. Thanks for reading. What are your thoughts on iOS 9 so far? Three Days Later It's been three days since Apple held their event, announcing the new iPhones, Apple TV, and new iPads. It is no surprise that, due to all of the buzz around Apple and all of their new announcements, that a lot of us missed the announcements of from other companies on that same day. One of these announcements came from Logitech, hours after Apple ended their keynote. The Logitech CREATE Not long after Apple ended their keynote on September 9th, 2015 Logitech announced their own new product. This product is the Logitech CREATE Keyboard Case for the iPad Pro. Yes, not long after it's announcement, the iPad Pro was already pegged to receive its first third-party accessorie. According to Logitech, they worked closely with Apple to develop this keyboard case, in order to get the most out of the new iPad Pro Smart Connector. The Logitech CREATE will be the first third-party keyboard that will work with the iPad Pro's Smart Connector. “With a full-size keyboard designed to work with iOS 9, the Logitech CREATE will help make the iPad Pro a creativity and productivity powerhouse. Even the color and finish of the keyboard are meticulously crafted to feel and look like the other half of your iPad Pro.” By using the Smart Connector, the CREATE is automatically pairs with and is powered by the iPad Pro. The CREATE Keyboard Case features a full-size keyboard, and similarly to the Apple Smart Keyboard is covered in a tightly woven fabric to protect it from spills and minor scratches.
The CREATE will be available in the U.S. and select other countries. According to Logitech, it will be available the same day the iPad Pro is available to purchase. Logitech will provide more information, including pricing, closer to the CREATE's release. Things Known, and Things Unexpected Today's Apple Event came to a close earlier today. As expected, we saw some things we already knew were coming--the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, iPad Pro, etc--but we also saw a couple things we weren't expecting to see--Apple Pencil, iPad Pro Keyboard Cover. Apple Watch Yes, that is correct. Apple added to the existing Apple Watch Family. They newest additions are Gold and Rose Gold colored Apple Watch Sport. Both of these new colors are priced the same as the original Sport selections, $349 and $399. Apple also unveiled a new "premium" Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Hermes. Unlike the Apple Watch Edition, this watch isn't premium due to the watch itself. The premium aspect of the Apple Watch Hermes is the bands, which are "handmade by Hermes artisans". Other than the bands, the watch itself is the regular Apple Watch. there are three variations of the Apple Watch Hermes; Single-Tour is a standard looking watch strap priced at $1100, Double-Tour features a band that wraps around your wrist twice priced at $1250, and the Cuff priced at $1500. Each of these band styles come in various colors. These watches also feature a custom watch face inspired by Hermes. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus As rumors have long been suggesting, this years iPhones are indeed the "s" models of last year's iPhones. These phones, do look identical to their predecessors from last year. The differences to this year's iPhones are almost entirely on the inside. In terms of what's different; Apple upgraded the iPhones' processors, cameras, and screens. The processors on the new iPhones is the A9 chip. It's Apple's third-generation processor with a 64-bit architecture. In terms of CPU performance, the A9 is 70 percent faster than the A8; and in terms of GPU performance, it is about 90 percent faster. The rear camera in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus is now a 12 megapixel camera. It features Apple's advanced pixel technology. This years iPhones also feature the ability to capture "Live Photos". This feature is essentially, creating GIFs with your iPhone. With Live Photos your phone captures a 12-megapixel image as well as the seconds right before and right after the image. Another addition to the camera of the new iPhones is the ability to shoot 4K video. Now you can shoot video in 4K and zoom in on your recordings. Apple also incorporated optical image stabilization to video recording, for smoother shots. When it comes to the screen, Apple decided to keep the same resolutions as last years phones. The change that they did make to the screens is adding 3D Touch. It is unclear why Apple decided to go with calling the technology on the new iPhone displays 3D Touch instead of Force Touch. Even though it has a different name, it is essentially the same technology. Depending on what app you are accessing, different presses perform different tasks. For example, while holding down on the camera icon, you are given the options of taking a photo, recording slo-mo, taking a selfie, or recording standard video. Apple TV Revived It's been almost 3 years since the Apple TV got an update. It will depend on the users, if this iteration will have been worth the wait. One of the biggest updates to the Apple TV is the addition of Siri. Now, to find something to watch you just have to ask Siri. If you want to narrow down your search, you can even do that, just tell Siri how to narrow down the results and she will do it. Based on the demonstration Apple did, Siri does this fairly quickly. Another change is the new Siri Remote. Instead of a D-Pad, the Siri Remote features a glass touch surface that allows you to interact with your new Apple TV in a similar way as to many of your other smart devices. Possibly the biggest change to Apple TV has to be the software. Now, rather than just being a box that used your iOS device, or a few applications, to stream content, it is on the road to becoming a well rounded device all on its own. The new Apple TV features a very clean and simple user interface, as well as its own App Store. In all honesty, after seeing Apple's demonstration of the new device, the relationship between tvOS (the Apple TV's new operating system) and iOS is not unlike the relationship between Stock Android and say a skinned version like TouchWiz. The tvOS has many features similar to iOS, just with a different overall look to it. The iPad Pro...and More Yes, the rumors were true. Apple, earlier today, announced the iPad Pro. The newest member of the iPad family features a 12.9-inch Retina Display. The iPad Pro is powered by Apple's all new A9X chip. This chip features a 1.8 times faster CPU and 2 times faster GPU, compared to the iPad Air 2. The resolution on the iPad Pro is 2732-by-2048. It also features an 8-megapixel iSight camera, capable of filming 1080p at 30 fps and slo-mo at 120 fps. The iPad Pro also comes equipped with 4 built-in stereo speakers. It is estimated that the iPad Pro has a 10 hour battery life. Along with the new iPad Pro, Apple also unveiled a couple of new accessories to go along with it. They Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pen, they are the accessories that enable the iPad Pro to accomplish a lot more than on its own. They also make the iPad Pro seem vaguely similar to another device. The Smart Keyboard is just as it sounds, when talking about an iPad accessory. It is an iPad Smart Cover with a built-in keyboard. The Smart Keyboard is a full-sized keyboard covered in a water resistant material. It also doesn't add much thickness to the iPad Pro, coming in at just 4mm thin. The Smart Keyboard also features a wide range of shortcuts that can be accessed, both through the keyboard and on-screen. The Apple Pencil is a stylus made specifically for the iPad Pro. This stylus allows you to change the thickness of your lines just by applying more or less pressure. The Pencil also features tilt sensors, these calculate the orientation of the stylus and allow you to create shading effects. The Apple Pencil has an estimated battery life of 12 hours, but if and when you do run out of battery, the stylus has a removable cap on the end that exposes a lightning connector. This will let you plug in your Pencil directly into the iPad Pro, for a quick charge. 15 seconds of charging gives about 30 minutes of use. There is no doubt, there are many people that will be very excited to get their hands on all of these new Apple devices. What about you?
While everyone is anticipating September 9th for the release of the new iPhones, it is possible that Apple will be giving another one of their products an overhaul. The product in question? The Apple TV. It is being strongly suggested that Apple will be unveiling the next generation of their set top box next month. One of the biggest changes expected to come to the Apple TV is the controller. According to rumors the new Apple TV remote will include a built in microphone and touch pad, as well as motion sensitivity (similar to the technology in the Wii). Whether Apple releases this motion controller or not, it is believed that the next Apple TV will become a major competitor in the casual gaming market. Apple is supposed to finally release an App Store for the Apple TV. If this is executed, it surely won't take long for games to be developed for the set top box. In terms of the changes inside the Apple TV, all that is being said now is that Apple will be upgrading the A8 processor (the latest processor currently in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus). However, due to the fact that the Apple TV does not need to limit itself to conserve energy, the performance of the chip should be better on the Apple TV. Why is Apple finally updating the Apple TV? Well, it seems that as of right now, Apple will not be releasing their own TV streaming service. This is due to issues with making content deals. It is being suggested that Apple is launching their new box now to gain leverage over future negotiations with TV networks (if the new AppleTV set top box does good, that means that there are more people that will be available to use Apple's TV streaming service). Personally, I think it makes more sense for Apple to release their box now, in order to help build hype for their streaming service. I'm excited to see what changes really do come to the new Apple TV, if it is unveiled next month. The time is FINALLY upon us! Apple has sent out the invitations, announcing that their next big event of the year will be held on September 9th. This event will host the unveiling of this years iPhone(s). The next iPhones are but confirmed to get upgraded processors, RAM, cameras, and displays; all wrapped in an almost identical (if not slightly thicker) casing. In terms of what else Apple has in store for their latest event; it is being suggested that Apple will unveil the all new, all bigger iPad Pro. It is also possible that Apple will announce a long overdue update to Apple TV. If you want to try and find anymore information about the event, try asking Siri. She has been hard at work trying to come up with new (non) answers. Apple will be streaming their event live. If you are interested in watching, here are the requirements:
Requirements: Live streaming uses Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology. HLS requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Safari on iOS 7.0 or later, a Mac with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X v10.8.5 or later, or a PC with Edge on Windows 10. Streaming via Apple TV requires a second- or third-generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later. The Apple event begins at 10 A.M. PDT. Be sure to stay tuned to find out what Apple has to offer next month. We see it every year. Countless rumors talking about what's going to be included in the next iPhone. This year, is no different. There have been talks of this years iPhone getting the expected processor upgrade, along with a few additional changes. These changes have included; an additional gigabyte of RAM, a Force Touch display, a better shell (no more BendGate), and an improved camera. iPhone 6s Camera The camera is what we are talking about today. According to a report, from Apple's supply chain "Apple is currently ordering suppliers to produce five-element lenses for the iPhone 6s that are designed to work with a 12-megapixel camera sensor." The concept of Apple upgrading the current 8-megapixel camera to a newer 12-megapixel camera, definitely is not something we haven't heard before. This has been suggested for at least a few months now. But, this report does seem to add some support to that claim. As with all rumors, even those with some support behind them, they should be taken lightly. This wouldn't be the first time that a "confirmed" rumor turned out to be false. There is no doubt that the 12-megapixel camera would be welcome on the new iPhone, especially when you take into consideration the fact that Apple hasn't upgraded the 8-megapixel sensor since the iPhone 4S. Now, don't get me wrong. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus do take great photos, but that doesn't mean they couldn't take better photos.
What do you guys think? Is the camera on the new iPhone "confirmed"? I must tell you, what I am writing here is purely my opinion. This is not a rant, or me trying to belittle someone else's work. This is simply me sharing my thoughts.
Earlier today, I read an article written by Damon Beres at the Huffington Post. You can find a link to said article HERE. In this article, Damon Beres talks about how the Apple Watch (along with other smartwatches), is essentially, just another new "thing" for people to want without really knowing why. This is a very interesting-and, if I might add, well written- article. I do agree with most of the article. For example, I agree that many of the tech gadgets on the market today are mostly gimmicks used to get our attention, with features that don't affect our lives in any way (good or bad). A lot of the things we want, we definitely don't need. We don't need a watch that connects to our phone, in order to give us notifications on our wrist instead of our pocket. We don't need it, but we do want it. This part of the article is what I don't agree with. It seems like a lot of the features that wearables have to offer are unwanted or completely irrelevant. In the article Mr. Beres talks about how after some time using the Moto 360, he took it off and didn't miss any of the convenient features it had to offer. He also said "...though I admit I enjoyed being able to say 'OK Google, set a timer for 20 minutes' before settling in for a short nap. This saved my probably 30 seconds versus typing an alarm into my phone." This. This is why companies are making wearables, and this is why people want them. People want convenience, in any way and every way they can. Just like people wanted the iPhone 5s over the 5. They wanted it because Touch ID saves them 5 seconds over typing in a passcode. They wanted it because the 5s could open and load apps 10 seconds faster. Companies know that people want this sense of efficiency, this sense that all of their 'tools' are running as smooth and as fast as possible. This is something that Steve Jobs took great pride in; making things as easy for the user as possible. Take a look at this excerpt from Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography: 'One day Jobs came into the cubicle of Larry Kenyon, an engineer who was working on the Macintosh operating system, and complained that it was taking too long to boot up. Kenyon started to explain, but Jobs cut him off. “If it could save a person’s life, would you find a way to shave ten seconds off the boot time?” he asked. Kenyon allowed that he probably could. Jobs went to a whiteboard and showed that if there were five million people using the Mac, and it took ten seconds extra to turn it on every day, that added up to three hundred million or so hours per year that people would save, which was the equivalent of at least one hundred lifetimes saved per year. “Larry was suitably impressed, and a few weeks later he came back and it booted up twenty-eight seconds faster,” Atkinson recalled. “Steve had a way of motivating by looking at the bigger picture.”' Now trust me, I definitely don't think that something like the Apple Watch would be a product that Steve Jobs would put in his stores. This approach is what Apple, along with every other company making wearables, is taking. This is the reason people want a smartwatch. Convenience. So, you combine the promise of convenience, with a device that "looks cool" or "pretty" or even "cute", and you're gonna have people lining up to get the "latest thing". I truly believe it is that simple. You offer people a fashion statement that adds "convenience and efficiency" and you have a best-selling piece of technology on your hands. This is also the reason that Apple is one of the top companies in the world; they offer convenience and style. |
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