Apple's much anticipated event finally took place on Tuesday, and it did not disappoint fans of the company's products. CEO Tim Cook presented to the audience, and to the world via a live feed, two new iPhones and, after months of speculation, a smartwatch.
The iPhone 6 and its larger counterpart, iPhone 6 Plus, come with an array of design upgrades, with rounded edges that make it more comfortable to hold. This is also Apple's largest smartphone ever, with the standard version featuring a 4.7-inch screen, compared to four inches on the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 6 Plus is even larger at 5.5 inches. Along with the size increase comes an HD upgrade of the Retina Display and an eight-megapixel camera. Overall, the new phone will be faster, with more powerful processing capabilities and Internet speeds.
One of the features that has grabbed the most headlines is a near field communication system that will allow users to make payments directly with their iPhones, using it as a wallet. The technology already exists, but many hope that Apple's introduction of it will lead to greater adoption by retailers.
The iPhone 6 will be released on September 19, two days after the launch of operating system iOS 8, which will be compatible with iPhone 4S and subsequent generations.
The Apple Watch is the first entirely new product the company has introduced since the passing of Steve Jobs. It needs an iPhone 5 or newer to operate and its many interactive features include several related to fitness, such as monitoring the wearer's heart rate and tracking their physical activity. The aforementioned payment system is also integrated in the smartwatch, will be for sale in early 2015.
Apple support services will be in great demand by businesses who want to make the most of this new technology.
