Are the new Apple upgrades really worth it?

Taylor Tyson
Staff Writer

​      On September 9, 2015, Apple held their annual press releases in Toronto, Canada, San Francisco, California, and Toronto, Canada. The releases were nothing short of astonishing, and according to Apple’s press release, Apple expects customers to “love them.” Products such as the new iPhone 6S, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, and Apple TV were all talked about in this release. Their upgrades are explained below. 

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iPhone 6S and 6S Plus 
    The iPhone has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. According to Statista, approximately 20% of the United States population owns an iPhone. The upgrades and advancements added to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are nothing short of fantastic. The new phones contain 3D Touch, which, as stated by Apple’s press release, “senses force to enable intuitive new ways to access features and interact with content.” One new explicit Apple feature outlined in their press release is the Peek and Pop where one can “dip in and out of content” without losing one’s place.  By including 3D Touch, Apple had to stabilize the hardware. The upgraded glass makes it stronger than any smartphone, and the new aluminum is “the same alloy used in the aerospace industry,” as claimed by Apple, making it extra durable and allowing for the new metallic color, Rose Gold. Apple also decided to up the antics on their cameras with new components such as Live Photo, higher high definition or HD resolution, and True Tone. Live Photo will allow users to take twelve megapixel photos that, as stated in Apple’s press release, “reveal the moments immediately before and after the shot was taken.” 
      The new iPhone also saw software upgrades. The A9 chip and iPhone Operating System 9 (or  iOS 9) make the phone faster and durable than prior releases. As of September 16, 2015, iOS 9 is available for iPhone users. iOS 9 compromises of an upgraded Siri, more powerful apps, transit information on Maps, and advanced security. However, the most unexpected bonus was that software updates will require less space to install. Overall, the iPhone improved vastly, making it harder for competitors. 

iPad Pro
      Out of all the Apple products, the iPad saw the most aesthetic enhancements by far. The new iPad Pro has a 12.9 retina display. This is the biggest iPad seen so far, and it is approximately the size of a MacBook Air. The screen now has 5.6 million pixels and refined Multi Touch. In consonance with Apple’s press release, customers can expect “great contrast, more uniform brightness, and improved energy efficiency.” Alike to the iPhone, the iPad Pro features and A9X chip, making it faster than any iPad thus far. The iPad Pro will include Multi-tasking alike to its Android competitors that will allow users to, as Apple calls says, “do more at the same time.” 
      The new iPad Pro will also be compatible with its very own accessories such as the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. The Apple Pencil is a “precision input device” that will allow for more “fluid and natural” sketching, as reported in the press release. The pencil includes a lightning cable and will only work with certain apps, for the time being. Based off of Apple’s press release, this will also correspond with Multi Touch by measuring “pressure and tilt.” The Smart Keyboard also saw some renovations. It now attaches to the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector port which, according to Apple, eliminates “the need for a separate battery, on/off switch, or Bluetooth pairing.” 

Apple Watch and Apple TV 
      Although the Apple Watch is fairly new, it also saw some improvements such as a new array of designs due to Apple’s recent partnership with Hermes. The Apple TV also saw minor updates such as the capability to add apps to the device. Apple’s improvements were immense, but their exclusive compatibility keeps many smartphone users away.