Once the calendar flips to September, we can all count on a few absolute certainties––pumpkin spice will be infused into everything, the NFL season kicks off with some form of controversy, and Apple hosts a big event to announce their latest innovations and tech products.
While 2020 has done its damnedest to throw our lives and traditions out of sorts, that mighty September trio was not to be denied. On Sept. 15, Apple hosted their annual fall event––albeit virtually––and announced a slew of new products, features, and services they’ll be offering.
To save you time, here’s a quick round-up of everything you need to know about Apple’s much-anticipated, “Time Flies” announcement.
No iPhone Announcement…But a New OS is Available Now
While many were hoping for a surprise iPhone announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook started his presentation by introducing the two main devices they would highlight––the Apple Watch and iPad.
HE LITERALLY JUST KILLED ALL YOUR IPHONE DREAMS RIGHT AWAY
#AppleEvent
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) September 15, 2020
Despite the exclusion, a big announcement about the iPhone 12 is expected to come in October. While many people were hoping to learn more about the new iPhone––especially with rumors suggesting the inclusion of Apple’s powerful A14 Bionic chip that will enable 5G connectivity––fans will have to wait at least another few weeks for more details.
Despite no details on future iPhones, Apple did announce a software update for all devices, including iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14. Surprisingly, the updates are already available to download––much to the shock and displeasure of app developers.
Apple announcing the iOS 14 release date 24 hours ahead of time as a summer ending gift to developers
— Ben Thompson (@benthompson) September 15, 2020
iPad Air to Include Powerful New A14 Bionic Chip
The iPad Air is getting a major upgrade with the company’s most powerful chip yet––the A14 Bionic. Apple claims this chip will be 40% faster than its predecessor, which marks a significant increase in performance.
In addition to a 10.9 inch screen that stretches from edge to edge, the iPad Air will feature a “next generation” Touch ID fingerprint sensor inside the tablet’s power button. But with a price tag of $599, some casual users may opt to go with the eighth generation iPad––now offering an A12 Bionic chip and a more palatable starting price point of $329.
Though as you can see below, this top-of-the-line iPad Air looks pretty damn cool.
New Apple Watch with More Health Monitoring
Billed as the “Time Flies” event, it’s no surprise that the Apple Watch was the big highlight. Apple announced two different models––the Series 6 and the SE.
The Series 6 is the top model (starting at $399) and comes with a new S6 chip, which Apple claims is based on the A13 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 11. Beyond the increased processing power, the biggest hype point to Series 6 revolved around the ability to monitor your health––including the ability to track your blood oxygen levels and sleep patterns.
The SE offers a cheaper starting price of $279, but is powered by the S5 chip used in last year’s Series 5 model.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t all good news for watch fans. The new watches––which will be available in stores on Friday––will not include chargers. The move was explained as part of Apple’s push towards environmental sustainability.
Naturally, a few people were skeptical.
Apple’s announcement that it will no long include power adapters with the #AppleWatch is another example of how price increases aren’t fully captured by the CPI. Instead of raising prices, Apple can just keep the price the same and make customers pay extra to buy a power adapter.
— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) September 16, 2020
Bundled Services with Apple One…Including Apple Fitness Plus
Apple is vying to become your one-stop-shop for all tech-related services with their brand new Apple One subscription bundles.
I wonder if anyone will drop other monthly services to go all-in on Apple One. pic.twitter.com/1GPhtcweNY
— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) September 15, 2020
While Apple Music, TV Plus, Arcade, News and iCloud storage already exist, the company also rolled out a brand new service that seemingly takes a direct shot at Peloton––Apple Fitness Plus.
I’ve been wearing a Garmin watch rather than an Apple Watch lately, but this does look pretty neat.
(And for Apple, it’s another service to sell us!) pic.twitter.com/gO2juOB2wb
— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) September 15, 2020
The service will include fitness videos published on a weekly basis and cover a range of different workouts including yoga, dance, running, and more. Naturally, this new service will pair nicely with the Apple Watch’s ability to monitor your fitness stats and give you real-time feedback.
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