The SteelSeries Nimbus takes Apple TV gaming seriously
The new game-tastic Apple TV already has its first wireless gamepad: the SteelSeries Nimbus.
While we suspect the new Apple TV will focus on casual gaming, its chances of appealing to the hardcore market will increase with the addition of SteelSeries' new controller.
Equipped with A, B, X, Y buttons, the controller is curiously reminiscent of Microsoft's Xbox One controller.
Game on
The Nimbus also packs a rechargeable battery offering over 40 hours of charge, a lightning connector, and pressure-sensitive trigger and bumper buttons for maximum precision.While designed as a companion for the new Apple TV, the Nimbus is also compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Mac gaming,
The SteelSeries Nimbus will retail for US$49.95 (approx. £32.50, AUD $71.50) when it launches in late October.
- Looking to indulge your inner casual gamer? The new Apple TV has Nintendo Wii-like abilities.
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iPad Pro competition: 5 cheaper convertibles you can buy today
Introduction
Apple is ready for the enterprise. Since the announcement of the iPad Pro, Apple is talking up the tablet's larger 12.9-inch high resolution display, support for a keyboard folio case and digital inking with the Apple Pencil as key components that will help users create content and stay productive. However, there are already tablets that offer all these capabilities, and the best part is that these slates are cheaper than the $799 (£520, AU$1,146) iPad Pro plus the added accessories.
Another benefit of these five Windows-powered tablets is that they can be used as a replacement for your laptops. These convertible two-in-one notebooks can be used as your tablet for content consumption, as a laptop with the full power of Windows, and a few of them come with optional desktop docks that allow you to replace your desktop PC.
These multi-form factor designs mean you can carry less gear when traveling and save cost. With the iPad Pro's more limited iOS 9 OS, you'll likely still need to have either a desktop PC or a laptop in addition to the tablet.
Let's take a look at these tablets options:
- Read our iPad Pro hands-on
1. Microsoft Surface Pro 3
The Surface Pro 3 is perhaps the closest competitor to the iPad Pro, but the Microsoft-brand slate edges ahead of the iPad Pro in several key areas. It runs a full desktop-class operating system, comes with expansion through a USB port and micro SD card slot and gives you a legacy display out port. Additionally, backed by Windows 10 and an Intel Core i series processor, the Surface Pro 3 offers more robust multitasking.
Both slates start at $799 (£520, AU$1,146), but the Surface Pro 3 comes with a Surface Pen whereas the Apple Pencil is an optional $99 accessory. If you go with either tablet and want to convert them into a laptop form factor, be prepared to spend extra for a keyboard cover.
- Read our Microsoft Surface Pro 3 review
2. Microsoft Surface 3
If size doesn't matter and you're okay with a slightly smaller screen, the compact Microsoft Surface 3 is an excellent contender in this space. With a 10.8-inch display, the Surface 3's 3:2 aspect ratio makes it more productive, requiring less scrolling. It's got an Intel Atom processor, rather than the Core i series, but that should give you enough horsepower for your computing tasks.
Like the Surface Pro 3, the smaller Surface 3 supports a keyboard cover and the Surface Pen. The Surface 3 starts at $499 (£324, AU$716), but the Surface Pen and Type Cover are optional add-ons.
- Read our Surface 3 review
3. Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2nd Generation
This tablet starts at $944 (£614, AU$1,354), and the price includes both the Wacom-powered stylus and a keyboard dock that gives it an Ultrabook-feel. You also get more storage with the Lenovo model with a 256GB solid state drive. For comparison, the 32GB iPad Pro equipped with a pen and keyboard comes to $1,067 (£694, AU$1,531).
The solid ThinkPad construction is a plus, and the tablet comes with two batteries, one inside the tablet and a second in the keyboard dock to help you get through your work day.
The ThinkPad has an 11.6-inch full HD display, and the same Intel Core M processor that's powering Apple's MacBook. The Core M means that the Helix's performance is between the Surface 3 and the Surface Pro 3.
If you're a touch typist, Lenovo's keyboard dock offers responsive keys, and you'll also get more expansion ports than on the iPad Pro.
Lenovo also recently unveiled the ideapad MIIX 700, a tablet that's seen as a close competitor to the Surface Pro 3 with Intel's second generation Skylake-based Core M processor. Intel claims that this chip doubles the performance of today's tablets.
- Read our ThinkPad Helix 2nd Generation review
4. Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 Series
Dell's flagship tablet starts at just $699 (£455, AU$1,003) and comes with an Intel Core M processor. With a 10.8-inch display and a 16:9 aspect ratio, the biggest complaint about the Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 Series is a cramped screen that's not as conducive for multitasking, but the tablet should handle most tasks fine.
Like the iPad Pro, the keyboard dock and the pen are optional extras, but at least the Venue 11 Pro 7000 Series has a lower starting price. You can choose from two different keyboard docks, and Dell also has a desktop dock that gives you more ports and the ability to connect an external display to use the tablet as a desktop PC replacement.
- Read our Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 Series review
5. Acer Aspire R13
With a 13.3-inch display, the Acer Aspire R13 is a versatile tablet that allows you to flip and use your screen in a number of different orientations. You can use the device as a laptop, swivel the screen around and use it as a tablet, or use it as an easel for artistic creation.
The Aspire R13's display doesn't detach from the keyboard, so its $999 (£650, AU$1,433) price means you'll get the keyboard included. It comes with 256GB of storage, or double the storage capacity of the largest iPad Pro configuration, and the pen is included.
- Read our Acer Aspire R13 review
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10 things you need to know about the iPhone 6S
The iPhone 6S is Apple's mainstream iPhone choice for the rest of 2015 and 2016. And guess what: it looks just like the iPhone 6.
But before you go kicking up a stink on Facebook, complaining Apple has gone down the pan, you need to school-up on a few things. We've put together the 10 things you absolutely need to know about the new iPhone 6S.
At least then you can slag off the new mobile and sound like you know what you're talking about. And, who knows, maybe we'll help to change your mind. Because we can pretty much guarantee this isn't going to be a bad phone.
1. It now comes in a pinky colour
Apple calls it rose gold, although it's most certainly still made of aluminium rather than gold. It also doesn't really look gold at all. It's definitely, well, pink. The shade has enough smokiness to it to avoid looking remotely gaudy, though. Apple doesn't make cheap-looking gear, after all.
If you don't want to own a pink phone, you can also get the iPhone 6S in the more familiar grey, silver and gold shades.
2. The dinky-ish 4.7-inch screen remains
If you were hoping Apple would nudge the iPhone 6S screen size up a bit, to bring it in-line with the Android crowd, you're going to be disappointed. It still has a 4.7-inch screen, now considered a size common only to budget phones outside of the Apple line-up.The tech behind the display hasn't changed, either. You get a good IPS LCD panel and 1334 x 750 pixel resolution. That's right: closer to 720p than Full HD, which may seem a bit of a cheek when Sony just made a 4K-resolution phone. Or, more to the point, that you can get Full HD Androids for half the price without even trying,
3. Camera megapixel count is up
You see, when you squeeze sensor pixels in closer, making them smaller, you're more likely to get crosstalk. That's where light from one sub pixel ends up in the 'box' of another. Trench isolation helps avoid this, letting the iPhone 6S whack up its sensitivity further while keeping a tighter rein on noise and colour distortion. With any luck it'll mean we get more detail, but no more noise than before.
Apple didn't talk about iPhone 6S optical image stabilisation, though, leading us to believe it has, once more, been left out of this smaller iPhone. If that's the case it means the iPhone 6S will have worse low-light performance than the best Android cameras. Oh well.
4. You can shoot 4K video, and low-light selfies
With the move to a 12MP sensor we get 4K video capture, where each frame has as much information in it as an 8MP photo. Not bad, right?As in previous iPhones, the iPhone 6S will likely crop into the sensor slightly when shooting video to get you software stabilisation, letting you get rid of some of that ugly hand shake effect.
What might be of more use to some of you though is the TrueTone selfie feature. What this does is use your phone's display as a makeshift flash unit, overdriving the LCD to make it even brighter than normal. It works by assessing what the front 5-megapixel selfie cam sees and then altering the tone of the screen to deliver the most natural-looking photo.
5. The most gadgety feature is 3DTouch
This can then be used as a gesture to unlock secondary functions, well, pretty much anywhere in iOS 9. Functions Apple has shown off already include being able to shortcut your way to specific parts of an app right from the home screen using the 'peek' gesture, which seems to be unlocked with a harder press. Expect to see this feature appear in every app under the sun soon enough.
6. Apple has upped the build
The iPhone 6S looks just like the iPhone 6, but Apple says it has improved hardiness substantially. From an… unspecified grade of aluminium shell before, we now get 7000-series aluminium alloy. Recently, this was used in the Sport version of the Apple Watch.It should mean the iPhone 6S is a bit more resilient to scratches, able to wear that bit better. The front glass has changed too. Apple never talks all that openly about how its glass compares to that of rivals, but we're told the dual ion exchange glass used in the iPhone 6S will be a significant improvement. Time to get the box cutter out to see if it's true.
7. The CPU has been turbo-charged
What we do know so far is that its CPU part has up to 70 percent more power than the Apple A8 of the iPhone 6, and the GPU 90 per cent more power. Given the iPhone 6S's screen resolution hasn't changed, it means devs will be able to pack in way more impressive visual effects. The chipset will be more efficient too, having upgraded the architecture process to, most likely, 14nm like the Samsung Galaxy S6's Exynos chipset.
8. TouchID is going to be even faster
Apple has quietly upgraded the TouchID scanner. It says it's now up to 2x as fast as the old version, which we have no complaints about as-is. It's likely a slightly tweak to the scanner hardware that live under the home button, as well as — most likely — some software algorithm improvements that make it a bit snappier.9. It'll cost the same amount as the iPhone 6
The iPhone 6S will cost just as much as the iPhone 6 did, well, until right now.That means from $199 in the US, or from £539 in the UK SIM-free. As before, there are three main versions if you don't factory in all the colours: 16GB, 64GB and 128GB. As usual, none have expandable memory so think carefully before you hit the checkout button.
10. You can pre-order it on September 12
Two weeks later on 25 September the iPhone 6S will get its usual grand retail unveil at Apple Stores across the biggest territories, including the UK and US. If you're going to try to get one on the day, it'll be dicey unless you're willing to sign up for an expensive contract. You've been warned.
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UPDATED: How to watch The Late Show with Stephen Colbert full show online
- Update: You can watch The Late Show with Stephen Colbert full show online for free via a CBS trial, as explained below. The live stream is every night at 11:35pm ET from the same websites.
Thankfully though, if you're as talented as Colbert is, it shouldn't be a problem.
The first episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert debuted last night, September 8, at 11:35 pm EST / PST on CBS, and featured Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, and actor and producer George Clooney, alongside Jon Batiste and Stay Human.
Colbert delivered his devilish wit and charming disposition, and absolutely knock "the nation" dead with his on-screen antics.
If you haven't seen it, the question remains: How can you watch it a day late without being a dollar shorter? Here are the best ways to watch it without doing something Colbert would disapprove of.
Watch Late Show with Stephen Colbert via CBS
The television network is giving away free trials to the service starting today, though you'll need to enter in some credit card information as collateral. CBS promises not to charge you during the free online streaming trial, but also probably hopes you forget to opt out of its online video service.
If you don't cancel in the six-day time limit, you'll be automatically charged $5.99 monthly until you cut ties. We should note that CBS All Access includes more than just Colbert, in case you're into more than just Late Night TV, and it streams to Chromecast and Roku.
Watch Late Show with Stephen Colbert free
What's more free than this free trial? Watching the Late Show online without having to fork over your credit card information at all.
It turns out that Late Night with Stephen Colbert won't be on Netflix or Hulu, since CBS has no deal with the popular streaming content websites. You'll just have to go to the Tiffany Network's website.
Watch Late Show with Stephen Colbert on a TV
Last up, if you want to take a more traditional route to watching TV, you can tune in five days a week via a digital antenna, which is available from retail electronics stores and Amazon for about $15 to $20.
Just plug it into an open HDMI port on your TV, change the channel to your local CBS affiliate station and prepare to watch the former Colbert Report host try his new shtick.
You'll then be able to watch Late Show with Stephen Colbert nightly, Monday through Friday, at 11:35 pm. It's appointment television, but you can't beat free, America.
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Siri will only work on the new Apple TV in 8 countries at launch
After years of rumors, the new Apple TV has officially been announced and as expected, Siri has wormed her digital presence into the new remote for voice control and search.
But according to the Apple TV developers page, it appears that only those lucky enough to live in eight selected countries will get to enjoy the power of the digital assistant when the new Apple TV launches around the world.
Users in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US will all get to control the new home entertainment hub with their voice, pressing the microphone button to enable Siri control.
But for everyone else around the world, pressing the microphone button on the new controller will instead "open the onscreen search app".
Exactly what that entails is yet to be seen, although we'd expect it to resemble the current search function on the Apple TV, with a more integrated approach across the new range of Apple TV apps.
That's not to say that Siri support will never come to countries outside of those initial eight, but it's definitely worth taking into account before you rush out to pre-order the device.
- Here are the 8 key moments from today's Apple launch
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Aussie pricing: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
Apple has announced the Australian pricing for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and they're even more expensive than last year's handsets, which were far from economic.
Yes, your wallet may well be whimpering as you fork out well over $1,000 for even the cheapest model among Apple's new smartphones.
Pricing for the iPhone 6s starts at $1,079 for the 16GB model, ramps up to $1,229 for the 64GB, and tops out at $1,379 for the 128GB.
Pricier still...
Naturally the iPhone 6s Plus is even more eye-watering pricey, starting at $1,229 for 16GB, $1,379 for 64GB, and a whopping $1,529 for 128GB.This is a steep rise from last year's pricing, which started at $869 for the entry-level 16GB iPhone 6, and peaked at $1,249 for the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus.
Pre-orders open on Saturday, 12 September, with the phones becoming available on Friday, 25 September.
- Want to know if they're worth it? Here's techradar's reaction to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
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10 things you need to know about the iPhone 6S Plus
The iPhone 6S Plus is here. It's the second go at Apple's 5.5-inch phablet design, and from a distance it looks pretty much just like last year's phone.
Should we be angry? Should we be disappointed?
There are actually loads of changes, big and small, in this year's new Apple giganto-phone. Here are the 10 things you definitely need to take on-board about this year's iPhone phablet upgrade.
1. It's the same size
Apple hasn't messed with the size of the iPhone 6S Plus. No surprise there. It only blew the design up to 5.5 inches in 2014, and now would just be too soon to make the phone even bigger.It has a 5.5-inch screen as before, and still has a 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD screen. Apple clearly thinks the 4K Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is bonkers just like we do. For the spec-heads out there, the display gets you density of 401ppi.
2. You can get it in rose gold colour
It's not really gold at all, but a sort of pinky shade that is probably not going to be embraced by big burly blokes whose pecs you can see through their shirts. But, hey, who knows?
If you won't want the new shade, you can still get the iPhone 6S Plus in gold, space grey or silver.
3. iPhones are now that bit stronger
The bodies are made from 'all new' 7000 series aluminium, so basically a stronger version of the aluminium used in the iPhones of the last few generations. It's likely because of all the fuss made after someone claimed to have bent their iPhone by keeping it in their pocket while… well, sitting down.Apple has upscaled the glass on the front too. It now says the iPhone 6S Plus now has the strongest mobile phone glass around, a clear suggestion that it's better than the Gorilla Glass 4 we see in quite a lot of phones these days.
How hard is it? That we don't know, but Apple says it's made using a dual-ion exchange process, which sounds suitably scientific and impressive. Expect to see the first iPhone 6S Plus destruction videos appear in about two weeks.
4. 3D Touch is the ForceTouch we've been looking for
It gets you the same basic function as we saw in the new MacBook though: the iPhone 6S Plus can tell between hard presses and softer ones.
How? It uses a sensor layer to discern the subtle differences in the distance between the front glass layer and the backlight as you press down. Yep, your phone isn't quite as immovable as it seems. What this will let iOS 9 do is to give you quicker access to some of your favourite features, and bring up quick menus in apps before they're even launched. Devs will also be able to use it as a 'gesture' within apps, we imagine.
5. New Touch ID is twice as fast
The fingerprint scanner of the iPhone 6S Plus looks just like the old one. However, Apple says the new phone has a second-generation Touch ID sensor that is twice as fast as the old version.We think the first one is pretty snappy as it is, so with any luck this one should be incredibly fast. We recently saw a 'second-generation' scanner from Huawei in its Mate S phone, and one of the lead benefits there is that it works better when dealing with a wet/moist digits. Fingers crossed Apple will have worked this sort of optimisation in too.
6. More megapixels for the first time in years
While Apple hasn't told us exactly how big the camera sensor is, by the way it was described it suggests there has been a significant hit to the size of the sensor pixels. In other words, the size of the sensor itself hasn't been dramatically increased from the 1/3-inch iPhone 6 sensor.
To keep noise down Apple has used similar deep trench isolation to what we saw in the Samsung ISOCELL sensor, used in the Samsung Galaxy S5 and other phones since. What this does is to reduce crosstalk between the sensor pixels for an all-round cleaner images: less noise, better colour.
Apple didn't mention about optical image stabilisation, but we image it'll stay as-is: the iPhone 6S Plus gets it, the iPhone 6 doesn't.
7. 4K video and selfie flashes are in
The iPhone 6S Plus will be among the first phones natively able to shoot video at 4K. Some clever geeks managed to hack it into their iPhone 6 recently, but you won't need such jiggery-pokery going forwards.On the fluffier side of the camera, the iPhone 6S Plus will also add a TrueTone flash feature to the selfie snapper. It's not with dedicated flash hardware, but using the phone's screen to fire out a colour that'll suit the scene.
It all sounds very silly, but the display driver actually turbo-powers the backlight to make the display even brighter. Prepare to be annoyed by groups of morons with ultra-bright screens pointed at themselves, littering the streets of every major city.
8. It uses the Apple A9 CPU
Not bad, right? That means more fancy graphics, more enemies on-screen at once and all that jazz. Pity 90 percent of the games out there will still be free-to-play casual dross.
However, efficiency improvements may actually end up being more noticeable for some. Apple says the architecture has changed. It hasn't exactly told us what to, but it's not hard to work it out: the Apple A8 is made using a 20nm process and the Apple A9 will be made with a 14nm process. We'd bet our last Rolo on it.
We've seen this kind of architecture in Samsung's latest phones including the Samsung Galaxy S6. It helped keep those phones nice and efficient, and should hopefully help the iPhone 6S Plus in the same manner too.
9. It'll be out on September 25
Pre-orders for the Apple 6S Plus go live on September 12. Get your debit card details ready if you're keen. Then, as ever, the phone will actually go on sale two weeks later.Apple doesn't like to keep us waiting for too long. And we like that. You can expect the queues to start forming at the world's biggest Apple stores around… now.
If you want to get an iPhone 6S Plus on launch day, we strongly recommend setting a calendar reminder on your phone for the pre-order day. This one is going to sell out.
10. It'll cost about the same as the iPhone 6S Plus
Buying in the UK you'll have to pay through the nose unless you're on a high-end, expensive contract. And SIM-free starting price will be £619, rocking up to £699, and £789 for the top-end version. As before, you can get the phone with either 16GB, 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
All in all, the iPhone 6S Plus seems like a good buy, but remember there's also the iPhone 6S knocking around out there.
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Updated: New Apple TV release date, specs, price and news
What will New Apple TV look like?
Update: Apple has unveiled the new Apple TV at its special event this morning where it also announced the new iPhone 6S and iPad Pro. We'll be updating this page with information from the event throughout the days to come.Original story follows:
In the battle royale of set-top boxes that has erupted over the last few years, there's always been one contender who's not afraid to quietly sit on the sidelines and garner attention by being inclusive, sleek and to-the-point, and that's Apple TV.
When it came time to think about the upgrade to the Cupertino company's seminal streamer, it seems one Steve Jobs-ian point made it through the chopping board: the new Apple TV needs to be just as smart if its predecessor and just as easy to use. It needs to offer a slew of contemporary features but still remain relatively clean looking.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the new Apple TV is all of those things.
Now, before you go down into the comments and leave a nasty retort, we know that "new Apple TV" is a fairly confusing name. But Apple bows to no numerical and/or logic system, and since the Apple TV has yet to see a true sequel until now, instead receiving iteration after iteration of internal upgrades, this is just the way the Apple peels.
It's been about two years since the last minor change to the Apple TV and three since the last major one. Which, for a company that's bound and determined to release a new iPhone every 12 months, seems a little strange that Apple's popular streamer has been MIA since the iPhone 5.
But our patience has been rewarded, and Apple has delivered the next iteration of a great streaming device. It packs a faster processor than its predecessor, a great-looking UI, too. It has an all-new remote that comes with a built-in microphone and works with Siri, not to mention the fact that it doubles as a Wii-like motion game controller.
When it comes out in October it's going to have a sharp new OS - a hybrid of OSX and iOS - and will come with a loaded app store that Tim Cook says will usher in a new age of television. It's ostentatious and bold vision packed into a tiny box. But that's Apple for you.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The next generation of Apple's set-top box, the Apple TV
When is it out? Late October in over 80 countries worldwide
How much does it cost? The 32GB version will cost $149 (about £96, AU$200) while the 64GB version will come in at $199 (about £129, AU$280)
Why is it better? It has a faster processor, better interface, more apps, a Wii-esque remote and has voice search functionality
When
WWDC 2015 came and went without an Apple TV announcement, we were a
little disappointed. But when rumors started to circulate about the
Cupertino company's September 9 event, our hopes and dreams for a
brand-new set-top box started to solidify into reality. It turns out it
wasn't all wishful thinking, either. Rumors of Apple's next set-top box
practically boiled over until most, if not all, of the Apple's big
secrets saw the light of day before the 9th. (You can find the key
points highlighted in bold!)What is it? The next generation of Apple's set-top box, the Apple TV
When is it out? Late October in over 80 countries worldwide
How much does it cost? The 32GB version will cost $149 (about £96, AU$200) while the 64GB version will come in at $199 (about £129, AU$280)
Why is it better? It has a faster processor, better interface, more apps, a Wii-esque remote and has voice search functionality
New Apple TV user interface
User interfaces are absolutely crucial, and Apple built its reputation on putting together some of the sleekest, most easy-to-use pieces of software on the market. The new Apple TV harnesses that long tradition of doing things right and wildly improves the old model's layout into something more modern.
The new UI is purposefully flat, with top-level boxes for music and movies on the iTunes store, your most used apps like Netflix and Hulu, as well as the recently added App Store - which is like to pack TV-optimized games alongside Apple Music and its music-streaming kin.
It's all built on top of a new OS called tvOS that works like a hybrid of iOS and OSX. There are 11 million developers on the platform according to Apple senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue, which means you can expect a ton of third-party apps available on the first day.
tvOS will support Siri and include universal search results that enable searches across multiple streaming video services as well as Apple's iTunes Store. That means instead of searching for a movie on each individual app, you'll be able to see a select number of services in every search (think Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, etc).
New Apple TV remote
Also, we know that the New Apple TV will include an updated remote control (goodbye, boring aluminum IR remote) that operates over Bluetooth and features a mix of physical buttons and a touchpad.
Inside the remote, Apple looks to be packing in some Wii-esque motion sensors, which would make playing games on the App Store that require tilt easy. Speaking of Bluetooth, we've heard whispers that you might be able to connect any console-style controller made for iOS to the Apple TV if the new remote doesn't do it for you.
Of course the remote will include an internal microphone so you can chat with Siri, meaning that the new Apple TV might be fully operable just with your voice.
Apps shown off so far that use the remote are a new-and-improved Crossy Road, Beats Sports - a Wii-like game, MLB At Bat and Apple Music. And for fans of the old-fashioned Home Shopping Network, Gilt will allow you to shop for deals from the comfort of your couch.
New Apple TV hardware
But like my mama always said, it's what's on the inside that counts. And inside the New Apple TV is packing a 64-bit A8 processor, currently found in the iPhone 6 Plus. It's several times more powerful than the current Apple TV, and gives it the necessary horsepower to truck through the latest wave of graphically intense games. Does this mean that your Apple TV will become the premier spot to play the latest Call of Duty or Madden game? Most likely not. But for fans of casual or semi-casual gaming, the New Apple TV will be a pretty mean gaming machine.
It will support Bluetooth 4.0 (necessary to work with the all-new Siri remote), 802.11ac WiFi with MIMO and come with either 32GB or 64GB of internal flash storage. None of this, however, is going to come cheap.
New Apple TV price
As expected, the 32GB will cost $149 (about £96, AU$200) while the 64GB version will come in at $199 (about £129, AU$280). It's about three times the cost of the current Apple set-top box, but that price feels justified with all the new bells and whistles.The only thing that would've sweetened the deal? A subscription to the purported cable alternative Apple has been working on for the past few months. This feature is likely to be coming, but we can now confirm that it missed the Apple TV announcement on September 9.
New Apple TV release date
So when can you get it? Apple plans on launching the new Apple TV in over 80 countries in late October, and will expand to over 100 by the end of 2015.Apple's new streaming service and defunct TV
The first rumors of an Apple owned and operated cable service was given life on the web around the same time Sling TV made a splash in the US. The only problem with this plan is that Apple would need a lot of partners - FOX, NBC, ABC, Viacom, etc… - within a short time period.Possible? Sure. Probable? Not likely.
The potential package in question would have a number of channels you know and love from cable but streamed over your Internet service for a lower monthly cost than traditional vendors like Sky, Virgin, Verizon or Time Warner Cable.
A service like that, exclusive to Apple TV, could be a huge differentiator and killer app for Cupertino. Whether Apple's TV streaming dreams come to fruition - or actually exist at all - however, remains to be seen.
Apple pulls the plug on TV
After 10 years of research and development, Apple has officially stopped working on the fabled Apple television set, according to The Wall Street Journal.According to a source familiar to the situation, because it was unable to add anything new to the world of flat-panels and 4K Ultra-HD TVs, Apple has thrown in the towel once and for all.
Apple is still expected to release both an updated version of the traditional set-top box as well as an over-the-top streaming service like Sling TV at its World Wide Developers Conference which starts on June 8.
How could have Apple's iTV worked? We have a few ideas.
The history of Apple TV
The history of Apple TV
The first Apple TV launched back in 2006 and stuck out from the crowd by boasting its own hard drive and composite cables to hook up to then-new SD TV sets. It had a measly Intel Crofton Premium M processor and 256MB of DDR2 memory.
Version 2 ditched the internal storage for a better 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi antenna, upgraded Apple A4 processor and favored streaming media over anything stored on physical drives. While some lamented the disappearance of a HDD, some appreciated the Apple TV's smaller size as a result of the change.
Launching in 2012, Apple TV Version 3, the latest version of the Apple TV, didn't offer much of an upgrade over its predecessor. It still streamed media and had a streamlined user-interface based on iOS (at that time it was iOS7). Of course the processor got a bump to the A5 to handle 1080p video and it finally doubled down on RAM to a solid 512MB.
Starting on March 9, 2015, the currently available Apple TV will drop to $69 (about £45, AU$90) and has first-dibs on HBO's new standalone streaming service, HBO Now.
- What about Apple's screen for your wrist? Read our Apple Watch review!
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UPDATED: How to download iOS 9 beta on your iPhone and iPad right now
Download and install iOS 9
There are exciting new iOS 9 features set to premier next week, but you don't have to wait to test them out.
Apple has launched an iOS 9 public beta, which gives everyone access to the iPhone and iPad update a little early. The company's instructions, however, aren't very comprehensive.
That's why we, not willing to wait until September 16 or the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus release date on September 25, went through the process several times and created this handy a how to guide.
It did take a few attempts to install iOS 9 due to everyone taxing Apple's servers all at once, but the new features outweigh those temporary problems and minor beta bugs.
Compatible iPhone and iPad devices
iOS 9 is compatible with newer iPhones and iPads, which translates to all Apple phones and tablets that have since launched 2011.
That's good news because it means the compatibility list doesn't axe any new devices, including the iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and even the iPod Touch 5th generation.
If you devices can run iOS 8, it can also run iOS 9. Easy. This is where Apple's mobile operating system really cuts into the fragmented Android platform.
Backup your iPhone and iPad first
It's very important to backup your iPhone and iPad before installing iOS 9. You never know what may go wrong with this unfinished software. It could claim the life of your photos and texts.
I recommend using a lightning cable to manually backup to iTunes instead of relying on a Wi-Fi connection or iCloud. It's just faster and more reliable - as long as you don't mess with the cable.
It's a little more complicated for New MacBook 2015 owners who have to resort to a USB Type C adapter, but it's well worth the extra effort just in case.
Plug your iPhone or iPad into a computer, open up iTunes if it doesn't automatically launch and select the tiny iPhone icon in the top left of Apple's confusingly designed music software.
iTunes' iPhone menu includes a "Backup" pane in the middle of this page. Select the "This computer" radio button instead of iCloud for the most secure backup method. You can switch it back afterward.
Archive before downloading iOS 9
Press the "Backup Now" button on the right to manually backup your files. Backing up all of the apps on from your phone or tablet is optional and less important. I do it every once in a while.
Once the backup process completes its four main steps, double check that it worked and archive it in the Preferences menu. Click on File in the top menu, Preferences, the Devices tab and right click on the latest backup.
Select "Archive" to isolate this backup file so that it's not replaced by future backups. If you're extra cautious: You can click "Show in Finder" to locate the folder (with a funny gibberish name) and drop it into an external hard drive.
Download iOS 9 beta software profile
Apple requires downloading and installing an iOS 9 beta configuration profile in order to get the new operating system up and running.
Select Download Profile from beta.Apple.com/profile via your device's Safari mobile browser, not your computer. It also won't work on Chrome for iOS or any other browser from the App Store. I tried.
You may have to log into your Apple account in order to access this page. You'll know it worked once it asks you to "Choose a Device" in a menu. Select iPhone or iPad. Installing it on Apple Watch does nothing at the moment since there's no WatchOS 2 public beta.
Select "Install" in the top right corner of the iOS 9 beta software profile menu and enter your phone or tablet's passcode. Agree to the consent form you'll never actually read and hit Install.
A restart is required in order to apply the changes, so select "Restart" in order to make that happen. The profile is now installed and you're ready to update to iOS 9.
Download iOS 9 public beta
Once your iPhone or iPad restarts, everything looks the same. That's because you're still running iOS 8.Navigate to the Settings menu, select General, Software Update and you'll see iOS 9 Public Beta 1. Download and install this 1.4 GB file, which thankfully requires less free space than iOS 8's 4 GB.
This prompts you for your passcode once more and asks you to read over Terms and Conditions you'll blindly agree to, anyway.
You may see "Update Requested..." and have to wait several minutes for Apple's servers to deliver the beta firmware update.
In my latest attempt, that took me 6 minutes, while the download over Wi-Fi took 22 minutes (it had said "35 minutes remaining" at first).
Install iOS 9 beta
With the iOS 9 beta downloaded onto your device, you'll see a prompt to install the software update. It'll automatically install in 10 seconds if you don't select "Later" or "Update" first.
It'll read "Verifying update..." and don't be alarmed if it fails. My first four iOS 9 beta install attempts came back with "Unable to Install Update," telling me "An error occurred install iOS 9 Beta 1." Try, try and try again.
After three increasingly nervous attempts at re-hitting "Install Now," the verification finally went through and my iPhone 6 restarted on its own.
The install and restart took a full 19 minutes, leaving me in the all-too-familiar iOS update white screen limbo until it completed.
Setup iOS 9
You're almost there. Continue through the Update Completed menu, log into iCloud with your Apple ID, decide whether or not to share diagnostics with app developers and you're done.
There are many subtle new iOS 9 features that you won't see at first. This isn't a full blown refresh like iOS 7 was, and isn't as feature-rich as iOS 8. It's more about stability this time around.
However, you will notice a big change to the Spotlight Search menu that lies to the left of the home screens, and you can enable new Siri suggestions, nearby attractions and news items.
News is also a new app that needs to be set up, and it works almost exactly like Flipboard. You can select your favorite topics and publications and read news delivered in a stylish format.
You can read all about the new iOS 9 features that are found within this beta or set to arrive in the final version alongside iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.
iOS 9 beta troubleshooting
There are a number of problems you may run into when installing the iOS 9 public beta. I ran into many of them on both the iPhone and iPad.
At first, Apple's servers took forever to deliver the install file. Downloading it on an iPhone during non-peak hours helped alleviate this problem. Failed verifications presented the same issue.
Don't fret if the iOS 9 update takes up to a half hour to install and restart your device. You won't be able to use it at that time. That's all normal, too.
What simply waiting a few minutes can't fix are the inevitable bugs you'll see with the iOS 9 public beta. A few app crashes and design glitches (see the search bar running into the top status bar). But that just defines being an early adopter.
- Here's everything to know about the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus
Read More ...
Hands-on review: iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is the device I thought we'd never see - it's Apple finally taking on the enterprise market, but like with its Macbook range, making normal non-business folk thinking about whether they'd fancy one too.
The reason is simple: this thing has got a massive screen with impressive resolution and a bunch of fancy new tricks that, combined with Apple's iOS abilities, offer a really compelling experience.
The main thing you'll notice about this thing is that it's, well, huge. Really big in the hand, to the point of feeling like you might be able to defend yourself from a particularly vicious knife attack if you're holding it in the right way.
Design
It's a little hefty at over 700g, but that doesn't tell the whole story - this is a tablet with a brilliant screen, powerful speakers and a great accessory ecosystem.
I can't help but feel that Steve Jobs would have had something to say about the Apple Pencil, the new stylus that allows you to annotate and sketch and do all manner of things, but if you saw Adobe laying out magazine pages on the stage with the little white pole you'd understand.
The design of the iPad Pro might sound like it's designed for the enterprise sector, but really it's just a really decent work tool that's fused with a top of the range tablet. Given there's no iPad Air 2 on offer this year, this is the top of the range tablet and as such has to be considered as much a consumer item as anything else.
It was clear that the split screen view in iOS 9 was conceived for the iPad Pro, as there's just so much that you can do with that screen real estate. I get infuriated with companies that show how powerful their tablet is by letting you shrink a movie down to the size of a postage stamp and allow you to do other tasks in the background, but again Apple's done it.
It does show how powerful the tablet is at multitasking, but this isn't a new trick - the Samsung Galaxy S3 could do the same thing in 2012.
The split screen view is good because,well, most of the time it's not proper split screen and that's the right thing to do. This is still a tablet, not a laptop replacement, and as such you don't need a million windows open at any one time. Being able to browse news and still do an Excel document (or something - why you'd need that combination isn't obvious) is good when it's just a column slid in from the right of the screen.
Pencil and Smart Keyboard
The upshot of the iPad Pro is that it's just a fantastically powerful tablet, one that can do pretty much anything offered by app developers at the moment. High resolution graphics, levels of pressure from the Apple pencil... it's all well within its capabilities.
The Apple Pencil is an odd thing to have added in. It's very good at sketching - one of the best I've tried when it comes to handwriting recognition and didn't get confused by my fist rubbing the screen at the same time - but for $99 (around £70) it's an expensive add on to an already expensive tablet.
But the ability to shade, annotate and more is really impressive, and the reaction from the iPad Pro perfect.
The Smart Keyboard is another device that we've been waiting to see from Apple for years now, and it's also a nifty addition. While it's expensive, the keys have a very accurate travel despite feeling rubber clad. You think you've not hit the space bar and a few letter and you check the screen again to see it's all been registered perfectly.
It's very similar to the new Macbook's keyboard, where the travel doesn't feel traditional but still works really well. The magnetic dock works very well as a cover for the massive tablet too, and the Smart Connector could open up some really good possibilities in the aftermarket, as it allows to send power and data magnetically to the device from the cover.
There's no USB-C connector on here, thankfully, with just the normal Lightning connector as expected - and apparently even with the insane amount of pixels in the 12.9-inch Retina display the battery is apparently iPad Air-a-like, which is an impressive feat.
Early verdict
The iPad Pro is a large beast, no doubt about it. But it takes the same stylings that endeared us to the iPad Air and used them to create something that's going to sit astride the two worlds of business and 'sitting on the sofa not watching the TV but dicking about on your tablet'.Will it be the commercial success that other tablets have been? Microsoft's Surface 3 has been something of a revelation for that brand, and Apple will be hoping that a Macbook-esque tablet can do the same. A lot will obviously depend on cost, but given the clever software tweaks and accessories Apple has thrown out here, there's a lot to be intrigued by - whether that will convert to actual sales though remains to be seen.
It's almost a shame that this tablet probably won't get the sales of the iPhone, as it means developers might not rush to develop the software - while Tim Cook was quick to point out the alliance with IBM and Cisco when launching the new iPad Pro, it feels more like a consumer device.
I can see this being the perfect device to leaf through the newspaper or some comics with on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or a great replacement for those that spend hours in bed watching Netflix on a laptop. And it's not even that expensive... which feels like an odd thing to be saying about an Apple product (although you'll need to spend a little bit if you want the Pencil and Smart Keyboard too).
Read More ...
IN DEPTH: Apple iPhone 6S launch - this is what happened
New iPhone 6S, iPad Pro and more
Apple's iPhone 6S event was actually more of an iPad Pro and new Apple TV press conference right up until the very end, giving fans several product refreshes.It feels like CEO Tim Cook announced all but the Apple Car and new Macs. It had everything, else, from new phones, to tablets, to set-top boxes, and you can't forget about iOS software.
Now that the San Francisco keynote has concluded, we look back at the announcements, as they happened in real time, and take solace in knowing many of our predictions were correct.
- Everything you need to know: iPhone 6S | iPhone 6S Plus
- Get the television scoop: the new Apple TV
- Don't forget about: iPad mini 4 and iOS 9
Warrior? Me? Nah.
Oh, we're closing with a band. Who is it? One Republic. I'm leaving.
12.02 - Something little there: the screen will flash when you take a selfie, like a flash to light your face. Literally all of this was bang on the money in the rumors.
I think it's over. Thank God. I'm dying here.
12.00 - You can pre-order from Saturday, but it's coming a bit later this year - September 25 the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus release date.
11.57 - BUT HOW MUCH? AND WHEN? iPhone 6 starts at $199 for 16GB (DAMN, low storage), and up to $399, and iPhone 6S from $299 to $499.
iPhone 5S will come from free, and the iPhone 6 will come from $99, and the iPhone 6 Plus $199.
11.56 - iOS 9 obviously, with faster Wi-Fi and a higher category of LTE as new networks roll out. There's even a new app called 'Move to iOS' that you can download from Play Store to help you switch over. 'It's good to be neighbourly' riffs Phil.
11.53 - If you press the picture it turns into a short video - seems a lot like HTC's Zoe. When you take a photo it'll take some videos either side with sound. 1.5 seconds each side... that's going to ruin the shutter speed.
Not sure this will catch on, but at least they've been optimised so the pictures don't take up a lot of space. You can put them on a Watch too with the new Live Faces.
Facebook will support it in the News Feed too. I think Apple is giving us too much credit here that we can take good photos.
11.52 - 'What if we could do something more with photos'? Live photos - this is some Harry Potter sh*t right here.
11.50 - 5MP Facetime camera on the front for self portraits. Not much to add there. The True tone flash is being re-tooled, so it lights up three times higher - won't that make things a little over-exposed?
11.47 - Looking at some pictures now - a lot of detail and exposure shown off nicely. Even without HDR it works well - and low light / exposure mix is nice.
It's a good sensor, but it's not ground breaking. Apple users won't care - if you're coming from anything below an iPhone 6, this is impressive.
Plus it can now do 4K video for more detail. Won't that fill the phone up quickly though?
11.44 - An all new iSight camera, 12MP as expected. Apple reckons it did it without dropping quality by packing in more pixels - 50% more - an has the same fast autofocus.
I like Schiller. He made a joke about Deep Trench Isolation. He knows that most of us know no idea about this kind of things.
11.43 - Back to chatting about the A9 - M9 coprocessor is built in this time, so it's always on as it's integrated, so you can say 'Hey Siri' whenever the phone is nearby - not just when plugged in.
TouchID is upgraded, so it's twice as fast. The rest of the industry has surpassed it, so that's a good upgrade for Apple fans.
11.39 - Schiller back to talk about the spec: A9 chip, for faster performance with more energy efficiency. 'Optimised for real world use'.
90% better graphics than last year, 80% faster. Standard. Now we're getting ANOTHER demo. This man sounds a bit like John Cleese.
Warhammer 40,000 Freeblade is a very rich, visual game - and it's already using 3D Touch to focus within the game - it's getting used by developers right at the start.
11.36 - If someone sends you a link in a message, then a press on it will show it as a Peek from the app without being forced out to Safari. You can long press on the camera and an option to take a selfie, then use 3D Touch to scroll through them to see what they're like.
You can also use it to swipe across between apps too.
11.34 - Craig Federighi onstage now to show it off. He's just made a joke about the Apple Car. It was hilarious. (A picture of a unicycle, amazing).
11.32 - This is cool, but it's going to be hard to work out at the start. This is what's making it the most advanced iPhone ever, according to Ive.
11.31 - Sensors in the backlight measure the distance between coverglass and light to properly keep measuring your response. The haptic feedback (or Taptic, as it's been called before) gets up to speed so much faster, to let you know what your touch is doing.
11.29 - 3D Touch is coming - sounds like the advanced version of Force Touch. Jony Ive on video again to talk us through it in a slightly bored voice.
Your iPhone can now recognise force, with Peek and Pop gestures. It brings shortcuts to frequent tasks, and lets your preview stuff by long pressing. Sensors in the display work out how hard you're pressing.
11.27 - Confirmed: Rose Gold aluminum finish - its a custom alloy, 7000 series. Stopping it from bending so much obviously. Gold, Space Grey, Silver and Rose Gold. Displays are the same size as before, 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch.
With stronger glass too.
11.26 - New iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. 'The most advanced smartphones in the world'. Phil Schiller is coming back.
11.25 - 'How do you follow a success like this?' IT'S VIDEO TIME!
11.24 - Tim's back to talk iPhone. Hearing how it's doing well in China - iPhone 6 the most popular iPhone ever.
Apple TV
11.21 - You can hand off video to iPhones and iPads so it's seamless - wait, people just cheered that the Siri remote has a volume control.32GB for $149, 64GB for $199 - apps can be created right now, but the new Apple TV will be launching in October. Late October.
11.18 - Now it's Major League Baseball. Chad Evans on stage, he's speaking veryveryfast. Multiple streams available, split screen, highlights. For non sports fans, it shows the hardware is capable of handling multiple streams.
11.16 - This demo is from Gilt. Trying to work out a 'racked with Gilt' joke as people are swiping through clothes on the Apple TV.
11.15 - What if no iPhones were launched today?
11.14 - It's pretty neat, but this would have been amazing a decade ago. It's more a hygiene factor than anything else, but at least the graphic power and latency seems low.
Shopping up next.
11.13 - Beat Sports is the new titles that are designed for Apple TV. This is 100% like a Wii, with the same motion sensitive nature.
'Combines the love of hitting balls with the love of hitting notes'. (snigger).
11.11 - Crossy Road is being shown off. This is just Frogger. You can join in with an iPhone or iPad to play multiplayer - is this the best thing to do to show off Apple TV? If so, it seems basic games are going to be the order of the day.
11.10 - A virtual duck just got killed by an 8-bit train. It was horrid.
11.09 - Apple is bringing loads of new apps and games for the platform - Netflix, Hulu etc as well as things like Guitar Hero and AirBnB.
11.08 - Apps switching seems to be done through Siri, but it's got to be possible through a button combination too. The Apple TV has an iOS-based platform, called tvOS.
WHERE DID THAT NAME COME FROM?
11.06 - Siri can also pop up in the corner and you can ask stuff about sports scores and weather so you can annoy your partner when they're watching something.
11.02 - Siri can work in the show as well, If you missed what someone said you can say 'Siri, what did she say?' And it will skip back a few seconds and throw on subtitles temporarily.
You can perform a search like 'Show me some action movies'. 'Just the James Bond ones'. 'Show me the ones with Sean Connery'. It's very contextual.
11.01 - Apple Music is on there too, and see photos too. Apple's even spent time making high res videos to work as a screensaver.
Wait, that last thing is just a video. Is this a dig at Google Chrome? Bet that's cheaper than this.
10.59 - You can ask things like 'Siri, show me funny comedies'. It seems you'll be able to pull content from all places at once - Netflix, Hulu, Amazon etc. Oh, yep, Eddy just confirmed that. Waiting to hear what services now.
Oh, iTunes, Netflix, HBO, Hulu and Showtime. We're so in sync. 'More services to be announced'.
10.58 - There's a touch surface at the top of the remote, a glass surface and six little buttons to interact with it. This is a lot like Amazon's Fire TV remote.
10.57 - Video time - the remote control looks pretty good. Siri taking over as the way of getting your stuff up - plus it has a motion sensor to work as a games controller.
Eddy Cue is up talk it through.
10.55 - New hardware with a modern OS and a user experience with an App Store and developer tools. Cook says 'this is what it takes'. I reckon he's going to make one.
'We've been working really hard... and really long... at this'. People laughed. Because Apple TV has taken ages to update. HA HA HA HA HA.
10.54 - Apple TV - the vision for TV is ' the future of television is apps.' Cook reckons that transition has begun as we're already spending loads of time on our phones and tablets using Netflix and the like.
iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4
10.52 - The iPad MIni 4 has been soft launched - it's everything that came in the iPad Air 2 pushed into the smaller form factor. Glad Apple didn't make a big deal there. Coming at $399.
10.48 -32GB is $799, 128GB is $949, launched in November, with a 128GB LTE version for over $1079.
The Apple Pencil will cost $99, the Smart Cover Keyboard Thing will be $169.
10.46 - It's pretty neat, showing off the power of the iPad. It does seem like you can do a lot with that extra grunt under the hood.
Schiller wrapping up -12.9-inch Retina display, A9X chip, Four speaker audio, 10 hour battery, 8MP camera.
10.45 - Oh, wait, it's in the app. It's not in real life. I was about to rush the stage and stop this madness.
10.44 - You can take the Apple Pencil and make a precise tear on the meniscus. Sounds a bit violent. You can even create arthritis. WHAT HAS APPLE MADE?
10.42 - Ah man, another demo. 3D 4 Medical is on stage, with Irene Walsh (head of medical) - it's getting tiring seeing what the Pro can do. Come on, it's a big iPad with better speakers, people will buy it. We don't need doctors telling us it's good.
Although... it's amazing seeing how muscles work with the bones...dammit. This really helps people see how injuries work.
10.40 - Adobe Photoshop Fix, launched today, showing how on the iPad Pro facial detection works so you can even alter a model's smile. I can see that going wrong in non-perfect pictures.
Adobe's Sketch is here too - showing how the sensors on the Apple Pencil to use water-paint with pencil drawings, and the dual-screen element of the iPad Pro will allow you to integrate into the first app. The new tools will be shipping in October.
10.39 - Adobe on stage now to talk about how easily you can create wireframes using the Apple Pencil in no time at all. It's pretty amazing actually.
10.38 - Was Kirk from Microsoft wearing an Apple Watch? Well, that won't work with a Lumia...
10.36 - I'd love it if at the end of this presentation Kirk took off his biosuit and it was Tim Cook just shouting 'JK JK JK!'
We're seeing shape recognition in PowerPoint. Yay....
I hope this is the low point of the presentation.
10.35 - Microsoft? Really? There are new pen tools under the ribbon for being able to annotate on the Office app for iPad Pro.
What's nice is we're now getting a little Microsoft ad - talking Excel, Word and the cloud abilities of the company.
10.33 - Showing the apps that can use Apple Pencil now... including pro-create. Lolz. Funny word. We're going to get some developers on the stage now to do some demos.
MICROSOFT IS ON STAGE! Kirk from Microsoft Office is here talking about how it's working with Office for iPad Pro.
10.31 - Apple recreated the touchscreen to make the pencil more accurate. Sensors talk to the screen to make it more accurate... could Apple actually make this work? The video doesn't make it look like it's a real feel under your swipes.
It can charge by plugging into any Lightning port though - precision to 'touch any pixel'.
10.30 - It's called Apple Pencil. Really? REALLY? People actually just laughed. Ha, there's a video with Jony Ive now... this feels like a spoof.
10.29 - The iPad Pro has a stylus!
10.28 - It's connected by a three circle dock connector - it's called 'Smart Connector' from Apple, and carries power and data magnetically. The software will adapt when it knows it's connected. But this thing isn't quite a Surface competitor, as it's not using OS X. But will that matter?
10.26 - It's 6.9mm thin - compared to the 6.1mm of the iPad Air. Showing it compared to the first iPad, it's 1.57lbs (700g) which is only just a little heavier.
And we're getting a smart keyboard - this thing is going to head to head with the Surface Pro, clearly. 'Unlike any keyboard you've used before'.
10.25 - 10 hours of battery life too - 'This thing is crazy fast', says TechRadar Pro's Editor Desire Athow. Fact.
It's even got a four speaker system, and it balances the sound depending on where you're holding it. Three times the audio volume of an iPad Air 2.
10.24 - Twice as fast GPU too - this is going to be one powerful tablet. It's not going to be cheap, I'll tell you that now.
Apparently Schiller says that it's faster than 80% of portable PCs bought in the last year.
10.22 - There are loads of pixels on offer here - there TFT Oxide material for a better picture quality. And it has a variable refresh rate to slow down some parts of the screen to save battery. There's an A9X 64-bit chip. Faster than anything before - 1.8 times faster than iPad Air 2's A8X chip.
10.21 - Full size software keyboard, all the iOS 9 feature were designed with this iPad Pro in mind. Called it.
There's 12.9-inches of screen. Why that size? It's the same width as the height of the iPad Air, so it can run the full Air apps with side by side view.
10.20 - SHAKE IT OFF BEAVIS. Phew. Done. Let's look at this iPad. It's got a massive display. Fact. IT can do thing an notebook can't do - this is clearly a laptop replacement.
10.19 - Most powerful Apple has ever created. Cook is well excited. He's brought Phil Schiller up to talk about it. I just clapped him and I don't know why. There's an energy in here.
10.17 - The biggest news in iPad since the iPad. It's here - the video is loooong. A kid is moving planets. The iPad Pro is confirmed!
10.16 - No time to talk, we're into iPad already and Tim Cook is back on stage. Talking about working in the enterprise, working with Cisco and IBM - Cook is 'surprised' about the things consumers are doing with the iPad. 'How could we take iPad even further?'
Apple Watch
10.15 - More bands coming this fall as well. Different colors. Apple is just hitting its marks now. WatchOS 2 will be released on 16 September.
10.13 - Looks like a Rose Gold and Gold. Yep, Jeff just confirmed it. Both sizes and available at the same price as the rest of the Sport line-up - these are on the anodised aluminium version. More leather bands and a stainless steel base with a (product) RED band too.
10.12 - Wait, I think that's just a strap and a watchface for the Watch. It looks nice. But it's not a new watch. Phew. I need some time to warm up. AH CRAP Apple's been working on new models and bands for the watch.
10.11 - Jeff is back. He's still not comfortable. Wait, Apple is working with a new company on some watches? Hermes? What?
10.09 - Showing now how Apple Watch can monitor baby hearts in pregnant women. If they've got a sensor on their belly and a Watch, the phone can differentiate between Mom and Baby's heartrate. The new mother-to-be can even hear her baby's heart rate on the Watch. I want to be cynical about that, but it seems amazing that we can have that.
10.07 - Got our first demo now - Airstrip, a healthcare app. Dr Cameron Powell in the house to give us the physician's chat. Showing how Airstrip can see important patient info at a glance. Showed off live stats from a patient and the crowd just lost their minds briefly. What happened? Is that a good thing?
10.05 - it seems to be working. He's chilling out and telling us that Facebook Messenger is coming, GoPro, transit directions and even translations from the wrist. Over 10,000 Watch apps already.
10.04 - Jeff Williams is out - here to talk Apple WatchOS 2 - reminding us about the new wallpapers and third party complications. Jeff sounds a little nervous. Let's all send him positive vibes.
10.03 - nothing major so far...just Tim talking about how much people are in love with the Apple Watch. It's cool that people are losing weight with it though - anything that does that is great.
10.02 - There are loads of people here. It's mostly employees - got to be at least 2 or 3 thousand in this space. Cook's just confirmed 'monster' announcements across many product lines. No announcements! Straight into Apple Watch!
10.01 Cook is out! People are excited! Things are happening!
10.00 It's launch time. Zane Lowe just told us it's nearly time for the presentation. Can't get much more official than that.
09.55: It's almost time.
09.40: Rumors are flying around that a 'big name artist' will drop a new album at the event today. Names being thrown at the moment include Drake, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Frank Ocean. Fingers crossed it's not another U2 disaster.
09.30: The holding area isn't exactly glamorous, but I've had a smoothie and two bottles of water. Hydration is key, kids. Spotted: Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Cheeky.
09.15: It's not just the Apple fans who love getting in line early. Turns out some broadcasters have been camped outside the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium since 4am. Safe to say I was soundly asleep in bed.
09.00: One hour to go. If all the rumors turn out to be true this will be a very busy event. iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 6C, iPad Pro, Apple TV 2, iPad mini 4 and more details on iOS 9 and El Capitan. Yikes.
08.50: I'm in, and I'm rocking a fetching shade of pink.
08.45: Can you say iPad Pro? Or Apple TV 2? Or both!?
08.43: Guess where I am.
08.40: Where else is Jony Ive going to land his helicopter? Nobody puts Jony in a taxi.
08.10: Big-Phil is awake and ready to rumble! It was almost all filler, no Schiller for a moment there. *ahem*
08.05: This isn't our first iPhone launch, oh no. We've revisited and rated every iPhone launch to date. How will the iPhone 6S launch compare? Less than two hours until we find out.
07.50: Still no sign of Phil Schiller, hope he's set an alarm. Would be a tad embarrassing to over sleep today.
06:30 PDT: Tim Cook is awake! He's just tweeted for the first time in four days and, shock horror, it's about the iPhone event. It includes a picture of the event hall and the words, "Just a few hours to go here in SF! We can't wait to show you what we've been working on."
04.00 PDT: *Apple Store down klaxon* Shocker: www.apple.com/shop. It does take a while to get all that new iPhone content uploaded.
02.00 PDT: Why wait for Apple? We've predicted the entire iPhone 6S launch right here.
Sept 8: The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is already kitted out in its Apple uniform.
Read More ...
Here are the 8 key moments from Apple's iPhone 6S launch
Apple's shown its hand in more ways than one
Boy, did Apple have plenty to show off today. Both of the new iPhones – the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus – are now out in the open for all to gawk over until they release on September 25.
The completely overhauled Apple TV was unveiled today, too. Tim Cook said on stage that he thinks "the future of the television is apps," and that's what Apple's new set-top box is all about.
And, of course, we can't forget the iPad Pro, Apple's "WTF?" announcement for this year, and a worthy one at that. It's unabashedly a Surface Pro 3 killer, and that shows with a Jobs-defying stylus and a rivaling keyboard cover, the Smart Keyboard.
But we all know the highlights, and I'll get into those momentarily, so what about the less … bombastic takeaways? You know, the things that Apple executives said (or didn't say) in between those sizzle reels.
These are the moments from Apple's September 9 event worth hanging onto just as much as Apple's shiny new pieces of gadgetry.
The almighty iPhone is reborn (again)
"The iPhones that you are about to see are the most advanced iPhones ever," Apple CEO Tim Cook said on stage. "And, in fact, they are the most advanced smartphones in the world."
For the first time since Apple launched the iPhone back in 2007, Apple's hyperbole just might be right. The firm's force-sensitive 3D Touch display technology just introduced smartphones to the right-click that took computing to a whole new level some 40 years ago.
Plus, there's the sharper cameras, 4K video recording, those weird Live Photos that turn stills into GIFs automagically and the newer, stronger 7000 Series aluminum construction. But why go on when all the info is right here?
Apple quietly avoided the battery life question
Sometimes, Apple's events are as much about what is said as what isn't said. The number one offender in this case? Battery life for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus – not a peep was made about how long each of these phones will last.
Surely, I don't have to explain why this is worrisome. Why, of all the cool points to make and iThings to show, was one of the most chief concerns of phone buyers not addressed? (For Pete's sake, even the Siri Remote's 3-month battery life was given mention.)
Is it because Apple simply ran out of time? Doubtful, considering it had time to address everything else regarding its new products. It's more likely that the numbers are less than what Apple would want to publicize in the phones' debut event.
Likely culprits include that Siri in iOS 9 is always listening for "Hey, Siri?" and the new Taptic Engine within the phones. Of course, we'll have to save full judgment there for the full reviews.
Hey, remember when Apple invited Microsoft?
As Apple SVP of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller strapped the audience in for a few demos of its iPad Pro in action, he said, "It would be great to have a developer come and show us what's possible with professional productivity, and who to know better about productivity than Microsoft?"
The words were met with stunned silence, broken only with a nervous "yeah" from Schiller that brought the audience into seemingly awkward laughter and applause as he finished with, "these guys know productivity."
What ensued was a normal, seamless Apple event demo like any other, only what was being demoed was software from one of Apple's fiercest rivals on its flashy new device. It was … weird.
Clearly, the animosity between the two companies has leveled out a bit, but what could it mean for the future? Is this simply Microsoft showing it knows that its best way into the BYOD (bring your own device) movement in enterprise is to join up? Only time will tell that one.
The fabled iPad Pro is fable no more
This thing has been rumored, reported on and leaked since late 2013, so it's about time that Apple came around and made good on the scuttlebutt. As expected, the iPad Pro is a 12.9-inch Apple tablet with a 2,732 x 2,048 resolution and the shiny new A9X processor.
What came as a true surprise was that Apple actually developed a stylus for it, the goofily-named Apple Pencil. (To which Jobs must be turning in his grave right about now.)
Then, if it wasn't clear already that Apple's taken copious notes from Microsoft's trajectory with its Surface Pro line of tablets, the company created the Smart Keyboard. This keyboard cover looks mighty similar to Microsoft's, and it even makes up for the iPad Pro's lack of a kickstand.
We'll see whether Apple's bullish attempt to push Microsoft out of the enterprise, BYOD hardware scene pays off. But probably not before the Redmond, Wash. firm responds in kind – rumor has it Microsoft has a fall hardware event in store.
'The future of television ... is apps'
In an attempt to rile up the audience before he unveiled the new Apple TV, Tim Cook took public issue with a stagnation in innovation he's noticed in the television space for decades. Meanwhile, phones flew past the TV in this regard, namely thanks to Apple's pioneering App Store. And so…
"The future of television is apps," Cook said.
But wait, hasn't that future been happening for the past decade, right under Apple's nose? (In fact, Apple's been right there in the thick of it the whole time.) Almost every major TV network has a set-top box app, not to mention the countless independent streaming apps, like Netflix and Hulu.
The future that Apple SVP of internet software and services Eddy Cue depicted during an exhaustive breakdown certainly looked better, but not at all different from how any cord cutter experiences TV today or has so for the past five years.
Where was Apple's long-rumored, supposedly revolutionary take on live broadcast television? Nowhere to be found. All I'm seeing is a seemingly far better box than any of its rivals, which is nothing to scoff at, but let's not call this "the future." This is the present – a better present, but still just that.
Apple TV has its second coming
As expected by everyone, Apple announced its latest crack at the set-top box, a new Apple TV. This time, the device comes with improved hardware on the inside – namely the iPhone 6's A8 chip and AC Wi-Fi – and outside, with a new Siri Remote with voice control and a touch surface for navigation.
The number one super cool feature? Siri can respond when you say something like, "What did she say?" by rewinding the playback by 15 seconds and briefly activating captions. Brilliant.
But Apple also detailed a new operating system exclusive to its new puck: tvOS. It's based on iOS, with largely all the same protocols and tools, but has been tailored for this new interface and brings the App Store to Apple TV. Developers are already working on the beta version of the software, so the new Apple TV's release in late October.
Apple took a piece of the carriers' pie
Inspired by the countless installment plans – or contract-free leases, really – that carriers have put forth for new phones in the past few years, Apple came up with its very own. It's dead simple, too, something the carriers can't exactly say.
Starting in the US and later expanding worldwide, Apple will allow customers to enter its iPhone Upgrade Program. This allows you to get the latest iPhone every year, unlocked, with the firm's AppleCare+ protection plan starting at $32 per month.
After 12 monthly payments, you'll be eligible to trade in your current iPhone for the latest model right from within an Apple Store. The AppleCare inclusion here is key, as no carrier can currently compete with that. Take that, Uncarrier!
Finally, we plebs get the rose gold Apple Watch
That's about it, really. Apple announced a rose gold version of the aluminum (i.e. remotely affordable) Apple Watch Sport, much to everyone's delight. Now, you don't have to drop 10 grand on a watch in your favorite color – just 350 bucks. Thanks, Papa Apple.
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Early view: iPhone 6S vs iPhone 6: Should I upgrade?
With a stunning design and much-needed improvements to the battery, plus the obligatory power boost, the iPhone 6 was one of the best phones of 2014. It still stands tall now, but it's being replaced by the iPhone 6S, a newer - and in many ways even better - phone.
Yet if you're currently rocking an iPhone 6 you might be wondering whether enough has really changed and improved to justify upgrading to the 6S. After all, it doesn't even have a new number in the name.
The choice is ultimately yours, but to help you decide we've put the two phones head to head so you can see exactly how they compare.
Design
Aesthetically, you're not going to miss much by sticking with the iPhone 6. That's not to say the iPhone 6S isn't a good looking phone - it is, in fact it's gorgeous - but it also looks almost identical to iPhone 6.They both have a slim metal unibody with curved edges, but there is a slight difference in dimensions and weight, with the iPhone 6S coming in at 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm and 143g, while the iPhone 6 is slightly slimmer and lighter at 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm and 129g.
The iPhone 6S is also stronger, as it uses a 7000 Series aluminium alloy, which should help avoid a repeat of BendGate.
Both phones come in space grey and silver, but Apple has added gold and rose gold options into the mix with the iPhone 6S, so if one of those is your shade of choice you're out of luck with last year's model.
Display
Both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6S have 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 screens, but Apple claims it's used the strongest glass in the industry for the iPhone 6S. We still wouldn't drop it though.
The other big improvement is 3D Touch. This is an advanced version of the Force Touch feature from the Apple Watch and allows the screen to respond differently to different levels of pressure. So in some instances a light tap on something will let you 'peek' into it, while a harder push will 'pop' it open. In other instances a harder push will bring up a selection of alternate interactions.
While the 6S has a number of improvements the iPhone 6 still has a brilliant screen, with superb contrast and great colour reproduction, so if you're looking at your iPhone 6 and not seeing a need for pressure-sensitive features then you can scratch off display as a reason to upgrade.
Power and performance
One thing the iPhone 6S does benefit from is a significant performance boost. It has an Apple A9 processor, while the iPhone 6 has an A8 chip. That A9 processor is 70% faster at CPU tasks and 90% faster at graphics than the A8.In use the iPhone 6 doesn't feel lacking in power, but you'll certainly be more future-proofed if you swap it for an iPhone 6S.
Camera
With the iPhone 6S Apple has boosted the megapixel count of its camera for the first time since the iPhone 4S. This year you can look forward to a 12MP snapper on the back and a 5MP one on the front, up from 8MP and 1.2MP for the front and rear cameras of the iPhone 6.
It also adds support for 4K video, animated live photos and a new Retina Flash for the front-facing camera, which lights the screen up three times brighter than it can normally go.
We'll let you know in our review exactly how much difference all this has made but we're optimistic that the iPhone 6S could have one of the best smartphone snappers around.
Battery
Apple reckons the juice pack in the iPhone 6S should last for up to 14 hours of talk time or 11 hours of video, which are exactly the same stats as the iPhone 6.As with the camera we'll let you know exactly how that pans out in our review but the iPhone 6 has reasonable battery life, though it's still a phone you'll likely be charging every night, so it would be nice if the iPhone 6S could break that cycle.
Price and availability
The iPhone 6 has been out for a year, so it's readily available from numerous stores including Apple's own shops and website, where it's dropped to £459 / $549 / AU$929.
The iPhone 6S on the other hand will open for pre-orders on September 12 before hitting stores on September 25. It's also rather more expensive at £539 / $649 / AU$1,079.
Verdict
Despite only being an 'S' model the iPhone 6S is a substantial improvement on the iPhone 6. It has more power, an upgraded camera, a stronger build and new features.But it's also more expensive, and while the camera and processor have both been improved they didn't feel particularly lacking on the iPhone 6. So should you upgrade? If you have an iPhone 6 then probably not. You'll get much greater returns if you wait one more year for the iPhone 7.
Having said that the iPhone 6S is clearly a fantastic phone, so buying it wouldn't be the worst decision you've ever made, and if you're using anything older than the iPhone 6 then an upgrade could be well worth it, as the iPhone 6 was a major change for Apple - and the iPhone 6S seemingly comes close to perfecting it.
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Where'd all the gold iPhones go?
Apple is a master at making changes with one hand while the other is holding up its latest and greatest device.
That's exactly what happened today during the company's iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus launch: in came the new phones, out went the gold color option for its older devices on Apple's online store.
A trip to the US, UK and Australia Apple websitess iPhone compare pages shows that now the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 5S are only available in silver and space gray. The new 6S and 6S Plus, meanwhile, are bedazzled in gold and all-new rose gold alongside the more muted shades.
Apple confirmed it's discontinued the gold option for older iPhones to The Verge, though carriers and retailers may still carry the gilded hue.
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Opinion: Plus one? Why I'm going to move to the iPhone 6S Plus
Opinion by global Editor-in-Chief Patrick Goss
There's a couple of things that I look for in a phone: I like battery life that doesn't leave me scrabbling for a cable 20 minutes into a train journey and that it's just really, really good at everything else.
Not a lot to ask, eh? My current phone - the now venerable and archaic iPhone 6 - ticks at least half of those boxes. And I love it for every one of those 19 minutes in carriage D.
I thought long and hard about whether to go for a 6 or a 6 Plus the last time around - weighing things up literally and figuratively before plumping for the sleeker, lighter and more pocket friendly option.
Frankly, I've regretted it ever since. So this time around I'm going to plump for the Apple iPhone 6S Plus.
Assault on Battery
Obviously one of the key factors is the battery - even with a bigger screen it's been pretty clear to anyone with an Apple-toting phab-friend that their phone lasts longer with similar use.
That would be less of a big deal with some phones, but with Apple devices the battery is definitely one of the primary causes of complaint. Bendgate might have caught the early headlines, but I've used mine for a year and can still use it as a ruler but still find it infuriating that I have to regularly tinker with the screen brightness to coax my phone through till early afternoon.
I'm not suggesting that the iPhone 6S Plus will be the doyenne of long battery life - it is after all an Apple product - merely that it manages to last longer and continue to do all the things that an iPhone does well.
The other big reason for an update this time around is that I like a proper change, and a new form factor is definitely one way to keep yourself a little bit excited about a change.
Mini to Maxi
Going from a 6 to a 6S would feel a bit like changing your car from a Mini to a slightly faster Mini, it's a bit faster and has a few more bells and whistles but it's not exactly going to brighten your world for long.Then there's image stabilization - it actually made a big difference in the last generation, and although it doesn't amount to a hill of beans, it is a factor for those of us who have all-but abandoned actual cameras.
I completely understand why people are annoyed that phones are become bigger and more cumbersome, but honestly I've never been especially annoyed by a phone taking up pocket space.
In actual fact, since phones became thinner, having a modern phablet in your jeans is probably more comfortable than one of the old candybar phones.
All this distance into the argument and I've not even mentioned the mammoth in the room, that big glorious screen.
Yep, from my Fallout Shelter addiction right the way through to watching Amazon Prime offline and simply having a more comfortable reading experience, that screen is a step up from what I'm used to.
It's more expensive, of course, but I'm okay with that, because on this occasion bigger is definitely better and I'm prepared to pay the extra to have a little Plus side rather than the iPhone 6S.
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5 reasons Surface Pro is a better tablet for businesses than iPad Pro
Introduction
After much hype, speculation and plenty of anticipation, Apple finally announced the iPad Pro. Yet, despite all of the slate's pro features, and the slew of software and accessories that were highlighted during the keynote, the iPad Pro fails to live up to its Pro moniker.
Instead, the tablet appears to be a super-sized and super-charged iPad Air that Apple is pushing into the enterprise. What Apple should have done is start from the ground up with an OS X-powered tablet that addresses the needs of mobile professionals, creative digital artists and power users everywhere.
As it stands, the iOS 9-powered iPad Pro lacks a truly powerful multitasking interface, requires users to create a new workflow, lacks ports for expansion, doesn't support mouse-based input and is an expensive additive to your existing laptop or desktop rather than a suitable PC replacement. Many of these concerns could have been addressed had Apple chosen to release a pro version of the iPad Pro with OS X instead.
- Read our editorial to see how the Surface Pro 3 stacks up against the iPad Pro
1. Small fish competing against bigger fishes
An OS X-powered tablet is the stuff that unicorn dreams are made of, and despite years of endless hoping, Apple still has not delivered on this front. The lack of a high-powered, performance-packed slate opened the doors for Axiotron to retrofit existing Apple notebooks into tablets called the Modbook, but those devices are generally power-hungry and bulky.
With Intel's announcement of the sixth generation Skylake processor, Apple could have easily used a Core M processor and loaded a pro-targeted slate with OS X Yosemite. Apple has shown that it can use Intel's Core M chip in a thin, fanless design with the 2015 MacBook, a laptop that weighs just 2.03 pounds (0.92kg). The iPad Pro's 12.9-inch form factor weighs 1.57 pounds (0.71kg), a number that is obtainable if Apple sheds the keyboard portion of the MacBook.
A pro iPad Pro with OS X and an Intel Core M processor could deliver similar performance numbers as the A9X processor on the iPad Pro. Apple says that its processor delivers 80% of the processing power and up to 90% of the graphics power of today's PCs, and Intel claims that its newest Core M chips can deliver twice the computing performance of today's tablets, 80% of the power of discrete GPUs and a similar 10-hour long battery life. Even though the iPad Pro has a pixel-packed display, Skylake can drive up to three 4K displays simultaneously, each at 60 frames per second.
As it's priced, the iPad Pro starts at the same price as the Surface Pro 3 ($799, £510, AU$1,141), which comes with more storage to start, a more powerful processor and more expandability. Add in the Apple Pencil $99 (£64, AU$141) and the keyboard cover ($169, £110, AU$240) and the total cost of ownership (TCO) rises quickly, but the iPad Pro can't do everything that a laptop or Surface Pro can do.
Going with a Core M architecture would allow Apple to use OS X instead of iOS 9, and this opens the doors up to more robust computing gains.
2. A mouse trap
If the iPad Pro is the future of convertible computing, allowing users to switch between laptop and tablet form factors, then did Apple just kill the mouse?
The iPad Pro comes with better software keyboard support and has an optional keyboard cover. However, Apple made no mention of mouse support. In fact, the Apple-branded folio keyboard shown comes with a standard key arrangement, similar to third-party offerings available for the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 from partners like Zagg and Logitech, but no trackpad.
The irony here is that even the iPhone 6S comes with mouse-like support. The 3D Touch display on the smartphone brings controls that are similar to right-clicking on a desktop, but this display was not mentioned for the iPad Pro.
Without proper mouse support, users would have to reach out and touch the display, even while in laptop mode, or poke at the display with their pens. This makes it less ergonomic and more imprecise than having a mouse cursor. And without 3D Touch, you don't have additional menu commands that a right-click would bring.
3. Re-learning the basics
To highlight the productivity potential of the iPad Pro, Apple brought partner Adobe on stage to demonstrate new software that's designed specifically for iPad. The software demo is impressive, showing how you can touch up a photo, create a magazine layout and draw digital sketches.
Adobe Com is a simple design tool that allows users to layout a design for a magazine. By drawing simple shapes, users add placeholders for the various content, and then the copy and style can be edited and applied later. Adobe showed that you can multitask and send an image from Com to Adobe Photoshop Fix for retouching. Once the retouching is finished, it is sent back to Com. Artists can also add sketches and drawing from Adobe Sketch.
While these apps are powerful in their own right, creative professionals who work on the desktop are probably more familiar with Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, all sorely lacking on the iPad Pro. These software packages are available on desktop OSes, like OS X and Windows, and are available natively on the Surface Pro 3.
On the iPad, you'll need to readjust your workflow by finding comparable alternatives and suitable replacements to the familiar experiences you've grown accustomed to on your desktop or laptop.
4. A tablet that wants to grow up
If you buy an iPad Pro, you're trapped. Even though it has a powerful A9X brain to deliver faster compute and graphics capabilities, it doesn't address the needs of real-world computing. Without support for legacy ports, the iPad Pro's potential in the enterprise space is severely limited, unless IT administrators fully commit to Apple's ecosystem.
The iPad Pro lacks a USB port, which means you can't readily backup, transfer or share data via a USB flash drive. It also lacks a native DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort or HDMI port for video output, meaning you'll need an Apple TV and Wi-Fi to mirror your tablet's screen to a larger display to give presentations. And without a proper video output port, it also means you can't use it as a desktop replacement by connecting an even larger monitor to your tablet.
These are all basic capabilities that Microsoft has built into the Surface Pro 3.
Beyond just legacy connectivity, Apple didn't address enterprise security needs beyond the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, such as support for Smart Card readers or TPM.
The good news is that there is a POGO port built into the side of the iPad Pro to connect the keyboard folio. Apple revealed that the POGO port can accommodate power and data transfer, so likely we'll see some limited expansion capabilities, like a battery-powered cover. However, lacking a true file system, don't expect to plug in a USB flash drive or external hard drive.
5. Learning how to juggle
As part of my workflow, I have multiple browser windows, each with multiple tabs, and multiple apps open in cascading windows spread across my display. I use a laptop with a 12.5-inch screen, so my screen size is roughly comparable to the 12.9-inch display on the iPad Pro.
This isn't possible on the iPad Pro. Multitasking on iOS 9 would only allow me to open two windows side-by-side.
On the other hand, if Apple used OS X on the iPad Pro, I would be able to bring desktop-class multitasking to a tablet form factor. Because Apple is pitching the iPad Pro as a laptop alternative or replacement with the optional folio keyboard, it seems that that iOS 9's limitations cripple the productivity potential of the iPad Pro in its current state.
Microsoft delivers much better multitasking thanks to the new snap feature of Windows 10. With Windows 10, you can have a cluttered array of cascading windows, you can snap up to four windows together or you can have multiple desktops to help you keep focus. In this respect, the Surface Pro 3 still reigns king in productivity.
Lacking these capabilities, Apple's iPad Pro can't come close to being a tablet that can replace your old iPad, MacBook and iMac. On the other hand, Microsoft has built its Surface Pro franchise on this very capability. The Surface Pro, and similar Windows tablets, can replace a laptop with a keyboard dock, and if you add a desktop dock you can also replace your desktop.
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Updated: iPad mini 4 release date, news and features
iPad mini 4 release date, news and features
Given only the briefest of mentions during Apple's launch event extravaganza, the iPad mini 4 has been officially launched - although the Cupertino firm failed to tell us anything about it during its two hour presentation.That's probably because it wanted to avoid the awkward conversation about it replacing the poorly received iPad mini 3 from last year.
The iPad mini 3 failed to build on the iPad mini 2 in any significant way, resulting in it gaining quite a bit of stick.
A quick look at the spec sheet for the iPad mini 4 and it's clear this is the tablet Apple should have labeled the iPad mini 3. Anyway, it's here now - so what's changed?
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The replacement to the iPad mini 3
- When's it out? Right now!
- What will it cost? Starts at $399, £319, AU$569
iPad mini 4 release date and price
You can go and buy an iPad mini 4 right now from Apple's website, with the tablet going on sale a matter of hours after it was announced.There's the choice of 16GB, 64GB and 128GB of storage, and the Wi-Fi only prices are $399 (£319, AU$569), $499 (£399, AU$699) and $599 (£479, AU$829) respectively.
If you want 4G connectivity in your iPad mini 4 then you'll have to stump up $529 (£419, AU$729), $629 (£499, AU$859) and $729 (£579, AU$989) for the respective storage volumes.
iPad mini 4 design
One of the major changes with the iPad mini 3 over the mini 3 is its design. It may look the same, but it's been slimmed down from 7.5mm to a wafer thin 6.1mmApple has also managed to shave up a chunk of weight too, with the Wi-Fi only model tipping the scales at 298.8g (0.65lb) and the 4G enabled version coming in at 304g.
Interestingly the iPad mini 3 is a touch taller at 203.2mm, but the width remains the same at 134.8mm.
Touch ID remains, and it's a feature the iPad mini 4 can boast over the iPad mini 2 which is still on sale.
iPad mini 4 display
There's not too much to shout about in the display department. The 7.9-inch, 2048 x 1536, 326ppi panel remains, providing you with a bright and vibrant viewing experience.The screen on the iPad mini 4 is also fully laminated and sports an antireflective coating, giving it an additional level of class - similar to that of the iPad Air 2.
iPad mini 4 power
There's good news in the power department, even if the iPad mini 4 isn't packing the A9X chip from the iPad Pro or the A9 processor from the iPhone 6S.What you do get is the A8 processor and M8 motion coprocessor - which is a nice step up from the A7/M7 offering in its predecessor.
That means more power and better power efficiency, both of which are music to our ears.
iPad mini 4 cameras and battery
Round the back of the iPad mini 4 you get an 8MP iSight camera, up from 5MP on the mini 3, while round the front you'll find the same 1.2MP FaceTime snapper.Battery life is also quoted as the same, with Apple claiming you'll get 10 hours of web surfing over Wi-Fi from the iPad mini 4.
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Updated: iPhone 6S release date, news and features
iPhone 6S release date, concept and design
iPhone 6S is how Apple intends to spell success as of today, even though the phone's design doesn't look all that different and it isn't really called the iPhone 7 after all.With the new iPhone, it's what's on the inside that counts, as teacher resembling Apple CEO Tim Cook may have once told you. The same applies to the updated iPhone 6S Plus, too.
The big iPhone 6S news is that you're in for a signficant specs upgrade, with a faster performing phone, a 3D Touch screen and a much better camera.
Is there enough here for an upgrade? Let's break down all of the details, from the iPhone 6S release date and price to the design, camera and battery life.
iPhone 6S release date
Apple's press conference at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco acts as the new iPhone launch date, but it isn't on sale just yet.
The actual iPhone 6S release date is Friday, September 25 in a dozen countries, including the US, UK and Australia. You can order it before then, however, starting Saturday, September 12.
Apple isn't banning lines in front of its stores for the iPhone 6S release date like it did for Apple Watch, but pre-orders are strongly encouraged. Walk-ins may be disappointed on day one.
iPhone 6S price
Apple answered all of the new iPhone rumors today, including the all-important question: how much is iPhone 6S?"Any iPhone you want is pretty affordable," according to Apple, which of course means it's going to be just as expensive. I mean, Apple never ever uses soft descriptors like "pretty." It's more into "definitely" and "unquestionably."
The iPhone 6S price is $649 in the US, £539 in the UK and AU$1,079 in Australia. That's the same price as last year's iPhone 6. It'll be $199 in the US on a two-year contract.
That's for the entry-level configuration, which again starts at a paltry 16GB. The iPhone 6S in a more accommodating 64GB is $749 (£619, AU$1,229) and 128GB is $849, £699 and AU$1,379.
That's not a price change, but a revision is being made to the way US consumers go about buying the new iPhone. Instead of "starting at $199," it'll cost around $22 to $30 a month from most carriers. Apple had to pivot to also mention this monthly device payment plans are being offered by Verizon, AT&T, Sprint T-Mobile and others.
It also mentioned that it's devising its own "upgrade every year" policy through the Apple Store. It's officially called the "iPhone Upgrade Program" and includes Apple Care+ staring at $32 a month in the US.
iPhone 6S: it won't bend
Apple attacked last year's iPhone 6 Bendgate problems today head on, almost exactly like it addressed iPhone 4 AntennaGate flaws when the iPhone 4S was announced.
iPhone 6S features more durability thanks to less pliable 7000-series aluminum. Apple didn't go into the science of it, but it likely has corrosion-prone zinc compounds and a thicker anodization coating prevents said corrosion.
Your ultra-thin phone may be safe in your back pocket again, although I still wouldn't suggest that without an iPhone 6S case.
iPhone 6S rose gold color and dimensions
There's a new rose gold color with the new iPhone 6S. This reflects the pinkish gold color of the Apple Watch that released earlier this year.
It's hard to tell with the naked eye, but the dimensions are bigger by a few millimeters. It's 0.2mm thicker and 0.1mm wider and 0.2mm taller. There's still an iPhone 6S camera bump, I'm afraid.
3D Touch
The next-generation of multi-touch is here, and it's indeed called 3D Touch, confirming all of the rumors in the lead up to today's Apple live event.Apple executive Craig Federighi gave the first live demo of 3D Touch, and it works a lot like Force Touch on the Apple Watch or new MacBook trackpad.
It uses a lot of pop-up windows and translucent backgrounds after you apply a little bit of pressure on the screen to, say, open an email. You never really need to navigate away from the inbox to read and even reply to emails.
"Take action on apps without even having to open them," explained Federighi. From the home screen, he was able to make calls to recent contacts and take "emergency selfies" right from the front facing camera, all without opening the usual app menus.
3D Touch is also going to change playing games on iPhone 6S, with new developers taking advantage of the new multitouch technology in their interactive apps.
New iPhone 6S camera
At long last, there's going to be a much-improved iPhone 6S, and Apple showed off the accurate skin tones and incredible depth of field possible. This is thanks to photos taken with the new 12MP camera sensor.
Everything from close-up macro shots with high levels of detail to sweeping panoramic photos without visible stitching lines could rival the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5.
Videos are now shots in 4K, with 8 million pixels on the rear camera. The front-facing camera will now be 5MP, and a TrueTone flash is simulated thanks to the Retina display that lights up three times brighter than normal to light for darkened scenes.
Finally, Apple said it invented "Live Photos," with short bursts of moving pictures and sounds using the iSight camera. It says it won't take up too much space on your space-limited 16GB new iPhone.
Faster than ever
Apple claims that Wi-Fi is twice as fast when using the new iPhone 6S. That means the slowdown on your phone's connection at home and at work can properly be blamed on your ISP.
More importantly, the iPhone 6S specs include the all-new A9 processor with with embedded M8 motion coprocessor. It's not as speedy as the iPad Pro A9X chip, but it'll be plenty fast for a new phone.
Apple didn't announce whether or not the iPhone 6S includes 2GB of RAM, but that's been the widely reported speculation. We'll have to see the full specs list or tear into the phone on September 25 to find out.
Previous iPhone 6S rumors we wish were true
Apple's iPhone 6S announcement is happening right now. Apple just announced the iPad Pro, and we'll be live at the event to bring you all the latest on the new iPhone. You can follow the action with our Apple iPhone launch liveblog.
Wondering
what's going to happen with the iPhone 7 this year? Bad news: it's
going to be the iPhone 6S, in all likelihood. Good news: it's going to
be announced today, September 9.We're also expecting a larger model to arrive too, which would take over from the iPhone 6 Plus, and it'll probably be imaginatively named the iPhone 6S Plus.
And if that wasn't enough, Apple is also rumoured to be launching the iPhone 6C alongside the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and its iOS 9 software as well.
Here's the inside skinny: it looks like the iPhone 6S will look very similar to the current iPhone 6, but will have fancy new features like Force Touch (enabling new ways of interacting with the phone) and a longer lasting battery.
But there's already a whole heap of other rumors swirling round about the next iPhone, so we've gathered them all together and split them up into handy bit sized chunks for your enjoyment. Go on, tuck in.
Latest update: Siri is tipped to get some new smarts, including the ability to be always listening out for your voice. Creepy.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Apple's next flagship iPhone
- When will it be announced? Wednesday, September 9 in San Francisco
- When is it out? Rumors point to a Friday, September 18 release date
- What will it cost? A lot, at least £539 / $649 / AU$999
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 release date
Apple has confirmed the likely iPhone 6S announcement for September 9. That's a Wednesday (today, in fact!) this time, when traditionally the iPhone is announced on a Tuesday.The invite we were sent for the event came with a vibrant Apple logo design with the words "Hey Siri, give us a hint."
The latest leaks from two major German carriers have reported that it will go on sale on September 18, which makes sense, as the second Friday after the announcement is when Apple tends to start selling its phones.
An earlier leaked Vodafone email also claimed the iPhone 6S will be arriving in September. However, it states that it will be later in the month on September 25.
The new phones are already floating around though - web traffic at mobile marketing firm Fiksu has shown the 'iPhone 8,1' and 'iPhone 8,2' are accessing the servers. The iPhone 6 Plus is known as the iPhone 7,1 and the iPhone 6 as the iPhone 7,2, so it seems successors do exist and have been in heavy testing.
Apple already started ordering camera sensors from Sony for the iPhone 6C, according to GSM Dome, which follows news that Samsung is reportedly busy producing the A9 processor expected to be included in the iPhone 6S. So all of the iPhone 6S/7 models seem well on target for the September launch.
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 design
The front panel for the iPhone 6S has supposedly been snapped coming off the production line in China and it looks much the same as that on the iPhone 6. It's not a big surprise: we never expect big design changes on the S models of the iPhone.This follows the first photos of what might be the iPhone 6S, or at least of its case, leaked a little while back which again suggest it will look identical to the iPhone 6.
Want more leaked shots? Well you've got it, as further images have sneaked online claiming to show parts for the iPhone 6S hot off the production line - and yet again it all looks very familiar.
A video, allegedly of the same device, has surfaced - which sadly means the iPhone 6S will, as predicted, look identical to the iPhone 6 but with fancier innards.
However while it might have the same dimensions, a patent suggests there's a possibility that it could lose those plastic strips we know and hate. A Liquidmetal body is once again a possibility too, as Apple has extended its exclusivity deal with the maker.
On the other hand we're also hearing rumours the iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 might feature the lightweight and strong Series 7000 aluminium alloy it uses on the Apple Watch Sport.
A recent bend test video shows an alleged zinc-infused and anodization coated iPhone 6S shell to be almost 2.7 times as before. You may be safe to stick the new iPhone in your back pocket again.
A set of schematics have also emerged which again claim that the iPhone 6S is set to be 0.2mm thicker than the iPhone 6, but will otherwise look pretty much the same as last year's handset.
The extra depth could be due to Apple including Force Touch technology behind the screen. Plus there's even more evidence it's going to be a bit thicker than the iPhone 6. Leaked schematics of the iPhone 6S placeholder show it'll now be 7.1mm and were spotted to be on the Apple Store.
It could be getting a new colour scheme as well, as the gold version will apparently be more yellow than it is on the iPhone 6, the space grey version may be getting darker and a rose gold version is said to be on the cards, as well as a pink model.
However new rumours suggest that the touted pink and rose gold models will be one and the same, with the confusion arising from how similar the colours are. Either way, it looks like new iPhone colors are on the way.
A new image has also made its way onto the internet that claim to shows promotional material showing off an iPhone 6S with a distinctly Apple Watch-esque Rose Gold colour.
But enough about what the iPhone 6S will look like on the outside, what about the inside? If you're keen to take a peek under the bonnet of the upcoming iPhone, MacRumours has released a video claiming to show an opened iPhone 6S and its exposed hardware.
Force Touch
The biggest change to the new iPhone 6S will be the screen - the same Force Touch technology that sits inside the Apple Watch and the new Macbook will very likely be used in the latest version of Apple's handset.How will it work? Think how a longpress works now, and you'll get some idea. One of the big ideas being touted around (originating from Marc Gurman of 9to5Mac) is that for Apple Maps: press lightly to highlight a place, then press harder to start directions there.
Extend that out and you'll see how this could be used throughout the phone: press the screen to scroll through video, press harder to skip through faster (rather than lifting your finger uncomfortably up the screen).
Other suggestions include 'hard' pressing a track to offer options to add it to a playlist, or doing the same on a link in Safari to see a web page preview.
The 'exciting' thing about this new addition is that the Force Touch used on the new iPhone (which might not even be called Force Touch, but a new moniker for the tech) will have more levels of pressure - three, rather than two.
It could even have more, depending on the level of sensitivity Apple can grant the iPhone 6S' screen - but the ways its used are going to be more interesting.
iPhone 7 concept
Here at TechRadar, we're a pretty giving bunch, so we've done Tim Cook's crew a favour and shown them how the iPhone 7 should look.Well, given it's nailed on to actually be the iPhone 6S this year, we've taken the view of improving what's already there, rather than giving it the complete overhaul we're going to see in 2016.
The big changes are quite simple: there are two cameras on the back, not for 3D pictures, but to have the ultimate HDR mode with hyper-clear sharpness.
The sides of the phone have been used to allow for stereo speakers - holding the phone in landscape mode for watching movies will leave them unencumbered for brilliant, bass-filled sound. There's also a touch sensitive panel for the volume, rather than having to mess around finding buttons - a simple slide up and down the side will save your ears.
The home button is the biggest loss, with touchID moving to the screen rather than a dedicated button. This means more space for screen real estate, with the much-needed 1080p resolution finally arriving.
Actually, that's not the biggest change: you'll note there's no headphone jack any more. This seems likely for all Apple smartphones in the future as the company aims for thinner phones, shoving the audio out of the Lightning port or over Bluetooth.
The main problem we can see is this: all this stuff will munch that battery right down, already a slight problem for the Cupertino brand. Hey, we can't solve everything...
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 screen
The iPhone 6S will very likely remain at 4.7 inches, with a 5.5-inch iPhone 6S Plus option too and possibly even a 4.0-inch iPhone 6C model.As well as being available in a smaller size, the screen might get tougher, as rumours suggest that Apple has teamed with Foxconn to produce sapphire displays for the iPhone 6S.
Such screens were rumoured for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but production difficulties seemingly got in the way. Hopefully this time we actually will get them as it would bring better scratch protection and higher visibility to the screen.
The iPhone 6S could some cool innovative features if rumours are to be believed, and the big one is Force Touch. This is something we've seen on the Apple Watch and it allows the display to differentiate between different strength presses, responding in different ways.
According to Bloomberg a Force Touch iPhone 6S is already in production, while sources speaking to Apple Insider and echoed by The Wall Street Journal and China Times have previously talked about it, so it seems likely that the feature will make it across to the iPhone 6S (or possibly just the iPhone 6S Plus).
Meanwhile recent rumours suggest that while Force Touch will be present in the iPhone 6S, it won't be called Force Touch by Apple.
The same rumours also claim that Apple won't be using the ultra scratch-resistant Sapphire Glass for the iPhone 6S' screen, and will instead stick to standard ionized glass.
Sources spoke to Chinese site Feng and revealed the iPhone 6S is set to get a 1080p display whilst the iPhone 6S Plus will jump up to 2K. We'll bet the house that there won't be a 2K iPhone this year - but 1080p on the iPhone 6S could, COULD happen.
But be prepared to be disappointed there...
The rivals
As the only flagship iOS device the iPhone 6S will be in the fortunate position of not having any direct rivals. But look towards Android and it could have quite a lot of competition. The HTC One M9, LG G4, Sony Xperia Z3+ and Samsung Galaxy S6 are high end alternatives and are likely to have dropped in price considerably by the time the iPhone 6S launches.
Both also sport a premium design, making them every bit as aesthetically pleasing as the iPhone 6. Speaking of the iPhone 6, that too could be a rival, since the iPhone 6S will probably have the same look and may not have many new features.
Samsung is bound to have another Note up its sleeve, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 likely to be a serious iPhone 6S Plus rival.
iPhone 6S / 7 camera, battery, power and OS
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 battery and camera
Someone who claims to work for Foxconn has revealed that the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will have 12MP rear cameras and support 4K video, as well as 240fps slow-motion footage.The front-facing cameras will apparently be 5MP and could also benefit from a flash, 1080p video, slow motion video and a panorama mode if hints found in the iOS 9 code are to be believed.
Yet more rumours have since emerged that also claim the iPhone 6S will have a 12 megapixel camera, an improved image processor and will be capable of shooting 4K video.
We've heard rumors of that 12MP boost before too and Apple has acquired a company which creates smartphone cameras designed to match DSLR quality, so we could also see a big jump in image quality on the iPhone 6S.
That lines up with earlier reports from Daring Fireball's John Gruber, who said the iPhone 6S will have "the biggest camera jump ever", featuring a two-lens system which apparently brings it up to DSLR quality.
There's even an outside chance that the camera might include a lens swap feature, making it even more like a DSLR, as back in early 2014 an Apple patent for swappable lenses was uncovered.
But don't hold your breath for these features, as the original two-lens rumour has had doubt cast on it by a separate source, claiming that it won't happen as it would apparently require a radical redesign of the chassis - something we're not likely to see until the following year.
The battery may be in for a boost though, as Apple is seemingly going on a hiring spree for battery-related positions.
How powerful will it be?
A leaked benchmark purports to show the iPhone 7's A9 chip in action and has it beating out the A8 by 20%-30% in both single and multi-core performance, as well as topping the Samsung Exynos 7420 for single-core, but losing out when all cores are fired.We're hearing again that Samsung is in the frame to build the chip, which will apparently be 15% smaller, 20% more powerful and 35% more power efficient than the Apple A8 processor found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
It will also be better to flick around, thanks to the mooted upgrade in the specs - 2GB of RAM would certainly soup up an already zippy phone and it's an upgrade which has now been rumoured a second time and a third time, so it might well happen. That said, the obvious worry is whether developers hoovering up that extra power will cause Apple to return to its usual battery woes.
Apparently the iPhone 7 could have a new Qualcomm made LTE chip, which would both double its 4G speeds and lead to longer battery life, as the chip is more efficient than the one found in the iPhone 6.
Recently China Mobile revealed its plans for a new LTE-Advanced network, which will allow Cat 6-enabled products to use super-fast LTE-A mobile internet, and Apple was mentioned as part of the announcement.
Although Apple has not spoken about its LTE-A Cat 6 ambitions, the inclusion of its logo by China Mobile could have been an accidental reveal of Apple's plans for the iPhone 6S.
The iPhone 6S will clearly ship with iOS 9 and we know all about Apple's upcoming software now too. Expect improvements to Siri and Apple Maps, a new keyboard and battery life extending smarts among other things.
Some new research has also been published that found a lot of iPhone fitness apps are, well... rubbish. We've got our fingers crossed that the iPhone 6S and iOS 9 will give us some new options to make those apps better.
Siri could be set to be given another boost too, with reports suggesting the personal assistant will be always listening for your voice - with a quick "Hey Siri" waking it from its slumber. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus already have this feature while on charge, so it makes sense for Apple to make it always-on.
Anything else I should care about?
According to patents, we theoretically could see Apple ditch the home button, with new technology allowing the Touch ID fingerprint scanner to be integrated into the screen - but recent leaks (and common sense) says that's not going to happen.Then there's the Apple SIM, which first appeared in the iPad Air 2 and allows users to switch network without changing their SIM card. Network freedom would be great, but we're not convinced that carriers will support it.
Also we recommend keeping an eye out for fake iPhone 6S deals. Apparently a lot of people have been fooled into thinking you can pick up the iPhone 6S for as little as £1.
Apple iPhone 6C
Along with the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus there's talk that we might see an iPhone 6C. This is expected to be a comparatively budget plastic handset, much like the iPhone 5C was.It looks like the iPhone 6C will be launching at the same event as some sources are citing it'll be available concurrently with the two larger phones.
However the iPhone 6C could prove more popular as it's expected to have a 4.0-inch screen, making it not just cheaper but also smaller than this year's other iPhones.
We may already have caught a glimpse of the iPhone 6C in red and while its existence still isn't confirmed a number of rumours have pointed to one, so it's looking likely.
If the iPhone 6C does exist it's rumoured to have curved screen edges, a little like the iPhone 6, but with a design that has more in common with the iPhone 5S (or the 5C, since it looks to be plastic).
It's unlikely that the iPhone 6C will share many specs with the iPhone 6S and indeed a report from DigiTimes suggests it will ship with an A8 processor (as found in the iPhone 6) and will also include Touch ID and NFC (for Apple Pay).
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7 cost
There aren't yet any rumours associated with the cost of the iPhone 6S, but we can take an educated guess that it won't start at less than £539 / $649 / AU$999, since that's what you're looking at for an iPhone 6.The only possible exception to that is the iPhone 6C, which likely will be a little cheaper if it exists. If anything though the iPhone 6S might be even more expensive, since it's likely to be jam-packed with high-end tech.
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7: what we want to see
1. A smaller screen
For many people the iPhone 5S is the perfect size, big enough for apps but not so big you need a friend to help you carry it. If you tend to use your phone as a phone, bigger screens can be counter-productive, especially if you have small hands or just don't like holding something enormous to the side of your head.
We think an iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 with the same screen size as the 5S would be a winner, not instead of the larger models, but alongside them. The good news is rumours suggest this is exactly what we're going to get.
2. Wireless charging
Wireless charging remains one of the most frustrating technologies around, because while it's here, it works and it feels like living in the future, it isn't as widely supported as we'd like.
It's rather like Google Wallet's NFC payments in that respect: the idea's sound but maybe it needs a fruit-themed firm from Cupertino to get on board before it'll really take off. An iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 with wireless charging would be great, especially if the same charger worked for the Apple Watch too.
3. Lightning cables that don't die
Some members of the Ephemeroptera family, such as mayflies, have a lifespan of just one day. That means they last approximately eleventy billion times longer than Lightning cables.
We know that spontaneously self-harming cables should be covered by the warranty, but if the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 Lightning cables could be toughened up to save us those trips to the Genius Bar we'd be delighted. If Apple won't give us wireless charging, it could at least eliminate the weakness in its chargers.
4. No more 16GB models
iOS 8 adoption has stalled, and we reckon it's largely because people with 16GB iPhones don't have enough free space for the 5.7GB over-the-air update and don't want to use iTunes because, well, iTunes.When your software updates are too big for your entry level products, your entry level products clearly don't come with enough storage. How about starting at 32GB for the iPhone 6S and 64GB for the iPhone 7? We can't store everything in iCloud, even when it's working properly.
5. The same camera as the iPhone 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 Plus camera takes better photos than the iPhone 6 camera because it's stabilised.
The necessary bits and pieces add a whopping 0.2mm to the thickness of the device, and we can promise Apple that the number of people who wouldn't buy an iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 because it was 7.1mm instead of 6.9mm is as insignificant as that 0.2mm difference.
6. More RAM
The current iPhones are perfectly nippy, but Safari's need to reload web pages when you've only got a few tabs open is a big clue that iOS would really like some more RAM to play with. The more stuff your phone does, such as tracking your health or communicating with your Apple watch, the more RAM it can use.64-bit apps need more RAM than 32-bit apps anyway. Thankfully the iPad Air 2 has 2GB of RAM and there's speculation that the next iPhone will as well.
7. An alternative to super SuperSlipOMinium
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are made from a metal that appears to be SuperSlipOMinium, a substance so slippery that human hands simply can't grip it. That's great news for the screen replacement and third party protective case industries, but it'd be nice if holding our phones was easier than gripping a wet eel.
8. A higher resolution screen
The screens of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus deliver 326ppi and 401ppi respectively. That's pretty good, but the higher density of rival devices such as the HTC One M9's 441ppi and the Samsung Galaxy S6's 577ppi is better still. If you like big phones and tend to hold them close, you'd want that kind of pixel density in your iPhone 6S or iPhone 7.
9. Better battery life
You could make this point in the wish list for any smartphone, of course, but while the iPhone 6 Plus is comfortably ahead of its rivals in the stamina stakes the iPhone 6 isn't. That's because the Plus has more room for a significantly bigger battery, but once again we'd be willing to trade slimness for power: a 4.7-inch iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 that was slightly thicker but lasted longer would be an easy sell.The big problem with battery life, of course, is that all the other stuff on your wish list tends to affect it. Higher pixel densities can negatively affect battery life, as can using more RAM. Such changes don't necessarily have a huge impact individually, but smartphones are very tricky balancing acts: you can have extraordinary performance, incredible displays and astonishing battery life, but you can't have all three at the same time just yet.
10. Flexible displays
Never mind fighting against accusations of bendy phones. Apple should embrace them and make the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 the bendiest smartphone the world has ever seen. We're talking flexible screens printed on plastic instead of glass, iPhones that you can bend and twist and sit on to your heart's content without any unpleasant consequences. If nothing else Apple should do it purely to annoy Samsung, who have been promising bendable smartphones for years.
iPhone 6S / iPhone 7: Concepts
We're a long way from the launch of the new iPhone, people. If you can't wait to find out what it's going to look like, well, the internet never disappoints.OK - it does if you're looking for actual accurate visuals on the next iPhone, but the concept artists have already been grinding their digital looms into action to start showing us how they think the next version should look:
The TechRadar edition
Yes, we've turned our hand to designing our dream iPhone 7 - and we're pretty chuffed with the outcome. Now all we need is for Apple to pay attention and make the damn thing!
Bring back the Nano!
A slightly older look to things, this concept by Jackson Chung uses new technology to bring the size of the iPhone back down.
With the touch sensitive panels on the side, the phone will enable a low power display to show message or app notifications without needing to waste energy firing up the battery-guzzling screen.
Plus the side controls allow for all new gaming abilities for your digits - that's an idea we can get on board with.
Sharpen up
Apparently Apple's subtle curves got it all wrong. What we need is to drop the home button (but keep the space as an homage to the logo) and then make it grippably industrial again.
The always-popular edge to edge display is out in force once more, and Jan-Willem Reusink's idea is still all about the metal. But what about the radio signal eh? That's one for Apple to work out, apparently.
Read More ...
Reaction: Techradar reacts: iPad Pro
Introduction
Sounds great, no?
Not everyone on our team agrees. Here is techradar's initial reaction to the iPad Pro.
Patrick Goss, Global Editor-in-Chief
Chuong Nguyen, Staff Writer, TechRadar Pro
Even though Apple made some strong comparisons to PCs, claiming that that the A9X processor on the iPad Pro is capable of delivering 80% of the processing power and 90% of the graphics power of today's PCs, missing mouse support makes the iPad Pro a tablet with a keyboard dock created as an afterthought. And unlike a traditional PC, it also lacks ports to connect peripherals for expansion, like a hard drive, wired printer or USB flash drive.
Matt Swider, Editor, Mobile
The problem for these productivity-focused individuals is that iOS doesn't offer the same fluid multitasking ease of a laptop. Split View, available through iOS 9 on iPad Pro and the iPad Air 2 only, works fine, but I'd never drop my new MacBook running OS X El Captian for this 12.9-inch slate that's basically the same size.
Desire Athow, Senior Editor of TechRadar Pro UK
Joe Osborne, Senior Editor
For Pete's sake, Apple ignored its co-founder's stance on the stylus, and issued a nigh-identical keyboard accessory, making up for the kickstand it lacks. Apple generally doesn't directly respond to competitors like this, which makes what it lacks in comparison all the more obvious.
For one, iPad Pro runs on iOS, which has enhanced productivity features in iOS 9, but nowhere near the flexibility of a desktop operating system, like even Mac OS X. Plus, there's no touchpad on the Smart Keyboard. If Apple wants the enterprise scene to use this tablet like a laptop to get things done, then these are sore omissions that'll make its next battle against Microsoft an uphill one.
Michelle Fitzsimmons, Managing Editor
Nick Pino, Associate Editor of Home Entertainment
Marc Chacksfield, Content Team Lead
Kane Fulton, Laptops Editor, UK
Kevin Lee, Laptops Editor, US
Duncan Bell, Tech Lifestyle Editor
A version of OS X with support for touchscreens? Now you're talking.
Juan Martinez, Senior Editor of TechRadar Pro US
Read More ...
Hands-on review: iPhone 6S Plus
Apple's
done it again – launched the smaller "normal" iPhone and then
super-sized it. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the iPhone 6S Plus.
Aside
from the fact that's a lot of words to say (although let's be glad
Apple's not calling it the "new Big iPhone"), I'm glad the phablet is
now consistently coming from the fruity brand. It appeals to those that
like what iOS and Tim Cook's Crew offer in a phone, but find things,
like the battery and screen, lacking.It's like a nod toward to Android phones without going anywhere near the "Wild West" approach Apple is so against.
Design
Well, it's bigger than the iPhone 6S. Shocker, I know. But it's also visually almost identical to last year's model – which is a little bit of a shame, as that device was very bezel heavy.
It's a tiny bit thicker than before, to facilitate the 3D Touch screen (and hopefully larger battery, although no word on that from Apple).
I know the 6S Plus needs to pack the bigger battery than the 6S and have a 1080p screen, but the 5.5-inch display feels so much more swamped by the iPhone's frame compared to the LG G4. That phone has the same size viewing area but a sharper resolution and bigger battery.
The fluid, ceramic-like curves prevail, though, and the iPhone 6S Plus is still a very light and easy to hold device. You can't forget that it's a phablet, though, and will need to manipulate it in the palm to make proper use of the screen – get ready for a lot of two-handed use here.
If you're coming at this from the iPhone 5S, you're going to be blown away by how gargantuan it is to hold – and even the horrendously-named Reachability (double-tapping the home button to bring the top of the screen down within reach) doesn't really help.
But you're buying a phablet, not a mini phone, and you're after the bigger screen and battery that such a phone offers – and that comes with compromises.
The bigger screen is the same 1080p resolution that we expected – while the trend to QHD displays is increasing, the content to show on them is still sparse. They do improve the image on the screen (and Sony's even gone as far as bringing out a 4K display in the Xperia Z5 Premium) and it would have been nice to see Apple do something cool with it, but given how fragile iPhone batteries are, this possibly isn't the best idea.
3D Touch
The screen's been upgraded in another way, though: 3D Touch is now included, meaning that, like the Apple Watch and new MacBook, you can get different interactions with the screen depending on how hard you press.
There are loads of cool things the phone can do now, such as using additional force to preview messages and web pages as links, but I'll need to have a proper move through the new phone to really discover what they all are.
The main thing is remembering that the option is there, though – the act of tapping on a touchscreen to make things happen is so ingrained in most smartphone users' consciousness that it's hard to remember there's a 'secret door' to some things – it'll be intriguing to see how Apple deals with that.
But when you do remember, it works nicely, and the haptic engine underneath buzzes pleasantly to let you know that the action is successful. Go me.
Upgraded camera
What do people like doing with their phone more than idly looking at nothing when they're supposed to be interacting with real life human beings in social situations? Well, if you're anything like my niece, nothing, but in theory, the answer would be taking pictures.
The iPhone 6 Plus has a decent 8MP camera, but Apple realised that it needed to step it up when the likes of Samsung and Sony are unleashing 16MP and 23MP sensors, and actually finding a good reason to have that high a number in there.
Just 12MP might not sound like a lot, but it means that the shutter speed is faster than ever, the clarity looks crystal clear on the larger 5.5-inch screen and the overall photography standard from the iPhone is improved once more.
Apple's spent a LOT of money on the 'Shot on iPhone 6' campaign last year, and if this phone can outdo those snaps (and there's no reason to say it can't), then it will have a promising camera on a decent phone.
The Live Photos element, where the iPhone 6S Plus will take a 1.5 second video before and after your snap to bring a kind of Harry Potter element to things, is cool if not needed. It's something you'll need to remember to '3D Touch' in order to enable.
It's impressive the shutter speed isn't impacted when you're doing this though. It's still as rapid as ever and the pictures are amazing for a 12MP sensor.
Loads of power and longer battery
The iPhone 6S Plus has been embedded with a number of useful new elements under the hood that should make using it an improved experience, especially if you're one of the many coming from a phone launched in 2013.
The iPhone 6 Plus had a decent battery life, thanks to the larger frame allowing Apple to pack in more mAh, but it still wasn't market leading. While battery life hasn't been claimed yet, it should be a lot longer, thanks to that new chip.
It could also be because of how the new A9 processor being used, too. Not only does this new chipset allow for much greater graphics and a smarter experience under the finger, but it should be more efficient and therefore allow for a longer battery life.
Apple, as usual, didn't let us know how much RAM was under the hood of the iPhone 6S Plus. But if the rumours of 2GB are true, gaming and general speed will be improved – and the latter seemed to be borne out in my limited testing.
Early verdict
The larger iPhone is never going to be the biggest seller of the new Apple handsets, but the iPhone 6S Plus is definitely going to entice a new slew of phablet users.Those stuck with the 'larger' iPhone 5S (well, bigger than the dinky 4S, anyway) will find this phone positively unwieldy at first. But the extra heft offers a lot of other advantages, like (hopefully) longer battery life, an improved screen and more space to look at that lovely internet.
It's obviously going to command a higher price, and it's up to you whether the 3D Touch and upgraded camera is enough to keep you from buying last year's cheaper model. But, apart from being so similar in design, this feels like quite an upgrade from Apple.
Read More ...
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