Apple Keynote Highlights
As expected, this week’s Apple keynote didn’t contain a new iPhone for the first time. Instead they revealed some new Apple Watch models, upgrades to both the entry level iPad and iPadAir, a new service bundle, plus the brand new iOS14 software is now available to download.
It’s likely now that we’ll see the phones announced at an event in October instead. The four major device announcements were: the new iPad, the iPad Air 4, the Apple Watch 6 and the Apple Watch SE, along with Apple One, a new subscription bundle for Apple apps.
Whilst that gives Apple fans a few new gadgets to keep them satisfied for now, those eagerly awaiting iPhone 12 should now be able to have a good idea of what to expect is the tech on the Apple Watch and iPad Air 4 are anything to go by.
Apple Watch
The new watch model comes with a new Apple S6 silicon chip with an always-on energy-saving display. It also comes with a blood oxygen sensor. Apple also announced a newer low-cost model, Apple Watch SE.
iPad
Apple announced it’s refreshing the iPad line-up with a new fourth-generation iPad Air. The new slimline iPad Air comes with a 10.9-inch 2360×1640 resolution Retina display and replaces the Lightning port with a USB-C cable. The new iPad Air comes with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, and a new 12-megapixel, 4K-capable rear camera.
New A14 Bionic chip
Apple unveiled its new, super-fast five nanometer A14 Bionic chip, present in the new iPad Air. It’s packed with almost 12 billion transistors, a 40% increase on the previous iteration of chips, and has a 16-core neural engine for apps that rely on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Apps & Services
With an Apple subscription for TV, music, games, as well as iCloud storage charges, Apple is rolling its subscriptions into one place under the Apple One plan. There are three tiers — one for individuals, another for families, and the top-tier includes the full package of Apple’s subscription services.
iOS 14
This new OS is live as of 16th September. It includes iOS 14 for iPhones, iPadOS 14 for iPads, watchOS 14 for Apple Watch wearables and tvOS14 for Apple TV boxes.
iOS 14 comes with new privacy and security features, a new and improved Maps, a redesigned Siri and a new in-built translator app.
Popular tech review site, Tech radar, have come up with a list of predictions about the iPhone 12 based on what was announced at the keynote speech:
1. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor
The new iPad Air 4 is the first product from Apple to have Touch ID built into a side-mounted button, rather than having a button on the front, as on older iPhones and lower-end tablets, or Face ID, like newer iPhones and the iPad Pro. With everyone is wearing a face mask and Face ID not working with one in place, it makes sense that Apple would move to physical fingerprint sensor for its new tech.
2. No expected increase to screen refresh rate?
Many of the earlier rumours suggested that the scree would get an upgrade to 120Hz. Current iPhones have a refresh rate of 60Hz, so whilst the iPad Pro does benefit from variable higher refresh rates, we’ve not seen that materialise on the iPad Air4 which suggests it won’t translate to iPhone 12. Whether that’s due to manufacturing restrictions or a development decision we can only speculate.
3. Introduction of a USB-C style port
Earlier rumours also hinted at Apple moving away from its lightening port to a more standard USB-C variant – this would allow faster charging and data transfer than on current iPhones. iPad Air 4 does have one (like the iPad Pro) so perhaps that’s a sign of things to come.
4. No in-box charger
One of the more contentious points discussed in iPhone 12 leaks and rumours is whether it will come with an in-box charger. Whilst that could be perceived as an inconvenience for new Apple users, it would cut down on e-waste which would help the environment. The Apple Watch won’t be coming with a charging pad and they didn’t mention if the new iPads would, but it seems unlikely the iPhone 12 will come with one after a recent interview where an Apple executive criticised the inclusion of them.
5. The A14 Bionic chipset
The iPhone 11 had the A13 Bionic chipset, and it's likely the iPhone 12 will have the A14 Bionic. The new iPad Air 4 also has this chipset, so the fact that the tablet is launching before the new smartphone is that we get an early experience of the new tech.
This is the first of Apple's mobile chipsets that's 5nm, so much smaller than its predecessors, and it's set to be 30% faster too. The iPad Air 4 is set to be a snappy device, and by extension so is the iPhone 12.
6. More pre-installed apps
iPhones and iPads have always come with a fair few pre-installed apps, with the likes of Apple TV and Apple Podcasts on your device whether you want them or not – and this situation could be amplified with the arrival of Apple One.
Apple One combines Apple News, Apple Fitness and more in one big subscription bundle, and, as with some of the brand's other apps, you can be sure they'll come embedded into Apple devices to encourage you to try, and hopefully buy, them. If you’re not a fa of a busy home scree full of apps you don’t choose to use, then this will of course not be a welcome change.
So all in all not the standard September Keynote with the omission of a new iPhone, but still plenty of exciting tech upgrades to show that the industry is marching on and our relationship with our tech is one that, if we use it carefully, will enhance our work and personal lives with greater efficiency.