Apple has unveiled two larger iPhone 6s, its first smart watch and a new mobile payments system at a landmark product showcase in Cupertino on Tuesday. Apple has officially announced its latest iPhone model, the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 will be available in two different sizes, both bigger than Apple’s earlier iPhones. Apple has been behind the curve of large-screened smartphones for a long itme, but it’s catching up in a big way with the iPhone 6.
iPhone 6. Bigger than Bigger
“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The iPhone is the most loved smartphone in the world with the highest customer satisfaction in the industry and we are making it much better in every way. Only Apple can combine the best hardware, software and services at this unprecedented level and we think customers are going to love it.”
The glass on the new display is “ion strengthened,” which doesn’t sound like it is sapphire, as rumored. The iPhone 6 measures 6.9mm thick, making it the thinnest device Apple has ever made. The power button has been moved to the side of the phone to make it easier to reach, even with the iPhone 6’s larger display.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus introduce Apple Pay, an easy way to securely pay for physical goods and services in stores or apps with just the touch of a finger. Users can pay securely and conveniently in stores by simply holding the phone near the contactless reader while keeping a finger on Touch ID™; there is no need to unlock your iPhone or launch an app. With Apple Pay, you can also make one-touch purchases within apps, without having to enter credit card or shipping information. All payment information is kept private, encrypted and stored securely in the Secure Element, a chip inside the new iPhones.
A brand new design: The new design is rounder, larger, and easier to hold. The iPhone 6 lands in a 6.9mm thick shell, and 7.1 mm for the iPhone 6 Plus. Both devices are thinner and lighter than the iPhone 5.
Larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display: The iPhone 6 has a Retina HD display, about two times the resolution of the iPhone 5 display. At 1,334 x 750 resolution (or 326 pixels-per-inch) for the iPhone 6, and 1,920 x 1080 resolution for the iPhone 6 Plus, the new smartphones have more than 2 million and 3 million pixels, respectively.
64-bit A8 chip: The two new smartphones contain the next-generation A8 chip, which has 2 billion transistors, double that of the first-generation A7 chip.
M8 co-processor: This new co-processor works alongside the main chip to continuously measure motion data without draining battery life. The M8 co-processor is designed for fitness and activities, it was announced. It can now figure out elevation, such as with a flight of stairs. It also comes with a new sensor called the Barometer, which measures elevation from air pressure.
Improved 8-megapixel camera: The camera is improved from the iPhone 5s, with a few new additions, like a new and improved sensor. The True Tone flash changes color depending on surrounding lighting, and images should come with greater noise reduction technology. The auto-focus is twice as fast as before, executives said. Panoramic photos now go up to 43 megapixels in size. The iPhone 6 Plus, however, comes with optical image stabilization.
Near-field communications (NFC) for mobile payments: Apple’s latest smartphones will come with a mobile payment feature, made possible with a near-range wireless chip that will allow users to pay for low-priced products from their device.
Specifications:
| GENERAL | 2G Network | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA), A1586 |
|---|---|---|
| CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 – A1549 (CDMA), A1586 | ||
| 3G Network | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 – A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA), A1586 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO – A1549 (CDMA), A1586 | ||
| 4G Network | LTE 700 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 / 850 – A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA) | |
| LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 / 750 / 2500 – A1586 | ||
| SIM | Nano-SIM | |
| Announced | 2014, September | |
| Status | Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, September |
| BODY | Dimensions | 138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 129 g (4.55 oz) | |
| – 500 dpi pixel density fingerprint sensor (Touch ID) |
| DISPLAY | Type | LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 750 x 1334 pixels, 4.7 inches (~326 ppi pixel density) | |
| Multitouch | Yes | |
| Protection | Shatter proof glass, oleophobic coating |
| SOUND | Alert types | Vibration, proprietary ringtones |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Yes | |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 16/64/128 GB |
| DATA | GPRS | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Yes | |
| Speed | HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; EV-DO Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 150 Mbps DL, 50 Mbps UL | |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot | |
| Bluetooth | v4.0, A2DP | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| USB | v2.0 |
| CAMERA | Primary | 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 1.5µm pixel size, geo-tagging, simultaneous HD video and image recording, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, panorama, HDR | |
| Video | 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps | |
| Secondary | 1.2 MP, 720p, burst, HDR |
| FEATURES | OS | iOS 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A8 | |
| CPU | TBA | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | |
| Messaging | iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email | |
| Browser | HTML (Safari) | |
| Radio | No | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS | |
| Java | No | |
| Colors | Space Gray, Silver, Gold | |
| – Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic – AirDrop file sharing – Siri natural language commands and dictation – iCloud cloud service – iCloud Keychain – Twitter and Facebook integration – TV-out – Maps – iBooks PDF reader – Audio/video player/editor – Organizer – Document viewer/editor – Photo viewer/editor – Voice memo/dial/command – Predictive text input |
| BATTERY | Non-removable Li-Po battery | |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-by | (2G) / Up to 250 h (3G) | |
| Talk time | (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G) | |
| Music play | Up to 50 h |
The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will cost $199 on a two-year contract in the U.S., while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus will cost $299 and be available in stores from Sept. 19. The new Apple Pay mechanism will let users tap their iPhones on a terminal to make a transaction and work with 220,000 merchants when the feature launches later this month.
The Apple Watch, which comes with a heart rate monitor and interchangeable straps, will start at $349 but won’t ship till early next year. Apple said nothing about the device’s all-important battery life.
Apple Watch introduces a revolutionary design and iOS-based user interface created specifically for a smaller device. Apple Watch features the Digital Crown, an innovative way to scroll, zoom and navigate fluidly, without obstructing the display
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