Apple’s Next iPhones...Is Anything New?

When Apple officially announced its annual September event, which typically showcases its latest iPhones and portable tech, it was marketed with the tagline, “By Innovation Only.” But after tuning into their keynote, did they really show us anything new?

The presentation begins with a well-edited video with seamless animated transitions, showcasing a variety of different current Apple technology. They show how far they’ve come before premiering what the future has in store. By the time Tim Cook walks onto the stage, the video has done its job of raising excitement in the audience before revealing the latest Apple tech. Instead of giving us a brief summary of how the company did in the past year, he jumps right in, telling us that “[he’s] going to dispense of [his] usual updates, and get right into it.”

Apple Arcade: The Newest Gaming Subscription

First up was something new: Apple Arcade. This new gaming subscription finds its home right in the app store, giving users unlimited access to over 100 exclusive games, all for the price of just $4.99 a month, with a one month free trial at launch. With gameplay demonstrations from game developers like Konami, Capcom, and Annapurna Interactive, we were given a glimpse at what’s to come on September 19.

Apple TV+: The Next Netflix Competitor

Still on the theme of new services, Cook introduces us to Apple TV+, the latest streaming service in the world of video streaming. He cuts right to the chase, introducing three projects that released trailers over the summer, starting with “For All Mankind, an innovative reimagination of the space race...Dickinson, starring Hailee Steinfeld, a coming of age story about Emily Dickinson told in a completely modern way...and The Morning Show, with its blockbuster cast starring Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, and Jennifer Aniston in her first TV series since Friends.” Following this was the worldwide debut of a new original Apple TV+ show starring Jason Momoa: See. Similar to Apple Arcade, it’ll be available in November for $4.99 a month. “This is crazy!” exclaims Cook. What he reveals next is that whenever you buy an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, you get a year of Apple TV+ free. Now that’s crazy.

The New iPad

Next up was the iPad. They showcased the 7th generation iPad, which is now bigger than before with a 10.2” retina display, compatibility with smart connectors, and improved performance with iPadOS starting at just $329, and dropping down to $299 for education customers.

Apple Watch Series 5: Saving Lives and Small Additions

Apple Watch took its turn after the iPad. However this one began differently; a 4-minute video highlighting user experiences where the Apple Watch saved their lives or changed them in positive ways. One woman details how she was 32 weeks pregnant, and her Apple Watch signified that something wasn’t right; she went to the doctor and was notified and treated for an infection that resulted in an emergency c-section. We see the woman holding and laughing with her baby later in the video. It made for a really heartwarming way to start the Apple Watch segment of the presentation. This was all setup to reveal a new Apple Research App that focuses on a variety of health studies. Then came the reveal: Apple Watch Series 5. Besides various improvements such as an “always-on” watch face, 18 hours of daily battery life, and a built-in compass, the majority of additions were just improvements and software changes. It starts at $399 for wifi devices and jumps to $499 for cellular devices.

The iPhone 11: Focused on the Camera with its Newest Affordable iPhone

Lastly was what many were waiting for. News about the next iPhone. The video rolls and we get our answer: iPhone 11. What’s new? It’s got an aluminum glass design, with the toughest glass ever in a smartphone. It comes with a 6.1” LCD display, and uses spatial audio to create a theater-like experience when listening to audio, in addition to supporting Dolby Atmos. However, it was clear that Apple’s main focus when telling us about this phone was it’s new camera. One of the newest additions is the immersive ultra-wide camera, which captures a significantly larger picture and has a night mode setting to capture quality photos in low light environments. Video is vastly improved, and the front-facing camera now has speedier face ID, but still maintaining the security Apple promises. It comes in 6 colors and starts at $699 which is sure to excite many looking for a quality lower budget phone.

The iPhone 11 Pro: Apple’s New Top-of-The-Line Device

But Apple wasn’t done yet. Next was their best of the best device: The iPhone 11 Pro. Coming in an OLED 5.8” or 6.5” display, it also comes with significantly increased battery life, a fast charger in the box, and everything mentioned in the iPhone 11’s camera and then some. It’s got an additional telephoto camera on the back, which mainly, and has even better quality video than the iPhone 11. This one starts at $999, similar to last year’s iPhone XS.

The Bottom Line

All these new Apple products announced, but what’s really new? Many things that they debuted (minus a few camera additions) seem to just be Apple finally jumping on the ball with things that should’ve been added a while ago. The most “innovative” announcements were their new services: Apple Arcade and Apple TV+. While I’m sure these products are still going to be high end, well-performing devices that can do a lot compared to other phones, it seems like the changes from last year are pretty minimal overall. Many people look forward to Apple’s announcements every year; hopefully, next year’s reveals are more exciting.

By Max Meyers