With the abrupt changes in weather; Storm Ali battering our previously sun-kissed faces, followed closely by her pal, Storm Bronagh joining in for good measure – and the leaves outside are turning a distinct shade of autumnal – it’s somewhat comforting to know that, despite these changes, that there is one constant we can depend on in September. Of course, we’re talking about the Apple special event earlier in the month – and what better time to start our Big Tech Round Ups than to talk about the event in delicious techy detail?
September’s Apple Event
12 September saw Apple fan boys and girls around the world unite; becoming increasingly hot under the collar as the clock struck ‘go live’ and the Apple team took to the stage to unveil their new iteration of tech goodies to the world. The much-hyped event, hosted by the tech giants at the Steve Jobs centre, revealed the new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR – the latter two having sold out during the pre-order period. What’s more, shipping – expected today – is now seeing delays of up to two weeks. For those who missed out on those, the iPhone XR pre-orders will begin on 19 October, before shipping starts on 26 October.
The iPhone XS succeeds last year’s iPhone X, while the Max model replaces Apple’s now-obsolete Plus-branded back catalogue; the latter of which boasts a larger 6.5 inch OLED screen as opposed to 5.5 inch. What’s more, the company are now boasting that these new iterations of smartphones will have the ‘most secure facial authentication ever in a smartphone’ and both are crafted from surgical-grade stainless steel, and the ‘most durable glass ever in a smartphone’. Both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will have a 12-megapixel camera, and a larger sensor than the iPhone X, as well as an improved TrueTone flash. Software wise, there are new camera software features incoming, including a new ‘Smart HDR’ mode and the ability to adjust a photograph’s depth of field after the photo has been taken. For all of you selfie fans, the iPhone XS and XS Max will feature the same 7-megapixel camera as last year’s model, but – according to Apple – will have a sensor that is ‘twice as fast’ as previously. The new models feature Apple’s A12 Bionic CPU, which is the first commercially available 7nm chip and the processor comprises of a four-core CPU, six-core GPU and a next-gen eight-core neural engine. This promises to deliver a 15% performance boost, and 40% lower power consumption – both are expected to support real-time machine learning too. The iPhone XS and XS Max will be available with a choice of storage:
64GB
256GB
512GB
And will be available in gold, silver and space grey colour options. At the event in early September, Apple also showcased the iPhone XR a ‘lower-end’ or more pocket friendly alternative to the XS and XS Max. The handset, which is reminiscent of the iPhone 5C is crafted from aluminium and glass, and houses a 6.1 inch LCD liquid retina display and IP57 certifications. The iPhone XR does have the same A12 bionic CPU as the XS and XS Max, it doesn’t have the same dual-camera set up of its more expensive counterparts. Instead, it boasts a single 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 7-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front. The iPhone XR also offers dual SIM support – one physical card slot and a digital eSIM – like the XS and XS Max. In terms of battery life, Apple claims users will get an hour and a half more battery life than the iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone XR will be available with a choice of storage:
64GB
128GB
256GB
And will be available in colours:
White;
Black;
Blue;
Coral;
Red;
Yellow.
What are your thoughts on the new iPhone options from Apple? Let us know in the comments and take a peek at the video, unveiled post-event below.
