Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled a suit of new products on Tuesday in its launch event dubbed #AppleLive.
CEO Tim Cook unveiled two versions of Apple's spearhead smartphone, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple's new iPhones come with all the bells and whistles expected by its fans and follwers. They'll have a new, horizontal viewing mode to take advantage of the larger display.
In both iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, app developers will be able to design apps that can be viewed differently when the phone is held horizontally.
Along with larger iPhones, Apple also unveiled its first wearable device — the Apple Watch — marking its first major entry in a new product category since the iPad's debut in 2010.
Interestingly, while Apple has gone bigger, the new phones aren't as big as Samsung's latest flagship phones — 5.1 inches for the Galaxy S5 and 5.7 inches for the Note 4 — but analysts maintain that they are large enough to neutralise a key advantage Samsung and other Android manufacturers have had over the iPhone unril now.
“Wish we could say more”. A thousand speculative articles were launched as Apple sent out media invites last week with these exact words for an event scheduled tonight.
Excitement is in the air with just a few hours remaining before the big Apple press event this evening, where the Cupertino-based giant is expected to unveil the iPhone 6, its new smartphone spearhead.
While only a lucky few will be in the Flint Centre for the Performing Arts, the 2,400-capacity venue that Apple has chosen for the unveiling (it is the same venue it used to launch the original Mac computer and the iPhone 5), the good news is that anyone (with access to Internet) will be able to watch a live streaming of the event.
Click here or here to watch live as CEO Tim Cook takes the stage tonight on 09/09/14 at 9pm UAE time, unveiling what many believe will not just be the iPhone 6, but also the iWatch, Apple’s entry into wearable computing domain. (Article continues below...)
Who can watch
Millions of Apple fans can catch the keynote ‘live’ as Apple will be streaming it live on Safari (iOS version 6 or later), OSX (10.6.8 or a later version) and Safari 5.1.10 or a later version. It will also be streamed on Apple TV (second or third generation set-top box, and should be running version 5.0.2 or later).
Err… a word of caution for first-time viewers: Apple usually tends to stream the video geared for only its own proprietary browsers, so it may not show up on your Chrome, Windows Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers.
Apple watchers and other industry pundits expect Apple to maintain its pricing strategy, pegging the unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 6 to start retailing at $650 or about Dh2,599 in the UAE (the same price-point as the iPhone 5s).
What to expect during the iPhone 6 launch event
Expect the unexpected. At least that’s what we’ve come to expect from Apple. It has stunned us when we least expected, and disappointed us when we believed the pre-launch hype.
But yes, do expect a bigger iPhone this time around, and do expect nearfield communication (wireless data/money trabsfer facility) to be part of it. You may also want to expect the iWatch (you’ll be joining a lot of people), and you won’t be too off the mark for expecting two versions of the new iPhone – two sizes aimed at different markets.
Apple has, incidentally, prepared a three-storey structure near the Flint Centre. What could that be hiding? Perhaps a hands-on arena for media and other guests to try the iPhone 6 and the iWatch. It could be a virtual reality zone for people to play in with the iPhone 6 (if it gets that feature too). Or it could be a giant statue of Steve Jobs for all we know. Wish we could say more.