Wish we could say more said the invitation. Yet Apple were the only ones who hadn’t yet said what product updates would be revealed.
Through a series of leaks and educated guesses we already knew that the new iPhone would be bigger, thinner, more indestructible, would probably include payment technology and possibly have a wearable partner in crime, the iWatch.
So how much of that did we, the kept-in-a-darkened-room public, get right?
Well, all of it pretty much! Apart from it’s called Apple Watch not iWatch and only this device will feature the scratch-resistant sapphire glass, not the phone. Here’s what we know:
1. Bigger
Possibly in a bid to rival the larger Android devices, iPhone 6 has a 4.7inch screen, compared to the iPhone 5S which is 4 inches. And there is also a 5.5 inch ‘iPhone 6 Plus’. Not only are the screens bigger but they feature the highest resolution Retina HD screens that Apple have produced so far.
2. Thinner
Adding to the steam-rollered and stretched feel, the new iPhones are both slimmer than the iPhone 5 (7.6mm) at 6.9mm and 7.1mm for the 6 Plus. Is this still such a feat when the screens are significantly bigger? We’re not sure, but it sounds good.
3. Payment Technology
Also announced yesterday was Apple Pay. Users can scan and add a card to their iPhone and then simply scan their phone on contactless payment readers at the till to complete their purchase. To allay security fears the payment will only work with your Touch ID fingerprint on the home button and all cards can be stopped if lost by using the Find My iPhone app.
4. Partner in crime
“One more thing…” said CEO, Tim cook as he unveiled Apple Watch. There had long been rumours that Apple’s first foray into wearable technology would be announced on 9th September and indeed it was.
The new release featured some clever innovations: the crown of the watch enables users to scroll and zoom; an infrared sensor measures your pulse and the inbuilt Taptic engine enables the user to feel different types of vibration for different notifications. It will also be compatible with Apple Pay.
However, Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone and won’t be available until next year, priced at $349, and while undoubtedly stylish in design, it does feel a bit gimmicky.
5. Indestructible
This is one area that the predictions were wrong about. Many tech industry commentators expected the new iPhone to have a scratch-resistant, sapphire glass display but it doesn’t, just ‘ion-strengthened glass’. However Apple Watch does, so all the sapphire fans still have something to coo over, although they won’t be able to get their hands on it until next year.
6. Apple aren’t as good at keeping secrets anymore
Whether they build up press speculation and rumours by purposefully leaking some information, who knows? Given how much they strive for absolute control, it does seem unlikely. Either way, we knew most of the news before the Apple event even began, so Apple are getting worse at keeping things under wraps!
We’ll be looking into how these new devices and features will affect the events industry in the coming days. Stay tuned!
________________________________________________________
About Noodle Live
Noodle Live is an event technology company based in London. We provide easy to use mobile apps, audience response apps and RFID technology for events and conferences, as well as offering free Event Tech Clinic workshops to event professionals and organisers.
For more information check out our video or visit www.noodlelive.com
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/noodlelive
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/hellonoodle
This post was written by Thom Feeney, Marketing Manager at Noodle Live
