Here's a detailed look at everything that Apple announced at its Spring Forward Event:
1. Apple Watch: 'The most advanced timepiece ever created' as the company calls it
The Apple Watch has been perhaps the most anticipated pieces of gadgetry in the tech world for quite some time now. Back in September 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook had introduced the device as a breakthrough product, not only for Apple but for the entire world of wearables, in general. Quite obviously then the frenzy around Apple's eventual advent into the smart wearable segment was huge and unsettling. Many would say Apple has been pretty late to the party. But looking at the sordid state of affairs of the current breed of wearables, we would like to think Apple was busy making something that could change the fate of the category altogether.
The Apple Watch is a make or break product for the company being their first new product category since the iPad that made its debut ages ago in 2010. For a company that still owes much of its profit to the iPhones, the Apple Watch is indeed a huge bet and more.
Available to pre-order on April 10 and on sale on April 24 in 9 countries, Apple's answer to Android Wear and Pebble Time for one has been designed to appeal to a whole range of preferences, according to Cook. It can be used to read, flag and mark emails; make and receive phone calls; receive and respond to notifications; access the likes of Instagram and even open hotel rooms and garage doors. And yes, it comes with the usual set of health and fitness applications.
In addition, you can use the Apple Watch to make payments using Apple Pay (in U.S. only). For that touch is not necessary, simple proximity of the device will do the trick, says Apple.
You will have access to third-party apps as companies including Uber, Salesforce.com and American Airlines have collaborated with Apple for the same.
It will work with the iPhone 5 and newer models, note that it is not compatible with iPads or iPods.
According to the company, the Apple Watch's battery can last for 18 hours on normal usage and the device charges with a magnetic charger.
Pricing:
Basic Apple Watch Sport made of Aluminium alloy costs $349 (38mm) and $399 (42mm).
Mid-tier steel model with the 'widest varieties of bands' costs $549- $1049 (38mm) and $599-$1099 (42mm) depending on the band.
High-end limited Apple Watch Edition costs $10,000 and available in select retail stores only.
2. iOS 8.2 with Apple Watch support
Apple
is now rolling out iOS 8.2 as an over-the-air update (also through
iTunes) for is existing iOS 8 range of devices like the iPhone 4S, 5,
5C, 5S, 6, and 6 Plus as also the newer iPads and the fifth-gen iPod
Touch. The new update brings in Apple Watch support as well as the new HomeKit feature that will allow users to control devices at home using their Apple devices. The Health app has been improved and the update adds key stability enhancements and bug fixes, such as fix for the tricky Calendar bug.
3. Apple's new 12-inch MacBook: Apple's first ever fanless laptop is 24% thinner than the MacBook Air
While
Apple going ultra-thin every time it comes out with a new notebook is
quite a regular affair now, only this time round the company has made
what it calls the 'world's most efficient notebook.' The all-new 12-inch MacBook has an all-metal, unibody design and weighs just two pounds and measures mere 13.1 mm at its thickest point, making it 24% thinner than the previous generation 11-inch MacBook Air. According to the company, the notebook has no visible antenna plastic ports on the exterior.
The new MacBook has a 12-inch Retina display with a 2304×1440pixels resolution that roughly translates to 3.3 million pixels in total. This is the thinnest display on a MacBook ever all the while using 30% less energy than the existing MacBook Retina displays, while delivering the same brightness level.
It features a full-size much thinner keyboard based on Apple's butterfly mechanism that is 40% thinner than the traditional scissor-based ones used in standard keyboards. According to Apple, if you hit the edges of the keys, the whole key depresses without wobble offering higher precision.
The new Apple trackpad features built-in force sensors and haptic feedback for an adjustable click feel. It comes with 'Force Click' sensitivity for more tap context like quickly previewing a file by a simple click followed by a deeper press.
There are no moving parts or vents in this one so that the new MacBook becomes the first fanless Mac notebook ever.
The MacBook is powered by the new fifth-generation Intel Core M 14nm process chip that runs at just 5 along with Intel HD Graphics 5300.
New batteries on-board are designed as contoured sheets that let them fit 35% more battery in the new MacBook. According to Apple: Wireless Web browsing: 9 hours, iTunes movie playback: 10 hours is what you'll be getting.
There's only one port on the new MacBook: the USB-C standard that supports USB, VGA, Power, Display Port and HDMI. Connectivity options include 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
The new MacBook starts at $1,299 and will be available in silver, space grey and gold. Shipping starts April 10.
Pricing:
MacBook with 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor (Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4GHz), 8GB RAM, 256GB internal memory and Intel HD Graphics 5300 costs $1,299.
MacBook with 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor (Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz), 8GB RAM, 512GB internal memory and Intel HD Graphics 5300 costs $1,599.
Meanwhile, Apple has also updated the 11-inch MacBook Air to thunderbolt 2 and faster i5 processors.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro now comes with Force Touch trackpad, 2x faster flash, 10 hours of battery life and faster processors.
4. Apple ResearchKit: For medical research
According to Apple, its new Research Kit is a software framework made specifically for medical research that would aid researchers and medical practitioners in collecting and organizing patients' medical data through the iPhone, so that they can create apps depending on case studies.
Currently, the kit includes apps for breast cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and asthma for which Apple has worked with various research centres like University of Rochester and Massachusetts General.
Responding to privacy concerns, the company has reiterated that all data collected for the purpose would be private and that Apple wouldn't see it.
Moreover, Apple is Open Sourcing Research Kit.
5. HBO Now coming exclusively to Apple TV
HBO's standalone subscription service will be exclusive to Apple TV when it arrives in April 2015. While people can still access HBO's entire library of original shows and feature films via HBO Now from their browsers, Apple TV will hold the exclusive streaming rights, at least in the starting month or so.
Priced at $14.99 per month, brace yourself for April when the service starts with HBO-Apple TV offering the first month free for the premiere of Game of Thrones.
Moreover,
Apple has also slashedthe price of the Apple TV down to $69. In his keynote, Cook announced that Apple has sold over 25 million Apple TVs so far.
Other key nuggets:
-According to Cook, Apple has sold 700 million iPhones to date and that their iPhone business grew at double the rate of the industry.
-Cook announced that 700,000 locations now take Apple Pay including 40,000 vending machines.
-Cook also announced that every major car brand has committed to delivering Apple's CarPlay and that 40 models of cars are already shipping with it.
-China seems to be top priority for the company as the it plans to get to 40 stores in the country by mid next year. Apple currently has 21 stores in China.
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