Apple
on Tuesday introduced two new iPhones, its long-awaited Apple Watch and
a mobile payment system as part of a marketing blitz aimed at drumming
up consumer excitement. Now the question is whether the new gear will
live up to the hype.
Speaking from the Flint Performing Arts
Center in Apple's hometown of Cupertino, Calif., Apple marketing chief
Philip Schiller kept the audience waiting beyond the event's scheduled 1
p.m. ET start, a fitting delay for a company that has kept its fans
waiting for a new product.
First up was the
company's new larger, thinner iPhone 6, which features an aluminum body
and glass front that curves around the sides. (See CNET for complete
coverage of Apple's product launch.)
The base model comes with a
4.7-inch screen and the other, dubbed the iPhone 6 Plus, has a 5.5
inch-screen. The iPhone 6 screen has over 1 million pixels, while the
iPhone 6 Plus has over 2 million pixels, Schiller said, emphasizing what
he called the the devices' "stunning display."
Gesturing toward
giant photos of a lizard and a butterfly projected on-stage, Schiller
also highlighted the new iPhone's enhanced camera, which he said
includes image-stabilization functionality.
The new phones will
be available Sept. 19; pre-orders begin Sept. 12. With a two-year
contract, the iPhone 6 will cost $199 for a model with 16 gigabytes of
memory, $299 for the 64GB phone and $399 for 128GB. The iPhone 6 Plus is
priced at $299 (16GB), $399 (64GB) and $499 (128GB).
Then,
finally putting an end to months of rumors and speculation, Cook
presented Apple's new wearable device, the Apple Watch, describing it as
the "next chapter" in the company's history and a "breakthrough."
The
watch, which is available with six interchangeable bands, comes in
stainless steel or 18K gold and is priced at $349. Users navigate by
tapping and swiping the face, as well as through a crown on the right
side of the watch that brings up apps. Apple Watch, which works with the
iPhone 5, 5c and 5s, as well as the iPhone 6, will be available early
next year.
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