By Elly Herrick, Editor-in-Chief
On Sept. 14, Apple held a convention in California to showcase new projects and models of their upcoming products. A few items that were on the list to come out were new iPhones, iPads, and a new watch. A new Macbook and new airpods were rumored to be released but there was no mention of them at the convention or on their website.
Compared to other Apple iPhone models over the years, these new iPhones all have the same iconic rectangular design which left people wondering what the real difference was. With the iPhone X model taking away the home button, many people speculated what Apple was going to do to top last year’s iPhones.
They revealed the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro max with-lenses, a new 77 mm telephoto lens (with – time optical zoom), a wide lens (which captures 2.2 times more light), and an ultrawide lens (which captures 92% more light). Both phones also have a new feature called Cinematic Mode which allows users to shift focus between subjects and has detection for when new subjects enter a frame.The Max is said to have better battery life than any other iPhone. The Phones will offer 1 terabyte of storage along with their 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB options. Sales start at $999 (for Pro) and $1,099 (for Max); it comes in graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue. The Pro Max will be available Sept. 24. The pro was made for low light and with a feature called Telephoto, so users can take photos in darker areas.
Apple also released the iPhone 13 mini and the regular iPhone 13 with a new look. The dual-camera system is arranged diagonally and is paired with a new designed chip, A15, to promote longer lasting battery life. The iPhone 13 and the mini come in pink, blue, black, white, and red. Both phones have been proclaimed to be a leap for battery life by Apple. Sales for the mini start at $699 and the iPhone starts at $799.
The A15 chip is a new element implemented into the iPhone and is being called the fastest CPU (central processing unit) in any smartphone. It uses 5-nanometer technology (technology node semiconductor manufacturing process following the 7 nm process node) and will give the iPhone “improved machine learning capabilities, such as real-time video analysis and the ability to analyze text in photos,” according to CNN 10. According to Apple, the A15 chips have a 30% fast GPU (graphics processing unit) and 50% faster CPU (central processing unit). The chip also offers a faster neutral engine, new ISP (internet service provider), and a new engine display.
Apple also unveils the new Apple Watch Series 7. The watch comes with a wider screen that is 20% larger than the series 6 and with a 50% thicker front screen. It is the most durable Apple watch yet. The series 7 has 33% faster charging and is available in five colors: green, blue, red, starlight, and midnight. The device starts at $399 and will be available in the fall. Paired with the watch, Apple also shows their new Fitness+ feature. Fitness+ is designed specifically for Apple watches and has features like group workouts and guided meditation.
The last item and probably the most awaited product is the iPad and iPad mini which will be available next week. The iPad uses an A13 chip and is claimed to work three times faster than Chromebooks. It starts at $329 for 64 GB storage, and for schools, the cost starts at $299. The iPads are available for pre-order and will be in the hands of consumers in the coming weeks.The iPad mini comes in a small size, but is still mighty. The 8.3 inch iPad comes with a more upgraded camera and speaker system. The mini starts at $499 and is also offered in new colors like pink and purple.