Apple had a product announcement event, and here’s what they had to say:
First off, Apple boasted that they have sold *one billion* computing products since their inception 40 years ago. A billion. They touted their progress in and commitment to environmental concerns in their product design and their energy use. Apple also took a unyielding stance regarding protecting customer privacy, even if that means they have to fight with the government about it. (That gets kicked off in their court hearing today.)
Apple Watch
Same watch, new wristbands, lower price (starts at $299). Nice and all, but if you’re thinking about getting one, we’d probably advise holding off until the next gen is released, most likely before the end of the year.
iPhone SE
Looks like an iPhone 5s, but has the guts of an iPhone 6s, meaning it’s small, yet has all the latest features like fast performance, Apple Pay, touch unlock, a great camera, and the rose gold color option. When paying outright, it’s available for $399 for 16 GB (which we don’t recommend) and $499 for 64 GB. The iPhone SE is available for order on March 24 and ships March 31.
iPad Pro 9.7″
Looks like an iPad Air, and is no heavier, but it has the brains of the larger iPad Pro, meaning very fast performance, and you can use the high-precision Apple Pencil for drawing and note taking, enjoy four-speaker stereo, and use the Apple Smart Keyboard. Both the 9.7″ and 12.9″ models also now are available with a 256 GB storage option. The smaller iPad Pro is available for order on March 24 and ships March 31, starting at $599 for 32 MB, Wi-Fi only; add $129 for cellular capability. In keeping with the confusing product line of the post-Jobs Apple, the long-in-the-tooth iPad Air 2 is still available, but at a reduced price. (Also note that while Mini, Air, and Pro used to refer to the physical size of iPads, that’s no longer true.)
iOS 9.3
The latest version of Apple’s mobile device operating system has been released, with notable new features being password-protected Notes, and a “Night Shift” feature that reduces blue portions of the spectrum in the evening, which are said to interfere with sleep cycles and be hard on the eyes. (For years, I’ve personally been using a program called “f.lux” that performs a similar function for my Mac’s screen, so I’m looking forward to this feature.)
If you have any questions about any of Apple’s announcements, ask us!
(March 2016)