Apple Watch Series 6
The new Apple Series 6 has a new health sensor that will measure blood oxygen levels using red and infra-red light. Apple claims the entire process only takes 15 seconds.
The newest generation of the Apple Watch comes with an upgraded chip — the S6 — that’s 20% faster than the previous generation.
Tick tock, tick tock. It's already September, and Apple's "Time Flies" event is underway. At Apple Park (the company's campus) today, CEO Tim Cook wasted no time diving into two new products: an iPad and the new Apple Watch Series 6.
Health has always been a big focus for the Watch, and it's evident that Apple appreciates how important that is for customers. The new watchOS 7 already featured hand-washing detection and sleep tracking, and this new Apple Watch takes health monitoring functionality even further. You'll be able to monitor blood oxygen levels right from your wrist in just 15 seconds. Plus, Apple's Fitness+ service takes aim at the Peloton and digital workout craze.
Alongside Series 6, Apple announced the $279 (starting) Apple Watch SE and Series 3 will stay as the entry point at $199. Full details on the SE are below the fold. There's also a USB power adapter included in the box for any of these Apple Watches, just the cable will stay.
And yes, before we dive in deeper: The Apple Watch Series 6 retains all the features from the Series 5 minus Force Touch.
Preorder the new Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE now.
Blood oxygen monitoring (aka Pulse OX)
Apple Watch Series 6 delivers blood oxygen monitoring right from your wrist. Also known as SpO2 tracking, it monitors the amount of oxygen in your blood. It's a nice addition to the suite of health tracking, and a timely one, as some doctors have indicated that low blood oxygen levels can be a potential sign of Covid-19.
Apple says a blood oxygen measurement can be recorded in just 15 seconds, done with an updated sensor on the rear of the Apple Watch. That's the same location as the heart rate sensor, which also takes electrocardiogram (ECG) right from your wrist. SpO2 joins ECG, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, fitness tracking and hearing health.
S6 processor and display upgrades
Apple Watch Series 6 will be running watchOS 7 out of the box and is powered by the S6 processor. It's a full system on a chip, made in-house by Apple, similar to the chips that power the iPhone and iPad. To be specific, it's a 64-bit dual-core processor and should be 20% faster than the previous S5 processor in the Series 5. Those coming from a Series 3, 4 or earlier model should see even better improvements.
That chip will be powering an upgraded always-on display and an always-on altimeter. The always-on display premiered on Series 5, and in our review, we noted that it felt more like a traditional timepiece than ever before. New watch faces are also available on the Series 6. Among them, there's a Typography face that focuses in on different numeral styles, and a Memoji face that features your own personal avatar. We're jazzed about the latter. And as before, watch faces are shareable.
Apple also introduced Family Setup for Watch. With this feature, an iPhone is no longer required for each functioning Apple Watch. You can handle setup from one iPhone, and family members can be given a Watch with a separate number and Apple ID. In the realm of parental controls, you can turn on location notifications and monitor and limit who family members can chat with. Family Setup will also retroactively work with Apple Watch Series 4 and later.
You can preorder it right now, and it will begin shipping on September 18. Apple Watch Series 6 starts at $399 for the 40mm GPS variant, and we'll break down all the models below.
Apple Watch SE
Apple also announced a second new Watch. Like the affordable iPhone, the Apple Watch SE combines the best of Series 6 with affordability. For instance, it has a similar case and industrial design to the Series 6 and will be offered in the same two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. It has a standard non-always-on display and is powered by the S5 chip (the chip that powers Series 5) . It'll be slightly slower than the Series 6 and likely a lot faster over the Series 3 which is sticking around with a $199 starting price.
The Watch SE also features many of the health monitoring capabilities that you've come to expect. It can monitor noise levels, track activities, detect if you've fallen and even take heart rate measurements. It lacks the electrical heart rate sensor that powers an ECG and it doesn't feature blood oxygen monitoring, though. Surprisingly the SE does feature a compass and the always on altimeter which just premiered on the Series 6.
At $80 more than the Series 3, the SE really brings the value while only snubbing a few features. Like the Series 6, there will be GPS and GPS + Cellular models of the Watch SE. It seems like an excellent choice for children, especially with Family Setup. It starts at $279 and will start shipping on September 18.
Fitness+
Apple has a history of wiping out the little-guy developers, but this time it's set its sights on the lucrative multi-billion fitness app industry.
On Tuesday, Apple launched Fitness Plus, a studio fitness app that offers classes from fitness coaches and integrates tightly with Apple Watch.
Apple Fitness Plus, a fitness streaming subscription that gives you guided workouts using the workout metrics from your Apple Watch. The service is similar to Peloton Digital and other fitness streaming services out there, but this is the first that's been built explicitly for the Apple Watch.
Here's how it works: You pick any workout video from the Fitness Plus app on your iPad, iPhone or Apple TV and start it. Your Apple Watch syncs your heart rate, calories burned, pace and duration data to Fitness Plus. You can then see that data on whichever screen you're using to follow the workout. During some workouts, you'll get onscreen cues to ramp up your pace or heart rate to push yourself.
The service costs $9.99 (£9.99, AU$14.99) per month or $80 (£80, AU$120) per year, and will be available by the end of the year, according to Apple. If you purchase a new Apple Watch, you'll get three months for free.
At launch, Fitness Plus will have guided HIIT, yoga, cycling, dance, treadmill walking, treadmill running, dance, strength, core and rowing workouts. There are also mindful cool-down videos as well, to use after any workout.
You can use any equipment for these workouts -- there's no need to sync or connect to smart fitness equipment, like a Peloton bike or the Mirror. Many workouts only require a set of dumbbells and there are also plenty that don't require any equipment at all. The videos are recorded in a new Fitness Plus studio, and Apple says you'll get new workout videos every week when the service launches.
You can also choose the music you want to use during your workout, and if you use Apple Music, you can sync those playlists, too.
This is a great motivator when you work out, and helps you feel much more connected to the class in progress.
iPad 8th Gen
The 8th generation iPad includes a significant speed bump and new accessories, making this entry-level iPad even more enticing to new and existing users.
The iPad 8th Gen was announced at the Apple event. This iPad has the A12 Bionic chip, a Touch ID and a similar form factor as compared to its predecessor.
Apple unveiled on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 its latest iteration of the standard iPad, dubbed the iPad 8th generation. This iPad boasts a slew of new features and new price points for consumers and education users in order to get the device into even more hands. Apple also revealed a new iPad Air.
During Apple's September 2020 event, the company announced that it has sold more than 500 million iPads over the course of the 10-year history of the tablet. Since 2010, the iPad has been No. 1 in consumer satisfaction ratings, a milestone that indicates the iPad is a device that users love to use for mobile computing tasks.
Here are the specs, features, pricing and availability information you need to know about the 8th generation iPad. This cheat sheet will be updated if there is new information from Apple about the tablet.
SEE: How to migrate to a new iPad, iPhone, or Mac (TechRepublic Premium)
What is the 8th generation iPad?
The iPad is Apple's middle-of-the-road tablet with the traditional screen size of 10.2", which Apple switched to years ago. The device runs Apple's iPadOS, and this 8th generation model will ship with the newest iteration of iPadOS, version 14. The iPad 8th generation will be able to take advantage of all the new features in iPadOS 14.
What are the specs of the 8th generation iPad?
Design The iPad 8th generation largely carries over the design from previous models and comes in space gray, silver, or gold finishes. The iPad weighs only 1.08 pounds (490 grams) for the Wi-Fi model and 1.09 pounds (495 grams) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular models. The dimensions are 9.8" (250.6mm) tall, 6.8" (174.1mm) wide, 0.29" (7.5mm) thickness. This iPad retains the incredible thinness and lightness from its predecessor.
Storage The iPad 8th generation is available in both 32 GB and 128 GB variants, depending on the amount of local storage that you require.
DisplayApple is well-known for its displays, and the iPad 8th generation is no slouch in this area. It features a 10.2" LED Retina display with IPS technology, 500nits brightness, and 2160x1620 resolution, and Apple Pencil 1st generation support.
Cameras The front-facing FaceTime HD camera is a 1.2MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture. While it doesn't feature a physical flash, it does use the screen as a flash through the Retina Flash feature.
The rear-facing camera received a spec bump and is now an 8MP camera with f/2.4 aperture and has support for Live Photos, Autofocus, Panorama, HDR, exposure control, burst mode, tap to focus, timer mode, auto-image stabilization, body and face detection, and photo geotagging.
The rear camera also supports video recording at 1080p HD at 30fps, slow-mo video support for 720p at 120fps, and support for time-lapse video with stabilization, video image stabilization, body and face detection, 3x video zoom, and video geotagging.
Connectivity The Wi-Fi and Cellular models contain Wi-Fi connectivity capable of working with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual band (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz), and Bluetooth 4.2.
If you get the Wi-Fi + Cellular model, it includes cellular connectivity for data-only networks using UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), and Gigabit-class LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71). There's also eSIM support for digital SIM cards.
Battery life The iPad 8th generation includes a 32.4-watt-hour rechargeable lithium polymer battery that Apple says will give you up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video, and up to 9 hours of surfing on the cellular network with the cellular capable model. Charging is done through the lightning power adapter or USB to computer.
What are the key features of the 8th generation iPad?
The 8th generation version of the iPad includes some spec bumps over the previous 7th generation version, as well as some new chips that make it faster at certain tasks.
The iPad 8th generation retains the classic features of the iPad, including the Home / Touch ID sensor, the lightning connector, headphone jack, and the Smart Connector that was added with the 7th generation. While there is still a reliance on the Lightning connector, Apple does supply a Lightning-to-USB-C Cable as well as a USB-C power adapter in the box.
iPad Air (2020)
Apple announced a new iPad Air on September 15 during a virtual press conference.
The new iPad Air starts at $599 and will be available in October. Preorders will be available from the Apple online store.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2020 iPad Air and how to preorder it online.
Apple unveiled a brand-new design for the iPad Air during a special presentation introducing the company's latest additions to the iPad and Apple Watch families. The 2020 iPad Air will feature a 10.9-inch screen, a USB-C charger, an A14 bionic chip, and 64GB or 256GB of storage space — starting at $599.
Apple first introduced the iPad Air as a slimmer alternative to its flagship tablet in 2013, but the product was discontinued for several years after the launch of the more powerful iPad Pro in 2016. The iPad Air returned in 2019, outperforming the standard iPad with a better processor, twice as much storage space, and a slightly larger screen.
Apple One
Here's everything you need to know about Apple One, including costs, free trials, the different plans and services available, and if subscribing will save you any money.
What is Apple One?
Apple One is a subscription service that bundles together Apple's existing services, letting you pay one monthly price to get several services at once. It's somewhat similar to Amazon's Prime set of services. You don't have to subscribe to Apple One to access these services -- if the only one you're interested in is, say, Apple TV Plus, you can just keep paying the $4.99 a month as usual for that alone.
Apple One is a subscription service that bundles together Apple's existing services, letting you pay one monthly price to get several services at once. It's somewhat similar to Amazon's Prime set of services.
When will Apple One be available?
Apple One will launch sometime this fall, according to Apple executives, but we don't know an exact date yet.
What do the different Apple One plans include?
The three plans differ in terms of number of services, number of people who can access them, and amount of iCloud storage offered. Here's how they break down:
Individual plan: $14.95 (£14.95, AU$19.95) a month for four services for one person: Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade and iCloud (50 gigabytes of storage)
Family plan: $19.95 (£19.95, AU$25.95) for four services for six family members: Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade and iCloud (200GB of storage)
Premier plan: $29.95 (£29.95, AU$39.95) for six services for six family members: Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, iCloud (2 terabytes of storage), Apple News Plus and Apple Fitness Plus (in the 100 countries and regions where they are available)
This fall, Apple's new service bundle Apple One will bring together different combinations of subscriptions including Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, Apple News Plus, storage service iCloud and the newly revealed Apple Fitness Plus under one price. The move, announced at Apple's online event on Tuesday, follows Apple's increased investment in services over the past three years.
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