Apple September 2015 Event Live Blog
by Joshua Ho on September 9, 2015 12:50 PM EST05:04PM EDT - Unfortunately the last few photos won't upload. Pricing is identical to iPhone 6. iCloud also has new storage tiers, 99 cents for 50GB, 200GB for 2.99 USD. 1TB 9.99 USD/mo
02:58PM EDT - New dock accessory? New cases as well
02:56PM EDT - 300 mbps LTE-A, 2x2 802.11ac, and 28 LTE bands for roaming
02:55PM EDT - Facebook will support it
02:55PM EDT - developer API support for live photos
02:54PM EDT - Supported across all Apple products
02:54PM EDT - A second and a half of total video
02:53PM EDT - This is really reminding me of Zoe right now
02:53PM EDT - Live photos with 3D toucch that includes some video. Sounds like Zoe to me.
02:51PM EDT - 5MP FFC and using the display as a flash like LG but with custom display driver to flash display at 3x brightness for this flash mode
02:51PM EDT - You can edit 4K video on the phone as well
02:50PM EDT - Judging by the sample video the answer might be yes
02:50PM EDT - I wonder if iPhone also has good stabilization and no 5 min limit
02:49PM EDT - 4K video recording
02:49PM EDT - I'm not sure what they mean when they say "moved closer down"
02:48PM EDT - I'm not sure if it was mentioned but color filter array has changed to performance
02:48PM EDT - Dynamic range and exposure is said to be good
02:47PM EDT - I wonder if OIS is coming to 6s to maintain low light performance
02:46PM EDT - Interestingly no discussion of pixel size or sensor size
02:46PM EDT - Deep trench isolution is used to reduce crosstalk as seen in ISOCELL
02:46PM EDT - Explaining why bigger pixels are better such as crosstalk and sensor noise
02:45PM EDT - The sensor 50% more pixels and PDAF pixels increase with it
02:44PM EDT - 12MP camera
02:44PM EDT - Second gen TouchID is much faster
02:43PM EDT - Hey Siri now works always-on like the Moto X
02:43PM EDT - Motion coprocessor is on-die now instead of separate package
02:41PM EDT - Freeblade game demo showing off A9, 3D touch.
02:40PM EDT - 70% faster CPU?
02:40PM EDT - Interesting lack of disclosure on exact process, possibly 14/16nm split as rumored
02:38PM EDT - Showing off third party app support for this feature already
02:38PM EDT - Can enter multitasking with an edge swipe with pressure instead of double tap homme
02:37PM EDT - For some people emergency selfies would definitely be a killer app
02:37PM EDT - Apparently you can take emergency selfies with 3D touch
02:36PM EDT - A lot of contextual information can be quickly viewed with this system which is a neat idea
02:35PM EDT - You can also just flick up/left/right/down instead of pressing harder to do some quick actions
02:35PM EDT - You can peek at the email to read without marking as read. If you press harder, it will open it properly
02:33PM EDT - iPhone 6s also has taptic engine. Peak vibration happens in 1 cycle instead of multiple cycles
02:31PM EDT - A hard press allows you to also preview links and images without leaving the app you're currently in
02:31PM EDT - You can do things like shortcuts from the home screen
02:30PM EDT - This is really Force Touch buut a different name for some reason
02:29PM EDT - 3D Touch for iPhone
02:28PM EDT - New glass using dual ion exchange process
02:28PM EDT - Custom alu alloy, 7000 series
02:26PM EDT - I really wonder if A9 will have 14/16nm split or just 14 or just 16 process
02:26PM EDT - Predictably it looks like the iPhone 6
02:26PM EDT - Rose Gold iPhone 6s confirmed
02:25PM EDT - iPhone 6 customer satisfaction also said to be above other phones
02:25PM EDT - iPhone 6 is said to be the most popular iPhone ever
02:24PM EDT - Huge gains in China for Apple
02:24PM EDT - iPhone is next
02:23PM EDT - A bunch of inputs that include HDMI and ethernet
02:23PM EDT - Apple TV available in late October
02:21PM EDT - Continuity with games as well
02:20PM EDT - You can do a split screen video and also hockey coming in 2016?
02:20PM EDT - Live scoring data synced with the video
02:19PM EDT - The video is up to 60 fps
02:19PM EDT - You can see scoreboard or just highlights
02:19PM EDT - Another app for TV: baseball/MLB
02:16PM EDT - It should also be local to be truly so lo mo
02:16PM EDT - This app is social and mobile apparently?
02:15PM EDT - I wonder what kind of SoC is in Apple TV to enable this
02:15PM EDT - Gilt is for shopping on Apple TV
02:15PM EDT - Support in this game is up to 4 players
02:14PM EDT - It's a music-based game with some kind of baseball element
02:13PM EDT - Not rock band though as far as I can tell
02:13PM EDT - Rock Band on Apple TV demo is up next
02:11PM EDT - As long as one lives to checkpoint you can respawn. Also potential competitive mode
02:11PM EDT - Crossy road multiplayer allows you join co-op games with iPhone and other iOS devices
02:10PM EDT - multiplayer
02:10PM EDT - Console quality gaming supposedly?
02:09PM EDT - Lots of gaming apps
02:09PM EDT - Netflix, Hulu, HBO apps
02:08PM EDT - tvOS uses a lot of APIs similar to iOS
02:04PM EDT - Date, director, age ratings, and other information for suggestions
02:03PM EDT - Siri will also make it easy to search for things
02:03PM EDT - Also can skip back and turn on subtitles if you say "what was said" or something similar
02:03PM EDT - Siri during playback to do playback controls
02:00PM EDT - A surprisingly simple thing to do that actually improves user experience in a big way
02:00PM EDT - Siri searches multiple sources for a single piece of content
01:58PM EDT - Glass touch surface and Siri button on the remote
01:58PM EDT - Just a box and remote, not a whole TV
01:57PM EDT - Appears to use Apple TV remote as a controller
01:57PM EDT - Also gaming on the TV?
01:56PM EDT - Siri is clearly a big part of this push
01:54PM EDT - Future of TV is apps according to Apple
01:53PM EDT - I suspect Ryan would have to take that one
01:53PM EDT - I really hope this isn't an entire TV that we have to review.
01:53PM EDT - Apple TV is next
01:52PM EDT - I wonder if the display has improved
01:52PM EDT - iPad Mini 4 is the iPad Air 2 but mini.
01:51PM EDT - I also wonder whether there will be accessories using the new dock connector, possibly undercut Apple in accesories?
01:51PM EDT - I wonder whether this speaker system is better than front-facing speakers
01:50PM EDT - Carbon fiber cap in speakers?
01:50PM EDT - I really want to know what's going on with A9X, which should be interesting.
01:49PM EDT - I wonder what the range of variable refresh is. Hopefully PSR is also available.
01:49PM EDT - I guess it makes sense to save money if you don't want a stylus or physical keyboard?
01:49PM EDT - These accessories are kind of pricey considering they don't come with the iPad
01:46PM EDT - Can share the 3D model to a patient on their own iPad
01:45PM EDT - Can show 3D simulation of conditions such as torn meniscus and arthritis, etc.
01:45PM EDT - Surgeon simulator for iPad Pro would be fun
01:44PM EDT - Can simulate surgery
01:44PM EDT - You can accurately simulate muscle/bone interactions
01:42PM EDT - Medical visualization application in iPad Pro
01:41PM EDT - Drawing application from Adobe that sounds oddly similar to Nvidia Dabbler or something similar for simulating certain media
01:40PM EDT - You can add a smile to a person that isn't
01:40PM EDT - Facial detection in retouching engine
01:40PM EDT - Photoshop Fix for retouching on iPad
01:39PM EDT - TypeKit fonts on iOS for iPad Pro Adobe apps
01:38PM EDT - Adobe is up next for apps on iPad Pro
01:37PM EDT - Over 20 different object types supported
01:37PM EDT - You can copy into Powerpoint as well and you can draw to automatically generate graphics based on what you draw
01:36PM EDT - Word inking is supported and you can use multitasking to copy excel graphs to word etc
01:35PM EDT - Apologies, I'm trying to keep up with photos and text but they're definitely moving quickly
01:35PM EDT - OneNote with this would be awesome
01:35PM EDT - Microsoft showing productivity support for iPad Pro
01:34PM EDT - The question of "how would Apple sell a pen" has finally been answered
01:33PM EDT - Not more pixels than the 5k, after doing some quick math I think it's referring to normal iMacs
01:32PM EDT - Single pixel precision
01:32PM EDT - The stylus charges from the tablet using lightning connector
01:31PM EDT - Low input latency and you can use touch simultaneously
01:31PM EDT - When using stylus sampling rate ups to 2x to improve accuracy and responsiveness
01:31PM EDT - Not sure if the stylus needs a battery
01:31PM EDT - Position, force, and tilt
01:30PM EDT - It's called Apple Pencil
01:29PM EDT - iPad Pro comes with a stylus it seems
01:29PM EDT - Connects using magnetic three pin connector
01:28PM EDT - Uses same switch type as Macbook
01:28PM EDT - Keyboard case for the iPad Pro a lot like the Surface Pro
01:27PM EDT - I wonder what the CPU config is like
01:27PM EDT - Absolutely is 1xnm FF
01:27PM EDT - 6.9mm and 1.57 pounds
01:26PM EDT - 4 speaker system and balances based on hand position, 3x sound volume of iPad Air 2
01:26PM EDT - Battery life is the same as iPad
01:25PM EDT - IGZO TFT, custom TCON, and photoalignment
01:25PM EDT - Dynamic refresh rate isn't necessarily new, but interesting to know it's new to iOS
01:24PM EDT - The 2x figure is interesting. Probably combo of quad core and higher clocks
01:22PM EDT - More pixels than iMac 5k
01:22PM EDT - 12.9" because iPad Air dimensions. 2732x2048 pixels
01:20PM EDT - Discussing motivation for the bigger display
01:19PM EDT - More deafening applause
01:19PM EDT - iPad Pro
01:17PM EDT - IBM and Cisco partnership to bring iPad to enterprise in a useful manner
01:16PM EDT - On to iPad
01:16PM EDT - No hardware refresh
01:16PM EDT - Apple Watch new variants are available now
01:16PM EDT - WatchOS 2 launches September 16
01:15PM EDT - Choice here is obviously important but the move to 14nm will be much more important for enabling new user experiences
01:15PM EDT - New sport band colors and Product red variant
01:15PM EDT - More black stainless steel Apple watch bands.
01:14PM EDT - Yes, rose gold and gold aluminum Watch Sport
01:13PM EDT - Looks like rose god and gold?
01:13PM EDT - New colors for the Watch Sport
01:12PM EDT - Partnership with Hermes for new watch band
01:10PM EDT - Can read pregnancy information live from Apple Watch using home monitoring remotely
01:09PM EDT - Can send HIPPAA compliant communications from watch
01:09PM EDT - Live/real time data can be viewed, security is done by one-time auth until watch is removed.
01:08PM EDT - Relevant data shown on Apple Watch for doctors and nurses such as next patient and vital signs
01:07PM EDT - AirStrip demo with Dr. Cameron Powell
01:06PM EDT - Facebook Messenger is important win here
01:06PM EDT - Over 10k watch apps. Some app demos
01:05PM EDT - Third party complications and a general review of WatchOS 2.
01:04PM EDT - Might be a good sign, hard to tell without more context
01:04PM EDT - High customer satisfaction but not clear of what the value is.
01:03PM EDT - Currently discussing what's good about Apple Watch like fitness, etc.
01:02PM EDT - Apple Watch is up first.
01:02PM EDT - I'm apparently right in front of the employees because their cheering is deafening right now
01:01PM EDT - Tim Cook takes the stage for introductions.
01:00PM EDT - We're currently seated at the venue waiting for the event to start
12:59PM EDT - We're currently seated at the venue waiting for the event to start
97 Comments
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Impulses - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
All these controlled force gestures seem like they'll be awfully confusing for the average buyer that enjoys iOS because there's no right click, cascading menus, shift click, click and hold, etc. I'm not trying to be condescending, it's something I genuinely see a lot... Can't imagine trying to explain "push harder, do a soft half swipe" etc.SirKronan - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
iPad Pro with a smartphone/tablet OS ... on a 12.9 inch screen. Seems like such a huge waste of potential. Why not a full featured OSX with touch enhancements, a la Windows 8.1 on the Surface Pro 3?? Otherwise it's just a bigger iPad with a more precise pen. It's like they copied the Surface Pro 3 but without half of the important features that make it worth the expense.jwcalla - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
meh. I don't really see the appeal of a desktop OS on a tablet though.SirKronan - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
Content creation and app compatibility. 12.9 inches is fully usable with a mouse and keyboard as a laptop/desktop replacement on the go. I use my surface pro 3 for this all the time. Most of the time I use touch optimized stuff, but I'm not limited to that. Full games work, and if there's no touch optimized "app" in the Windows Store (or App Store, for example) I can use the desktop equivalent without a hitch. With full OSX you could use all full featured Adobe Creative Suite applications, which are now optimized for touch screens and stylus input. The possibilities are endless.Microsoft saw that and made it so. Apple did not. Microsoft should be shouting hallelujah right now, because the Surface Pro line is now profitable to them, and thanks to Apple being a chicken and playing it safe, MS has little to worry about from them after this announcement.
SirKronan - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
Forgot to mention, Windows 8.1 is NOT really a desktop OS. It's a very good tablet OS that happens to run desktop apps when you need them, and for many professionals, that's EXACTLY why the Surface Pro 3 is selling well and making Microsoft money. And there is a world of difference between having 128GB vs. 256GB and sd card/USB 3.0 expandability. I can author bluray discs of photo shoots on the spot. That's power.akdj - Thursday, September 10, 2015 - link
Lol. That made me laugh. Blu ray photo shot discs?Why not a Dropbox share link? Google Drive, iCloud Drive?
Who goes home to their Blu ray deck to review your photoshoot?
That's not power. That's shorting your client. Most photogs print for their client ...or maybe link them to uncompressed downloads? Maybe it's just this side of the world. Never mind
SirKronan - Thursday, September 10, 2015 - link
akdj, it's just an option. What planet do you live on where you have the cellular data capability to upload full quality images (or at least back them up) in the minutes it takes to burn a bluray disc? It's a very cost effective and time efficient way to back up full quality images after a shoot. By throwing your compressed and limited size files online you're either paying monthly fees for gobs of cloud storage (which I do not want to do, and most of my clients do not want to do either) or you live near free open fast wifi.I use the cloud to share when appropriate, but my clients still prefer a hard physical backup of their things. The new Xbox and Playstation both read blurays. Throw the disc in and start looking at your photos. Sometimes I need to make a video slideshow and have it play back in full quality. You can stick it in any old PS3 or bluray player and have it loop.
Verizon, the most respectable LTE network around, doesn't even offer unlimited data anymore. I'd saturate my monthly allowance of data before I uploaded one shoot, or I'd have to do all my editing and selecting on the spot (which the Surface Pro 3 would let me do with full CC suite, mind you). I'm just talking about possibilities, and they are endless with the surface pro series, versus limited to tablet/smartphone capabilities with the iPad Pro ... plus a fancy pen that costs 100 dollars.
akdj - Thursday, September 10, 2015 - link
$10/month = 1TB Dropbox (as large a file or type you're shooting)$10/month = 5TB OneDrive (5 accounts, cross platform, upload cellular/LTE or wifi, in background, you choose. Same as above)
Free ...up to 12/14/16 megapixel Raw. If you're shooting larger, three bucks gets you a couple hundred GBs on Google Drive
iCloud, it's spendier but if living in OS X and iOS $20/1TB and cross platform, 'always there' (albeit optimized for storage locally so you're not storing 50mpxl Raw CR1 files.
Man, for ten bucks a month, about the price of a couple dual side BDRs blank and you're set. I backup locally but mainly shoot motion --- as well as transcoded and B Roll footage that'll be used 'to the cloud' for redundancy.
I guess I found it curious a pro shooter was sending anyone home with a BDR copy of their pics. Thumb drives are cheap these days. As are SD cards. Slower, maybe. Depends what ya spend. I'm a BluRay supporter. Whole hog. Love the clarity and sound options and in comparison to even excellent 480p footage it's the BEST thing to happen to TV since color (k, maybe a bit of embellishment --- but I do truly appreciate the format and lately the DVD & digital copies provided)
But as a transfer to client medium, I hadn't heard such a thing. Not many have BDR readers on their computers (even Windows rigs are pretty specialty these days to have Blu Ray ...hell, optical period is dropping off the map)
Anyway, we've been using (AVC Intra, Pro Res and still some HDV) the cheap PNC 3.0 (USB) sticks but it's a small loop and more of a production Than client distribution --- which ultimately maybe on BDR, when we're delivering motion. Most of the time FTP transfers or downloads from servers or mass storage sites named above is how we've been moving footage and audio, stills and story boards).
Forgive me, didn't mean to sound like such a dick. After rereading my comment it certainly came across that way. My bad, my apologies and I think you may have just been a victim of my 33rd 'defense' comment ;)
Of all folks though, you're TRULY not seeing the value of this iPad? I've got 80GB a month (rollover from standard but doubled business account with AT&T last October ...had 20, doubled gratis to 40 like all others and now the rollover keeps me at a steady 78-80GB a month and with quick, often faster LTE uploads than even the fastest wifi or connected ISPs that slow traffic --- I actually live in Alaska. You're right. Different world. I've been 'shooting' here the past 27 years and have been lucky enough to work with several major production companies from cable as well as motion picture.
From the Bering Sea to the Kenai River, villages with a ½ dozen folks year round and Anchorage (Seattle's most Northern suburb and certainly not 'Alaska' ;)) --- with Smithsonian, Nat Geo, Discovery or Warner Bros. I've yet to see content drilled to and distributed on BDR.
Sorry, learn something each day. But it's an excellent time to 'switch' with $5 16GB SD cards and thumb drives and 64GB USB 3's dropping to 50 cents a GB, just seems easier if you're looking to transfer physically. As much as I enjoy BDR & DVD, CDs and my extensive vinyl collection, those areas to buy the media much less the medium to play from are shrinking daily.
Good luck. Dollars to donuts you dig the iPad pro though ;)
J
SirKronan - Thursday, September 10, 2015 - link
The Surface Pro 3 fits my usage model so well it's not even funny. I appreciate your response, and I was a little surprised by your other response. No offense taken, and thanks for coming back and explaining yourself further! You can always learn something new.It's a tablet with a card reader/USB port, so I can pull the card right out of my camera or phone for viewing on the Surface's excellent screen. (I know iPads have this functionality with an adapter). Does the tablet usage model work for most of what I do? Yes! But "most" doesn't cut it. There are times when I've needed full Office and other desktop apps.
And bluray discs are so cheap, and have a 20+ year shelf life with NO monthly fees. 25GB is usually plenty large to cover a photo shoot, backing up the RAW and JPG files from a 32GB card. 25GB discs burn quickly, are reliable, and can be found for $1 or less a piece. That is WAY more economical than any of the numbers you mentioned above for monthly fee cloud storage.
And you mention cheap USB 3.0 sticks ... can you even plug one of those in to the new iPad Pro? (sincere question). Longevity of solid state memory is still not as well established as a long term storage option versus very reliable and well established optical media. (Blurays also have scratch resistance built in!)
And 80GB of data a month... I wouldn't need that much, but I have used up to 42GB of data in one month on my mobile plan, back when I was on unlimited with Verizon. I have had to since switch to Sprint in order to keep unlimited for a similar monthly price, and their network is not nearly as robust nation wide, so I do not have access to quick cloud uploads/downloads once I get out of town (which is where many of my photo shoots are - I don't do much studio stuff).
The SP3 just fits. Like a glove. And your Intel i7 speeds are always there with full x86 compatibility so you can reasonably do real editing and output on the spot. It's the device I have honestly been hoping someone would make for YEARS.
Apple could have done that and effectively killed of the surface pro line, but instead they've just made a larger version of something they already had, added a few bells and whistles, and mislabeled it a "pro" version.
A "Pro" tablet with 32GB of storage?? Really? How will that work when you're editing all your fancy 4k video on it? Even 128 is HALF of what you get on the 256GB Surface Pro 3, which you can expand to 512 if you have the funds, OR add a 128GB micro SD card to.
Akrovah - Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - link
Apple TV can search multiple sources for content? They talk about it like it's revolutionary, but hasn't the Xbox 360 been doing that for years now?