Apple CEO Tim Cook got off the ground the virtual press conference for the annual Apple Event on 15th September. He announced the launch of the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE, iPad 8th Gen, and iPad Air (2020) during this event. The company also unveiled its Apple One subscription bundle service, and Apple Fitness+. Apple announced that iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7 will be released on September 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about these products, including what they offer and how much they are priced at.
The Apple Watch Series 6 is the first product that Apple announced. It follows the same design as the Apple Watch Series 5 and has been introduced ina range of new colors and several new straps, including a Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop strap that have no buckles or pins.
The principal feature of this product is its ability to measure blood oxygen saturation, and can also measure your elevation in real-time, which will be useful to hikers. The Apple Watch Series 6 will launch on the latest WatchOS 7 software build that will be available to all Apple Watch models from the Series 3 and later. The software will be available to download from 16 September.
It is available in aluminum, titanium and stainless steel. The aluminum model comes in blue, gold, red, silver, and space gray; the stainless steel model comes in gold, a new graphite, and silver; and the titanium model comes in natural titanium and space black.
Other interesting features of this series are –
Apple Watch Series 6 Price in India and Availability:
- Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS) is priced @ Rs 40,900.
- Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS + Cellular) is priced @ Rs 49,900.
The smartwatch is available for pre-order now, and will be available from 18th September 2020.
Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch SE comes with all the features to stay connected, fit and healthy. It uses the Apple Watch Series 5 chipset and comes with all the new features including Family setup. Watch Series SE runs on WatchOS software similar to the new Watch Series 6. It is the ultimate combination of design, function and value.
Apple Watch SE combines elements of the Series 6 design with the most essential features of Apple Watch, all at a more affordable price. However, the Watch SE does not feature an always-on display. When it comes to colors and finishes, the Watch SE is only available in aluminum. In comparison to the Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE isn’t equipped with an ECG sensor built into the Digital Crown.
Apple Watch SE Price in India and Availability:
- Watch SE (GPS) is priced @ Rs 29,900.
- Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) is priced @ Rs 33,900.
The smartwatch is available for pre-order now, and will be available from 18th September 2020.
Apple Watch Series 6 Vs Watch SE Vs Series 5 Vs Series 3: How to Know Which Apple Watch is The Right For You ?
Let us look at the comparison between Apple Watch Series 6 Vs Watch SE Vs Series 5 Vs Series 3.
Apple Watch Series 6 | Apple Watch SE | Apple Watch Series 5 | Apple Watch Series 3 | |
Price(USD) | Starting at $399 | Starting at $279 | Starting at $399 | Starting at $199 |
Price(India) | Starting at Rs. 40,900 | Starting at Rs. 29900 | Starting at Rs. 40900 | Starting at Rs. 20900 |
Display Size | 40mm, 44mm Retina | 40mm, 44mm Retina | 40mm, 44mm Retina | 42mm, 38mm Retina |
Always On | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Finishes | Aluminum, Titanium and Stainless Steel | Auminium | Auminium, Stainless Steel, Ceramic, Titanium | Aluminium |
Colours | Blue, Gold, Red, Silver,Space Gray, New Graphite, Natural Titanium and Space Black | Silver and Space Grey | Silver, Space Grey, White, Gold | Silver and Space Grey |
Interchangeable Bands | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
GPS | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in | Built-in |
Compass | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Water Resitance | Yes (upto 50m) | Yes (upto 50m) | Yes (upto 50m) | Yes (upto 50m) |
Calls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Voice Assistant | Siri | Siri | Siri | Siri |
Microphones | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Speakers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Heart Rate Sensors | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Accelerometers | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Altimeters | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Special Features | Adds SpO2 monitoring, real-time elevation to Series 5 features, Same features as Series 5 | Adds fall detection, internation emergency calling, noise app and real-time elevation to Series 3 features, Same features as Series 5 | ECG app and HR notifications, fall detection, hearing health alerts | HR notifications and hearing health alerts |
Emergency Features | ECG, fall detection and International Emergency Calling, along with high and low heart rate notifications and irregular heart rhythm notifications | Fall detection, real-time elevation tracking, international emergency calling and the Noise app | Emergency SOS, International emergency calling, fall detection | Emergency SOS calling |
Software | WatchOS 7 | WatchOS 7 | WatchOS 6 | WatchOS 6 |
Processor | S6 Dual-Core processor, U1 chip, faster charging | S5 processor | S5 chip Dual-core processor and W3 wireless chip | S3 chip Dual-core processor and W2 wireless chip |
Power | Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector | Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector | Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector | Magnetic Apple charging cable and USB connector |
Battery Life | 18 Hours | 18 Hours | 18 Hours | 18 Hours |
Compatibility | iOS/iPhone only | iOS/iPhone only | iOS/iPhone only | iOS/iPhone only |
iPad Generation 8
The iPad 8th Gen has the A12 Bionic chip, a Touch ID and a similar form factor as compared to its predecessor. The processor is a big upgrade over the A10 that was powering the older iPad. The A12 Bionic was first seen on the iPhone X series.
The new iPad is up to two times faster than the top-selling Windows laptop, up to three times faster than the top-selling Android tablet and up to six times faster than the top-selling Chromebook. For the first time on iPad, A12 Bionic introduces the Neural Engine for next-level machine learning capabilities, including people occlusion and motion tracking in augmented reality (AR) apps, enhanced photo editing, Siri performance, and more.
The new iPad (8th gen) will have a starting price in India of Rs 29,900 for the Wi-Fi model and Rs 41,900 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model in 32GB and 128GB configurations. The iPad will be compatible with Apple Pencil (1st generation) priced at Rs 8,500 and the Smart Keyboard priced Rs 13,900. Smart covers for iPad can be purchased at Rs 4,500.
iPad Air
iPad Air has a redesigned body with flat borders that allow it to support the second-generation Apple Pencil. It has a single rear camera and a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display. The headline feature here is the integration of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the power button on the iPad Air (2020). The iPad Air (2020) has the new A14 Bionic chip, which is expected to ship with the iPhone 12 series too.
Apple says the A14 is based on the 5nm process technology, which is a first in the industry. Apple says the iPad Air (2020) offers 40% better CPU performance and 30% better graphics performance than the iPad Air (2019). The iPad Air (2020) also gets more iPad Pro features such as support for Magic Keyboard, USB-C, better camera performance, and faster LTE performance too.
The new iPad Air will be available in October at Apple Authorised Resellers. The Wi-Fi models of iPad Air will be available with a starting price of Rs 54900 and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at Rs 66900. The compatible Apple Pencil (2nd generation) is priced at Rs 10,900, while the Magic Keyboard is sold separately at Rs 27,900 and Smart Keyboard Folio at Rs 15,900.
The device is designed to be environmentally friendly and supports Apple’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2030. The iPad Air uses a 100% recycled aluminum enclosure and 100% recycled tin for the solder on its main logic board. The new speakers in iPad Air also use magnets with 100% recycled rare earth elements. iPad Air remains free of any harmful substances, is highly energy efficient, and uses wood fiber packaging that is either recycled or comes from responsibly managed forests.
Apple One Service
Apple One is the ultimate collection of Apple services for one low monthly price. It’s simple to sign up for and easy to manage. Services include Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud, Apple News+, and, coming in late 2020, Apple Fitness+.
The individual plan with Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage is priced at Rs 195 per month. The family plan with Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud storage costs Rs 365 per month and can be shared with up to six family members. India does not appear to have access to the premium plan as Apple News is yet to launch in the market.
Apple Fitness +
Apple Fitness Plus is a collection of workouts that you can tune into on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, and it works alongside your Apple Watch, so you can track all your fitness data onscreen as you go. The set of workouts on the service seem to be quite diverse and not dependent too much equipment. Apple says its workouts will be refreshed weekly and that you can pick your choice of music while working out. Fitness+ integrates with Apple Music to let you carry over your music.
Apple Fitness+ costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year in the US. Fitness+ will be available by the end of the year, and you get it free for three months if you buy an Apple Watch in regions that support the service. Fitness+ is not coming to India at launch.
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