As they like to do every fall Apple released a number of updates and some new models on September 9th. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, a larger iPad Pro, an updated iPad mini and an all new Apple TV. The Apple Watch also received an update. As usual Apple is refining their products with some significant new features. If you are in the market for a new iPhone, iPad or Apple TV here is a rundown of the most promising features to look for.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
Same sizes, new features. How you pay for your new iPhone is also changing. In the past part of the cost of the iPhone was built into your monthly fee with your carrier so you had little idea how much total you were paying for the phone. There are now more options to break down your monthly charges so you can see clearly how much goes towards the new phone and how much goes towards your service. Apple is also offering its own payment plan that you can compare to your carrier's. To learn more see Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program vs. the big four carriers' payment plans.
3D Touch: Press and hold on items to bring up a menu of frequently used commands.
Live Photos: When you take a picture the camera will also capture 1.5 seconds of video before and after the shot to give the picture animation. Press and hold a photo to see it come "alive".
Touch ID update: The fingerprint reader built into the home button is now twice as fast and more accurate at reading your fingerprint.
iPad Pro
The iPad has been a very successful tablet device and now Apple has three different sizes that you can pick from. The latest iPad Pro is the largest.
12.9" Screen: The largest iPad yet, with the optional keyboard it could truly be a laptop replacement for some people. It still can not run regular Mac programs but there are more and more iOS Apps that perform many of the same functions. Apple even brought Microsoft on stage at the announcement to demonstrate the Office apps on the iPad Pro.
A9x 64-bit chip: Is 1.8 times faster than last years A8 chip.
Apple TV
The Apple TV is a streaming device that can bring content from the Internet to your existing TV. Movies, TV shows, music, photos and now 3rd party apps can all be seen on your TV.
Siri: Voice commands come to Apple TV. You can search for a movie or TV show with your voice.
Touch Pad Remote: Scroll through content with the swipe of your finger.
App Store: 3rd party developers will be able to create new apps greatly increasing the functionality.
Tip:Apple TV does have Netflix but still does not include Amazon Prime Video so if you are an Amazon Prime member you will want to consider an Amazon Fire TV or Roku streaming box instead.
I keep mentioning Windows 10 because Microsoft insists on popping up a message to upgrade even though it might not be in your best interest. Microsoft released Windows 10 on July 29th and so far so good for Windows 8 users. The operating system is a big improvement over Windows 8. For mouse and keyboard users it brings back the feel of previous versions of Windows. On the other hand since Windows 7 computers are older there seems to be more problems with them (slower systems, problems connecting to WiFi). Windows 7 was a very good version of Windows so do not upgrade your Windows 7 computer to Windows 10 unless you have a very good reason to do so. See my June newsletter for more information. So if your computer uses Windows 7 please ignore Microsoft's popup messages to upgrade to Windows 10.
If you have already upgraded to Windows 10 and don't like it or it is causing problems you have 30 days from the day you upgrade to revert back to your previous version of Windows.
Some of my clients do not realize that my business has expanded to all mobile devices. In fact, any consumer electronic product that you can purchase I can help you with. So if you would like help setting up or syncing your new smartphone or tablet or connecting your new WiFi TV to the Internet, just let me know.
