Tuesday, September 9, 2014

iPhone 6, 6 Plus, Apple Pay and Apple Watch












It was quite the busy day of announcements at Apple's live event today!

As expected, they released details and naming for the new iPhone 6 devices and the new built in payment processing system, Apple Pay.

They also released lots of details about the new wearable, which is now called the Apple Watch.

iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus Details

The new iPhone 6 has a larger, 4.7 inch screen.  In comparison the iPhone 5 models are 4 inches.  The price will be $199 for the 16GB version, $299 for 64GB and $399 for 128GB.

Thanks to Jen S for the comment below about the possibility of free upgrades for prior iPhone devices to the iPhone 6.  This is with a new 2 year contract for those eligible on Verizon, but it looks like other carriers are trying to match or beat that deal as well.  Check out this CNet article for some further details.

The iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5 inch screen. The price will be $299 for 16GB, $399 for 64GB and $499 for the 128GB version.

Both phones will be available for pre-order this Friday, September 12th and will be released on Friday, September 19th.

Both come in Silver, Gold and Space Gray.  

Apple also dropped the prices on its older iPhone models, the iPhone 5S is now $99 and the 8GB 5C is free. All prices above require a new two-year customer agreement.

Existing iPhone Device Comparison
Official iPhone 6 Page

Apple Pay

Apple Pay was announced at the event, which utilizes NFC technology built into the phone, to allow proximity payment using TouchID. Leave your wallet and credit cards at home and pay by phone.

Official Apple Pay Page

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch will be available in early 2015, for a starting price of $349.  It was marketed as a lifestyle improving device and it comes in many shapes, sizes and colors.  It contains a built in heart rate monitor and full fitness tracking capabilities.  It will require an iPhone to operate.

Official Apple Watch Page

iOS 8

The new iPhones will come pre-installed with iOS 8.  I haven't yet had a chance to dig in and see what all that encompasses, but here is a full iOS 8 breakdown.

iOS 8 requires an iPhone 4S or newer device and it will be available September 17th for download.

iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus Comparison to Samsung / LG

The Samsung Galaxy S5 will probably be the phone that most folks compare the iPhone 6 to, so here is a full detailed comparison.

Here is a comparison of the "phablet" class of phones, since the iPhone 6 Plus at 5.5 inches falls directly in that category.  That article compares the iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy Note 4 and LG G3.

Apple September 9th Keynote Presentation Replay

Here is the full keynote presentation replay.

Conclusion

I joined the live presentation a bit late today, so I only got to see the Apple Watch portion. There are already a lot of wearables that function similarly, but no one call sell a device like Apple, it was a great presentation.

I think big fans of Apple products will buy the Apple Watch.  Since it requires an iPhone and starts at $349, I think it will be a tough sell to most folks just looking for a cool fitness tracker.

Personally, it was much cooler than I thought it would be, but I just don't see the need to spend that much when you have the phone in your pocket and you can add a great fitness tracker like the FitBit for $99.  And I'm not a big watch person either.

I think Apple did the smart thing and released the new iPhone 6 with 16GB at the same $199 price that most everyone is used to for a new iPhone.  In that aspect, it is a no-brainer for anyone in need of updating that just wants the latest version with more horsepower and larger screen.

The main question I see is what size.  Without having the device in our hands, it's easy to say go big!  But I think the 5.5 screen size may be a bit large for a pocket.  I have a friend who's wife went with one of the Galaxy Note phablets of that size and she returned it within a week.  It was just to big and bulky to utilize as a phone.

I was really hoping for a phone more in the 4.8-5.0 range, 4.7 will probably be fine for most people, but I would definitely like to get the iPhone 6 Plus in my hands and in my pocket to get a better feel for the device.

My wife and I have the iPhone 5 and mine was replaced (with some persuasive help from my brother-in law) after about 18 months due to a black blob appearing on all of my pictures, so mine is still pretty new.

My wife's phone is part of the recent free battery replacement program and as such, she will have a new battery in her phone real soon, so we have no urgent need to upgrade. 

However, I know my relatives will probably be jumping in on the iPhone 6 action, so I'm looking forward to hearing their take and seeing how they work.

What are your thoughts an opinions?  Gonna jump on in head first, or give it some time for the dust to settle? Drop me a comment and let me know!

6 comments :

Jen S said...

Bob and I will both pre-order the iPhone 6. Make sure you check trade in values too because we have Verizon upgrades available on top of trade in value, so we can both trade in the old phones for no additional cost to get the 6! I'm also drooling over the fitness watch.

Chris said...

Interesting point Jen. We are both eligible for upgrades with Verizon as well currently. Would you be trading them in to Verizon?

Jen S said...

Bob is the mastermind behind the trade ins so I'm not sure if we will physically hand over our phones in a Verizon store or Apple store.

Chris said...

Ok thanks, I found a link with more details and posted it above. Not sure if you hand them in at a Verizon store or not, but I see the Verizon deal and other carriers seem to be providing a similar or better deal as well.

Mock family said...

James made me cardboard cut outs and I put them in my back pocket and the plus just seems too big (I have a pic upon request) still would like to see it in person but idk

Chris said...

Yeah, good idea. You cut them out to the size of the phone, not screen size I assume? I really wish there were a 5 or 5.1" version. :-/

 
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