Steve Jobs was a rockstar.
He took black tie, serious tech events, and converted them into engaging, entertaining geek-fests. Like most things Apple does, it forced other companies to jazz up their launches as well.
And yet, nobody could do it like that man dressed in turtle neck shirts, and blue jeans.
The Apple Event held yesterday came after much speculation for a few reasons – 1. Apple hadn’t announced a new product in a long time. 2. The game in technology changes in a gap of two years, and Apple is facing the heat from other brands who are pushing prices lower by the day.
So how did the event fare? Here’s the dope!
1. The iPad Pro:
In case you use an iPad professionally, the friendly guys at Apple presented the iPad Pro, a 12.9 inch sleek monster that is set to capture the space between the iPad and the entry level MacBook. I can’t really think of a reason to use a 12 inch tablet, but Apple has proven in the past that it can defy logic by creating beautiful products.
Our verdict: Hey, if you have money, go right ahead. Saurav Ganguly has over 30 cars, man. Who cares?
2. The iPencil:
The iPencil is the latest toy for Apple geeks, the only actual new product launched this year. A sleek accessory for the iPad Pro, the iPencil is a surprising addition since Steve Jobs had publicly expressed his dislike for stylus. A firm believer in organic design, Steve Jobs much preferred using the finger. However, his last bit of advice to Tim Cook was – ‘Don’t spend your time thinking what I’d do’.
The iPencil is beautiful, and makes you realize what makes Apple click in the first place. It appeals to the artists in us, transcending banalities like technology and gadgetry.
Our verdict: Only if you are an artist who works with digital media, and constantly need to blend art with technology to create your products. Or if you are Akash Ambani.
3. Apple TV
A project that Apple has been hopeful for the last few years, this year’s event featured upgrades on Apple TV as well. Customers now have access to the Play store, since folks at Apple believe that the future of apps is television.
It now runs on its own OS, unimaginatively called tvOS. You can also ask Siri to sort out your stuff and it will play it for you.
Our verdict: There’s not much you can do about Apple TV in India. The Indian version doesn’t have access to all the TV shows and content that customers in America access. Our idea of Apple TV is still the fruit basket on top of the TV, the one with fake apples and grapes in it.
4. The iPhone 6S:
Apple announced an upgrade of its flagship device, the iPhone 6, in four colours – silver, gold, rose gold, and space gray. There are also upgrades to the Camera after a really long gap – with 12 MP back and 5 MP front cameras. The RAM witnessed a boost as well – getting 2GB bundled in with the upgraded iOS.
Basically, lots of cool stuff for rich people to fling their money at.
Our verdict: If you already own an iphone, Hahahaaha! Good luck. Apple will spend the next one year showing you how that phone isn’t really the best they have on offer. In the US, they’ve launched a system where you can ‘lease’ your phone out for a year, and in case of an upgrade, you get the latest phone. I doubt that’s going to be active in India, though.
5. MS Office pre-loaded
The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft has been legendary. There have been books written, movies made, and memes generated to highlight the difference between the two. And who can forget the advertising campaign where they took potshots at each other?
But it is a testimony to how far behind Apple has left Microsoft in mobile technology, that for the first time, Microsoft presented at an Apple event. The new iPhone/iPad come with pre-loaded Microsoft Office apps. It’s ironic that Microsoft’s biggest USP (Microsoft Office) is just a side-show for an Apple device.
Our verdict: Microsoft came on to Google Play Store a few months ago, and offers its apps for use there. MS Office on your phone is a definite advantage, but I guess this was more of an ego victory than anything else.
So overall, the event was a mixed bag.
It has still been a few years since Apple announced a new product that changed the game in the way that the iPad and iPhone did. The iWatch was a refined version of Google Gear, and the last few years have only witnessed upgrades of existing lines of products.
There is the iPencil, but that’s only for rich geeks, and is still an accessory. Finally, how exciting the event was, is directly proportional to how much moolah you have in your pocket.
