Apple Event 2019: 5 Biggest Announcements Including the Launch of iPhone 11 and 7th Gen iPad

Apple, the manufacturer of the iconic iPhone, on September 10, 2019, at its biggest and most awaited annual event, launched its new product offerings including the mainstream iPhone 11, Apple Watch Series 5, and 7th generation iPad.

Apple has also announced the details regarding the availability and pricing of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, its latest OTT video streaming and game subscription services respectively.  

Here’s a look at the 5 major announcements made from the event stage in Apple’s own backyard, at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California:

1. iPhone 11 series
   
   On expected lines, the biggest attraction of the event, the much-awaited iPhone 11 was unveiled by Apple, which comes in dual-camera configuration, including an ultra-wide lens, and enhanced camera features.
   
   The phone which has a 12-megapixel TrueDepth selfie camera and 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display will be available in 3 storage variants of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
   
   In an all-new glass design, which Apple claims to be the toughest glass ever in a smartphone, iPhone 11 is equipped with a faster A13 Bionic processor, which according to Apple, is both the fastest GPU and CPU ever in a smartphone owing to its machine learning and low-power based design.
   
   Apple also announced two other models of the iPhone 11 series – 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro and 6.5-inch iPhone Pro Max. Both these models of the new series come with a standard triple-camera setup of 12-megapixel wide angle lens, ultra-wide angle lens, and telephoto lens. The telephoto lens also gets an upgrade with a larger ƒ/2.0 aperture, which Apple says, will capture up to 40% more light compared to the XS’ camera.
   
   Barring the third rear camera, the two phones look near-identical to their predecessors of last year, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
   
   Both the models of the iPhone 11 Pro series have glass body with matte finish on the back. The iPhone 11 Pro, which is available in new color options of green, silver, space gray, and gold, comes in memory variants of 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
   
   According to Apple, the new OLED display introduced in the iPhone 11 Pro series which has been named as “Super Retina XDR”, is 15% more energy efficient.
   
   Company sources claim that with all the improvements to efficiency, the 5.8-inch iPhone Pro should get up to 4 hours more of battery life than last year’s XS, while the larger iPhone 11 Pro Max could get up to 5 hours more of battery life than XS Max.
   
   Apart from improving the hardware, Apple has upgraded the camera software to improve performance in low-light conditions. The dedicated Night Mode gets automatically activated when you begin shooting in the dark, and the results look impressive, as it can be deciphered from the short demo during the presentation.
   
   The Face ID feature also gets a major lift as it now works at greater angles. Another welcome introduction is a faster 18W charger which has been included in the box with the phones.
   
   The prices of iPhone 11 Pro start from $999 and for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, from $1,099. While the preorders begin on Friday, September 13, the phones will start shipping a week later on September 20. All the iPhones of the new series will run on iOS 13.0 out of the box.
2. Apple Watch Series 5
   
   The always-on display feature which has been introduced for the first time in the Apple Watch Series 5 had been demanded ever since the launch of the first Apple Watch in 2015. The feature allows a    user to see the time without having to move the wrist.
   
   The new display of the Apple Watch Series 5 can drop to as low as 1Hz to save power, and comes with a compass and optimized faces. Equipped with safety features such as fall detection and emergency SOS, the new gen Apple watch retains the 18-hour battery life from the previous model. As for the aesthetics, the fifth gen Apple Watch comes in three finishes of aluminum and stainless steel along with a Nike and Hermes edition.
   
   The GPS models of Apple Watch Series 5 are priced at $399 and the cellular variants at $499. While the Series 3 of the watch hasn’t been shelved, its starting price has been dropped to $199.
3. 7th Gen iPad
   
   Apple unveiled the 7th generation iPad at the event which has a 10.2-inch Retina display. The device is powered by the A10 fusion chip and provides a battery life of up to 10 hours.
   
   The new iPad has a new UI, video editing tools, and host of multi-tasking features. The device has been optimized for the iPad OS and comes with improved brightness and a better viewing angle.
   
   The device is extremely light and weighs just over a pound (483 grams). The 7th generation iPad has a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and 8-megapixel rear camera with standard features for recording and photography.
   
   Priced at $329, the seventh generation iPad is made from 100% recycled aluminum and will be available at the month end in three finishes of sliver, space gray, and gold; and two storage variants of 32GB and 128GB.  
4. Apple TV+
   
   Apple announced that Apple TV+ would be launched on November 1, 2019 in over 100 countries at $4.99 per month for a family subscription. Apple TV+ will be available on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, Mac, and other platforms.
   
   However, for those who purchase and activate Apple devices like iPhones or iPads before the launch of Apple TV+ get a free subscription to the OTT service for a whole year.
   
   Up to six family members can share a single Apple ID and password to watch Apple TV for a year at zero cost. After the expiry of the one-year free trial period, the paid subscription shall automatically start at $4.99 a month.
   
   With this move Apple intends to directly compete with major OTT video streaming service providers like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.
   
   Apple has played out smartly by starting its OTT platform namely Apple TV+ with limited content including exclusive digital originals like “The Morning Show”, “Dickinson”, “For All Mankind”, “See”, etc.
   
   Although Apple TV+ is launching with limited content, Apple has roped in popular Hollywood stars like Jennifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon for its shows, and is spending around $15 million an episode to get an edge over competition.
   
   Most of the original series on Apple TV+ will premiere with three episodes, with one episode being rolled out every week, much similar to how Hulu and Amazon Prime Video operate.
   
   Apple TV+ might have way less content in comparison to Netflix but is still expected to give stiff competition to popular OTT service providers with its attractive $4.99 a month subscription.
5. Apple Arcade
   
   Apple announced at the event that it shall launch Apple Arcade, its all-you-can-eat game subscription service on September 19, 2019 in 115 countries at $4.99 per month per family. It is the world’s first game subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
   
   Initially being launched with 100 new game titles including a few popular ones like Frogger in Toy Town by Konami and Annapurna Interactive’s Sayonara Wild Hearts, the service will add new games every month.