New Apple releases:
Calling out to all phone fanatics, you will be pleased to hear that Apple have revealed their newest phone at the Apple Event on 21 March. Throughout the evening Apple introduced the all new iPhone SE as well as the new iPad 9.7-inch Pro and watch straps. The phone itself looks almost identical to the iPhone 5S that was released back in September 2013 – the only major difference is the amount of power packed into the small 4-inch handset.
In particular, what’s special about the iPhone SE is its newness. It’s refreshing to see Apple not pushing an older phone down-range by releasing a brand new flagship phone, instead Apple have revived an older model, brought it back to life with newly improved features and updates.
Let’s cut to the chase… what’s been improved on the SE since the 5S?
Camera – the camera has been upgraded from its previous 8MP to an impressive 12MP
Battery – More battery life with the new Li-Pro 1642 mAh, from previous
Chipset – New superfast A9 chip, boasting the same power as the iPhone 6s.
Graphics – Replacing the quad-core graphics for six-core gaming graphics
Price – Affordable price point
Disadvantages:
Front camera – Still only 1.2 MP
Screen – Still low resolution
No 3D Touch feature
iPad Pro 9.7
On the night Apple also unveiled their 9.7-inch iPad Pro with prices starting at £499. The new iPad has lots to shout about, boasting a 12 megapixel camera which is an improvement on the 12.9-inch Pro's 8 megapixels, and can also record video in 4K. It's the first iPad to be sold with a 256GB hard drive and is also available in 32GB and 128GB versions. The 9.7-inch Pro is reportedly twice as loud as the iPad Air 2 and they're both powered by a 64-bit A9X processor and feature a five megapixel front-facing camera. The 9.7-inch Pro also has a Retina Flash for more evenly-lit selfies.
The iPad also has what Apple described as a "True Tone" display, which changes colour to match ambient lighting. The Pro's display is the brightest of any tablet on the market, Apple said, and has 25 percent greater colour saturation than the iPad Air 2. The Pro also comes with iOS 9.3's "Night Shift" mode, which reduces the amount of blue light emitted from the display at night. Apple said this would make it easier for people to get a good night's sleep.
New watch straps
Sadly there was no new Apple Watch hardware revealed on the night, however those who seek newer, flashier bands take note. A whole host of newly styled bands were revealed, including an ultra-soft woven nylon band, a black Milanese Loop band, and a variety of fresh colours for Sport and leather bands.