After watching the AppleEvent last week – posting belated
Posted By RichC on September 15, 2015
I snipped a few screen shots while watching the #AppleEvent last week as Tim Cook and team unveiled the new iPhones, iPads and AppleTV. 
All in all the surprises were “non-surprises” so really there weren’t any shockers … not necessarily a bad thing. The normal expectation in the month of September is either upgraded iPhones (the current “s” trend) or totally new iPhones and the Apple Watch (like last year). The mobile smartphone is the biggest driver to Apple’s profits so any mistake here is a big deal.
Last year’s 6 and 6-plus were big changes since they upped the screen size so as expected, this years’ mobile devices look nearly the same. They did however, just as with the iPhone5 to the 5s, make significant improvements to the processing power and camera. Another interesting twist is bypassing how they sell direct to the customer … now instead of contracting with the carrier, Apple will be offering two year contracts directly. Early pre-orders 
indicate this might have been a smart move – 9/14 WSJ article. 
Apple: Preorders Strong for New iPhones
Apple Inc. said its latest iPhones are on pace to exceed last year’s first-weekend sales of 10 million units, citing exceptionally strong initial orders.
Apple started accepting early orders for the new phones—the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus—on Saturday. The phones will start shipping on Sept. 25.
The iPad also saw the rumored new “Pro” model appear. The much larger iPadPro has a 12.9” screen and higher performance processor capable of splitting the screen with a couple of apps. Great for those of us filling out forms and needing to see content from another page. Productivity is the key as the iPad is inching ever closer to becoming a productive replacement for the notebook or laptop computer. Unfortunately the price point is starting to push the limit for a device still missing a keyboard, SD slot or USB connection. As much as I prefer business calls with an iPad, I do miss the functionality of a “real” computer when traveling.
Apple did however create a couple very ingenious add-ons for the iPadPro: A pencil (drawing and pointing device) and a physical keyboard with a unique magnetic snap connection to the iPadPro. I have to admit, having a keyboard and pencil might even give the iPadPro a leg up on a computer? Of course Microsoft would say, “we already have a device like that … the Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3.”
Somewhat less inspiring to me was the AppleTV update. It is still a “puck” device just like the others on the market. It has been upgraded and improved with games and a touch sensitive remote, but it is still not the “TV” we’re all hoping for … must be a real challenge to simplify that device … but it is sorely needed AND perhaps one of the better reasons to be an Apple shareholder. I can’t imagine what the sales will be IF they re-invent the television set just as they did the cellphone.
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