(USATODAY)SAN FRANCISCO—Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the latest iPhone Wednesday that aims to keep the sales boom generated by the origina...
(USATODAY)SAN FRANCISCO—Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the latest iPhone Wednesday that aims to keep the sales boom generated by the original iPhone 6 and 6 Plus going, with a payment plan option that nods to the demise of the two-year carrier contract and the desire of those who want the new, new tech thing.
The key new features include 3D Touch and a second generation Touch ID sensor and, most significantly, a new 12 megapixel iSight camera, 50% more pixels than the prior-generation phone. The smartphone also now features 4K video quality.
Prices at Apple retailers range from $199 to $499 - depending on storage capacity - on a two-year contract, or installment plans of $27 and $31 a month for 24 months for iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
But for those who can't wait, Apple also is introducing a new iPhone upgrade plan that allows consumers to get new phones annually for slightly higher fees starting at $32 (6S) and $37 (6S Plus) a month. Those prices include Apple Care warranty protection. Consumers also can buy the phones outright for (at the base level) $649 for iPhone 6S and $749 for iPhone 6S Plus. The new iPhones will begin shipping Sept. 25.
3D Touch is a force-touch technology that provides shortcuts off the home screen as well as inside apps. A slightly forceful touch gives one a peek into the content, while a firmer touch takes you to the content itself.
A new feature called Live Photos leverages 3D Touch to — at the press of a button — capture just a few seconds of video and sound that accompanied the moment when the photo was taken. When one swipes across a collection of photos, each one moves ever so slightly.
Cook told the crowd at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium that the iPhone 6 line has been "our most loved phone ever...so how do you follow a success like this? I've gotten that question a few times."
Apple exec Craig Federighi hit the stage to show how third-party apps such as Facebook and Dropbox have tweaked their interface to allow users quick looks at their data without diving deep into the apps themselves.
The phone's new A9 chip is up to 90% faster at rendering graphics, which will make games more vivid and interactive on Apple's new smartphone, said Apple's Phil Schiller.
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