Apple has revealed its latest range of products, including an iPad Pro tablet with stylus pen, a TV box with its own app store and new iPhones, alongside an app that helps Android users switch over to the Apple ecosystem.
At its event Wednesday in San Francisco, Apple unveiled a new app in the Google Play store to help customers with the transition from an Android phone to an iPhone.
The app, called “Move to iOS,” will transfer photos, messages and other data from an Android phone or tablet to an iOS device.
“You can recycle your Android phone for free at any Apple Store,” the app helpfully notes at one point during the transfer process.
During the company’s event, Apple executive Eddy Cue claimed that an increasing number of Android owners are switching to iPhone. Making that process even simpler is just “the neighborly thing to do,” Cue said.
In the US, customers can also subscribe to an iPhone upgrade programme, where they pay $32 a month and get a new iPhone every year, with AppleCare included.
Globally, the vast majority of smartphones run on Android, accounting for around 80% of the worldwide OS marketshare. However, Apple has recently gained ground in the ‘Big 5’ European markets as well as seeing significant growth in China.
New iPhones with ‘3D Touch’
Apple said the “3D touch” feature of its new phones “transformed” the experience of using them by making it easier to use and switch between apps.
The technology allows the screen to recognise how hard it’s pressed, which means users can touch and hold parts of the screen at different pressure levels to give you access to in-app menus and shortcuts.
For example users can “peek” at emails without fully opening them by pressing their finger down on an item in your inbox.
The main iSight camera is significantly improved, going from eight megapixels to 12 megapixels. Meanwhile, the front-facing camera has also been optimised for selfies. The screen now acts as ‘flash’, which varies in intensity depending on the light levels.
The phones, which will be called the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, start at £539 for the 16GB 6S model and £619 for the 16GB 6S Plus.
iPad Pro with ‘Apple Pencil’
Apple CEO Tim Cook showed off a new iPad line, saying: “Today we have the biggest news in iPad since the iPad.”
He revealed a new device – called the iPad Pro – with an ultra-high resolution screen measuring 12.9-inches. A stylus which the firm calls the “Apple Pencil” is also being released.
Apple TV with multiplayer gaming
Apple also demonstrated its overhauled Apple TV service, with a redesigned remote featuring a glass surface, and Siri integration. Multiplayer gaming will also feature on the TV platform, and the developers of classic iOS game Crossy Road demonstrated their game on the system.
