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With competition getting fierce among smartphone giants, Apple launched today its latest round of phones: the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple welcomed the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus to its iPhone family. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said the release of the iPhone 6 is one of the biggest advancements in iPhone’s history.
One question remains: how many iPhones is Apple going to come out with before they try something else?
“I believe Apple is going to continue throwing new iPhones out there for the public for a little while but once the people stop using them in that way Apple will shift its focus onto something else,” freshman Caleb Stewart said.
The other reason why Apple keeps introducing new iPhones is because of changes in hardware that Apple is constantly redeveloping.
“Apple puts out a new iPhone just about every year,” Hermes said. “The reason is that the upgrading is really like any other kind of technology; it is the internals that are changing a lot. Almost every year there has been new hardware that increases an iPhone’s capabilities and functionalities.”
With the iPhone 6 launch came the announcement of Apple’s latest creation, the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch will sync to a user’s iPhone and compact notifications, simple apps, messages and Siri onto a person’s wrist.
The new Apple Watch, which comes in three different versions: the Standard Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and a special Apple Watch Edition, will not be available in stores until early 2015. The watch will be compatible with iPhone 4, 5, 6 and 6 Plus.
“I am confused why it takes so long to release the Watch to the general public,” Stewart said. “Maybe the reason why Apple decided to wait to release the Watch until after the holidays is because that way they can have enough in stores and not sell out.”
However, Hermes believes that Apple waiting to release the Watch could mean that the Apple industry is facing some problems in its production.
“I am a little surprised they did not want to release the Watch for the holidays, and what that tells me is that there are problems somewhere; either in productions volume or they want to give developers who are developing apps for it specifically more time so that when it does come out it will be something worth buying,” Hermes said.
The Apple Watch wristbands also come in different colors and designs, but at a starting price of $350, some people are questioning whether the new Watch is worth the price.
“I would buy the Watch if I had all the money in the world,” Stewart said. “Perhaps in the next year or two when they get the technology to be where they really want it to be, then I might consider buying it.”
For senior Evan Greenwod, buying the Apple Watch is out of the question.
“I am not that interested in the new Watch because I don’t think there are enough benefits on such a small device,” Greenwood said. “It would be weird to use with it being on your wrist, unlike a phone which you can just hold in your hand. It just does not seem completely practical.”
Hermes sees the wait for Apple’s Watch as beneficial, not only for app developers, but also for Apple to keep on working on perfecting the device.
“It is going to be quite interesting to see how consumers pick up the Watch, and there is a good potential that they might,” Hermes said. “Apple has had plans for the Watch for a very long time but they usually wait because they want to make it perfect. In the end it is still a watch, but it will be very interesting to see what apps [are] developed by the community.”
Apple also decided it was going to try something new with the way customers pay their bills.
“The new payment processing method Apple is offering for their customers is one of the biggest things,” Hermes said. “Pretty much now you can use your mobile device like you would a credit card to pay for your transactions. You can use your phone to pay the retailer and the retailer never gets your credit card information.”
According to Stewart, one of the ways that Apple can stand up against all the competition is by making all their products unique to each individual.
“In the next year, several years or so I can see Apple having more individualized products, especially with the new Apple Watch,” Stewert said. “I can see Apple giving people different ways to keep track with their fitness by making it unique to each person.”
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