Apple unveiled what it’s claiming to be the most advanced smartphones in the world, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, during a press event in San Francisco Wednesday.
As with most of its “S” model updates, the new smartphones don’t look much different from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which were released last year. But the new phones include a number of major upgrades to their internal components, including a more powerful processor.
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The iPhone 6S will feature a 12-megapixel camera, with 50 per cent more pixels than the previous model, allowing for more detailed photos. Both models will also support 4K video.
Apple Touch ID fingerprint scanner has also been upgraded to be twice as fast.
As rumoured, the new smartphones will also come in a new colour – rose gold.
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The phones have also been designed to be more durable – a big selling point for those affected by the #Bendgate scandal that plagued the iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple says the frames of the new iPhones will be made of a stronger form of aluminum already found on the Apple Watch.
The new iPhones will also feature 3D Touch – known as Force Touch on Apple’s Mac computer lineup.
The feature responds to how hard users press on the screen. For example, pressing down hard on the iPhones will launch additional capabilities.
Users will also get quick access to tasks such as taking a selfie or getting directions home. From a message, 3D Touch will give you a preview of a Web link without launching the browser.
The new phones will go on sale Sept. 25, with pre-orders starting this Saturday. The markets getting the new phones right away include Canada, the U.S. and Australia.
The base model for the 6S will come with 16GB of storage and start at US$899, with 64GB and 128GB options available starting at $1,029 and $1,159, respectively.
The base model for the 6S Plus will start at US$1,029 for 16GB of storage. The 64GB and 128GB will run you $1,159 and $1,289, respectively.
iOS 9
With the unveiling of the new iPhones, Apple also announced its new mobile operating system iOS 9 will officially be available to existing iOS devices on Sept. 16.
iOS 9 won’t look very different – aside from a new font face – but the tech giant has added quite a few changes to how it works.
iPhone users will get a new caller ID function that will try to predict numbers that aren’t saved in your contacts using information from emails.
The software also features new multitasking features for iPad users. The “50-50 view” will allow users to see two apps side-by-side and picture-in-picture viewing will allow users to watch move videos into the corner of their tablet while they use other apps.
Siri is much smarter in iOS 9. The digital assistant will be able to do things like search an iPhone user’s photos with a voice command, such as “Show me pictures from San Francisco last July.”
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With files from Global News’ Heather Loney
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