CUPERTINO • Apple did not spring any surprises during its annual media event held at the Steve Jobs Theatre on the tech giant's campus, Apple Park.
Three new smartphones - the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR - were unveiled, as expected from rumours and leaks weeks before the event.
The iPhone XS is the direct successor to last year's iPhone X. It sports a similar 5.8-inch Oled screen but has an updated and faster bionic processor, better water resistance, all-new image sensor of rear dual-camera system and an improved camera system for advanced face identification.
Catering to users who want bigger screens, the iPhone XS Max has similar specifications as the iPhone XS, but comes with a bigger 6.5-inch Oled screen.
Both iPhone XS and XS Max will be available in silver, space grey and gold - a new colour. Both phones come with storage capacities of 64GB, 256GB and 512GB.
The iPhone XS starts at $1,649 for the 64GB version, while the iPhone XS Max is priced at $1,799 for the 64GB version.
Both iPhone XS and XS Max can be ordered from today and will be available in Singapore next Friday.
Targeted at the more budget-conscious market is the iPhone XR. It features the same design and processor as the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, but comes with a lower-resolution 6.1-inch LCD screen.
The iPhone XR has only a single rear camera. But it has more colour options than the premium models,being available in white, black, blue, yellow, coral and red. The iPhone XR, with the 64GB version costing $1,229, will launch on Oct 26, with orders starting on Oct 19.
Meanwhile, Apple also launched a new smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 4. New features mean it can notify the wearer if a low heart rate is triggered. It also has an electrocardiogram-measuring feature that will not be available for launch.
The Series 4's new accelerometer and gyroscopealso let the watch detect a fall. It can then send an alert, which can be dismissed or used to call emergency services.
The new watch is thinner and has a display that is more than 30 per cent larger than its predecessors, even though its design is similar.
The new watch comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, compared to the previous models' 38mm and 42mm. Thankfully, bands for the previous models will still work with the new watch.
The smartwatch costs from $599. Orders start today and the device will be available next Friday.
