Apple Ditch the i

Last week Apple unveiled their next generation phones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. But crucially, they also revealed something we’ve all been waiting for – the iWatch. Actually they have done away with the i (which stands for internet if you didn’t know) and given us simply the Apple Watch. Not only this, but they unveiled Apple Pay, which is a new way of paying for stuff.

So let’s take a quick look at these products to see what they have to offer.

iPhone 6 and 6 Plus

It comes in two sizes – 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. The latter is part of the ‘phablet’ phase and is clearly an attempt to take customers away from Samsung and the like who make ridiculously large phones. Nevertheless, both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are very thin – just 6.9mm and 7.1mm respectively. There’s an all new HD retina display making the screen very sharp indeed, and in true Apple fashion it has a flawless design. It’s beautiful. The camera can record 1080p HD at 60fps, slow-motion at 240 fps and also time-lapse video. The iPhone 6 also comes with the all new iOS 8 which packs a variety of new features and apps including Apple’s new Health app.

Apple Watch

Rumours have been flying around for years about Apple working on a watch and finally, we were introduced to it last week.

The Apple Watch is more than just a watch. You’ll feel a small ‘tap’ when a message is received, and you can reply to it right there on the watch using voice command or the suggested replies that the Watch picks out. The click-wheel on the side lets you zoom in and out without touching the screen, which is great for following Maps. Speaking of Maps, the watch will ‘tap’ you to tell you which direction to turn, so you can find your way around without having to constantly look at the screen.

The Apple Watch is more than just a handy companion to your iPhone. It’s also a fitness tracker, which tracks steps taken, exercises, how many minutes you’ve spent standing or sitting and of course, your heart rate. Set goals and over time the Watch will learn your movements and recommend exercises and workouts to help you.

The Watch comes with a number of customisable interfaces and a large choice of straps.

Apple Pay

This may be the most revolutionary product Apple has launched lately. It’s essentially a wireless digital wallet that lets you pay for everything with your iPhone. Just add credit or debit cards and any charges go straight to them. Instead of typing in a code or PIN at the checkout, you use your fingerprint, which makes paying quick and easy. Of course contactless payments are currently very popular in the UK, which is quick and easy anyway, so it might take a while for this to take off.

Having said that, what makes Apple Pay safe is that your card information is not stored on the iPhone or by Apple. Apple is also not aware of what you bought, where or how much. Only your bank will know that and only your bank will see your payment details. So actually it’s safer than using a plastic card which can be easily stolen. If someone was to steal your phone, they wouldn’t be able to make payments with it unless they hacked off your finger (don’t worry this is unlikely).

Apply Pay is expected to be rolled out in October in the US and currently, a number of retailers have signed up including Whole Foods, Subway and McDonald’s. There’s no word yet when it will come to the UK.

What do you think of Apple’s latest products? Let us know.