Apple’s new $800 smartwatch as the new iPhone 14 peaks its release date.
“The more products you have from apple the more impossible it becomes to leave apple for another player.” – Francisco Jeronimo (Vice president of device research at IDC)
Apple’s year-to-year technological advances have shifted its focus to the smartwatch and ear technology gadgets allowing more runway for innovation. Apple will release a new wearable computer, Apple watch Ultra and a new cleaned-up version of the Air pod’s pro in mid-September of this year.
The Ultra smartwatch is said to target triathletes, distance runners, scuba divers, and backcountry enthusiasts. Sold at $800 its unique features include increased durability, an action button, bigger speakers, and a larger battery lasting 36 hrs.
The Ultra smartwatch puts Apple on the list of the smartwatch market that is currently dominated by Garmin. According to the IDC, it does about 2.6 billion in sales to endurance sports competitors. According to Mr. Jeronimo apple already claims about 51% of the smartwatch market, more than double what Samsung makes.
Garmin spokeswomen Krista Klaus said, “We will continue to push the limits of GPS-enabled technology and remain committed to creating innovative products designed for active lifestyle customers around the world.”
Apple also included a new addition to the traditional smartwatch, the series 8. This watch contains new sensors that track body temperatures and a feature called “crash detection” which can detect if the wearer is in an accident. It notifies emergency services and family also giving the wearer 10 seconds to reject/cancel the call if falsely detected.
Apple also released more modest updates to the high-priced versions of the iPhone 14 with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays. These models have the ability of a satellite phone, letting users connect with emergency services in rural and remote environments.
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro, costing $999 has an A16 processor including an improved camera with larger sensors, and an “Always On” display that can be used as a clock without unlocking the phone. It also contains a slim black border around the screen and a small cutout that includes the front camera and displays alerts/notifications.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, took that stage at the Steve Jobs theatre to introduce an infomercial showcasing the new products. Employees and Journalists celebrated the return to normalcy since the first time apple held an event at the theatre in 2019.
According to consumer intelligence research partners, a third of iPhone buyers make less than $50,000 a year. Apple has offered 7 models of the iPhone, ranging from $429 to higher than $1,500.
To decrease some of its dependency on China, Apple plans to begin assembling its flagship phones in India. Apple’s urgency to diversify its supply chain has escalated due to the pandemic-induced disruptions in China and geopolitical tensions over Taiwan’s status.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/technology/apple-new-iphone-watch.html
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/09/introducing-apple-watch-ultra/
https://www.theverge.com/23353756/apple-watch-series-8-review-smartwatch-wearables