Apple on Wednesday unveiled updated versions of its priciest iPhones along with a new smartwatch that allows users to take their own electrocardiograms, as the US tech giant looks to boost its momentum in a sputtering market.
The California tech giant revealed its iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, updating the top-of-the line handsets released a year earlier. The new devices are aimed at maintaining Apple's share in the premium segment.
“We are going to take iPhone X to the next level,” chief executive Tim Cook said at a media event at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California.
The new phones have displays of 5.8 and 6.5 inches, boosting screen size while keeping a small-format handset, Apple vice president Phil Schiller said.
The September event allows the company to unveil its latest offerings before the key holiday shopping season.
While the iPhone has made Apple the world's most valuable company, worth more than $1 trillion, it has slipped to third place among smartphone makers as Chinese-based Huawei has grabbed the number two spot.
Analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy said Apple had done enough “to keep its smartphone growth going until the competition responds.”
New smartwatch features
Apple also introduced a fourth generation of Apple Watch with a major redesign -- and a series of features designed to improve its performance as a medical and health device.
The watch, sold in the United States from $399 and up, will be available in stores on September 21.
“Apple Watch has become an intelligent guardian for your health,” chief operating officer Jeff Williams said.
He highlighted a major innovation -- the watch's ability to perform an electrocardiogram.
“This is the first ECG product offered over the counter directly to consumers,” he said. “Now you can take an ECG any time, anywhere, right from the wrist.”
The device also detects when a person suffers a fall, seen as an important feature for elderly or disabled users.
“Identifying a fall may sound like a straightforward problem, but it requires a lot of data analysis,” Williams said.
If a person falls, and then is motionless, the watch will call emergency services, he added.
'Crossroads'
Research firm CB Insights said Apple is at a “crossroads” a decade after introducing the iPhone. “Looking for the next wave, Apple is clearly expanding into augmented reality and wearables with the Apple Watch and AirPods wireless headphones,” the firm said.
“But the next 'big one' -- a success and growth driver on the scale of the iPhone -- has not yet been determined. Will it be augmented reality, auto, wearables? Or something else entirely?”
Apple's event comes with the global smartphone market largely saturated, without a major catalyst for sales ahead of a likely rollout of 5G, or fifth generation, wireless networks, expected in 2019.
Research firm IDC expects worldwide smartphone shipments to decline 0.7 percent in 2018 to 1.455 billion units, with growth likely to resume as 5G devices become available.
Cook said Apple was nearing its two billionth device for its mobile operating system known as iOS.
“We are about to hit a major milestone. We are about to ship our two billionth iOS device,” he said. “This is astonishing -- iOS has changed the way we live. “
Comments (11) Closed
Making electronics that do not last for more than 3 years with insane prices for more of things that we actually dont use.
And the price ?????
Another craze.
No Touch ID is a big turn off for me, sticking to my iPhone 6s for now.
My iPhone (Refurbished) is not activating since i updated to iOS 11. Tried every effort but failed. Please allow the refurbished iPhones to activate from Apple server.
ECG on your wrist is a great feat. I am not an Apple fan, but I may get the watch just for the ECG. Saves a visit to the doctor and the expense....
Is iPhone X and new model worth it's price or it is another status symbol for rich people? A very expensive electronic gadget for rich and so called brand conscious young people that made iPhones market leader and most wanted toy for some.
iPhone is a rubbish product.
@Ismael who says 3 years. Apple products last for 5-6 years easily. I have a MacBook of 2010 and I am using 2012 MacBook as well as 2017. They all worked. Obviously with the passage of time their performance decrease but still the 2012 model is absolutely fine. While on the other hand your 2010 "windows"(simply other than Apple Machines) will be in a large wear house and 2012 laptop will be somewhere in your house, even you would not know about the place.
@lion Have you ever used any apple products?
Different year, same old apple products making users crazy in the name of Steve Jobs and innovation