Apple has just wrapped up their 2014 iPhone event and as expected, we got our first look at the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and the long rumored Apple Watch. It was arguably one of the most product and feature packed keynotes Apple has given in a long time. However, there were a few things that some of us were speculating about that didn't actually make it on stage...
Sapphire iPhone displays
The Apple Watch will get the sapphire crystal treatment but the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will not. Many bloggers and YouTubers made pretty bold claims about sapphire displays. Some even went as far to claim they'd had the assembly in their hands and that it was indeed made from sapphire. Write their names down and remember them, because they were wrong.
The lack of sapphire displays in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus can most likely be attributed to the high cost. With starting prices that are already a little higher than what some hoped for, sapphire would have However, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus both feature a ion-strengthened glass. We aren't sure exactly what that means for real world use but we're sure there will be plenty of folks lining up to film the first drop test videos.
Apple TV refresh
An Apple TV refresh has been due for quite some time now. Even though we already had a feeling that we wouldn't see a revision at this particular announcement, a lot of us were still secretly crossing our fingers. The 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TVs are both getting long in the tooth. As we thought, we'll have to wait at least until late fall or early spring to possibly see any updates. For now, you'll just have to enjoy the new channels Apple seems to keep adding.
Yosemite release date information
Considering iOS 8 ties into OS X Yosemite for features like continuity, a lot of people were expecting Apple to provide an update on the release date. iOS 8 will be publicly available on September 17th, which is 2 days before the launch of both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
While features like continuity just won't work until Yosemite officially hits, it'll be even more interesting to see how Apple handles features such as iCloud Drive, which won't be backwards compatible with Mavericks and older versions of iOS. My guess is that we'll see an update to Mavericks in order to hook into iCloud Drive that will solve compatibility issues before Yosemite is publicly available.
Higher megapixel count iSight Camera
While the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are both receiving "new and improved" rear iSight cameras with a brand new sensor, they're still stuck at 8 MP. The iPhone 6 Plus will also receive optical image stabilization (OIS). Now, we've argued before that it isn't all about megapixel count, and even though that's still the case, a bump up to 12 MP or so probably would have been a welcome update for many folks.
However, you can expect better overall image quality due to the new sensor. Also bear in mind that the iPhone 5s handles panoramas and lighting scenarios far better than the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c mainly due to the M7 and software. This will most likely be the case with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well.
HomeKit updates
Apple initially announced HomeKit when they announced iOS 8 back in June. Since then, we haven't heard much about it. Given the focus Apple put on connected accessories today with the debut of their own watch, I think myself and many others were surprised at how little attention HomeKit got.
Aside from Apple showing off Honeywell's thermostat app running in conjunction with Apple Watch, HomeKit didn't get any other mentions that I saw. If I'm missing something though, be sure to let me know in the comments.
No new iPads
Expecting new iPads was quite a stretch but there were still some news outlets out there claiming they'd be updated. As we expected, that wasn't the case. With the iPad Air not even a year old yet, we'd imagine that Apple will make iPads the focus of their next event this fall. We'd also imagine they'll share the stage with any new Macs that Apple has waiting in the wings. Or perhaps those two items will be split into two separate events. We won't know for sure until this fall.
Were your expectations met?
Did Apple announce everything you were hoping for? If not, what features or devices were you secretly crossing your fingers for that didn't make it onto the Flint Center stage? Be sure to let me know in the comments!
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