The 9/9/2014 Apple Launch Event Thread

[lopri]

Call me crazy but the iPhone 6/6P look like Samsung phones from the fronts and HTC phones from the backs (without convexness, thankfully). Heh.

 

[dawheat]

Jeez why does it have to be "x sucks", "y" is infinitely better for so many people.

Anyone who says the 6 Plus or the Note 4 is garbage is a moron. Same goes for the 6 or the S5/M8/G3/Z3. If you can't see that each of them have their pros and cons, then you're blindly biased.

I'm still going to get the Note 4 after seeing all the flagships while my wife is going to get the IP6 64GB.

 

[dawheat]

Do you have anything productive to say?

Go read the Nexus 5 review. The initial shutter speeds could hover around 1/6 - 1/8 for low light or indoor situations. What happened was users were not happy about that and Google fixed that with an OTA to use faster shutter speeds.

So who knows why Apple caps shutter speeds at 1/15, but its likely so that people don't experience too much camera shake. Its not too hard to meter properly, and if they can meter in most cases, they can meter in low light too, but it doesn't mean that it makes sense for the general public.

In using my OPO right now, if you want a decently exposed night shot, you really need to use slow shutter or settle for a high noise shot. Sometimes I just don't bother. There's no way I'm going to hold the camera steady for 1 second, but nor is ISO3200 going to be an acceptable image. I just shrug and move on.

I do think that Apple needs to offer some more modes in the camera. A night mode would be useful to either allow ISO to be bumped up or shutter speeds to be further reduced.

I'm willing to bet that even with Apple's "terrible" camera software according to you, that it produces great images for most people, and in my case it produces better images than the Android phones I have on hand.

Wait are people actually trying to say the 5S camera is bad? Give me a fricking break - as an all-round camera that was halfway into its lifecycle when the 2014 Android flagships came out, it's still a top all-rounder.

The M7/M8 are great in the dark, average otherwise. Only starting with the S5 did Samsung start taking low light seriously. The Z2 camera isn't great. The G3 camera is good but has sharpening issues and focus issues in some circumstances (shooting through a window for example). The 5S camera to me is above average in almost every category even today and overall can still make a good argument at being one of the best cameras.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Wait are people actually trying to say the 5S camera is bad? Give me a fricking break - as an all-round camera that was halfway into its lifecycle when the 2014 Android flagships came out, it's still a top all-rounder.

The M7/M8 are great in the dark, average otherwise. Only starting with the S5 did Samsung start taking low light seriously. The Z2 camera isn't great. The G3 camera is good but has sharpening issues and focus issues in some circumstances (shooting through a window for example). The 5S camera to me is above average in almost every category even today and overall can still make a good argument at being one of the best cameras.

The S5 is a good camera without a doubt. My main complaint with it is just the sluggishness of the app. It takes a good 3 seconds to fire up. The images are solid though. Samsung's always been good about producing good photos.

I'd argue that both Samsung and Apple create good all-around cameras. I was praising the 5S camera, but there's clearly some users here who just want to slam the camera and make Apple look bad.

 

[Mopetar]

The whole point of retina was to make it possible to cram more data into the small area.

Retina doesn't necessarily allow that. The retina display of the iPhone 4 didn't cram any more data into the same area, it just made what was there a sharper image.

The way to fit more data is to increase the pixel count to a greater value while keeping the resolution at some constant. This increases the size of the display and is exactly what Apple did with the 4.7" iPhone.

 

[openwheel]

Even though we pretty much all agree the event was meh and disappointing. Apple will sell boatload of i6 at record pace. Overpriced or not and most will pay even more for 64gb because 16gb is a joke in today's capped data wireless environment.

Verizon is already promoting upgrades with $200 with iPhone 4 trade in.

 

[openwheel]

Also what'd wrong with credit cards? Google wallet or Apple wallet, I don't understand why anyone would use such feature. Especially Apple users diehards who don't like fragmentation. One minute paying with phone and another minute credit card. What a nightmare situation. I always thought NFC was not going to succeed and applauded Apple for not following but not Apple has followed and I am thoroughly confused.

 

[zerogear]

Also what'd wrong with credit cards? Google wallet or Apple wallet, I don't understand why anyone would use such feature. Especially Apple users diehards who don't like fragmentation. One minute paying with phone and another minute credit card. What a nightmare situation. I always thought NFC was not going to succeed and applauded Apple for not following but not Apple has followed and I am thoroughly confused.

The only time I use Google Wallet is if i'm in my gym clothes and I don't have my wallet with me. Not really a big deal considering ISIS Wallet and Google Wallet pays the same way, and they're not mutually exclusive.

 

[Bateluer]

Also what'd wrong with credit cards? Google wallet or Apple wallet, I don't understand why anyone would use such feature.

So your credit card information isn't shared with the merchant; so you can't have breaches like Target and Home Depot.

 

[openwheel]

So your credit card information isn't shared with the merchant; so you can't have breaches like Target and Home Depot.

Are you sure using NFC type payment doesn't transmit credit card information over to the merchant? How else would they charge my card? Maybe I need to research more but the fundamental seems flawed to me.

I was affected by Target and I was protected 100%. Almost all credit cards protects consumers from fraud anyway...zero liability.

 

[podspi]

Interesting choice by Apple to drop the 4" option altogether. I guess those people buy the 5C now?

Not a big Apple fan, but I always respected that they actually offered a high-end 4" device. Unfortunate they've fallen into the same "small means low-end" pattern with everybody else (something that thankfully hasn't followed through to tablets).

 

[vi edit]

Will be very interesting to see how the sales pan out. I have no doubt that the base 4.7" is going to sell well. The "Plus" is going to be interesting. You are looking at $400 to get into the more desirable model. That's a big pill to swallow, especially when it's still subsidized. And it still doesn't have the very slick stylus function that the Note phones do. I really think Samsung outsells the Plus just due to people already entrenched into the Android/Samsung side of things for so long in that size of device.

The watch could go down as one of Apples largest failures yet. I have no idea what they've spent on R&D and production of inventory at this point. But the reception to "wearables" has been luke warm at absolute best. It's the most expensive one out there, and still doesn't offer any revolutionary function over Android wear short of some gimmicky tricks that will wear off in a hurry.

When you've dumped $200-$400 in a new phone..plus another $350 or more for a high tech accessory that's a lot of cash to lay out there.

Apple is really hanging it out on the edge. My instincts have been pretty good on the pulse and reaction of the "average buyer" and I'm just not getting warm and fuzzies on the Watch. We don't know battery life and that could be absolutely damning once reviews hit. Will sit this round out and see how it goes.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Call me crazy but the iPhone 6/6P look like Samsung phones from the fronts and HTC phones from the backs (without convexness, thankfully). Heh.

Without a doubt the new iPhones have borrowed heavily from HTC in the styling and design of the back. The band/lines separating the upper and lower areas are "a slavish copy" of the HTC One.

* 1GB RAM -- fail!

* Smallish batteries -- fail!

* Needlessly large bezels -- fail!


It will be interesting to see how they make NFC work and if that will get retailers to buy into it. I also want to see how they get around the carriers desire to control NFC payment.


Brian

 

[bearxor]

Even though we pretty much all agree the event was meh and disappointing. Apple will sell boatload of i6 at record pace. Overpriced or not and most will pay even more for 64gb because 16gb is a joke in today's capped data wireless environment.

Verizon is already promoting upgrades with $200 with iPhone 4 trade in.

It was probably only meh and disappointing to those of you that just aren't interested in the platform.

 

[ibex333]

The iPhone 6 is a huge disappointment. So much hype, and now when it was finally announced, there's really nothing truly really new. Nothing that other companies havent done already in one way or another.

It is basically an iPhone 5s with a larger screen. Never-mind the faster CPU(which is irrelevant since it wont do anything the A7 cant do), NFC(which few people really use), and all that jazz about passbook and fingerprint buying(which many will be afraid to use due to dears of hacking). I know I wont.

The biggest issue, is that there is nothing really groundbreaking with the new iPhone. There is no "wow" factor here. They didn't make a phone which does something really special or unique like lasting 3 full days on one charge, or an amazing speaker that fills a room with sound like that of big speakers. They didn't make a super camera which would instantly make all other phones cover in shame...


I cant believe that we all bitch about Samsung phones when they are so much better in every single way. The new Note Edge might be a flop, but at least they tried something new and unique unlike the iPhone 6 which played it safe and just threw us a bone.. a bigger screen.

I really wanted to buy the iPhone 6, because I expected something truly revolutionary. But now it looks like the only option is the Note 4, or maybe even keeping my Note 3 for another year at least. (never mind it's horrible sound quality)

 

[vi edit]

I'm not going to get caught up in the battery size craze. My MotoX was lauded for it's small battery and it can still run with the better devices out there so long as I have a decent signal strength. Same goes with the iPhone. In most settings I bet it does bench mark well.

Where my MotoX and likely the iPhone will really get slaughtered is in CPU intensive things like games. Those just absolutely chew through those small batteries in a hurry. But basic things like calls, web browsing, light video, ect can go all day long.

I am disappointed in the RAM choice. That really should have been bigger IMHO.

 

[blairharrington]

They didn't discuss the speaker on the new iPhone's. This pisses me off. They should make an effort to offer a best in class speaker.

By using a Moto X the 4.7" iPhone just looks so unnecessarily big in comparison. And the G3 seems like such a more sleek option versus the 6 plus. (Terrible name by the way. Plus???)

 

[Bitek]

That is one ugly watch. Who the hell would want to wear something like that?

The watch is terrible. I was hoping they would do something grand with it. Nope.

The small round face on a bubbly square watch is baffling. Bad bad bad. Comically bad. Can't believe this is by Apple. Plus it costs 40% more than the moto 360.

360 is still the nicest looking watch. Would have been nice if was a bit smaller tho.

Any smart watch has to last a full day at least before I buy one.

 

[at80eighty]

It was probably only meh and disappointing to those of you that just aren't interested in the platform.

I own & have owned 3 generations of iphones

the new phone is indescribably meh

 

[Eug]

The watch is terrible. I was hoping they would do something grand with it. Nope.

The small round face on a bubbly square watch is baffling. Bad bad bad. Comically bad. Can't believe this is by Apple. Plus it costs 40% more than the moto 360.

360 is still the nicest looking watch. Would have been nice if was a bit smaller tho.

Any smart watch has to last a full day at least before I buy one.

The Moto 360 is the best looking. However, reviews have it that it's virtually unusable.

However, I have no interest in the Apple Watch either. That last 45 minutes of AWatch stuff was the most boring keynote stuff ever.

Interesting choice by Apple to drop the 4" option altogether. I guess those people buy the 5C now?

Not a big Apple fan, but I always respected that they actually offered a high-end 4" device. Unfortunate they've fallen into the same "small means low-end" pattern with everybody else (something that thankfully hasn't followed through to tablets).

They can buy the 5S, which is basically the same thing as the 6 in a 4.0" size. But yeah, I fear the future a bit when I have to move up. I already had a 4.7" in 2012 and wasn't a huge fan.

 

[Mopetar]

Are you sure using NFC type payment doesn't transmit credit card information over to the merchant? How else would they charge my card? Maybe I need to research more but the fundamental seems flawed to me.

Basically the phone has the card information stored in the secure portion which it can use to generate a single-use transaction code that the merchant gets which they can use to get reimbursed from the credit card company who receives a matching copy of the code or has the means to generate the match themselves.

 

[djnsmith7]

Am I the only one who thinks offering a 16 GB option is a kick in the teeth? I mean, since Apple refuses to incorporate a memory card slot, shouldn't the smallest offering be 32 GB?

The bezel on the 6 Plus looks ridiculous. The phone would've looked better with square edges.

 

[Phokus]

I guess Apple decided to abandoned common sense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O99m7lebirE

Am I the only one who thinks offering a 16 GB option is a kick in the teeth? I mean, since Apple refuses to incorporate a memory card slot, shouldn't the smallest offering be 32 GB?

The bezel on the 6 Plus looks ridiculous. The phone would've looked better with square edges.

You're not alone, it's a total cash grab by Apple. I wonder when Apple users are going to revolt.

 

[openwheel]

I guess Apple decided to abandoned common sense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O99m7lebirE




You're not alone, it's a total cash grab by Apple. I wonder when Apple users are going to revolt.

LOL I have never seen that commercial, that's quite embarrassing.

 

[Zaap]

The 6-plus= SWEET!

First time since 2010 I'm impressed with an iPhone.