{"id":7622,"date":"2020-09-22T15:45:43","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T20:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcn.tidbits.com\/?p=8044"},"modified":"2020-09-23T08:31:39","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T13:31:39","slug":"apple-releases-apple-watch-series-6-apple-watch-se-new-ipad-air-and-subscription-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.macworks.com\/blog\/apple-releases-apple-watch-series-6-apple-watch-se-new-ipad-air-and-subscription-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Releases Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE, new iPad Air, and Subscription Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

In its \u201cTime Flies\u201d special event on September 15th, Apple cleared the decks of some secondary releases to make room for the anticipated unveiling of the iPhone 12 in a few weeks. Secondary though these products may be compared to the iPhone, the new Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Watch SE, fourth-generation iPad Air, and eighth-generation iPad are nothing to sneeze at.<\/p>\n

Apple also announced a new subscription service, Apple Fitness+, and three discounted Apple One bundles of its subscription services.<\/p>\n

Lastly, Apple said that iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14 would ship on September 16th, and they did indeed. We\u2019ll have more about those releases soon, but we recommend that you wait at least a few weeks before updating devices you rely on. Although the betas have been pretty stable, nasty bugs may surface as millions of users start using the new operating systems.<\/p>\n

Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE<\/h3>\n

With the Apple Watch, Apple usually makes incremental enhancements that improve each successive generation, and the Apple Watch Series 6<\/a> is no exception. Most notably, it includes a Blood Oxygen sensor and app that report on the oxygen saturation of the wearer\u2019s blood. Low readings can indicate problems with health and fitness, and research suggests that blood oxygen numbers may help identify COVID-19 or flu infections. Low blood oxygen levels could also encourage those who are infected to seek additional medical attention.<\/p>\n

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The Apple Watch Series 6 also features a new S6 chip, a next-generation always-on altimeter, and an enhanced Always-On Retina display that is up to 2.5 times brighter than the Series 5 display outdoors when the user\u2019s wrist is down, so it\u2019s easier to view in bright sunlight.<\/p>\n

Prices for the Apple Watch Series 6 start at $399 for a 40mm GPS-only aluminum model, with cellular capabilities adding $100. The larger 44mm model costs $30 more, and you can spend more on stainless steel (+$300) and titanium (+$400) cases and various watch bands. The aluminum model comes in silver, space gray, and gold, plus (PRODUCT)RED and a new blue color. The stainless steel model comes in graphite or gold, and the titanium case in natural and space black.<\/p>\n

\"\"If $399 is too high of a starting point for you, consider Apple\u2019s other new model, the Apple Watch SE<\/a>. Based on the S5 chip used in last year\u2019s Apple Watch Series 5, the Apple Watch SE includes some of the sensors in the Series 6, such as the always-on altimeter, and it supports fall detection, but it lacks the Series 6\u2019s ECG and Blood Oxygen capabilities. Nor does it have the Always-On Retina display\u2014its display goes black when the user\u2019s wrist is down.<\/p>\n

Those tradeoffs drop the Apple Watch SE\u2019s starting price to $279 for a 40mm GPS-only model. A larger 44mm watch bumps the price up by $30, and cellular capabilities add another $100. You\u2019re limited to aluminum cases in silver, gold, and space gray, but any of the Apple Watch bands will work with it. Is $279 still too expensive? The Apple Watch Series 3<\/a> remains available in a GPS-only model starting at $199.<\/p>\n

The Apple Watch SE might be particularly attractive to families or those caring for seniors, thanks to Apple\u2019s new Family Setup, which lets you manage cellular Apple Watches (Series 4 and later) for others from your iPhone instead of each person having to manage their Apple Watch from their own iPhone.<\/p>\n

Apple also introduced two new bands: the Solo Loop and the Braided Solo Loop. Both have no buckles or clasps and come in nine available lengths\u2014they expand to fit over your hand and contract to fit snugly on your wrist. The Solo Loop is made of soft silicone, and the Braided Solo Loop combines 16,000 polyester yarn filaments with ultrathin silicone threads\u2014it costs an extra $50.<\/p>\n

New iPad and iPad Air<\/h3>\n

On the iPad side of things, Apple\u2019s first announcement was the simplest. The new eighth-generation iPad<\/a> replaces the previous seventh-generation model and sports only a single change. Instead of the 4-core A10 Fusion processor in last year\u2019s model, the new iPad relies on the 6-core A12 Bionic processor. It promises up to 40% faster CPU performance and twice the graphics performance of the seventh-generation iPad. Otherwise, it retains the 10.2-inch Retina display, capable cameras, and support for the first-generation Apple Pencil ($99) and Smart Keyboard ($159). Its price also remains the same, starting at $329, with education pricing for a broadly defined set of individuals at $309 and education pricing for institutions at $299.<\/p>\n

More interesting is the new fourth-generation iPad Air<\/a>. The third-generation iPad Air was essentially a stripped-down version of the older 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and the fourth-generation model continues that trend with the current 11-inch iPad Pro. The new iPad Air features the same squared-off design, full-screen display, and 12-megapixel rear camera, and it has an almost identical form factor. It\u2019s compatible with the second-generation Apple Pencil ($129) and both the Magic Keyboard ($299) and Smart Keyboard Folio ($179). Finally, it swaps the traditional Lightning port for the USB-C port also used by the iPad Pro.<\/p>\n

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However, the new iPad Air also features Apple\u2019s newest chip\u2014the A14 Bionic\u2014and eliminates the need for a Home button by building a Touch ID sensor into the top button. That clever approach lets Apple reduce the size of the bezels around the screen while avoiding the cost of the TrueDepth camera necessary for Face ID and simultaneously making the iPad Air easier to use for those wearing masks.<\/p>\n

The new iPad Air with 64 GB of storage starts at $599 for Wi-Fi\u2013only models and $729 for cellular-capable models. Bumping the storage to 256 GB adds $150 to the price. It\u2019s available in five colors: space gray, silver, rose gold, green, and sky blue.<\/p>\n

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Apple Fitness+ and Apple One Bundles<\/h3>\n

Finally, Apple unveiled its latest subscription service: Apple Fitness+<\/a>. It\u2019s a \u201cworkout experience\u201d that combines metrics from an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with studio-style workouts that you view on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. World-class trainers present classes across a variety of disciplines, including cycling, treadmill, rowing, HIIT, strength, yoga, dance, core, and mindful cooldown. For novices, there\u2019s an Absolute Beginner program.<\/p>\n

When you start a workout on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, the correct workout type automatically starts on your Apple Watch. While you\u2019re exercising, heart rate and workout times are shown on the screen. When Apple Fitness+ launches, sometime before the end of the year, it will cost $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year, and you\u2019ll be able to try it free for a month.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019ve found yourself subscribing to multiple Apple services and paying for additional iCloud storage, you may be able to save money with the new Apple One<\/a> bundles:<\/p>\n