With larger iPhones, Apple accepts that smartphones have evolved

So it finally happened — after seemingly ages of rumors and speculation, Apple has unveiled larger iPhones (the 6 and 6 Plus) that are really, truly bigger than the 3.5-inch original. It’s no doubt a welcome move if you’re a fan who has been craving a big display, and it might even reel in people who have held off on an iPhone until now. However, this isn’t just an instance of a company tweaking its product line to accommodate changing tastes. That happens all the time. For Apple, it’s an acknowledgment that the very definition of a smartphone has changed over the years.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, the primary function of a smartphone was… well, the phone bit. Mobile data was too slow for many uses beyond email, while apps were both harder to find and more often for business than pleasure. You weren’t about to share selfies or stream your favorite show, since neither the technology nor the software was there for it. It’s not surprising, then, that Apple put a lot of its initial emphasis on basic (and usually one-handed) tasks, like calls and music.

You just have to watch the first iPhone launch event for proof. Jobs paid attention to web browsing, video and other tasks that benefit from a “really big” screen, but he was also proud of how well the iPhone fit in the hand and played Beatles albums. As far as the company was concerned, a 3.5-inch display was the sweet spot for everything, whether it was the mobile web or calling home. And it was, for a while; if you switched from a BlackBerry or Palm Treo, the iPhone’s then-huge display felt like a minor revelation.

The smartphone market started changing soon after the iPhone arrived, however. Mobile apps took off thanks to easy-to-use stores (including Apple’s own), making it simple to check your social networks and play games. Cameras got better, and cellular data got much faster. It was no longer far-fetched to share pictures with your friends or stream TV during your morning commute. Today, social sites like Facebook assume that you’re usually posting from your phone. The smartphone was quickly becoming a pocket computer that just happened to take calls, and that perfectly palm-sized design wasn’t as important as it used to be. A lot of phone makers helped fuel this trend through their endless attempts to one-up each other. Screen sizes grew to the point where a 5-inch display is now considered mid-range, and extra-large phones easily top six inches.

Only Apple’s hardware design didn’t seem to acknowledge this shift. While iOS was quick to support more sophisticated apps and media, the iPhone was purposefully limited to a 3.5-inch screen size for five years. As Jobs explained at a 2010 press event, he believed that people weren’t going to buy “Hummer” phones that they couldn’t grip using one hand. He had point a regarding the clunky designs at the time (a 5-inch Dell Streak feels gigantic compared to a Nexus 5), but this opinion was in stark contrast to an industry where larger phones were becoming commonplace. Even the 4-inch iPhone 5, while excellent, showed Apple’s reluctance to let go of its philosophy. The folks at 1 Infinite Loop went so far as to run ads where one-handed use was the big selling point, such as the TV spot you see below.

That insistence on going against the grain hasn’t hurt Apple’s bottom line so far. The company still sells gobs of iPhones, after all, and plenty of fans like the notion of a compact phone with top-tier performance. Even so, it’s apparent that this strategy clashes with modern tastes. If research is any indication, you probably prefer a big screen for internet access and video — I know I feel claustrophobic when web surfing or watching YouTube on my iPhone 5 versus the other devices at my disposal. There’s an appeal to having a phone small enough that you can easily use it in one hand while juggling bags in the other, but that convenience is arguably outweighed by the limitations it puts on software.

And practically speaking, there’s at least some concern that the world might eventually move on, leaving small iPhones by the wayside. At least one of Apple’s internal studies suggested that it was missing out on sales by sticking to 4-inch displays, since nearly all of the growth in high-end phone sales was limited to larger hardware. The company has definitely been losing opportunities in countries like China and India, where some people save money by buying an oversized smartphone in place of both a smaller handset and a PC or tablet. If your phone is going to be your only computing device, why wouldn’t you get the largest screen possible?

And that’s why the super-sized iPhones represent a milestone. Whether or not you think Apple needs to change to make a tidy profit, the company is clearly aware that the smartphone world has changed. It accepts that there’s a lot more on your phone than just messages and albums, and that all your content should have more room to breathe, whether it’s a Netflix video or a social update. The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus in particular is a recognition that your smartphone can be good enough to replace a tablet, since it expands what you see in landscape mode. If Apple is afraid of losing iPad sales, it’s not showing that concern — it’d clearly prefer that you buy something from its lineup than risk losing you to a Galaxy Note.

It’s hard to say whether or not these new iPhones are hints that we’re looking at a more responsive Apple that not only creates trends in the smartphone space, but adapts to them as well. This could be the start of a more aggressive update strategy, or just a brief change in direction for a tech giant that will otherwise plot a steady course. Either way, it’s evident that the crew in Cupertino isn’t looking at the iPhone in the same light as it did in years past.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Taking Apple Pay for a spin: Hands-on with Apple’s mobile payment service

Rumors of Apple working on a wireless payment service have been droning on for years, so when the company introduced a mobile wallet-like feature called Passbook more than two years ago, it seemed at the time that such a service was inevitable in the very near future — perhaps the iPhone 5 would have it? It took a while, but come October Apple will be ready to utilize the Near-Field Communications chip built inside the new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch. The service, simply known as Apple Pay, wants to do exactly what every other payment service on the planet wants to do: Make it possible for you to ditch your wallet (aside from Driver’s Licenses and other forms of ID).

Much like any other mobile payment service, such as Google Wallet or Softcard (formerly Isis), a lot of Apple Pay’s success will come down to how many people actually use it. The hardware is definitely there; fingerprint scanning through Touch ID is an integral part of the feature, and NFC is now built into the new iPhones. Users will probably find it faster and easier than putting in a PIN code to make payments. Apple’s solution could certainly do better than its competitors, but it’s going to take a while for enough people to have the proper hardware in-hand — and it’ll take time to persuade users that the company isn’t solely out to get their personal information or make it easy for hackers to do the same.

Apple insists that this isn’t the case, that it’s using a Secure Element chip that encrypts user data in such a way that prevents the company and probing eyes from getting ahold of it. Instead, the only parties that can see your transaction details are the banks, credit card companies and/or merchants that are directly involved in the purchase. According to Apple, a unique device number is “assigned, encrypted and securely stored” to each phone, rather than the actual credit card number; each individual transaction features a one-time dynamic security code number as well.

As we expected, Passbook is the central point for Apple Pay on the iPhone where your credit cards and accounts reside. This is where you set everything up on the phone (whether you manually add the info or use the camera to take an image of your card), but when it comes to actually making the payment, it’s simply a matter of holding the device within an inch of any payment terminal that supports NFC contactless payments (a lot of merchants now offer these stations in stores), holding your finger onto Touch ID for a fingerprint scan, and presto — the payment’s gone through, and you receive a notification telling you how much you just spent. The same goes for online checkouts through e-commerce sites: When it comes time to pay up, you just need to use Touch ID. (If you don’t want to use the default credit card, you need to go into Passbook to use it.)

The video above shows how Apple Pay is supposed to work. It’s quick, because the whole process — if done right — only takes a matter of a few seconds. In theory, faster than it takes to pull your wallet out, swipe your card, add your PIN or use your signature. As mentioned before, this isn’t a brand new idea. But as long as Apple is able to persuade enough people to trust the service and use it on a regular basis, it has a better chance of succeeding than any service we’ve seen before — that is, as long as the public is ready to move their trust away from magnetic stripes and onto Cupertino’s vision.

Once the service is ready to go in October, it’ll become available as an iOS update in the US. There’s no word on when we can expect it in other countries, but since this is a brand new service, it’s quite likely that the US is going to be a testing ground to make sure any and all bugs are worked out before opening it up to international merchants. It’ll start out with support from Wells Fargo, Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Chase Bank, BoA, CapitalOne and Citi; Apple claims 220,000 merchants will be onboard at the beginning as well.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Apple

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Apple Selling New Leather/Silicone Cases for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus [iOS Blog]

During today’s unveiling of the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus and the Apple Watch, Apple also announced plans to introduce new cases for both of the new iPhones. First of all, the company will be continuing the leather line of cases that it first introduced for the iPhone 5s, offering cases that will fit both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus.

The cases are crafted from hand-selected leather that’s been treated with aniline dye, and they feature a microfiber interior to protect the phone and its new protruding lens. The leather cases are available in Black, Olive Brown, Midnight Blue, Soft Pink, and Product (RED).

Along with the leather cases, Apple is also offering custom-fit silicone cases for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, which offer protection while “maintaining their incredibly slim form.” The silicone cases come in Black, White, Pink, Blue, Green, and Product (RED).

New custom-fit silicone cases cover iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus while maintaining their incredibly slim form. The camera stays protected just beneath the case, while a soft microfiber lining cushions the entire iPhone. Each perfectly form-fitting case has a smooth finish that feels as good as it looks.

Leather cases for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 are priced at $45, while leather cases for the 5.5-inch version are priced at $49. Silicone cases for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 are priced at $35, and 5.5-inch silicone cases are $39.

Cases for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are listed on Apple’s website and will presumably be purchasable beginning on Friday, September 19, when the iPhones hit stores. Pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus will begin on Friday, September 12.

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The iPhone 6 vs the competition: can it stay ahead?

By now you’re aware that there’s an iPhone 6 and you’ve seen what it has to offer. But are all those new bells and whistles (like Apple Pay) enough to make you choose it above other phones? It’s always hard to tell what features will work out, but in the meantime there’s always cold, hard specs to look at. We’ve stacked up the new iPhone against the latest and greatest its competitors have to offer, so check out the numbers and other internals of the iPhone 6 versus the Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G3 and the HTC One (M8) for Windows. Of course, you can also pick whatever devices you want and pit them against the iPhone 6 with our compare feature!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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iPhone 6 Plus vs the competition: bigger is better, right?

Phones have been getting bigger and bigger, with many consumers embracing large handsets even as their screen sizes start to brush against the 6-inch mark. But those who prefer a larger screen have really only had Android as an option — until today. The larger iPhone 6 Plus is here, and it’s beautiful. While time will tell whether the iPhone 6 Plus has what it takes to challenge its more-established competition, we can still take a look at its specs versus the Galaxy Note 4 and LG G Pro 2 to see who’s coming out of the gate with the strongest start. Want to see how it compares to other phones, both big and small? Build your own specs comparison with our compare feature!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Apple aesthetics: a look at the iPhone’s design history

In order to properly appreciate the brand-spanking-new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, you first have to examine its lineage. 2007’s OG iPhone introduced iOS to the masses, and 2013 saw the release of two separate models for the first time. Today, the long-rumored successors to those 5s and 5c handsets was unveiled, and with them comes new aesthetic tools that continue Apple’s lineage of design prowess. Let’s take a gander back at the full line, and examine the finer points that made each one unique.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Apple Pay comes to the iPhone for handling mobile purchases, NFC in tow

For years, Apple has resisted including NFC connectivity inside its iPhone handsets… until now. With the arrival of the new iPhones, the folks in Cupertino are finally including the option that will sort mobile payments. What’s more, it’s doing so with a process it built for use on its handsets: Apple Pay. The new feature is included on both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and uses NFC, Touch ID and a Secure Element chip to keep that precious info under lock and key. So how does it work? Well, you add a card to your iTunes account which then adds it to Passport. From there, you can suspend payments on the phone if your card gets lost or stolen without the need to make a phone call. In terms of security, Apple doesn’t know what you’re buying, and cashiers won’t even see your name. Instead, a one-time payment number and a dynamic security code complete the transactions.

At launch, American Express, Mastercard and Visa are all on board with a load of banks opting in to Pay as well. As far as retail is concerned, Apple Stores, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Walgreens, Subway, McDonald’s, Whole Foods and many more will allow you to pay for goods with that newfangled iPhone or the outfit’s wearable. For shopping on the web, there’s a one-touch feature that replaces the need to manually enter a card number, shipping address and other into. Once again, no credit card info is shared with merchants. Apple Pay is set to arrive in October via a free update to iOS 8

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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