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iPad, Apple Watch, get updates
Apple has unveiled the latest Apple Watch Series 5, debuting an Always-On Retina display that never sleeps, and the iPad 7th generation, featuring a bigger display and smart keyboard support.
The Apple Watch Series 5 features an always-on display, so one can check the time and other important information, without raising or tapping the display. New location features, from a built-in compass to current elevation, help users better navigate their day, while international emergency calling allows customers to call emergency services directly from Apple Watch in over 150 countries, even without an iPhone nearby.
It is also available in a wider range of materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic and a new titanium finish. Combined with the power of watchOS 6, says Apple, users are empowered to take charge of their health and fitness with new features like Cycle Tracking, the Noise app and Activity Trends.
“We’ve seen Apple Watch have a meaningful impact on our customers’ lives and we’re excited to deliver even more capabilities with Apple Watch Series 5 and watchOS 6,” says Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “The seamless integration of new hardware and software delivers an enhanced experience that makes it even easier to stay active and connected to the people and information users care about.”
Apple Watch Series 5 features a new display that allows the time and important information to remain visible at all times. Each watch face has been optimized for the new display and to preserve battery life, the screen intelligently dims when a user’s wrist is down and returns to full brightness with a raise or a tap. Several advanced technologies work together to deliver this new feature, including the industry’s only low-temperature polysilicone and oxide display (LTPO), ultra-low power display driver, efficient power management integrated circuit and new ambient light sensor. This combination of hardware innovation and software design allows Apple Watch Series 5 to offer all-day 18-hour battery life.
Updated location features on Apple Watch Series 5 provide customers with greater navigation tools to use throughout the day. The new built-in compass and updated Maps app allow users to see which way they are facing. They can use the new Compass app to see heading, incline, latitude, longitude and current elevation.
For added personal safety while traveling, users with cellular models of Apple Watch Series 5 can now complete international calls to emergency services, regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if the cellular plan has been activated. International emergency calling also works with fall detection, if enabled, to automatically place an emergency call if Apple Watch senses the user has taken a hard fall and remains motionless for about a minute.
Many were puzzled by the absence of sleep tracking technology, which is a standard feature on other major wearables like Fitbit. Eric Cohen, Senior Vice President of Consumer Business at Cambridge Consultants, offers some insight into this omission:
“I’m sure that Apple could get the tech right, but perhaps they’ve already seen where sleep monitoring is headed: “contactless” sleep monitoring (nothing worn on the body) will allow users all the benefits of technology, without interrupting our normal lifestyles by worrying about charging and the nuisance of wearing devices while sleeping.”
Additional health and fitness features come with watchOS 6, including the new Cycle Tracking app, which gives customers the ability to log important information related to their menstrual cycles, and see predicted timing for their next period and fertile windows using the convenience of Apple Watch. The Noise app helps users understand the ambient sound levels in environments such as concerts and sporting events that could negatively impact hearing, and Activity Trends on iPhone provides a long-term view of their activity patterns to help them understand their progress. watchOS 6 also brings dynamic new watch faces, including Meridian, Modular Compact and Solar Dial, which can be easily customized for quicker access to favorite apps.
Click here to read about the new iPad.
