Apple launches new watches and iPads, but no iPhone 12
Apple launched new watches, a super-powerful iPad Air and a new Fitness+ service at its latest showcase event this week, but smartphone fans will have to wait a little longer for the ‘iPhone 12’.
Apple traditionally unveils the next flagship iPhone at the September event, but reports suggest that the company will keep what is expected to be its first 5G-capable device under wraps until next month.
In the absence of the iPhone, Apple still announced a range of new devices, including three new Apple watches.
The headline addition to the wearable line-up is the Apple Watch 6, which is set to retail in the UK for £379 when it goes on sale on 18th September.
The new smartwatch will include a new pulse oximeter that can measure blood oxygen levels, a feature that Apple says can help with conditions such as asthma and COVID-19.
Apple also launched a more affordable Apple Watch SE that is twice as fast the older Series 3 model and packs in the accelerometer, gyroscope and altimeter from the new Watch 6.
The SE, which will cost £269 for the standard GPS version, is family-oriented as parents can use their iPhones to set up the wearable for children who do not yet own smartphones.
Apple also lifted the lid on a new iPad Air with an incredibly fast A14 Bionic CPU, a chipset that it claims is “by far the most advanced we’ve ever made”.
The event concluded with the launch of a new Peloton-style Fitness+ service and a new ‘Apple One’ bundle of subscription services.