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iPhone 6 debuts alongside Apple Watch and Apple Pay

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Apple Watch and  iPhone 6 debuts bring mobile payment with them

Finally, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has unveiled the iPhone 6, a larger handsets than its previous models. iPhone 6 is available in 4.7 inches (11.9cm) and 5.5 inches (14.0cm) models, a move that is directly aimed at preventing losing customers to the android platform that has seen its phone makers make such larger smartphone models. Also making their debut on the September 9th event are Apple Pay and the phenomenal Apple’s One More Thing, the iWatch. Here are the reviews of the three products unveiled by Apple yesterday:

iPhone 6 Features

Apple has conformed to its customers’ demand and finally it has delivered an iPhone with a larger than the traditional 4.5-inch screen. As a matter of fact, you’ll have a choice between the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Physical appearance

  • iPhone 6 has a wafer-like metal design, curved lines and feels more like the iPod touch models.
  • Its body is larger, yet slimmer (6.9-millimeters thin), and has more rounded edges than its predecessors.
  • The company did not completely abandon Steve Job’s “fits into the palm” philosophy! The smaller model feels more massive but perfectly fits into the palm and allows you to navigate through the screen.  Even the 5.5-inch version can be controlled by one hand, thanks to iOS 8 capabilities.
  • Available in gold, silver and space gray colours.

Screen The smaller screen is larger than the previous models 4-inch screen. However, its 4.7 inches is still small considering the current large screen standards. The screen features include:

  • Retina HD display
  •  Has pixel density of 326p and 1080p for the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch respectively.
  • The smaller iPhone has 1,334×750 pixels, while the larger, which by today’s standard is called the phablet has higher 1,334×750 pixels.

There are a lot more other features that I will review in my later, but now let us look into the other two products also unveiled yesterday. The iPhone 6 debuts in shops from September 19th.

The Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is Apple’s first product line since the demise of the legendary Apple founder Steve Jobs. The device could open another revenue front for the iPhone maker; however most of its functionalities are already offered by the iPhone. Perhaps Apple Watch’s selling point is its “digital crown” feature that allows users to magnify its contents or scroll through. To scroll or magnify contents, the user uses a dial on the watch’s side, and the same button acts as a home button when pressed inwards. Capabilities of the watch

  • Serve the functions of a heart rate monitor, thanks to its rear composition of LEDs and sensors.
  • It runs Siri, Apple’s voice control personal assistance service
  • It can display maps and issue notifications.
  • To prolong battery life, its apps can be processed on the iPhone
  • It comes with its own charging cable.
  • You can make contactless payment through Apple Pay services on the watch.

I’m still working on more about this watch. The watch will not be available for purchase until 2015.

Apple Pay

iPhone 6 and Apple Watch users will no longer have to use their credit cards for payments, thanks to the an NFC (near field communication) chip integrated in both the devices. To make payments, the either of the device is waved above an NFC reader at a shop’s till. While Apple has finally entered the contactless payments, analysts expected more. What’s the point of doing away with credit card wavering and replacing it iPhone or iWatch wavering? Many had expected a more sophisticated but easy to use payment system.

More to follow

There are a lot more about these two gadgets and the Apple Pay payments service that I would like us to delve into. However, let us save them for another day. The iPhone 6 debut alongside Apple Watch, or the iWatch as it is already  known, is likely to cause market jitters. Keep it here for every discovery around these Apple’s product lines.

Android Wear takes on the Apple iWatch

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Google to launch Moto 360 smartwatch

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL) is expected to release its Moto 360 smartwatch ahead of Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) September 9th event. The android wear version has notable upgrades, including its ability to perform a number of functions independently, without necessarily being linked to an Android smartphone. The search company will be seeking to seize the moment in the lucrative wearable market with huge growth potential.

About Android Wear

Android wear is a modified version of Android operating system designed for the wearable, such as the smartwatch. The platform was launched at Google’s June I/O developer conference.

Earlier, the wearable market had problems with apps as developers had lacked a common platform to build them on. But now with Google’s android wear, apps in Google Play can be upgrade to support Android wear. According to the company’s engineering director for Android Wear David Singleton already thousands of apps on Google Play support Android Wear.

The wearable market has become the next battle ground for tech giants, with Apple rumoured to launch its iWatch perhaps in its next week’s event. The iPhone maker is known for its exquisite and elegant products, and its wearable will definitely be well received.

Banking on the first mover advantage

The iPhone maker is expected to unveil its iPhone 6 in a much waited event that might also see it unveil its first wearable product, the iWatch. However, if the company goes by its tradition of giving each of its products enough shinning moment, then it is likely that the market may have to wait a while longer for the wearable device from Apple. And this is exactly what the King of internet search business is counting on.

Google is seeking to benefit from the first mover advantage with its Moto 360 smartwatch as Apple still procrastinate. While this may not be possible as the iWatch may hit the market as early as next week, there is still a possibility that the iPhone maker may yet wait a little longer to launch its iWatch.

Capabilities of the new wearable

There are already existing Android-based wearable, but these devices have limited capabilities if not paired with other devices Smartphone or tablets. However, the yet to unveiled version is expected to improve on this. Such functions include:

  • Moto 360 GPS capabilities can also use geo-location data to track their user’s fitness sessions.
  • Comes with a set of Bluetooth headphones
  • Can store music and thus the user can go for a run and leave his phone at home, but still listen to music through the headphones.

Generally, Google has expanded non-paired functionalities of its new device. The company further plans to offer frequent updates to Android Wear extending the platforms capabilities.

Conclusion

The new Android Wear version is expected to give developers a platform that make easier to develop apps. This will further position Google to continue perform in businesses outside its core search business. While next week’s Apple’s event may put pressure on Google stock, the stock is worth holding on.

 

12-inch iPad, 5.5-inch iPhone and the iWatch

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12.9-inch ipad joins large display iPhone and iWatch in Apple’s pipeline

Just a couple months after Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) signed a deal with International Business Machines (NASDAQ: IBM), now Apple is set to produce a 12.9-inch iPad, its largest ever tablet. The move is part of the general plan to rescue the declining sales of Apple’s second revenue generator.

iPad sales have been declining for two straight quarters and the iPhone-maker, courtesy of the partnership with IBM, is now targeting enterprise customers. It appears that the larger tablet would be a perfect replacement for laptops that these enterprises have been using. The current iPad are sized 9.7″ and 7.9″.

As reported by Bloomberg, the production of the 12-inch iPad will begin early next year.

Apple’s product pipeline is already busy with the company expected to release iPhones with larger display at Sep. 9 iPhone event. Also there are unconfirmed reports that the company may also unveil its first wearable.

The Wearable device

Re/code’s John Paczkowski is reporting that on September 9, at the iPhone 6 unveiling event, Apple will also unveil its new wearable. However, he does not name the wearable.

Paczkowski is well known to be privy to Apple affairs. His track record speaks for itself and anything he says regarding the company’s pipeline is taken seriously. He is the one who hinted the Sep. 9 iPhone event date.

While he avoided using the term “iWatch”, all the hints points towards it. He says in the report that the wearable will “make good use” of HealthKit and HomeKit platforms. iWatch features have often been associated with these two platforms that have been recently launched. So it is pretty obvious that the wearable device is an iWatch.

The iWatch

Earlier reports indicated that 3-5 million units of iWatch will be produced per month at the onset. The device will be available in multiple models including one with sapphire cover glass and at least 10 sensors for monitoring health and fitness parameters. Nevertheless, all the models are expected to have a flexible OLED display.

The iPhone 6

iPhone 6 has been tipped to be the game changer for Apple. The tech giant is expected to reclaim part of its market share lost to Samsung when it launches this next generation of iPhones.  It is expected that other than the larger display, iPhone 6 will have a powerful A8 processor.

In the previous quarter, Apple registered strong revenue growth in China, a country where a 5.5 inches iPhone model would definitely do well. Apple saw its revenue jump 28% year over year in this country, with iPad sales leading the growth with 51%. iPhone sales were 48% higher than the previous year, thanks to the tech giant’s partnership with China Mobile.

While China is key to Apple’s growth, I don’t know what the future might hold for this market after Beijing reprimanded its mobile carriers to stop subsidizing foreign brands. Nevertheless, iPhones with larger screens will attract huge demand and perhaps register a recording breaking sales growth.

The company has been reinventing itself to claim its market dominance in the smartphone market. While this is not easy given Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL) Android dominance, Apple can yet again distinguish itself as the number one brand for the affluent.

Conclusion

Apple’s pipeline is the major reason why the stock has rallied to trade over $100. After a successful quarter, Apple is not resting on its laurels. The company has studied the market and is working on product lines to continue driving this growth. The 12-inch iPad, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and the iWatch might all be game changers in their respective markets.

AAPL Records a new 52-Week High

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After recording a new high, how long can AAPLE hold on at over $100?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) today has recorded its new 52-week high of $101. 09. Thanks to the hype of the iPhone 6’s eminent launch, and other products in the pipeline, AAPL has had a bullish run and is expected to topple the Sept. 19, 2012 split-adjusted record of $100.30.

The bullish run has seen Apple trade over 53,450 shares over the last three months and gaining about 40.1%  from August last year to date. Generally, since January last year the stock has gained 27.3%, yet analysts are still declaring AAPL a buy, just like last time. Will the stock hold on trading at over $100, or is it headed for another precipitous fall?

AAPL 2012’s abrupt fall and the current Rally

In 2012, Apple’s run was built around the then eminent release of iPhone 5, like it is happening again with iPhone 6. However, iPhone 5that was competing with the Samsung debutant Galaxy S3.The Samsung flagship had been released in May that year, and it was the first Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) android phone made to counter iPhone’s dominance. S3 had set the bar so high that iPhone 5 fall shot and performed miserably. The Steve Jobs’ factor was also still in play, as many investors thought that the company was hollow without his hit products ideas.

The current situation is very different. Smartphone users are not only waiting for the release of the Steve Jobs’ phenomenal “…one last thing”, but the Smartphone that will address areas where Apple has not been getting it right. The phone expected to have larger display made from Sapphire Glass. What’s more, there are other products in the pipeline that are scheduled for release. These products include the iWatch and iPad Air.

Besides Apple’s pipeline, the other factors that have helped the price rally include:

Stock buyback plan: The iPhone maker has been buying back its stock since June 2013. Its CEO, Tim Cook announced in early February that they had bout back shares worth $14 billion in less than two weeks. In April the company added $30 billion to the plan and also raised its dividends. Its board raised the purchased plan budget from the $60 billion a year earlier to $90.

Expansion in emerging markets: Apple saw its iPhone sales shoot up 55% year over year in the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC countries) during its just ended quarter. Its partnership with China Mobile was to thank for this. However, there are emerging reports in China that Beijing has ordered the three government back Telco’s, China Mobile included, to sever links foreign mobile manufacturers to help the local companies. This might affect iPhone prices, as the carrier had subsidized the smartphones. This might be a huge blow to not only Apple, but also its close rival Samsung.

Partnership with IBM: Apples partnership with International Business Machines (NASDAQ: IBM) caught many by surprise but it has been held with high regards. The partnership is expended to rescue iPad’s floundering sales. The tablet, Apple’s second most valuable product, has continued to perform a miserably. However, the upcoming iPad Air 2 that has  Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Office is expected to have a long term adoption among business enterprises courtesy of the partnership

Conclusion

This is not the first time Apple has topped $100 a share.  Its record high came in September 2012 and after which the stock dipped to below $400 while analysts expected it to run past $1000 mark. Many analysts believe the current situation is different, but is rally different?

Will Pebble’s Smart Watch Survive Against Apple’s iWatch

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Pebble’s second generation smart watch is now ready to roll. But seems like the storm of smart watch rivalry is yet to begin. Apple can launch its brand new iWatch at any point of time. According to the sources, the company is at work on developing smart watches that would run on the legendary iOS operating system, which empowers its other devices, like iPhones and iPads. The rumour is all around that Pebble won’t survive against Apple’s technical expertise. However, critics still can’t comment on whether or not Apple’s new iWatch will be able to wipe out its all prevailing competition.
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