Detailed summary of the Apple keynote on 12.09.2023

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Introduction

Nice to have you with us again for another episode of Digital 4 Productivity and after the short message about the Apple keynote, here’s something more detailed.

The new Apple Watch of the 9th generation

Yes, the iPhone 15, the 9th generation Apple Watch and the 2nd generation Apple Watch Ultra were introduced. And I’ve already said, starting with the watches, you shouldn’t get a new one. What do I mean by that? The 9th generation Apple Watch is of course a great watch. So it’s not an issue at all. So if you look at the specifications, it’s a great watch. That’s not an issue at all. You can get it from €449. It has a higher screen brightness than the previous one, so it’s even better than the previous one. That’s not an issue at all. So that’s good. I’m also going to talk about these Tap guests. So it’s already great. But with the 10th generation, which is coming next year, there will probably be a bigger step, similar to the iPhone 10. In other words, if you absolutely need a watch now, then you won’t be doing anything wrong if you buy one. What you can of course consider is whether you should get an SE. The main difference is that it doesn’t have this always-on display, so you can always see the time on it. And the second main difference is that it doesn’t have a 45 millimeter screen, but a 44 millimeter screen. Now you’re saying that the millimeter is a big difference. Yes, I have to be honest, for me that was the reason to go for the Apple Watch Series, I think I’m seven, because that was the Apple Watch that had this 45 millimeter display. And if you look at the Apple Watch Ultra, you have a 49-millimeter display. However, the edge is so big that the screen itself is almost no bigger than the normal one, the usable area. So that was one of my biggest expectations, to say, yay, I have a four millimeter or five millimeter larger Apple Watch with the Ultra, so I can fit a lot more on the display. Unfortunately, the edge is so big that the really usable space is marginally larger. You really don’t notice much difference. And even with the apps, there aren’t any that make you think you absolutely have to use them.

The new Apple Watch OS operating system 10

So with the Series 9 and the nice thing is most of the extensions that are available as part of the theme of the new operating system of the Apple Watch. So the Apple Watch OS 10 is practically the new operating system. And you also have this change with the previous generation Watch. So that means you have the rounded corners and the entire surface of the display, which practically now, I say, the apps use more of the space. You have this smart stack with you. You can now access the control center not via the bottom button, but via the top button. So I have to get used to that a bit. You can now put even more widgets on the watch face. So there’s a bit more to it. Snoopie, the watch face also works on older watches for those who say they absolutely need the Super Snoopie. You can also display memojis and photos of contacts here. To be honest, everything before that works too. For cycling training, you can connect Bluetooth sensors such as PowerMeter and things like that, cadence sensors. But it’s not a question of new hardware, it’s a software issue. And the good thing is that you can also use the software with the older ones.

So the most important things are also here with fitness and so on. So you can also make the change to Maps, the change to Weather, the topic of Mindfulness, the topic of medication logs. So many of the functions that were announced here in such a big way, even at the keynote, you always have to look, are functions of Watch OS 10 and they also work on older Apple Watches. So with the Apple Watch, to be honest, I would wait for the next generation at the moment. The Apple Watch Ultra has been given a new Watch Chase. Of course, it’s a bit brighter again. Yes, but it wasn’t dark before either. So it’s okay. What’s interesting is that it’s a hundred bucks cheaper. So it would have cost 999 before, now it costs 899. I’m also not assuming that the Apple Watch Ultra will get a complete redesign next year. That’s not going to happen. So that means that if it does, you can buy an Apple Watch Ultra sooner. If you have a watch where you say you want a new model every year, then you could consider renting it from Grover, especially with a device as expensive as the Apple Watch Ultra. For example, you can rent it for twelve months and pay around €50 for the watch. So that means you pay €600 a year. If you get a new one every year, you pay €600 a year instead of €900. You have a new watch every year. So that can certainly be an interesting topic.

Apple Watch of the 9th generation – The bottom line

Yes, so much for the Apple Watch. My issue is, I wouldn’t necessarily buy one at the moment. I think I have one of the 7th generation, if I’m not mistaken. That was the first one that had that display, which just went over the edges. So if you don’t have that yet, it really is a clear difference in practice, not just for some watch faces, but also for applications such as the calculator, for example, where you have significantly more screen estate, significantly more space. That definitely makes sense.

The new iPhone 15

Yes, let’s take a look at the topic of iPhones. Yes, the iPhone 15 was presented first, the normal one, as always, just new colors. There are five additional colors. There are two sizes, 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches, as before, and the camera is a bit better, a bit nicer, a bit faster, a bit brighter. Yes, okay. So, if you have a 14 or a 13, you don’t need it from my point of view. I also always skip two generations and I go one step further. On the one hand, you can still get the iPhone 14 and, to put it simply, the iPhone 15 is like the iPhone Pro 14. In other words, it’s usually the case that you say the Pro generation will become the standard generation next time and then a Pro is practically hung on top again. And what you still get is an iPhone SE.

So many people don’t even have this iPhone SE on their radar. Personally, I’m a big fan of the iPhone SE because I say that nobody needs this iPhone SE anymore, to be honest, as far as the topic is concerned. And you simply get it a whole lot cheaper. In other words, if I look at the prices accordingly, you can see all the prices on the page. In other words, if I now go to the topic of iPhones, where you can also compare both iPads and iPhones, let’s go to iPhone and say, for example, for iPhones you can go to Compare and then you can say, which one would you like to compare? And now I can say, I’ll take the 15 Pro Max, the 15 Pro or the 15 in the middle. And I’ll say I’ll compare the 2nd generation SE. That’s the current model they have there. Of course, they only get it in slightly fewer colors. Of course it has a smaller chip, but it also has Touch ID, for example, even though it has a button. To be honest, I even like the button. The thing is splash-proof. So for most people, to be honest, such an SE is completely sufficient and you simply get it a little cheaper.

Otherwise interesting on the other hand, iPhone 15 Pro Max. And that’s really interesting, the Pro Max, I have to say, for the professionals among them. Because with the Pro Max, in addition to the usual gadgets it has, you have a significantly better camera. So something small, something quite nice is that the edges of the display have become smaller, so you have a larger display in relation to the size. These things have become lighter because they are made of titanium. And instead of these sliding switches, they now have an action button, a bit like the Apple Watch Ultra. And you can assign it to say, for example, that you can immediately take a photo with it and things like that, which are backed up with this action button, which I think is really very useful. So other things are a bit of a gimmick, but this is really great.

What’s also great is that they have up to five times optical zoom with a lens that has a focal length of 120 millimeters. That’s normally quite an ossi of a lens. So they are easily 15 to 20 centimeters deep normally. They have achieved this by refracting the light four times in the lens. And this simply allows you to achieve a very, very good focal length in a naturally very compact device. You can film 4K-60, but you don’t normally need it. 4k 30 is completely sufficient or for most people Full HD with 30 frames is completely sufficient. However, it is of course interesting for the professionals among them. For professionals, it is also interesting that you can now film directly onto connected hard disks, for example. So this is really, really great for professionals.

What’s also interesting about the Pro is that from the end of the year it will be possible to record spatial video via software. This means that if you are thinking about buying an Apple Vision Pro, then the Pro also makes sense, because then you can practically record 3D videos that you or others can then watch on the Apple Vision Pro, i.e. on the virtual/augmented reality headset. So that’s only possible with the Pro. The whole thing, as I said, in titanium. Just like the normal iPhone 15 with USB connection, but with the afterburner. You can also get it here with a USB 3 port. As is typical for Apple, you need an extra cable for this so that you can use the full speed. But then you get a much higher transfer speed between the iPhone and a computer. And that makes sense above all if you have a lot of videos and photos there and want to transfer them. So this thing is really good for that. So my recommendation is that you don’t really need an iPhone 15 unless you want to upgrade. Personally, I would currently recommend going for the 15 Pro Max or the 15 Pro if you say you don’t need such a big phone, because you really do have a significantly better camera with it. You have a nice, lightweight body because of the titanium theme. You’ve got that extra switch and it’s honestly not that much monstrously more expensive than the regular phone when I look. So it’s still reasonably reasonable in terms of price. Of course, Apple has it there, if you say you get an iPhone from 949, you get the other one from 1,449 euros – that’s quite a difference. But if you then compare it with the same storage space, with the same features, then the difference shrinks and the devices are another 100 euros even cheaper than the 14s back then. Now it has to be said that Apple didn’t necessarily do it out of altruism, but the exchange rate has simply changed and accordingly it takes the changed exchange rate into account.

Other thoughts on the Apple keynote

Yes, no further hardware in the sense of iPads or Macs was presented. To be honest, I didn’t expect anything to come. So there will certainly be another iPad event in October. Let’s assume that there will be something new. As always, I’ll keep you up to date when that happens and you can, of course, read about it again.

Yes, so if you also need support on the subject of Apple and which devices you buy or don’t buy. Personally, I always say that pros should get a 15 Pro Max. It definitely makes sense. Everyone, and it’s 90% of my customers, who only use the thing to make phone calls, take a few photos etc. an SE is completely sufficient for them. Or you can also buy a 14 Series. That is also still available at a slightly reduced price. Or if you say, new device every year, then you can consider renting for twelve months via Grover. Or you can keep the original packaging, keep the original power supply unit, just take the phone out, put it in a decent case, get a separate power supply unit and then sell the device again after a year. You can do that too. I have a customer of mine in the sales force of a food company who always does this every year because I once said, tell me, how do you manage to have a new cell phone every year? The biggest model. And he gave me the exact tip to say, yes, I’m not going to keep it, I’m going to sell it on. And that’s also an option.

Conclusion

Yes, in that sense. You know you’d rather upgrade yourself than the hardware. Unfortunately, we usually do it the other way around. As you know, “first switch on the brain, then the technology and then “just use the technology“. I look forward to seeing you again next time. See you then. All the best.

Yours, Thorsten Jekel.

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