Need to know: The biggest takeaways from the Apple reveal
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The buzz surrounding Apple's latest releases reached a fever pitch on Tuesday, with tweets mentioning the word 'iPhone' totaling 2 million—by 11 a.m. The hour plus keynote saw the announcement of many new features and products, but it also raised new questions about how impactful these new features will be on our everyday lives. Apple always tries to come up with new ways for us to interact, listen to music, purchase things, among other activities, so it is likely that at least some of the new features will catch fire. Here is a rundown of Apple's most important rollouts that marketers should take note of:
iPhone 6, 6 Plus:
- Apple answered the prayers of those who have been griping that iPhone screens are too small—the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will be 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. The new, larger size is significant because the iPhone was one of smallest smartphones on the market, and certainly the smallest of the best selling smartphones. A larger iPhone could certainly mean retailers will start making bigger pockets—from pockets in purses, pants, and suit coats. With likely implications on clothing and accessories,maybe we'll even see a resurgence of fanny packs?
- The camera on the new iPhone will be the most advanced yet—with eight megapixels, better face detection, and image stabilization, which will help those always taking photos with shaky hands. The state-of-the-art phone camera will undoubtedly impact social media use, especially with Instagram. Between Instagram's new hyperlapse feature and some brands who already boast using the iPhone camera to take stunning images, the social media game just got a bit more interesting.
Apple Pay:
- If Apple has any say in the matter, the world will be a card-less society in the near future. Apple Pay will allow users to add their debit/credit cards to their phone, which will be scanned at checkout. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, noted that swiping cards with "exposed numbers" is "fairly antiquated payment process."
- Apple Pay will work at reportedly 200,000 merchants, and will be integrated into big name apps like Target, Groupon, and OpenTable.
The Apple Watch:
- The health and wellness trend appears to be alive and well, as it is one of the key features of the Apple Watch. The watch will tell you if you've been sitting for too long and will suggest achievable fitness goals to ensure users are getting enough brisk activity during the day.
- The watch, which will be compatible with the iPhone 5 and up, can receive notifications from those phones. A few brands have already jumped onboard—Starwood Hotels is working on a way to unlock hotel doors from the watch, and BMW will be able to tell you where you left your car. If the Apple Watch takes off, it's safe to assume more brands will find ways to cater its business to the wristband.
iTunes:
- iTunes was never in danger, per se, but it likely felt the competition from streaming services as iTunes saw its sales fall 8% in 2013. Meanwhile, streaming services like Pandora and Spotify saw a 39% growth last year. So naturally Tim Cook brought out U2 to announce that the veteran rock band would be releasing their album on iTunes first—and for free. The move is likely a way for Apple to show the world that they shouldn't count out music downloading just yet, though it is anyone's guess how the stunt will actually impact iTunes sales overall.
