Apple’s recent releases of of three new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4, iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, as well as the releases of iPad Pro and MacBook Air, brought more changes for dedicated Apple users.
Apple officially released three new iPhone models Oct. 26: the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. The iPhone XR is the most basic and affordable model of the bunch, although prices start at $749. The XS, which starts at $999, has a 5.8-inch display, a better chip than its predecessor the iPhone X and more camera effects available. The XS Max with a 6.5-inch display is similar in size to the iPhone 8 Plus with prices beginning at $1,099.
Apple Watch Series 4 brings a larger screen to the table and a better speed and accuracy of activity tracking than previous models.
The iPad Pro and MacBook Air were officially released Nov. 7. The iPad Pro will be reconstructed with an all-screen design, meaning the entire face of the product will be a screen. This new iPad possesses a liquid Retina display similar to the iPhone XR and will have Face ID like the iPhones since the iPhone X. The MacBook Air is going to be thinner and lighter and will have Touch ID and a Force Touch trackpad like the most recent MacBook Pros. It will also be the first Mac to be constructed with 100 percent recycled aluminum.
Maggie Burke, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said the release of the new iPhone models was underwhelming. Burke picked up the iPhone XR after its release and said she hoped for some big changes.
Burke said her favorite changes from her previous iPhone 7 to the iPhone XR were the camera and the battery life. Other than that, she said she found little was changed.
“The battery definitely lasts longer but … I think a phone battery should be able to last for multiple days,” Burke said. “Even though the battery life was better than how it was on my (iPhone 7), I still think it should be better.”
Apple’s new A12 Bionic Chip is marketed as the most powerful chip for any smartphone yet. However, Burke said she did not personally find the iPhone XR’s speed to be noticeably faster than the iPhone 7’s.
Another notable aspect of Apple’s newer products is the lack of a headphone jack. The new iPad Pro will have solely a USB-C connector, similar to the most recent iPhones beginning with the iPhone 7 that only have a lightning connector. Apple pushes its AirPods, released in December of 2016, and wireless alternatives from its subsidiary company Beats by Dr. Dre.
The small sleek design of the AirPods is intimidating for many students, especially those with a tendency to lose things. Due to their composition being “one size fits all,” some students expressed worry that the AirPods may not fit correctly and consequently fall out. The AirPods come with a carrying case that also charges the devices. Apple said its AirPods have a total of 24 hours of battery life with the case and five hours on each charge.
Anjali Patel, a freshman in the College of Health Sciences, said in an email, “AirPods are cool … if I owned them I can promise you I’d lose them in a matter of two days.”
Burke said she prefers to have her headphones connected to her phone. Although she received AirPods with the purchase of her new iPhone, she said she has not used them yet.
“I honestly don’t really like them just because I feel like it is really easy to lose them,” Burke said.
Sophie Campbell, a freshman in the College of Communication, said she finds the design peculiar.
“Looks-wise, I think they look kind of weird because you don’t realize people have earbuds in until you’re right next to them, because there’s no wire,” Campbell said. “But I guess they could be really convenient because the wire tends to get caught on things.”
Campbell said she feels like Apple can do whatever it wants and people will keep up and that as the industry grows, people conform, no questions asked. She also said it’s almost scary how much technology the world has at its fingertips, and she said she wonders if it is really all necessary.
“Technology grows a lot, but do I really need a laptop, an iPad and a watch and a phone?” Campbell said.
While Apple consumers may question new updates and settings and formats, some are not stopped by the updates and continue to purchase new Apple products.
“It’s the standard. We don’t get to question the battery life because we’re still going to buy (iPhones). We don’t get to question the privacy, we’re still going to have to do it,” Burke said.
