Apple Watch + iPhone 6 Event

Hey guys, this is Maads 101, and today I'm going to be talking about the most recent Apple keynote event that happened today, September 9th, 2014. In this keynote event, Apple introduced a couple of things: they introduced the new iPhones, Apple Pay, and the Apple Watch. So I'm going to be discussing these introductions in that order.

First, there were the iPhones. They introduced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Both of these phones have larger displays than the previous iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S screens. However, the iPhone 6 Plus actually has an even bigger one than the iPhone 6, which allows for more content to be shown on the display. For example, you can put the home button in landscape mode like you can on an iPad, allowing you to see everything horizontally on the right.

Both of these phones actually have a slightly better camera; there's faster focus and things like that. They also tried to optimize usage for one hand since sometimes it can be harder to operate with one hand. Since the phones are larger, they moved the sleep/wake button from the top to the side. Instead of reaching to the top, you can access it more easily from the side.

Another feature is if your phone is in your hands, and you're trying to reach something on the top of the display, you can double tap on the home button—not press it, but tap—and the top of the display will come down, allowing you to access it on the bottom before pushing it back up. So, there were a lot of minor updates to the iPhone, and it's going to come with iOS 8, of course, and the phones are thinner with a new design.

Next, I'm going to talk about Apple Pay. Apple Pay is supposed to replace your wallet, and I think that's a little ambitious, but I'll explain why in a second. Apple Pay is a technology that uses NFC secure payment technology, which has been in a lot of Android phones and is now going to be in the new iPhones. The way Apple Pay works is you connect it with your credit card, and it works in the U.S. with major credit card companies—the three major ones being Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

You can take a picture of your credit card, and when you pay, if the vendor uses this technology, you just put your phone against the reader instead of swiping your credit card. This way, the vendor can't see your information, and Apple also can't see your information. They can't see what you bought, how much you paid for it, or where you bought it. It doesn't even give the vendor your credit card number; it generates a temporary number for one purchase. If that number is found somehow, it can't be used again.

Tim Cook described it like this: if you lose your phone, it's not like losing your wallet because you can cancel the mobile payments made since you lost your phone. Now, I think it is possible for this technology to replace credit cards because it's actually more convenient to put your phone up to an NFC reader than to hand over your credit card, especially if that doesn't work and you have to present another card or show ID.

However, I don't think Apple Pay is more convenient than cash. For example, when Alex owes me some cash, I can give him cash directly. I could use PayPal, but that requires signing in and sending an amount of money. I think NFC technology could be expanded to work with cash; for example, I just put my phone against Alex's phone, and there we go, I gave him $5 instead of pulling out my wallet.

But they didn't incorporate that yet, so there's definitely room for improvement. It could theoretically replace credit cards but not replace wallets, as cash is still too important and easier to use.

Next is the Apple Watch. Although it may be the best smartwatch at the current time, I have mixed feelings about it. So, let me discuss what the Apple Watch is and how it works. They talked about the crown first. If you're unfamiliar, the crown of a watch is a little dial on the side that you spin to adjust the time.

Apple introduced the digital crown, which allows users to scroll and navigate through the touchscreen. However, because the screen is very small, they want people to primarily use the digital crown rather than trying to zoom in with both fingers. This makes sense, as zooming would hinder visibility.

There's also another button on the side of the device, which I think should have more functionality because you can add more software that could replace its dedicated purpose. This button allows you to see your favorite friends and send them a message or doodle, but I don't think that deserves its own button—possibly an app could serve that instead.

Now, moving on to fitness. They really seemed to put a lot of effort into the fitness aspect of the watch. There are cameras on the back that can monitor your wrist, and different sensors can detect your heartbeat and how much you've run that day. That's pretty cool.

For charging, I don't know how good the battery life is, but it resembles a MagSafe adapter and attaches magnetically to the back of the watch. However, you will have to take it off at the end of the day to charge it, which isn't ideal since many people may not want to remove it daily.

The president of the watch team mentioned pairing the watch with an iPhone, implying a lot of the watch’s functionality might require the iPhone. He referred to getting Wi-Fi and service from the iPhone. Honestly, if the device only works with an iPhone, I think that is a bad idea because not everyone has an iPhone, and it creates dependency on having your phone with you.

The device also supports Apple Pay. I thought it was essential for the watch to support mobile payments, as it would be strange otherwise, especially when the focus is on the convenience of not needing to pull out a wallet.

Regarding the wristbands, they have different options for various styles: metal, leather, and sport-style wristbands. The wristbands are replaceable, which is cool, allowing for third-party vendors to create their own designs. The Apple Watch comes in different models, including one made of gold, which raises questions about practicality since smartwatches are not usually replaced every couple of years.

If I were to buy a Rolex, the value would remain constant over time, but a smartwatch like the Apple Watch might not hold its value as much. I see the gold model appealing to high-end customers; however, I wonder if smartwatches can evolve to compete with traditional luxury watches.

In my opinion, over time, people who are into technology will start wearing Apple Watches or similar devices, but traditional luxury watches won't disappear. Even with smart functions, those high-end watches are often worn more for status and less for their technology.

Lastly, I noticed Apple seems to be leaving room for updates and improvements with the Apple Watch's design. This makes sense considering they had a significant head start with the iPhone. There are competitors now, and many smartwatches have been released, including Google’s operating system designed for watches.

I believe the Apple Watch may be better than others currently available, but if it requires a constant connection to an iPhone, that limits its usage. Even for basic tasks like sending messages, retrieving more complex information using a phone might still be quicker and give more functionality than a watch.

That was a basic summary of what happened in this keynote event, along with my opinions. Feel free to share your thoughts, whether you agree or disagree! I’d like to hear some feedback.

Anyways, thank you for watching Maads 101. Feel free to subscribe for future updates, and go ahead and like this video if you want. Have a nice day, and goodbye!