Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1164933
12.09.19 15 INNOVATION FOR most people, cold weather and browning leaves signal the start of au- tumn, but for a dedicated section of the general public (the ones not using An- droid), the season doesn't begin until a new iPhone is launched. On Tuesday, at a special event in the Steve Jobs eatre, Apple launched three new models of its iconic hand- est, along with an entry-level iPad, its long-awaited streaming service and a smattering of other hardware and ser- vices to excite the Apple-ites. But, these are challenging times; the iPhone brings in almost 50% of the company's profit, according to Statista, and global demand has fallen short in recent years. As a whole, the smartphone market it- self is shrinking and it almost suggests that Apple is suffering most – although Samsung also reported a fourth-quarter profit slump despite critical acclaim for the Galaxy S10 range. Another part of the problem is a mix of pricing and quality, in that it's both too expensive and too good. Rather than pay around €1,000 for the latest model, many consumers are sticking with their current models or buying older ones as prices drop: e iPhone Xs might be a super device, for example, but the iP- hone 8 is only a couple of features short and still looks pretty new. iPhone 11 e first handset announced was the iPhone 11, the default model. Packing the company's A13 Bionic chip (the fastest ever, Apple boasted) and dual cameras, the 11 is a well-stocked phone for a comparatively affordable price, starting at around €729. ere's also a nice selection of colours, harking back to the days of the iPhone 5c, with the 11 coming in six colours: red, yellow, green, purple, black and white. "iPhone 11 is the next generation of iPhone, packed with great new capabil- ities in an incredible design, including new Ultra Wide and Wide cameras for gorgeous videos and photos, the power and ease of use of iOS 13, and A13 Bi- onic – the fastest chip ever in a smart- phone that quickly handles the tasks that matter most to people every day," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior VP of worldwide marketing. iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max ose bright colours are just for the default model, as the Pro and Pro Max are less visually exciting (dull, is the word) and only come in the more tra- ditional Apple hues of gold, space grey, "midnight" green and silver. But, these are superior on the inside (which, for phones at least, is what re- ally counts) with Super Retina XDR dis- plays and triple-camera systems. "iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are the most powerful and advanced smartphones we have ever made," said Schiller. "ey are packed with sophisti- cated technology that pros can count on to get their work done, and for anyone who wants the very best device made, even if they are not a pro." iPhone 11 Pro has the first triple-cam- era system in iPhone and is far and away the best camera Apple ever made. It provides customers with a great range of creative control and advanced photo and video editing features in iOS 13. e Super Retina XDR is the brightest and most advanced display in iPhone and the A13 Bionic chipsets a new bar for smartphone performance and pow- er efficiency. Price A big criticism of Apple – and part of the reason it had poor sales over the last two years – is its pricing strategy. e Pro model starts at €1,049 and the Pro Max will be €100 more, but the en- try-level 11 starts at $50 less than its predecessor, iPhone XR. is shows Apple is getting serious about value, according to Dominic Sun- nebo, director of consumer insights at Kantar. "Apple's biggest challenge is that its iPhone sales are in decline – iPhone still accounts for almost half of Apple's revenue, so turning this trend around is vital, even as services takes an ever greater part of the pie," he said. "By reducing the price of the en- try-level 2019 iPhone, Apple shows an understanding of consumer pushback against the steep price rises over the last few years, but also an acceptance that without 5G capability there is very limited scope to push prices up further." iPad Phones aside, a big surprise of the night was the introduction of an en- try-level iPad. e seventh-generation version will go to market at €349 and will feature a 10.2in Retina Display, the Apple Pencil and for the first time, the full-size Smart Keyboard. "e new iPad was built to run iPa- dOS, which introduces powerful new ways to multitask, manage and mark up documents, use Apple Pencil and view more information at a glance on a rede- signed Home screen," said Greg Joswi- ak, Apple's VP of product marketing. "is new iPad with iPadOS takes everything people love about our most popular iPad and makes it even bet- ter for creating, learning, working and playing." Watch, Arcade and TV e last of the hardware offerings were the upgrades to the Apple Watch, with an 'always-on' display the big talk- ing point. On the services side, two eye-catch- ing announcements came in the form of Apple Arcade, a gaming subscription service for €4.99 a month, and both Ap- ple TV and Apple TV+. e company has said its Apple TV+ streaming service will come with orig- inal shows and launch on 1 November for (look away now Netflix) €4.99 a month. Apple bets big on the camera for new phones The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max come in the more traditional Apple hues of gold, space grey, "midnight" green and silver