SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Inc. on Wednesday unveiled a lineup of new products, including updated iPhones, a revamped TV set-top box for playing games and watching videos, and a bigger iPad designed for business customers.
Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook showcased the new products at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The September gathering is Apple's largest annual event, and highlights the company's gadgets and services ahead of the Christmas shopping season.
Along with the Apple Watch and Apple Music service rolled out earlier this year, the devices advance Apple's ambition of weaving its products into more areas of people's lives. From fitness and health monitoring on the wrist, to communications and productivity via phones, computers and tablets, to entertainment in the living room, Apple has been steadily expanding its offerings as Cook chases new markets. The lineup could also help revive a share price that's dropped 17 percent from a February high.
The new iPhone models, called iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, will be available Sept. 25. The two new phones start at $199 and $299 with a two-year carrier contract. Apple also introduced a new leasing program for iPhone, starting at $32 a month, where users will pay for the device over time and have the chance to upgrade every year.
"While they may look familiar, we have changed everything about these new iPhones," said Cook, who succeeded Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO in 2011. "They are the most advanced smartphones in the world."
The new versions, which look like the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus that debuted last year, add an improved 12-megapixel camera, speedier processor and a new feature called 3D Touch that lets users make commands and reach shortcuts and menus by pressing down harder or softer on the screen. The handsets come in four colors -- silver, gray, gold and rose gold.
The iPhone remains the most important product to Apple's business, accounting for more than 60 percent of its revenue last quarter. The company's stock has come under pressure amid questions about its long-term revenue prospects, particularly smartphone sales in China -- a market it's counting on for growth. Shares have fallen about 15 percent since July 21, when Apple reported lower-than-expected financial results.
The new phones offer speedier Wi-Fi and long term evolution (LTE) wireless phone service, Apple said.
The new Apple TV set-top box, the first overhaul of the product since 2012, will cost $149 to $199 and will be available in late October. In addition to offering a gateway to viewing online videos from services such as Netflix Inc., Hulu LLC and Time Warner Inc.'s HBO, Apple is stepping up the device's capabilities with its own App Store. Developers will now be able to make games and other content for the box, just as they have with iPhone and iPad.
"Our vision for TV is simple and perhaps a little provocative," Cook said. "We believe the future of television is apps."
The TV device has a new touch-enabled remote control and integrates Siri voice-activated commands, letting people search for a movie or show by saying a title, genre or an actor's name. The new search function includes the ability to look for programs across streaming apps including Netflix, HBO, Showtime and Apple's iTunes, with more services to come later.
The redesigned Apple TV joins a crowded market. Google Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Roku Inc., as well as game-console makers Microsoft Corp. and Sony Corp., all are attempting to reach customers in their living rooms who are increasingly streaming programming on demand through the Internet. Other services, such as Amazon's Fire TV, already have voice-activated search and an app store with games and content.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple also unveiled a bigger member of its iPad family. The device's display is 12.9 inches. The new iPad Pro will cost $799 to $1,079 depending on memory included, and goes on sale in November.
"This is desktop-class performance," said Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller at the event. The device is 6.9 millimeters thin with 10-hour battery life and a four-speaker audio system, Schiller said.
IPad unit sales fell 18 percent in the three months that ended in June, the sixth straight quarterly decline. The new product is geared toward business customers looking for alternatives to laptop computers -- a market that Cook has pinpointed as an area of focus as iPad demand has slowed.
Apple shares fell $2.16, or 1.9 percent, to close Wednesday at $110.15.
Business on 09/10/2015