iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to be launched in India this October

Price is likely to be on the higher side than in the US.

By Dileep Thekkethil

BANGALORE: The rumors were spot on: Apple gave a bigger surprise than what was expected, when Tim Cook launched the latest versions of the Phones, and the new iWatch at Flint Center, the very stage where Steve Jobs first unveiled Apple’s Macintosh computer in 1984.

Apple’s latest smartphone models iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and wearable gadgets called Apple Watch will hit the markets soon. Even though Apple India website mentioned October 17 as the launch date, they later removed it. This might be an indication that the iPhone 6 launch in India may get delayed.

The 16 GB version of Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will cost $199 and $299, respectively, on a two-year contract. The contract-free price of the iPhones can exceed $649 and $749, respectively. When iPhone 6 and 6 Plus reach India, in the current dollar-rupee exchange rates, iPhone 6 is likely to cost between Rs. 40,000 – 45,000 and iPhone 6 Plus a little more than Rs. 60,000. However, the prices may be higher, in all likelihood, just like it will be in Europe too.

With the launch of Apple Watch, popularly known as iWatch, the company has proved that even though they are late in opening an account in the fashionable wearable gadgets, they are the latest when it comes to technology. Apple iWatch comes in three different models Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sports and Apple Watch Edition.

The launch of the new phones also witnessed Cook slashing the price of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models. While the price of iPhone 5S was slashed to $99, Cook gave a surprise by announcing that the 8GB plastic iPhone 5C can he had for free on a two-year contract.

Let’s take a deeper look at the specifications of the new Apple devices.

iPhone 6

When compared with the older versions of iPhones, the new iPhone 6 is bigger and thinner. Even though the competitors argue that Apple has not done enough in improving specifications, it should be noted that Apple doesn’t come out with new models every month or so.

iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch multi-touch Retina HD Display with a resolution of 1334× 750 pixels. The metallic body of iPhone 6 blends perfectly with the display giving a smooth and seamless look for the phone. iPhone 6 is 6.9mm thin and weighs just 129 grams. The overall look and feel of the smartphone is smooth edges and bigger control keys.

iPhone 6 sports a 64-bit architecture A8 processor coupled with a M8 motion co-processor for collecting data from the new sensors in iPhone 6. The phone also has a battery that can last up to 14 hours on 3G.

Coming to the camera department, iPhone 6 has an 8MP iSight rear camera with full HD video recording capability at 60 frames per second. The front camera lacks the clarity many selfie enthusiasts look for as it has only a bare minimum of 1.5 megapixels. The rear camera also has features like Focus Pixels, Face Detection, Exposure Control, Auto Stabilization, Optical Image Stabilization, Photos App and Panorama.

The connectivity features of iPhone is something that has always been criticized. But this time Apple has come up with the tag line for connectivity “Faster wireless. Far and wide.” The official iPhone 6 website says “Phone 6 has faster LTE download speeds. That’s also why it has more LTE bands than any other smartphone. iPhone 6 supports more advanced wireless technologies to boost performance and help you connect to the things — and people — that matter most.” Unlike other Apple devices iPhone 6 does have a Bluetooth connectivity feature.

One of the most exciting features of the new iPhone 6 is Apple Pay. Using Apple Pay users can now pay their bills just by holding the iPhone near a contactless reader with the finger on Touch ID.  Even when buying things online users can check out easily by selecting “Apple Pay”. Apple Pay uses NFC or Near Field Communication for enabling the new secured payment system.

iPhone 6 runs on the latest iOS 8 and will be available in three color variants, Silver, Gold and Space Grey. The phone only supports Nano-SIM cards.

iPhone 6 Plus

Design-wise, iPhone 6 Plus is the bigger brother of iPhone 6. All other hardware and software features of iPhone 6 Plus is the same as iPhone 6.

The phone has a bigger 5.5-inch Retina HD display with 1920×1080 pixels. With a thickness of 7.1 mm iPhone, 6 Plus is a little thicker than iPhone 6. The phone also sports a bigger battery giving up to 24 hours back up on 3G.

Apple Watch

Apple Watch comes in two sizes and three different models. All models have multiple design straps. The interface of the watch is the latest as Apple has taken the crown of a normal watch and customized it into the main UI of the Apple Watch. The new interface of Apple Watch is called Digital Crown, and it allows users to zoom in, scroll and select without using the screen. Apple has added a few sensors into Apple Watch, providing a lot more functionalities.

Like all other high-quality watches, Apple Watch also keeps accurate time. It uses multiple technologies that sync with iPhone to keep the correct time and it can automatically change time zones while the user is travelling. It is unfortunate that the Apple Watch should also have an iPhone to use the device. Currently, Apple Watch is supported in iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple Watch sends personal notifications to iPhone letting the user know about their life and schedules. With iWatch on the wrist, users can receive incoming messages just by tapping on the screen. It also allows people to connect to their circle by pressing a button next to the Digital Crown. On pressing it, users can see the thumbnail list of people who they would like to get in touch with the most. On tapping, the thumbnail user can send a message or call people.

Apple Watch can also pair up with Apple Pay mobile payment service using NFC technology.

iWatch or the Apple Watch will be available also in 18-Karat Gold, Stainless Steel, Space Black Stainless Steel, Space Grey Aluminium and 18-Karat Rose Gold. The steel options are available only for Apple Watch Sport. Gold option will be exclusive for Apple Watch Edition.

According to the official Apple website, Apple Watch will be available for sale only in 2015. The price should be under $400.

(This story was updated at 17:24 on 11-09-2014)