California Streaming: The Year of Incrementals

Apple’s September 2021 event titled “California Streaming” started off with a love letter to California, lots of beautiful shots of Californian landscapes and musicians playing instruments. I liked the lady playing the violin by herself in what I presume was the Mojave desert. The song slaps to be quite honest.

Apple TV Pluzzzzz

We go from that killer intro song to Tim Cook talking about Apple TV Plus. Sheesh, talk about a mood killer. Anyways, I’m here to say Ted Lasso is still great, don’t listen to the haters; especially that ultra cynical take about it on Gawker. You will have to look that article up, I am not linking to it.

iPads

  • The entry level iPad gets a spec update with a A13 in it. Plus you get 64GB of storage in the base model at the same price of USD$329. An already good deal just got even better.
  • iPad mini finally a massive update. Redesigned hardware, USB-C, A15 SOC, Apple Pencil 2 compatibility. I continue to like the flat edge design very much.

Apple Watch

  • The Series 7 is mostly an incremental update
  • IPX6 dust resistance is cool
  • Smaller bezels and a new display with 20% more screen area
  • I’ll be upgrading from my Series 5, maybe spoil myself with the titanium space black one?

The iPhones 13

  • Mini, regular, Pro, and Pro Max
  • New SOC! A15 Bionic, Apple continues to do laps around the competition.
  • A new cinematic mode in the camera app that features a rack-focus effect, really cool
  • Supposedly better battery life, testing by reviewers will see if this is true or not
  • Both mini and the regular start at 128GB of storage. Finally!
  • The Pro models have a 120Hz display; after having seen the 120Hz display on a iPad Pro, this model is tempting.
  • Variable refresh rate on that 120Hz display as well

It is interesting that the Apple Watch is the only product that is seeing delayed release due what I presume are supply chain issues, there is no availability date, just “later this fall”.

In any case, I am looking forward to the new iOS release on the 20th.