Today is the day. Back on February 26th, Apple sent members of the press invitations to an event they termed ‘Spring forward.’ This Daylight Saving Time wordplay almost certainly hints the event will involve the Apple Watch. Later this morning (at 10am PDT), the lights will go down in the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, and we’ll find out exactly what it’s all about. You can watch the event live online at this link.
To view the livestream, you’ll need to have version 5.1.10 or later of Apple’s Safari browser on your Mac, or Safari on iOS 6.0 or later on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. You can also stream it through your second or third generation Apple TV, provided it has software version 6.2 or later. If you don’t have any of these options available, here’s a workaround that’ll let you stream it on Windows PCs and Android devices.
Here are a few links to media outlets’ live event coverage:
During yesterday morning’s special press event, Apple introduced a host of new products, along with some restructuring and repricing in their product lines (you can now get a new iPad for a little as $250, and a new Mac mini starts at just $500). Here are the highlights, along with availability information (as best we can determine—we will update this post as details emerge):
iPad Air 2: The big splash was made by the debut of the iPad Air 2, a crazy-thin (just 6mm) iteration of its flagship full-sized tablet. It’s not only thinner, but faster, too. And you can now add a third color choice to the current Space Gray and Silver: Gold. The new color choice, along with the addition of TouchID, brings the iPad Air 2 in line with Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Prices start at $499.99. Available for pre-order immediately; we expect to begin filling orders in roughly two weeks. Find out more.
iPad Air: Yep, it’s sticking around—but it’ll cost you substantially less. Prices now start at $399.99. Available almost immediately. Find out more.
iPad mini 3: Similar specs to the original iPad mini 2, but now adds TouchID and the new Gold color choice. Available for pre-order immediately; we expect to begin filling orders in roughly two weeks. Find out more.
iPad mini 2 and iPad mini: Now cost much less than before. The Wi-Fi 16GB iPad mini, for example, now sells for $249.99—the lowest price ever offered for a new iPad. Available almost immediately. Find out more.
iMac 27-inch with Retina 5K Display: The “5K” stands for “5000”—as in 5000+ pixels. The new flagship iMac boasts more than four times the pixels of its 27-inch brethren. That’s impressive enough, but the fact that it will sell for $2499.99—that’s just nuts. Most 4K standalone monitors sell for more than that. Basically, Apple’s throwing in a quad-core Mac with all the bells and whistles for free. Available for pre-order immediately; we expect to begin filling orders in roughly one week. Find out more.
Mac mini: The littlest Mac got a well-deserved, long-delayed makeover. The entry price point dropped a hundred bucks to $499.99—the lowest price ever for a new Mac. It now comes with two Thunderbolt 2 ports and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Available for pre-order immediately; we expect to begin filling orders in roughly one week. Find out more.
OS X 10.10 Yosemite: The long-awaited major update to the Mac’s operating system looks to be an impressive one, with hundreds of new features and enhancements—and is available for free download immediately.
UPDATE – SUMMARY OF EVENT: New iPads (including the impossibly slim iPad Air 2), new iMacs (including the impossibly pixeled iMac with Retina 5K Display), and new and cheaper Mac minis. Oh yeah—and the official release of OS X 10.10 Yosemite. It’s a free upgrade, and you can download it here.
Overhead shot of mysterious “white box” Apple built at the Flint Center, Cupertino. (Photo credit Fortune.com)
In a departure from recent events, Apple will be streaming this morning’s big news live from the Flint Center in Cupertino, beginning at 10am PT / 1pm ET. (NOTE: Live stream requires Apple’s Safari browser. Also available on the Apple Events channel on Apple TV.) Apple is rumored to be introducing a new iPhone (or two?), and possibly a companion wearable device many sites are referring to as the iWatch. But truth be told, outside of Apple’s inner circle, no one knows for sure what will happen. Even though Connecting Point is an Apple Specialist, and has a relationship with Apple stretching back over three decades, we’re as in the dark as everyone else about the true nature of this event.
A number of leading tech and news sites will be live blogging this event:
With Labor Day weekend wrapping up, people are hitting the mall and other retail shops for some last minute back-to-school shopping. Randa Gore, reporter for Medford’s KDRV Newswatch 12, is at Connecting Point with the story.
Apple Inc. launched an iPhone battery replacement program today. Apparently, a “very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range.” Qualifying devices experiencing battery-related issues may have their battery replaced at no charge to you. Here’s how the program works…
STEP #2: Once you’ve determined that your phone does indeed qualify, bring it in to either one of our locations. There, Connecting Point SERVICE will run a brief diagnostic to verify your phone is having battery-related issues. PLEASE NOTE:Your iPhone 5 must fail this diagnostic in order for us to replace its battery. Apple has made it clear we cannot supply a replacement unless it meets this condition.
STEP 3: Once we verify your iPhone 5 qualifies for the program, we’ll add you to a growing list of customers also awaiting battery replacements. We currently have a large number of batteries on order, but as of August 28th, none have shipped.
STEP #4: Once your battery arrives, we will immediately contact you to set up a date to bring in your iPhone 5. Unfortunately, this is not a procedure that can be performed while you wait. We will strive for a one-day turnaround, to minimize the time you spend without your iPhone.
In short, we’ll take care of everything, regardless of where you purchased your iPhone. Connecting Point is an Apple Authorized Service Provider, able to work on all Apple products, in or out of warranty. If you have additional questions, give us a call, or contact Connecting Point SERVICE via this handy form.
STEP 3: Once we verify your iPhone 5 qualifies for the program, we’ll add you to a growing list of customers also awaiting battery replacements. We currently have a large number of batteries on order, but as of August 28th, none have shipped.
