On September 9th Apple announced brand new features and a release date for the forthcoming iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Once again Apple is pushing the envelope with some radical changes in design and software optimization.
There will be two models of the next iPhone: the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus will be larger and pricier, but has the same technical specifications. Apple’s Senior VP of Design, Jony Ive, described the innovative approach to hardware and software in a recent video promotion for the new phone, which explains why it is so appealing to many consumers. The base model of the iPhone 6 will start at $199, $100 more than the iPhone 5S, and the iPhone 6 Plus will start at $299. This price increase has been rumored for several weeks.
Other improvements added to the next generation of the iPhone include: a new A8 processor chip, a better camera with improved facial recognition, Touch ID fingerprint security, an improved display resolution, and the new iOS 8.
There are many new features to explore in the newest iPhone models, though perhaps most shocking was the announcement of a new service called Apple Pay. With Apple Pay, you can use your iPhone 6 to make payments either online or at over 200,000 retail locations across the country. At a glance, this might look like a technology that is vulnerable to hackers and therefore not safe to use. However, Apple has included a few specific features that aim to make Apple Pay rather safe.
When setting up a credit or debit card on Apple Pay, a Device Account Number is registered on your iPhone’s Secure Element, which is a chip in your phone dedicated to storing encrypted information. When making a payment, Apple also creates a transaction-specific security code, which is used alongside your Device Account Number to process payments. Apple states that this means your actual credit card or debit card information is never directly given to merchants or in any way involved in the payment. Apple Pay will launch in October 2014.
If you aren’t intimidated by the iPhone 6’s higher price tag, you’ll be able to get your hands on them once they are released on September 19th.
For more information about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, click here to visit Apple’s website.
