Apple Unveils New IPhones, IPad

(RTTNews) - Apple Inc (AAPL) on Wednesday unveiled its iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus smartphones with a faster processor, new touch capabilities and an improved camera, seeking to woo customers ahead of the holiday season and to assuage investors that its flagship device still has the mojo to sustain growth.

The tech giant also pulled the curtain on a larger iPad, a new Apple TV set-top box with capabilities for apps and games, plus recognition of Siri voice commands, and updated its Apple Watch.

The phones, which look like their predecessors, will be powered by A9 chip, have a new feature called 3D Touch that lets users make commands and avail shortcuts and menus by pressing down on the screen.

The phones' main camera will have a resolution of 12 megapixels, and a selfie camera of 5 megapixels, with video recording in Ultra HD, or 4k.

iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will be available from September 25 and come in four colors: silver, gray, gold and rose gold. The prices will remain the same as previous iPhone versions.

Apple lowered the prices of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus by $100.

The company also announced a new phone-upgrade plan, starting at $32 a month, that allows users to get the newest iPhone each year.

The new iPhones will come with the new software, known as iOS 9, which will be available on September 16 as a free update.

Apple's stock has taken a hit with investors apprehensive if the smartphone maker can replicate the stupendous sales growth of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. CEO Tim Cook said he believes there is still room for iPhone sales to expand, even as others like Samsung feel the pressure.

Android still dominates the global smartphone market, and there is the added concern of a lull in Chinese demand. But all said, Apple is gung-ho with its new devices. The iPhone generated $31.4 billion in sales last quarter, making up for more than 60 percent of Apple's revenue.

Apple's new iPad called the iPad Pro is a larger tablet device aimed at the enterprise market. The iPad has the biggest screen, at 12.9 inches diagonally, with 5.6 million pixels, and allows for a full size software keyboard.

The chip inside iPad Pro is a new A9X, with a 64 bit chip, and has a 10-hour battery life and is 6.1 mm thin.

iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and $1079 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB model, and will be available in November.

Apple also introduced Apple Pencil for iPad Pro, a precision input device available for purchase separately, which makes drawing and sketching feel fluid and natural.

Apple's new Apple TV set-top box has capabilities such as voice controls and non-video apps, including games and shopping. The device will be available in October, and will start at $149 for the model with 32 gigabytes of storage and $199 for one with 64 gigabytes of memory.

The new Apple TV remote has a touchpad and responds to voice commands with Siri. The company said it would allow users to search for TV programs across a range of video-streaming options.

Apple is also offering updates on its Apple Watch, with new designs and apps, as well as new health-care uses. Apple and Hermes International announced an agreement that marries bands made in Hermes' signature leather with a specially designed user interface. The new watch will go on sale from October.