Story by The New York Times

On a day when Apple showed off lots of new devices, the iPhone was still the star of the show.

Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, presented the latest version of the company’s iPhone on Wednesday, along with several revamped devices in an event in the spacious Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Mr. Cook called the new phones, “the most advanced smartphones in the world.”

Apple executives demonstrated most of the anticipated new features of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, including an upgraded, 12-megapixel camera and a new capability called 3D Touch. It can sense how hard a user is pressing a button, allowing for easier access to different menus and information. It also gives users “tactile feedback” when they touch their screens. Pressure-sensitive touch screens are already available on the Apple Watch and the new MacBook.

The new iPhones will also come in a new rose gold finish, with a new glass that company describes as the strongest in the industry.

The touch ID sensor has been upgraded and the phone will feature iOS 9, the newest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

The new iPhone 6S will cost $199 and the iPhone 6S Plus will cost $299 with a phone contract. Prices for previous versions of the iPhone will drop by $100.

Apple introduced its own payment plan called Apple Care Plus. Starting at $32 a month, customers can upgrade their phones every year if they buy them through Apple. The new phones will be available in 12 countries, including the United States, on Sept. 25. They will be available for pre-order starting Sept. 12.

When Apple unveils its latest iPhones each September, investors closely watch changes to the device in the hope they will be enough to draw in new or repeat buyers. The iPhone, which was first sold in 2007, accounted for 56 percent of the company’s sales in fiscal 2014, making it far and away Apple’s most important product.

Thanks to the first iteration of the larger-screen iPhone 6 that hit shelves last year, Apple’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, when the company had an $18 billion profit, was the most profitable quarter ever for a publicly traded company.


Legal Notice