MacRumors

Perhaps the biggest announcement out of the "Hey Siri" event today was Apple's confirmation of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, two new smartphones that will bring new features to Apple's smartphone line, including faster Touch ID, 3D Touch, and improved cameras. Following the event, Apple let a handful of media have closer looks at the new line of iPhones, all of whom came away with nearly universal positives regarding the small "S" generation design changes and its beefier upgrades under the hood.

TechnoBuffalo has posted one of the first videos of both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, noting that while the latter's name "is a bit of a tongue twister," both phones appear to back up Apple's claim of improved internal upgrades. Particularly, they were impressed by the 3D Touch feature and its "quick actions," that provide shortcuts like taking a selfie with the camera app or peeking into a text message in Messages.

What most people will pay attention to is the new 3D Touch technology, which is capable of discerning between a light tap and a hard press. This new feature will allows users to Peek and Pop into apps and other functions; Peek at an address in Maps, or quickly look at a photo on Instagram. Or you Pop into an app and quickly take care of business.

SlashGear called the iPhone 6s "familiar and yet different," noting that while the phones look largely the same as last year's models, there's enough new aspects to each device "to keep things more than interesting." The site liked the already-impressive third-party support for 3D Touch and found the front-facing selfie camera -- which uses the actual iPhone screen as a Retina Flash -- to work "surprisingly well." Unfortunately, they weren't as big on one of Apple's more surprising announcements, Live Photos.

Live Photos I'm not so sure about. They're reminiscent of HTC's Zoe idea, which though interesting at launch weren't all that enduring over time. Capturing 1.5-seconds either side of a still feels a little on the short side to me, though maybe I'll be proved wrong when third-party apps wade in and take advantage too.

All in all, for an off-season upgrade there's plenty to like about the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Those already fans of iPhone will love the tweaked hardware and boosted performance, and 3D Touch could do to capacitive touchscreens what multitouch did to resistive ones.

On the photo and video side of things, Wired said images and video on the new iPhones "look insane," and that while the storage implications of Live Photos is yet to be determined, the new feature is endearing and creates a more lively photo gallery. The site also particularly touted the usefulness of the new 3D Touch feature, describing it as a way for the iPhone to feel "less like a collection of apps and more like a single, cohesive thing." All the same, the site believes there could be a downside to 3D Touch in the way users have to hunt for it in the first place.

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The problem with 3D Touch is that you never know where the hidden menus are—some apps don’t support it, neither do some menus, and you never get a hint. So you’re forced to hunt around looking for this buried treasure, which I’m worried I’d just stop doing after a while. 3D Touch lets you “see” what’s inside whatever you’re looking at; but how far it will let you look is difficult to say so far.

Despite the noteworthy bits, this is the same S cycle upgrade we’re used to: You’re getting a lot more power, a few new ways to go about using your device, and a couple of small things that make the phone more fun. Oh, and that rose gold looks pretty good.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be up for pre-order at 12:01 Pacific this Saturday, September 12. Both devices will then be available on September 25 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and in over 130 countries by the end of the year. There are a myriad of ways to purchase the device, which now include the new iPhone Upgrade Program announced today.

Related Forum: iPhone

iphone6s-3dtouchApple today spent about ten minutes introducing 3D Touch as one of the headline features of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, but a new Bloomberg interview with company executives Jony Ive, Craig Federighi, Phil Schiller and Alan Dye reveals that Apple spent several years working on the challenging new display technology.

“Ultimately, this is our focus,” says Ive, squeezing a new iPhone 6S. “This is what galvanizes our efforts right across the company.” And 3D Touch, he adds with emphasis, “is something we’ve been working on for a long time—multi, multi, multi years.”

Schiller noted that, from an engineering standpoint, creating hardware that is capable of 3D Touch's functionality was "unbelievably hard," coming at a "tremendous amount of cost and investment in manufacturing" for Apple. For that reason, the company had to ensure it got the technology right.

Accordingly, Apple set out to do just that.

Working with Corning, Apple created pliable iPhone cover glass. Swipe it, and the phone works the way it always has. But press it, and 96 sensors embedded in the backlight of the retina display measure microscopic changes in the distance between themselves and the glass. Those measurements then get combined with signals from the touch sensor to make the motion of your finger sync with the image on screen. […]

To make what is counterintuitive feel normal, each on-screen “peek” and “pop” is accompanied by a 10-millisecond or 15-millisecond haptic tap, little vibrations that say “good job” to your fingers when an action is complete.


And, after a multi-year, tedious design process, Apple is now satisfied with 3D Touch.

Apple is feeling confident enough that it’s integrated 3D Touch into everything on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus—the phone, the weather app, iTunes, messaging, and the Web. Facebook and Instagram plan on incorporating it into their iOS apps shortly after the phones arrive in stores on Sept. 25.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also feature a faster A9 chip with an embedded M9 motion coprocessor, improved 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with 4K video recording, faster Touch ID, stronger glass and Series 7000 aluminum, Live Photos, always-on Hey Siri and more.

Bloomberg's longform How Apple Built 3D Touch article is a worthwhile read.

Related Forum: iPhone

When Apple unveiled the new Apple TV and its ability to play games at its "Hey Siri" event earlier today, the company glossed over the fact that MFi gamepad controllers for iPhone and iPad would be compatible with the new device. However, after the event, SteelSeries announced the brand new Nimbus gamepad controller would be the first made specifically for the Apple TV.

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“SteelSeries is at the center of the biggest evolution in gaming. Nimbus represents a new standard in wireless gaming controllers and we’re pleased to be bringing this controller to this incredible platform," said Ehtisham Rabanni, SteelSeries CEO. “Our global gaming pedigree, together with our unyielding pursuit of simple, modern design is on full display with Nimbus.  We’re thrilled to deliver a truly premium product for the new Apple TV at a great price.”

The Xbox One-like Nimbus wireless gamepad provides 40 hours of gameplay on a single charge and can be recharged via a Lightning cable, making it the first accessory to do so. SteelSeries also says it has pressure-sensitive buttons for "precise control." Additionally, the controller has a large "Menu" button in the center of the controller, mirroring the "Menu" button on the new Apple TV remote.

The gamepad is featured prominently in the "Games and More" section of the new Apple TV's page on Apple's website, suggesting Apple and SteelSeries are positioning the controller as the flagship gamepad for the Apple TV. However, users can also play games with the new Apple TV remote, iPhones and iPod touches.

The Nimbus will be available on Apple.com and in Apple retail stores for $49.95 and will debut around the world in late October alongside the new Apple TV.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Earlier today Apple revealed the long-awaited fourth-generation Apple TV, which includes an App Store that allows developers to create apps and games for users to download. The new Apple TV also comes with either 32 GB or 64 GB of local storage. However, Apple's new App Programming Guide for tvOS, first spotted by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, includes some interesting insights into how developers can use that storage. For instance, apps are limited to 200 MB of local storage.

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Each app stored on Apple TV is limited to a maximum of 200MB. In order to create an app greater than this amount, you must break up your app into downloadable bundles. In Xcode, create tags and attach them to the required resources. When your app requests the resources associated with a tag, the operating system downloads only the required assets. You must wait until the assets are downloaded before you can use them in your app.

This means that each app is limited to a 200 MB shell that downloads the assets it needs to run whenever necessary. The new Apple TV, despite having a base of 32 GB of storage, does not have persistent local storage, which means that each time an app is in use it has to make a request to iCloud to re-download the assets it needs to run.

As noted by MacRumors' sister site TouchArcade, it's likely this decision stems from iOS 9's App Thinning, which reduces the size of apps so that users don't use as much of their local storage on their devices. Apple TV apps are universal apps, allowing developers to create one app that can work on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Apple TV. However, because the apps are universal apps, the overall storage size of the app includes assets that aren't entirely relevant for each device. For instance, an iPhone user would have no need for the iPad or Apple TV assets for an app on their iPhone, and an Apple TV user would have no need for iPad or Apple Watch assets on their Apple TV.

Additionally, as noted by Troughton-Smith, Apple has revealed in its programming guide that the new Apple TV has 2 GB of RAM. Normally, Apple declines to publicly reveal how much RAM its iOS-based devices include. For instance, the discovery of how much RAM is in each new iPhone model is regularly speculated about until a teardown or speed test from a third-party can determine it independently.

The new Apple TV will begin shipping in nearly 80 countries at the end of October. The new Siri Remote is only available in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Canada and Australia. Other countries will receive a remote that replaces the Siri with a Search app. The new Apple TV is priced at $149 for the 32 GB version and $199 for the 64 GB version.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
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Apple was on stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco today to announce several new products, including the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, fourth-generation Apple TV and new Apple Watch bands and finishes. It also announced that iOS 9 and watchOS 2 will be released on September 16.

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MacRumors provided coverage of the September 2015 event with a live blog and articles, in addition to sending out updates through our real-time Twitter account MacRumorsLive. For those that missed out on the action, or need a refresher, this roundup provides a closer look at today's announcements.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

- Design: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus look the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes respectively, although Apple did make the switch to stronger ion-strengthened glass and slightly thicker Series 7000 aluminum. A new Rose Gold color option was introduced to the iPhone 6s lineup alongside existing Space Gray, Silver and Gold models.

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- 3D Touch: 3D Touch builds upon both Apple's patented Multi-Touch and pressure-sensitive Force Touch technologies, enabling users to make "peek and pop" gestures on the screen with their fingers to access actionable shortcuts or preview content, such as text messages, flight information, calendar appointments and more.


- A9 Chip: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by a 64-bit Apple A9 chip and embedded M9 motion coprocessor that deliver up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% faster graphics compared to the A8 chip inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

- Improved Cameras: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight cameras with 4K video recording (3840x2160) and 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime cameras with display-based Retina Flash. Optical image stabilization is now available for both photos and videos, but remains limited to the iPhone 6s Plus.

- Faster Touch ID: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is up to two times faster compared to Touch ID on previous iPhones.

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Customers who want to purchase an iPhone with a gold finish will need to purchase either the new iPhone 6s or the iPhone 6s Plus as Apple has discontinued gold finishes for all other iPhone models, including the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s.

Going forward, the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s will only be available for purchase in Space Gray or Silver, reserving the Gold and Rose Gold colors for the company's new flagship iPhones. Apple has confirmed to The Verge that the gold color options are no longer available for older iPhones.

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With the launch of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, Apple has dropped the prices on the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s by $100. The iPhone 6 now starts at $549 for the 16GB model, while the iPhone 6s starts at $649. The two iPhones are also no longer sold in 128GB capacities.

The iPhone 5s is also still available for sale as Apple's low-priced iPhone option, purchasable in a 16GB configuration for $0 with a two-year contract or $49 for 32GB. With the iPhone 5s representing the lower-end of the iPhone lineup, the colorful iPhone 5c has been discontinued.

Related Forum: iPhone

Following today's jam-packed media event in San Francisco, Apple has seeded the golden master (GM) version of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to developers. The golden master represents the final version of OS X El Capitan that will be released to the public on Wednesday, September 30.

The update, build number 15A282b, is available through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Apple Developer Center.

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It is not clear if the OS X 10.11 GM will add any new outward-facing changes to El Capitan, as many of the prior betas have focused on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes to optimize the operating system ahead of its public release.

During the beta testing period, Apple seeded eight betas of OS X El Capitan to both developers and public beta testers. The final beta, beta 8, was seeded two weeks ago, on August 31.

As an update complementary to OS X Yosemite, OS X El Capitan builds on the features introduced last year. Behind-the-scenes improvements in El Capitan make a number of apps and processes on the Mac faster, and the introduction of Metal makes system-level graphics rendering 40 percent more efficient.


El Capitan introduces a new system-wide font, a revamped Mission Control feature, a split-view feature for using two full-screen apps at once, deeper functionality for Spotlight, and improvements to Safari that include Pinned Sites and a universal mute button.

OS X El Capitan will be released to the public on September 30.

Update: Apple's pulled the OS X 10.11 El Capitan GM, and it's no longer available for download. In the Developer Center, it's listed as "Coming Soon."

Update 2: The El Capitan GM is once again available for download. Apple has also begun sending emails to public beta testers letting them know the GM is now available for beta testers in addition to developers.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

ios_9_iconFollowing the conclusion of today’s iPhone-centric event in San Francisco, Apple has seeded the first betas of iOS 9.1 and Apple tvOS to developers. The betas were seeded alongside the iOS 9 Golden Master and the OS X 10.11 Golden Master. All of the beta software is available for download immediately from the Apple Developer Center.

tvOS, just announced today, is the operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. It includes a full App Store and tools that will allow developers to create apps for the Apple TV.

iOS 9.1 is an upcoming update to iOS 9 that will include new features for the iPad Pro, adding support for accessories like the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, both of which were designed for the 12.9-inch tablet.

tvOS will be available to the general public beginning in October, when the new Apple TV is released. iOS 9.1 will likely be released in November alongside the iPad Pro.

What's new in iOS 9.1:

Emoji - iOS 9.1 includes some long-awaited new emoji like the taco, unicorn, and burrito. These emoji are part of Unicode 8.

Hey Siri - In the Settings app, there's a new Siri setting that lets you give voice examples for the "Hey Siri" feature that can be activated whenever the iPhone is connected to power. With the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, this will be essential because "Hey Siri" activation can be used even when an iPhone is not plugged in.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: iOS 9.1
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Apple-Watch-Midnight-Blue-250x299Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of watchOS 2 to developers, which is the version of watchOS 2 that will be released to the public on September 16 alongside iOS 9.

watchOS 2 requires iOS 9 and can be downloaded over-the-air through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update.

Today's golden master release follows five developer betas of watchOS 2, which were seeded to developers from June 8 to August 6, when the fifth and final beta was released.

watchOS 2 is the first major update to watchOS, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 2 introduces several new features developers can use to improve their apps, including more efficient native apps that run on the watch itself instead of the iPhone. The new software also allows developers to access the Taptic Engine and sensors like the heart rate monitor, microphone, and accelerometer.

Thanks to the new tools for developers, Apple Watch apps will be more complex, full-featured, and faster. Other features in watchOS 2 include photo and time-lapse watch faces, third-party Complications, a longer screen activation time, Time Travel, and a Nightstand mode that's activated when the Apple Watch is charging.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)

Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 9 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 9 that will be released to the public on September 16, two days ahead of the official launch of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.

The update is available through Apple's over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and it can also be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center.

Prior to the launch of the golden master, Apple seeded five betas of iOS 9 to developers and public beta testers, with the fifth and final beta released on August 6.


iOS 9 focuses on intelligence and proactivity, allowing iOS devices to learn user habits and act on that information, providing recommendations to places we might like, apps we might like to use, and more. Siri is smarter with iOS 9, able to create contextual reminders and offer up more information through improved search options.


Built-in apps like Maps, Notes, and Mail have been improved in iOS 9, and Passbook has been renamed Wallet. iOS 9 introduces split-screen multitasking for the iPad for the first time, and there are some significant under-the-hood improvements that will result in more battery life, more storage space through smaller app install sizes, and enhanced performance.

Related Forum: iOS 9

Alongside the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, Apple today debuted four new docks that are compatible with the new iPhones and the existing iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The docks come in colors that match the finish of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and are available in Gold, Rose Gold, Space Gray, and Silver. The docks are available for purchase immediately from Apple's online storefront and are priced at $49.99.

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Apple is also launching new leather and silicone cases for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, which are available in new colors. The leather colors include Midnight Blue, Saddle Brown, Rose Gray, Brown, and Black.

In silicone, customers will be able to choose from White, Charcoal Gray, Stone, Antique White, Blue, Turquoise, Midnight Blue, Lavender, Pink, Orange, and Red. Many of the colors match the newly announced Apple Watch band line-up as well.

Related Forum: iPhone

Today at its "Hey Siri" special event, Apple announced a brand new program at its retail stores called the iPhone Upgrade Program. The program is designed for users who want to have the newest iPhone every year, and even comes with AppleCare+ included. Those who sign up for the program will be able to trade-in their current iPhone for a new model after 12 monthly installments are made, starting a new cycle of the program each year.

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Users are given an unlocked iPhone and allowed to pick from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, allowing customers to choose their current carrier or select a new one if they "don’t have any carrier commitments." iPhone 6s users can expect to pay $32.41/month (16GB), $36.58/month (64GB), or $40.75/month (128GB) while on the service. Alternatively, those opting for the larger-screened iPhone 6s Plus will see slightly higher prices: $36.58/month (16GB), $40.75/month (64GB), or $44.91/month (128GB).

Users who are interested in using the iPhone Upgrade Program to finance a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus can do so by making a reservation online starting at 12:01 PDT Saturday, September 12, the same day pre-orders for the smartphone go live. The reservation will allow you to hold a spot at the Apple Store of your choosing for an appointment in setting up a new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus with the Upgrade Program.

Apple today announced a new feature for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus called "Live Photos," allowing users to use the new 3D Touch feature on the iPhone to see quick, GIF-like movements in photos they have taken. The Live Photos feature is reminiscent of the fantastical moving photos featured in the Harry Potter movie, allowing users to see short bits of animation in their images.

Apple emphasized that Live Photos are not video, they're photos taken with all of the same high-quality camera capabilities brought to the new generation of iPhone, but they include an extra 1.5 seconds of footage at the beginning and the end of the photo to enable the mini animations. These animations are displayed when force pressing on a photo and when scrolling through photos in the Camera Roll.

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According to Apple, Live Photos will be able to be viewed on the entire line-up of the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and even Apple Watch line. Users will even be able to use the new feature to set up Live Photos as a lock screen on iPhone, and even use the feature to make custom motion wallpapers for the Apple Watch. With a Live Photo as an Apple Watch face, it'll animate each time you raise your wrist to look at the time.

Related Forum: iPhone

ios_9_iconApple today announced that iOS 9 will be released to the public on September 16 for compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. The software update will come preinstalled on the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus out of the box when the smartphones launch on September 25.

iOS 9 is compatible with the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, iPad Pro, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, fifth-generation iPod touch and sixth-generation iPod touch.


iOS 9 was announced last June at WWDC and features a News app, Proactive Suggestions, Low Power Mode, split-screen multitasking on iPad, Apple Maps transit routing, a new systemwide San Francisco font, an optional iCloud Drive app, wireless CarPlay support, a revamped two-factor authentication system, keyboard enhancements, improved security, new developer tools and more.

Related Forum: iOS 9

Apple today announced the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus at its "Hey Siri" media event in San Francisco. The new iPhones feature an A9 chip and M9 motion coprocessor, 3D Touch, 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, stronger glass and Series 7000 aluminum, faster Touch ID, Live Photos and a new Rose Gold color option.

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iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders begin on Saturday, September 12 at 12:01 AM Pacific ahead of a Friday, September 25 launch in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The new iPhones will be available in over 130 countries by the end of the year.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by an Apple A9 chip and embedded M9 motion coprocessor that deliver up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% faster graphics compared to the A8 chip inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.


3D Touch on iPhone is similar to Force Touch on Apple Watch, enabling users to make "peek and pop" gestures on the screen to access actionable shortcuts or preview content, such as text messages, flight information, calendar appointments and more. This feature received quite a lot of stage time at Apple's media event and is one of the key features of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

The smartphones feature an improved 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera with 4K video recording and 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime camera with true tone Retina Flash -- in low light, the front display will flash for a split second instead of traditional LED flash.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also have a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is up to two times faster compared to Touch ID on previous iPhones.

The ninth-generation iPhones are crafted from Series 7000 aluminum and come in a new rose gold color, alongside silver, space gray and gold. Otherwise, the handsets look virtually the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

iPhone 6s retails for $199/$299/$399 for 16GB/64GB/128GB respectively on a two-year contract. iPhone 6s Plus retails for $299/$399/$499 for 16GB/64GB/128GB respectively on a two-year contract. Carrier financing and leasing programs are also available through AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and many other carriers worldwide.

Related Forum: iPhone

At Apple's media event in San Francisco today, Apple announced an App Store for the new Apple TV will bring unique gaming experiences into a user's living room. The first experience the company showcased was a co-op Crossy Road experience that lets one player use the new Apple TV remote and another use an iPhone or iPod touch to control various characters in the game.

Each player controls a different Crossy Road character, and the idea behind the game, as on iOS, is to make it across the road. While Crossy Road uses touch-based controls via the Apple TV remote and the iPhone, other games will use motion-based controls that take advantage of the sensors built into the remote.

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At the event, Apple also showcased an upcoming game from Harmonix, the studio behind Rock Band and Dance Central. Called Beats Sports, the game takes a "Wii Sports" angle on the music rhythm game genre, letting users play games like tennis along with the beat of the music.

Harmonix confirmed that up to four players will be able to play the game simultaneously with the use of an iPhone or an iPod Touch, similar to Crossy Road's co-operative play. Apple briefly touched on more robust console-style gaming experiences for Apple TV -- like Disney Infinity 3.0 and Guitar Hero -- but didn't give any more details as to how those peripheral-heavy games will work on the new Apple TV.

With the Apple tvOS SDK available to developers beginning today, we should be seeing a lot more gaming concepts for the Apple TV surfacing in the near future as developers create games for the device ahead of its October launch.

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Apple today announced the much-anticipated fourth-generation Apple TV at its "Hey Siri" media event in San Francisco, California. The new Apple TV was constructed on a foundation encompassing powerful hardware, a modern operating system, a new user experience with deep Siri integration, tools for developers, and most importantly, an App Store.

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The Apple TV runs "tvOS," with a revamped iOS 9-style interface. Design wise, it looks similar to the existing set-top box, but it's thicker and ships with a much more advanced touch-based remote that Apple's calling the "Siri Remote." The top of the remote includes a glass touch surface for swiping through content as you would on an iPhone, and there's a built-in button for calling up Siri.

Siri integration is a key part of the new Apple TV interface, as it lets users ask Siri to bring up content. It's possible to search through multiple apps to find a TV show or movie, and at launch, supported apps include Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, HBO, and Showtime. Siri can answer questions about who's starring in a movie, bring up extraneous information like the weather outside, and ask Siri to replay parts of a movie that were missed or fast forward through content. For example, asking Siri "What did she say?" will rewind a movie 15 seconds and temporarily bring up subtitles.

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Siri has a wide range of commands that will make searching for content on the Apple TV simple. You can ask Siri to "Show me New Girl," or "Find the best funny movies from the '80s."

"There has been so much innovation in entertainment and programming through iOS apps, we want to bring that same excitement to the television," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Apps make the TV experience even more compelling for viewers and we think apps represent the future of TV."

In addition to Siri integration, the other major software improvement to the Apple TV is a full App Store that includes games and popular apps. To facilitate gameplay on the Apple TV, the new remote includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope that can detect motion, much like a Wii Remote for the Nintendo Wii platform.

On stage at the event, a multiplayer version of Crossy Road was demonstrated, with one player using the Apple TV remote and another player using an iPhone as an input device. The Apple TV will support both the iPhone and the iPod touch as an input device. Apple TV and iPhone games are going to be available universally, meaning you can start a game on the iPhone and then pick it up on the Apple TV.

On stage, some upcoming apps for the Apple TV were shown off, including Netflix, HBONow, and Hulu. Game developers like Disney Interactive and Activision are working on games for the device that include "Disney Infinity 3.0" and "Guitar Hero." Harmonix is also developing a rhythm-based Wii Sports-style game that will be available exclusively on the Apple TV.

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The new Apple TV also comes with brand new screen savers featuring high definition footage shot by Apple. The screen savers show off cities in slow motion video and will showcase footage based on the time of day.

Starting today, developers can access the tvOS SDK via a new Xcode beta to begin creating games and apps for the Apple TV.

Internally, the Apple TV includes a 64-bit A8 chip, with support for key iOS technologies like Metal, GameKit, and UIKit, all of which will allow developers to bring console-quality games to the device. The Apple TV is available with either 32GB or 64GB of storage, which will be used for downloading apps, and it includes Bluetooth 4.0, 801.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO and an IR receiver. The remote works over Bluetooth 4.0, so line of sight is not required, and its battery will last for up to three months on a single charge. Recharging the remote is done through a built-in Lightning connector.

The Apple TV will begin shipping at the end of October in nearly 80 countries. It is priced at $149 for the 32GB version and $199 for the 64GB version. Apple will continue selling the existing Apple TV for $69, but that device will not support the new App Store.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
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Today at its "Hey Siri" special event, Apple announced two brand new accessories for the newly-announced iPad Pro. The Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil both allow iPad Pro users to have more tactile experiences for heavy-duty work that a touch-screen alone can't sustain, increasing productivity.

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The Smart Keyboard comes built into a Smart Cover and uses the Smart Dome Switch from the MacBook, which means that the keys click down evenly from wherever you hit them. According to Apple, the keys offer the "accuracy, stability, and satisfying key feel of standard keyboards." The keys are covered by a soft, custom woven fabric and the entire keyboard itself is "easily foldable and can transform into a Smart Cover."

The Keyboard connects to the iPad Pro via a new magnetic port called the Smart Connector, which can transmit both data and power at the same time. Because it connects directly to the iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard does not require a separate battery, on/off switch, or Bluetooth pairing -- snap it on and it works automatically. The Smart Keyboard works with the QuickType features in iOS 9, for quick access to word predictions and autocorrect.

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The Apple Pencil is a stylus that's been designed from the ground up to work with the iPad Pro. The touch system of the iPad Pro was designed with the Apple Pencil in mind, for a dramatically reduced latency and impressive accuracy when used for activities like fine art illustration and detailed 3D design.

Sensors inside the Apple Pencil allow it to detect its position on the iPad Pro's screen, tilt, and force, enabling pressure sensitivity. It also calculates both angle and orientation to produce both broad or shaded strokes, and it's precise enough that artists can touch a single pixel on the screen.

The Apple Pencil works with popular iOS apps like Mail, Notes, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop, and Office 365. The battery lasts for several hours and it's able to be recharged via the iPad Pro through a built-in Lightning connector.

Both the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are sold separately from the iPad Pro. The Apple Pencil will retail for $99, while the Smart Keyboard will retail for $169. Both accessories will be available for purchase in November alongside the iPad Pro.