Smart Technology (3)

The New iProducts and their Technologies

In their latest keynote, Apple announced news regarding the new iPhone models and a new Apple Watch series. Normally, I pay little attention to these keynotes, often just skimming to see if anything catches my eye. This one in particular certainly caught my eye. There are a few interesting features here that I'd like to explain. For instance, the A12 chip, battery life, and the Apple Watch.

A12 Bionic Chip

What is the significance of this chip? Two things. Primarily, it is the first 7nm (nanometer) chip within the industry. This doesn't really mean anything for the general public; it mostly allows Apple to brag about their tech lead to the competition. Next, the device sports 2 high performance cores and 4 efficiency cores which provide an increase in speed and a decrease in power consumption (both good!). This means users will enjoy faster and smoother interactions when running many apps at a time. According to Macworld, the processor is 20-30% faster than its predecessor, the iPhone X. Though I personally will not be buying a new phone any time soon (have you seen what they cost? It's outrageous!), I am certainly excited to see the technology in action.

Apple Watch Series 4

I want to preface this section by saying I've never really had an interest in smart watches. However, the series 4 has some really cool technology that I couldn't resist looking into. The main thing that caught my attention was the watch's capability to detect irregular heart rates. It is important to note that, though the device has been tested to have a near perfect track record (~98%), it is not intended to replace actual heart rate monitors or ECG devices. The FDA has stressed that the watch should be used as a guide and that any serious concerns should be mentioned to a doctor. The device can notify the wearer if their heart rate appears low, if it detects atrial fibrillation, and even perform an ECG in under a minute. To me, this is insane. To think we can possess a near perfectly accurate heart monitor on our wrist is really amazing. I am very excited to see how this technology improves over time and the lives it will save!

Battery Life

I'm sure many of you have experienced a phone battery that drains from 100 to 0 in only a few hours, especially older models. One of my old devices is nearly unusable unless it is plugged and charging because the battery will die in minutes! Battery life and power management are features that slightly improve every time Apple releases a new phone. The release of the iPhone XR and XS MAX are no different. Admittedly, this is the most boring feature to talk about (which is why it's here at the end), but it is worth mentioning because to me, battery life is one of the most important aspects I look for when buying a phone.