/ 7 September 2016

Apple confident it can lure buyers to next upgrade as it releases new iPhone models

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Apple remains under pressure as fans and analysts wonder whether the company lost its ability to wow the world when co-founder and chief Steve Jobs died in late 2011. (AFP)

Apple unveiled new iPhone models Wednesday, featuring a water-resistant design, upgraded camera system and faster processor, betting that after six annual iterations it can still make improvements enticing enough to lure buyers to their next upgrade.

The iPhone’s main improvement revolves around the new camera. Past models have had only one lens on the back, but the new version features a dual-lens system on the larger iPhone 7 Plus. 

The technology allows for sharper, brighter photos with better ability to zoom without degrading quality. Apple released a few details about the new phone on its Twitter account while CEO Tim Cook was giving a presentation at an event at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Even as iPhone demand has waned in recent quarters, partly due to the lull between product launches, the device continues to be the biggest source of Apple’s revenue. The iPhone is at the centre of an ecosystem of products from Apple TV to the Apple Watch that are designed to function in connection with it. 

The new models will be critical this quarter and the world’s most valuable company is counting on them to prop up sales ahead of an expected overhaul of the line in 2017, the iPhone’s 10th anniversary. – Bloomberg