Apple Inc., possibly one of the most important companies ever in tech history, has a habit of doing things magnanimously. Even in incremental upgrades, the fervent admirer base of Apple is so large that it generates more hype than many other collective events, put together. In trademark Apple style, this year has been about Apple bringing in more gimmicks to the table than functionality. Here's looking at 14 important things that Apple did in 2015, that may have wider implications to the world in future.
iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4
The iPad Pro is a massive, 12.9-inch sheet of glass and metal, which somewhat bridges the gap between iPads and MacBook Airs. Coupled with the split-screen multitasking capabilities, the new iPads can prove to be ace productivity tools. However, the most crucial aspect is its price, and at a whopping $1079, and about Rs. 93,000 in India, you might just want to opt for a MacBook Air, than these tablets.
Apple OS X El Capitan
Splitscreen view, improved Notes, Shake to Find the mouse, improved Spotlight search... The latest edition of OS X El Capitan has brought with itself neat improvements and integrations to the Mac. To add to it, OS X also became lighter and easier on resources.
3D Touch
This was the most hyped addition to an otherwise quiet year for the iPhone. 3D Touch gives you three results varying with three degrees of touch pressure input, thus giving you options of accessing in-app options without opening it. As of now, implementations are limited, but this possibly is the way we shall be operating touchscreens in future.
Camera upgrade, Retina Flash
Apart from the iPhone's iSight camera finally getting an upgrade in terms of megapixel count, Apple has finally put a "flash" in the front panel of the iPhone. While it is not a physical flash, it is a software optimisation which shoots up the brightness of the display, to make it act as a flash. Don't be surprised if #inthedark becomes a trend in selfies, some day soon.
The new MacBook
The new MacBook has brought in a trackpad with Force Touch support, and USB Type-C ports. Both, it is safe to say, are new technologies, and with Apple being one of their early endorsers, you may soon find these implemented on a wider array of devices.
5K display on iMac
Apple has moved on to 5K resolution displays, by the time the world is getting used to adopting 4K resolution on televisions and smartphones. The 5K-display iMac may be a little ahead of its time now, but it has surely set the tone for high resolution displays with stunning colours.
Apple Music
Possibly one of the biggest announcements by Apple this year, Apple Music has been launched across its multiple platforms. Featuring a vast library of universal and vernacular music, exclusive artists, radio and an artist news feed stream, the service brought itself on to take on the likes of Spotify, Pandora and Deezer. Things have been going steady, and although Apple Music has not exactly revolutionised the way we listen to music, it has certainly made the music experience closer in terms of usage.
The new iPod Touch
iPods are way past their prime, but the recently-launched iPod Touch was like the last embers of a once-popular device gone past its prime. It did get a decent upgrade in terms of hardware and operations, but despite Apple's attempt to put the iPod back in usage, it is hard to be justified now.
Apple TV
The new Apple TV got more expensive, and added improved Siri support, and better remote functionality. The new Apple TV makes a stronger case for you, if you already own one or more Apple devices, and are looking for a connected environment based on Apple's platforms. The combination of OS X-iOS-Watch OS-TV OS, along with dedicated apps for the television, should take Apple TV further along.
Swift got open-sourced
Swift, Apple's fast, smooth programming language, premiered last year, and with Apple's trend of being possessive about its treasures, it was surprising when it open-sourced Swift at WWDC 2015 – a move that has been appreciated by many.
The Apple Watch reaches India
With rising interest in wearables and smart objects, the Apple Watch finally made its way to India. Starting at around the 30k mark and going up to seven figures in terms of the price, the Apple Watch is the premium toy for the affluent Apple fanboy, and with its launch in India, marks the increasing reach of Apple in India.
The iPhone became more expensive than ever
While a slight rise is seen in iPhone prices every year, this year's iPhone 6s Plus went all the way to reach a price of Rs. 92,000! Not only that, this was one of the iPhone's highest price across the world, redefining the fact that the iPhone is not only premium, it is... expensive.
An incident of racism
An Apple employee reportedly ejected six black students from the Apple Store in Melbourne, Australia, following which Apple has released an apology statement. Tim Cook has gone on to state that this is an "isolated incident", and Apple will be re-evaluating its employee code of conduct to make sure this does not remain in minds, forever.
The Apple Pencil
A stylus is an object that helps you object touch-enabled interfaces, and also an object that Steve Jobs described as, "yuck". Hence, when Apple makes a stylus and markets it as a "Pencil", claiming that this is revolutionised and different, it can only be a funny incident. The device costs $99 (Rs. 6,650), and is ridiculously expensive for a stylus.