Apple is putting TV, music, news and more in a subscription bundle as it increases its push into services tied to its iPhone “ecosystem.”
An Apple One bundle to be available later this year will start at S$16.95 monthly and include a freshly launched fitness service tied to Apple Watch.
The Silicon Valley titan made no mention of a keenly anticipated iPhone 5G considered vital to the company’s fortunes, with analysts expecting that debut next month, due to disruption in production caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Fitness+ service introduced by Apple is tied to its smartwatch line-up, which was enhanced with a Watch SE at $279, a price lower than that of its flagship wrist devices.
Apple also unveiled its Series 6 smartwatch, starting at S$599 and added new features including monitoring sleep and blood oxygen levels as well as detecting when wearers are washing their hands.
“Hand washing detective recognises the motion and sound when washing your hands and encourages you to continue for the recommended 20 seconds,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook said during a presentation streamed from the company’s spaceship campus in Silicon Valley.
Apple touched on roles its smartwatch, services and iPad in working or learning remotely and staying healthy as the pandemic continues to disrupt people’s lives.
Apple Watch also serves as an anchor to the tech giant’s mobile software, since it synchs with the iPhone.
“The key part for Apple is to keep the base of iPhone users and sell them a ton of accessories like AirPods and get services,” said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights and Strategy.
Apple also announced its eighth-generation iPad with its A12 Bionic chip starting at just S$499, and a more powerful iPad Air from S$879 with powered by the A14 Bionic chip.
(All images: Apple)
