This was not your usual Apple event. At the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California, Apple managed to pack a heck of a lot of new stuff into its two-hour presentation, including a pair of new iPhones, the company's own system for mobile payments and a smartwatch.
While we learned a lot about the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple Pay and the Apple Watch during Tuesday's event, there were many subjects that the company didn't talk about. Whether they were secret, verboten or just unknown, Apple left us hanging on some im
1. What's the battery life of the Apple Watch?
Apple CEO Tim Cook's excitement about the company's first wearable computer was palpable, and he provided many details about the tech behind the watch. He suspiciously avoided the subject of battery life, though, and only said the Apple Watch would be something people would be comfortable wearing "all day."
That's far from a confirmation of day-long battery life, but considering all the apps and features the Apple Watch includes (e.g. Siri, continuous fitness tracking, notifications, mobile payments, Digital Touch and more), it's tough seeing the company getting more than 24 hours of battery life out of this thing when it finally ships in early 2015.
2. What are the specs of the Apple Watch display?
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Apple said the Apple Watch screen would be "Retina" quality, but it didn't specify a screen size or resolution. Although the size of the two models gives a clue — 38 mm and 42 mm — that's not definitive. What's more, we don't know the maximum brightness, which could make all the difference in bright sunlight.
3. How useful is the Apple Watch by itself?
The Apple Watch is loaded with sensors, but it's dependent on the iPhone's GPS. That'll make it hard for runners and cyclists who may prefer to leave their phones at home or in a locker when working out. It would also be nice to have a standalone music player like Samsung's watches have, but there was no mention of such a feature.
4. How expensive is the Apple Watch Edition going to be?
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Apple said there would be three models of its Watch — the regular version, the Sport and the Edition — but it only gave the starting price on one. We know the Apple Watch will start at $349, but the Apple Watch Edition has a case that's made of 18-karat gold. It's not going to be cheap.
A smartwatch with a solid-gold case also raises the question: What do you do with it after a few years, when its processor will be less than half as good as the stuff coming out of chip fabs in Taiwan? Is Apple assuming the same upgrade schedule for the Apple Watch as the iPhone, or will there be some kind of chip-replacement program for Apple Watches that will have become prized possessions or even heirlooms?
5. Why do we have to wait more than four months for the Apple Watch?
It was nice of Apple to give us an advance look at its smartwatch, but why such a long-term tease? It was definitely meant to surprise customers, but is it also possible that some of the key specs and features Apple failed to mention (like battery life) are still being determined? And which ones?
6. What is Apple's cut for Apple Pay transactions?
IMAGE: APPLE
With Apple Pay, the company has pulled an NFC-powered rabbit out of its hat, somehow getting financial institutions, wireless carriers and major merchants all on the same page, so customers can start paying for things via iPhone (or Apple Watch) effortlessly. But how did it do that, and what kind of cut are all those parties getting? And what's Apple's cut?
More importantly, what's stopping Google, Softcard and everyone else in mobile payments from doing the same?
7. How does Apple Pay work on the Apple Watch?
Apple Pay works with the Apple Watch; but how does that work since it uses the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone? Do you enter a code each time you use the watch? Just once? Is there some kind of two-factor authorization enabled if both devices are present?
8. What's happening with iCloud security?
Tuesday was obviously all about new products, but Cook could have taken the opportunity to address the hit Apple recently took over iCloud security in the recent celebrity photo hack. Cook did mention security features, but only in the context of Apple Pay. Some of the iCloud security upgrades have already been implemented, but we're still wondering when others will come, such as strengthened two-factor authentication.
9. How much did Apple pay U2 to offer its album for free?
Bono was very clear: U2 doesn't give away music, so Apple would have to pay them to give out the band's latest album for free. That wasn't just show — an Apple rep confirmed toMashable that money exchanged hands, but only that it was more than $1 and less than $1 billion.
10. What about Beats?
Apple closed the deal on Beats over a month ago, but apart form an Ice Bucket Challenge from Cook to Dr. Dre, you'd never know it. Just what will the first collaborative project between the merged companies be, and how will streaming factor into Apple's strategy, going forward?
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