Apple had a very busy 2015. We got new iPhones with a twist, an iMac that looks at the future, a refreshed MacBook, an iPad that wants to refresh the category, new software products and a lot more. And as with Apple, the numbers made for interesting reading. Here is a look at what worked for Apple in 2015, what didn’t, and how that could impact decisions heading into 2016.
The numbers: more than a wad of cash
It is hard to not look at these numbers in awe fiscal 2015 was the most successful for Apple, as revenue grew 28% to close at $234 billion.
In the first quarter, Apple recorded the highest quarterly sales for iPhones (74.5 million) and Macs (5.5 million), and also shifted a lot of iPads (21.4 million). In the same quarter, the company’s App Store also enjoyed record sales till then.
In the second quarter, Apple reported selling 61.1 million iPhones, 12.6 million iPads and 4.5 million Macs. The App Store sales too beat the previous quarter. If you thought things would slow down, you would have been wrong. In the third quarter, Apple reported selling 47.5 million iPhones, 10.9 million iPads and 4.7 million Macs, and App Store sales recorded their highest-ever numbers.
Pitched, in part, as a laptop replacement, the iPad Pro allows you to work on the go and even multi-task with split-screen view so you can run two apps on the screen at the same time. And its bigger screen certainly makes split-screen work easier, in the same way the iPhone 6 is a better experience than the iPhone 5 because of the extra scale.
Therefore, as a laptop replacement for around the house, the iPad Pro fits the bill. It is fast, quick, and easy to use. Whether working on the sofa (if there's a coffee table), watching Netflix or Sky Go in bed, or sitting at a desk working on annotations with the Pencil, that extra screen real-estate looks great.
From
watching celebrity videos, listening to music to booking tickets, enjoy the
ultimate Entertainment experience on Windows 10. To get you started, we've
selected 5 Entertainment apps that should give you a taste of what the
store has to offer.
1. GAANA
With
a library of close to 10 million songs, Gaana offers users music from a wide
range of genres from the oldest Hindi films hits, world music, folks
songs to the latest Bollywood chart toppers.
Gadgets
continue to play a crucial role in our day-to-day life. For example: cell
phones have dramatically changed the way we communicate; television has brought
the entire world to our doorsteps; and personal computers have ushered a new
era in technology. The 7th edition of Gadget Show Live, which is scheduled to
take place from 8-12 April, 2015, will feature the latest from the world of
gadgets. Let’s take a look at some of the mind-boggling machines that have made
our life easier.
Audio-Technica has announced the launch of
three new over-ear headphones in India. The new launch includes ATH-WS550iS,
ATH-WS770iS and ATH-WS1100iS headphone models.
As one would expect from any
Audio-Technica headphones, the focus is on offering impactful bass along with
accurate midrange and treble. The headphones come with company's deep motion driver’s
technology for super heavy bass experience. The headphones also support extra
airflow-based venting with central and side vents which optimise the spring
pressure.
The smart, slim body is packed with a
brand new Intel processor and comes with the option of an Nvidia graphics card.
Essentially, Surface Book is both a laptop and tablet that can be adjusted to
the needs of the user. Microsoft also introduced the all-new stylus pen and a
unique 3:2 screen aspect ratio, which gives it the dimensions of a piece of A4
paper.
Best
Tablets: iPad Air 2
Equipped with an A8X processor, upgraded
rear and front-facing cameras, an anti-reflective screen, a Touch ID
fingerprint sensor and more built-in storage (128GB), the new version of the
iPad is thinner (6.1 mm) and lighter (437g) than its predecessors.
Best
Ultrabooks: Dell XPS 13
Dell's latest slim (13 inch) and light
(1.2kg) ultrabook has a stylish aluminum casing, strong battery life and
excellent screen quality. You can choose from an Intel Core i5-5200U or Core
i7-5500U processor, or a memory configuration of either 4GB or 8GB along with
an option to upgrade to touch screen.
Best
Ultrabooks: Mac Book Air
Armed with a 1.6 GHz Intel Core Dual-core
processor, the 13-inch MacBook Air is lighter (1.4 kg) thinner (17mm) and has
an impressive battery life that lasts an incredible 16h 34m. The 13-inch model
comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics 6000: with an average frame rate of 27
fps, it also offers a strong gaming experience.
Best
Laptop: Mac Book Pro
Updated with Intel's fifth-generation Core
i-series chip, the 13-inch MacBook Pro has an innovative force touch keypad,
AMD graphics, nine hours of battery life and one of the fastest hard drives.
Best
Desktop: Apple Mac Pro
It is light, lean and is equipped with
number of unique design touches. The Mac Pro has an Intel Xeon E5 processor
which adds to its productivity. The Dual AMD FirePro D300 Graphics Pro provides
enough power to connect up to three high-resolution 4K displays. A storage
capacity of 256GB is an added advantage.
Best
Smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
The second Samsung device to feature Edge
technology after the Galaxy Note Edge phablet. This powerful phone comes around
with a super sharp 5.1-inch, 2560X1440, 577ppi, Super AMOLED main display and
an equally fast octa-core processor.
Best
Smartphones: Turing Phone
The main characteristics of the phone is
its hardline focus on security. It comes with a 5.5-inch touchscreen display,
powered by a 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC processor and
has 3GB of RAM. It has a powerful 13 megapixel camera in the rear and an
8-megapixel front camera for video-calls and selfies. The phone is made up of
"Liquidmorphium," which the company claims is stronger than steel or
aluminum and is impervious to bending.
Best
Smartwatches: Apple Watch
With 38 different styles to choose from,
it is unlikely that Apple Watch will go out of style anytime soon. The watch is
equipped with an array of apps like Messages and Mail, allows you make calls
via an iPhone, and includes fitness tracking, Apple Pay and wireless music
playback.
Best
Smartwatches: Pebble Time
Pebble Time is compatible with both
Android and iOS. The device is equipped with a color e-paper display, is
water-resistant to 30m and comes with access to a huge number of apps (as you'd
expect). It boasts 7-day battery life and comes in a variety of styles.
Best
Cameras: Olympus EM-5 Mk II
The new model is smaller and more compact
than its predecessor and is equipped with a 15MP camera. It has advanced movie
capabilities and a clever multi-shot 40MP mode. Check out the improved 5-axis
image stabilization, 10 fps continuous shooting, 1/8000th sec maximum shutter
speed and built-in Wi-Fi.
Best
Cameras: Fujifilm X-T10
The X-T10 is an exemplary combination of
modern and vintage. The device is smaller in size, lighter in weight and is
equipped with a high-res viewfinder. The 16.30 megapixels camera offers
stunning image quality, and it has capable Wi-Fi remote control and plenty of
in-kit lens options.
Best
Cameras: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
The latest model has excellent burst
speeds (up to 10fps) and can focus down to f/8 which is ideal for wildlife
photography and sports action. There's a whole stack of new tech under the
hood: this is a serious enthusiast's camera.
Best
Compact Cameras: LUMIX DMC-LX100
The latest from the famous Panasonic
LX-series, Lumix DMC-LX100 is a treat for large-sensor enthusiasts. The
12.8-megapixel camera is packed in a slightly larger body but offers very good
image quality, great performance and a bright zoom lens with good macro
performance. It also has a high-res built-in viewfinder and comes along with a
decent battery life.
Best
Compact Cameras: Light L16
The L16 is a unique-module point-and-shoot
camera, dubbed the "SLR killer" by its founders. The gadget is packed
with sixteen 13-megapixel cameras at three different focal lengths - 35 mm,
70mm, and 150mm. Software then combines the images obtained by these three
focal lengths and produces an image equal in quality to a DSLR.
Sony
Cybershot RX100 IV
The fourth-generation model comes loaded
with an array of performance-oriented features like 4K video capture, 16fps
continuous burst shooting, and a high frame rate (HFR) slow-mo video mode.
Best
Household Technologies: Nest
The Nest thermostat is smart and
ruthlessly efficient. It saves both time and money by learning your household
patterns and programming itself. For example, the device automatically
alternates between energy required for weekend and weekdays based upon your
requirements. The iOS and Android-compatible device is easy to set up and can
be controlled from remote locations using a simple app.
Best
Household Technologies: Amazon Echo
An internet-connected voice-controlled
Bluetooth speaker that is equipped with "Siri-like" features and is
able to answer questions like "How tall is Barack Obama?" and
"What's the weather?" It also allows you to beam your personal music
collection from Amazon Prime, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio.
Best
Drones: DJI Phantom 3 Professional
DJI's Phantom 3 Professional is built with
new sensors and additional satellite navigation which imparts stability to both
indoor and outdoor flying. The Sony-made 12-megapixel camera is mounted on an
independently controlled 3-axis gimbal, and is capable of shooting 4K video and
12 MP still images..
Best
Drones: 3D Robotics Solo
The drone is the result of a collaboration
between Solo and GoPro. The drone has been equipped with full in-flight camera
control, and live low-latency HD streaming straight to mobile devices. Its
video-game style controls and push-button command makes flying easier, enabling
the controller to take off, land or pause the flight instantly in midair.
Best
Games Console: Xbox One
The new version of Xbox boasts impressive
graphics, a better roster of exclusive games and the ability to control live TV
with Kinect using voice controls and motion gestures. It also comes equipped
with the ability to play any media format.
Best
Portable Gaming: Nintendo 3DS XL
The new version of the Nintendo 3DS XL has
a wider viewing angle and is equipped with head-tracking technology which uses
the front-facing camera to see where you are looking. A new second thumbstick
and two new trigger buttons enhance the gameplay experience.
Best
Portable Gaming: PlayStation Vita
It is being hailed as the most powerful
and impressive handheld gaming console ever built. It has two quad-core
processors, a sparkling 5-inch touchscreen OLED display and dual analogue stick
controls.
Best
Music Systems: Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A6
The attractive speaker has 60-watt 5.5
inch woofers, a pair of 30-watt 0.75-inch tweeters and a single 60-watt
1.5-inch 'full range' speaker. The boomerang-shaped speaker supports Apple
AirPlay, Bluetooth Audio Streaming, DLNA, Spotify Connect, Deezer, and TuneIn.
Best
Music Systems: Sonos Play 3
The most affordable Sonos streaming-audio
component to date. The speaker allows you to control its functions from any
iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android phone using a free app. The latest model
provides a cord-clutter-free experience to stream internet radio and audio
services. The system is easier to set up and can cover a massive 31 rooms.
Best
Music Systems: Naim Mu-so
The Bluetooth speaker lets you easily
stream music from smartphone or tablet. It is also equipped with six drivers -
two dome tweeters, two midrange and two bass drivers - delivering a total
output of 450 watts.
Best
Televisions: LG EC970V
The new model looks exquisite and offers a
spectacular 3D experience. Its curved 65-inch screen makes use of OLED screen
technology which makes it spectacularly trim in comparison to its competitors.
Another of its unique features is the Harman Kardon-designed speaker system
with 40W in a 4.0-channel configuration.
Best
Televisions: Panasonic TX-50CX802B
The 4K screen resolution brings
astonishing levels of details. The Freeview Play allows you to combine catch-up
TV, on-demand services and live television. The powerful Firefox OS and quad-core
processor offers a single 'gateway' to all TV channels, apps and connected
devices.
Best
Televisions: LG 55EG960V
LG introduced its second OLED TV with a
stunning super-slim design. The 55-inch television comes equipped with slick
webOS 2.0 operating system and is also cheaper than its predecessor, the
65EC970V. The television offers multiple connectivity options, which includes
three HDMI, three USBs, a LAN and an integrated Wi-Fi network option.
Best
Peripherals: KEF Muo
For its small size, the KEF Muo delivers
impressive, powerful audio. With a battery life of around 12 hours, the KEF Muo
is a solid portable speaker. It is equipped with an internal sensor that
automatically optimizes the output to suit the orientation. It is also fairly
easy to connect the speakers to any computer or mobile device.
Best
Peripherals: Microsoft Display Dock
Microsoft's Display Dock lets you use your
phone like a desktop Windows PC with keyboard, mouse and a large display. The
Dock lets you connect a conventional 1080p monitor, using a DisplayPort or
HDMI, and up to three USB peripherals.
Best
Peripherals: ZUtA Pocket Printer
Zuta is a super-compact and easy to use
mini printer that can be connected via Wi-Fi and is compatible with all
computers, smartphones and tablets. It measures a little over 10 centimeters in
diameter and can print 1 to 1.2 Pages per Minute.
Best
Peripherals: Microsoft HoloLens
The revolutionary gadget has the potential
to change the future of education, entertainment, gaming, health care and many
other industries. HoloLens is a fully untethered, holographic computer,
enabling high-definition holograms which will allow you transform any surface
into a portal. With a HoloLens, an aircraft mechanic will be able to repair a
faulty engine while viewing the schematics; it will also enable a surgeon to
scan the MRI of a patient and show him where exactly the patient's cartilage is
torn.
