Take a Peek at Apple's Next iPhone

On September 9th, 2015, Apple held a special event in which the company introduced upcoming products and services that will be available to the public in the coming weeks. Not surprising, however, is the announcement of the iPhone 6s.

“It’s become a yearly event,” said Senior Alex Brickman. “I’m not surprised by the unveiling at all.”

Available now in Apple retail stores, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are the updated versions of last year’s iPhone 6. The phones will ship with iOS 9, and will introduce new features that Apple hopes will sway consumers away from it’s competitors. The iPhone 6s retails for $649, while the iPhone 6s Plus will retail for $749.

The biggest feature unveiled by Apple is called ‘3D Touch’. Powered by the new Taptic Engine, this feature allows users to change the amount of pressure they exert on the screen to change how they preview information. Apple calls this sub-feature, “Peek and Pop”.

A “Peek” is defined as a light tap, and instead of opening the entire weblink, it will instead show a preview of the website, picture or link that you are about to open. A “Pop”, or a harder tap, will simply open the information without giving a preview.

This feature has been incorporated into multiple sections of the phone, including Live Photos. By tapping on certain parts of a photo, it will allow the image to include animated features, such as a rippling effect in a body of water or a smile erupting on a person’s face.

‘Touch ID’, another feature of the iPhone, allows the user to lock or unlock their phone using their fingerprints. The feature also enables Apple Pay, which can be used at participating stores and apps.

The new iPhone will also be available in Rose Gold for the first time, alongside Space Grey, Gold, and Silver. Apple claims that the phone’s enclosure is built using the same grade of aluminum used in the aerospace industry.

While Apple’s next installment of the iPhone is sure to be a hit for most retail stores on it’s release date, not everyone is buying into the hype.

“Would I want the 6s? Yes, if I could simply trade my current iPhone in,” said Senior Aaron Pollarine, who already owns an iPhone. “But I’m not going to be buying it.”

“I’ll probably pass on it even though the 3D Touch feature is pretty cool,” Brickman said.

Despite some not looking to purchase the latest iteration of Apple’s flagship phone, the company reported on September 14th that pre-order sales were already on pace to surpass last year’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders.

“Online demand has exceeded our own forecasts for the pre-order period,” says Trudy Muller, a spokeswoman for Apple.

Apple’s press conference also introduced a new iteration of the iPad (titled the ‘iPad Pro’), as well as the iPencil, a stylus designed for precision on the new iPad, despite Steve Jobs avoiding the addition of a stylus when the first iPhone was announced in 2007.