No new iPad, old iPhones killed and the headphone jack is dead: Everything Apple didn’t announce at its big event
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Apple has held its biggest event of the year, launching a huge new phone, a cheap and colourful one, and a completely re-designed Watch.
But perhaps equally important is what it didn't release.
The event didn't see the launch of new iPads, as some had hoped and expected. And more tragically it killed off some of its most beloved products, including the iPhone SE and the very concept of the headphone jack.
After the event, consulting the Apple website showed that it had dropped not only the iPhone SE but also the iPhone 6s. Those were the only phones that kept the headphone jack, which was dropped for the iPhone 7, now the newest phone that Apple sells.
Killing off the SE doesn't only remove the headphone jack but also drops any phone smaller than the iPhones 7 and 8. It is not clear if that size will ever return, or if larger phones are now entirely standard for Apple.
The SE's success is said to have surprised Apple, which brought the design of the 5 back primarily as a way of appealing to emerging markets. In the event, it proved a runaway success everywhere, with many Apple users opting for the smaller design because it fit better in hands and pockets.
As well as killing off the last of the iPhones with headphone jacks, Apple has also stopped offering the headphone jack to lightning adaptor that until now has come with all phones. That offered a way of plugging traditional headphones in without the right port – and will still be offered, but users will have to buy a separate one from Apple.
As well as killing off various products, the company didn't show off new iPads, despite hope that the Pro would receive an update. That might still be yet to come – at a rumoured event next month, where the company is also expected to show off updates to the Mac line, which was also unmentioned during the event.
Perhaps most embarrassingly of all, it also failed to announce or even mention the AirPower charging mat. That's despite the fact that the company first unveiled it exactly a year ago at the iPhone 8 and X launch, promising that it would come soon after.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments