Skip to main content

Apple event tidbits: $799 iPad Pro price, always-on ‘Hey Siri’, ‘tvOS’ details

We’ve already run down most of what we’re expecting from the new iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, Apple Watch bands, and the new gold Apple Watch Sport colors expected to be announced at Apple’s September 9th event. On the eve of the event, we’ve received some additional details from several sources, which we roundup below.

  • According to sources, the iPad Pro will actually start out at a 32GB capacity (which is still double the current 16GB base configuration of the iPad Air and iPad Mini lines) for $799. Apple will also sell 64GB and 128GB models for $899 and $999 a piece. The LTE-capable models we discussed earlier this week will likely cost $130 more per model, so we are likely looking at a maxed out LTE iPad Pro with 128GB of storage costing $1129, which comes in right under the base Retina MacBook.
  • Besides a new Rose Gold color option, 4K video recording, 12 megapixel camera, 3D Touch screen based on the Force Touch technology, faster A9 chip, and more efficient wireless system, the new iPhones will have another much requested feature, according to sources: always-on “Hey Siri.” This will allow a user to activate Siri with just their voice by saying “Hey Siri.” Unlike with the current and past iPhone models, the device will not need to be plugged into power for this feature to work.
  • The Apple TV will run a brand-new iOS 9-based operating system called “tvOS.” This naming convention is in line with the “watchOS” and “iOS” names of the Apple Watch and iPhone/iPad/iPod touch operating systems, respectively. We’re told that the operating system is based on the interface of the current Apple TV OS, but it includes lots of new iOS 9/El Capitan interface elements, including lots of transparency effects across the system. In addition to the Periscope app reported on earlier, we’re told that Airbnb is preparing an Apple TV app. Update: MacRumors has discovered a trademark for tvOS, while references have showed up in iTunes Connect.
  • Lastly, we’re told that Apple has been collaborating with well-known fashion brands on new Apple Watch bands and features, and at least one partnership could be discussed at tomorrow’s event. Some of these projects are still in the early stages, so it is possible that we do not hear about those until next year when the second-generation watch is introduced. New Apple Watch bands and gold color variations still sound like a lock, however.

We’ll be covering the September 9th event extensively, so stay tuned for all the action at 10 AM Pacific/1PM Eastern time.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. usmansaghir - 9 years ago

    Hoping Apple to come out on stage and throw a few suprises that no one has spoke about. Leaks have been coming from all directions, would love to hear Apple just to come out and bang a 4k resolution screen etc lol (highly unlikely). Finally the day has arrived 😀

    • They’re already expected to announce a boat load. Anymore and this keynote will be as long as the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

    • incredibilistic - 9 years ago

      As much as I love Apple news and leaks knowing so much does take a lot of the wind out of Apple’s sails. It’s like knowing everything you’re gonna get for Christmas but you still have to act surprised.

    • Ilko Sarafski - 9 years ago

      Same goes for me. The thing is that I can’t stop reading 9to5Mac on a daily basis. It would’ve been so much better off without it. :D :D :D Guys, shut the website and let us be rumors-free… :D :D Well, I also hope that Apple will bring something cool out of their sleeves. :) 10 more hours to know.

      • usmansaghir - 9 years ago

        Same here, i have a dozen load of apps and websites i have to read daily, its fun and exciting. Sometimes thing leaks are leaked deliberately.

  2. tush4r - 9 years ago

    I would love to see the iPad Pro getting smashed by .50 cal bullet.

  3. modeyabsolom - 9 years ago

    32GB on the base iPad Pro seems a bit stingy to me.

    • taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

      Nothing new for Apple. If built for enterprise and pro device 32 GB seems very limited.

      • Ricky Vargas - 9 years ago

        Well it’s not too bad if they also unveil iCloud Enterprise so now you can save work to the cloud. Maybe even make it a requirement that they all sync to the cloud when connected via wifi. That way if the iPad Pro is ever stolen, it can be remotely wiped and you don’t have to worry about losing your data.

      • rnc - 9 years ago

        No it’s not.

        Enterprises use cloud storage, obviously.

  4. Seth - 9 years ago

    “based on the interface of the current Apple TV OS” is exactly the opposite of what I want. The current UI is a disaster.

  5. leehardacre - 9 years ago

    $799 for just 32gb?! The prime reason they’ve created his is due to the increasing success of the Surface Pro, at least match the base product with 64gb.

    I was hoping to get rid of a retina MacBook and my Air to go this iPad Pro, hopefully I’m not disappointed!

    • Timur Tripp - 9 years ago

      It isn’t any worse than 16 GB base model iPhones when other high-end smartphones have already moved on to 32 GB. If only Apple would stop being greedy with their GBs.

    • Stephen Hagans - 9 years ago

      I really want to like the iPad Pro but unless it has a full blown OS, like OS X, I’m not sure I am comfortable paying surface pro pricing.

  6. kjl3000 - 9 years ago

    “Hey Siri” is great, but it has two (yet) unsolved problems: device and user distinction; When using it on multiple devices (like I do on iPhone and iPad), everything is fine until they are both in the same room which makes them both react to “hey Siri”. The other thing is, that it reacts on everybody saying the magic words. So if “hey Siri” would be always on, it would be a mess with more than one user with it in the same area. Imagine a concert and the singer would sing “Hey Siri!” … Just to give you the picture …

    • Ilko Sarafski - 9 years ago

      That would be so awesome in that funny way! Imagine U2 or some other major band with at least 50-100k audience to ask people to get out their iPhones and do that – Hey, Siri. :D Otherwise, I guess you are right. :)

    • Matt Sims (@Mercifull) - 9 years ago

      It also reacts to things that sound a _little_ like “Hey Siri”. Such as when I call my partner in the next room “Hey Suzi” and sometimes even things that are spoken by actors and newsreaders on the TV.

  7. kjl3000 - 9 years ago

    This is what will happen:

    http://i.imgur.com/EP7aoe7.gif

  8. smoothbond - 9 years ago

    Any news about an iPad Air refresh? I’m hearing a lot of talk about the iPad pro and iPad mini but nothing about the iPad Air 3.

  9. vecter304 - 9 years ago

    This will make next year wwdc extreme.

    On next year wwdc, apple should announce at least iOS 10 (or iOS X) OS X 10.12, watchOS 3.0, tvOS 2.0.

    Man, we might see 3 hour keynote next year!

  10. Zach Snyder - 9 years ago

    I was hoping for 256gb but it looks like I’m going to be disappointed…

  11. kmclachlan16 - 9 years ago

    The Apple TVos picture on this post has a white theme, how do i get it?

  12. A white background UI for a TV OS? FFS!!

  13. Paul Douglas - 9 years ago

    I really hope tvOS’s design language visually resembles that concept image. The brighter interface shown there looks really good.

  14. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    Can’t wait for the real thing to be unveiled so that we don’t have to see that hideous mockup anymore.

  15. John (@pharaohferris) - 9 years ago

    I must be tripping then because yesterday while driving (I wasn’t connected to power just the AUX cable) I said “Hey Siri, play John Legend” and it did.