This just in. Apple Japan has been updated with a launch date for iPhone 4s. The website shows a 14 October launch date. I guess we will know more in a few moments.
12:55pm: Phone interviews are over. Music is in. Big apple logo on the screen. Can’t wait for the big announcement.
12:58pm: Presentation is going to start shortly.
Can’t figure out what music is on. But loving it.
1:01pm: And we see the giant apple logo.
1:02pm Tim Cook is on stage. “This is my first product launch since being named CEO. I’m sure you didn’t know that.”
1:02pm: “It is a pleasure to host you today.” Tim says.
1:03PM The original iPod was launched here. “It went on to revolutionize the way we listen to music.” ‘Here’ being the Town Hall.
1:04PM Today we’re going to be learning about innovations in software and hardware, and the integration of all of these into a “powerful yet simple integrated experience.” Tim seems excited.
1:06PM And the usual stats continues. At the Hong Kong opening, they sold more Macs on opening day than they have in any other store in the world!
Video playing now.
And it is over.
1:07pm: I did not know 60 million copies of OSX Lion were downloaded already. Quoting Walt Mossberg of WSJ, saying that Lion is the “best operating system out there.”
Apple is getting closer to 60 million user base.
1:11PM: which translates to 23% market share.
1:14pm: Talking about the iPod, Apple has 70 percent of the portable music player market.
Let’s just skip to the iPhone launch.
1:20PM “Over 80 percent of the hospitals in the US are now testing or piloting iPad.” Interesting.
1:22PM That’s 250 million iPhones, iPods, iPads, etc. Holy Molly. 250 million iOS devices. That must feel awesome.
1:22PM Scott Forstall is on stage now.
1:33pm: Finally we have a launch date. iOS 5 hits the market on 12th October. iPhone 5 on the same day?
Going to be a free update. No surprises here.
1:34pm: Photo Stream. It is like iTunes, but for photos.
1:35pm here we go. Find my Friends app by Apple. Now you can see where your family is. Foursquare? Anyone?
1:40pm “I’d like to give you updates to two of those lines today. First, iPod nano.” Finally, new hardware.
1:41pm Phew! No sensors needed for fitness experience on the iPod Nano.
1:42pm The new iPod Nano comes in 7 colors, now the iPod nano is 8GB for $129, and 16GB for $149. Available today. Next up, iPod Touch.
1:54pm Phil has moved on to the iPod Touch. iOS 5 with Retina Display, HD video, and a gyroscope. $199 for the 8GB touch, $299 for the 32 GB, $399 for the 64GB. Nice
1:55pm “As you’ve heard, it’s the number one smartphone in the world. People have been wondering, how do you follow up a hit product like the iPhone 4?” The iPhone 4S.
1:56pm. A5 chip in iPhone 4s. Going to be 7 times faster than the iPhone 4. Yep, ‘S’ is for speed this time too.
1:56pm “Dual-core CPU, 2x as fast at CPU tasks. Also dual-core graphics. Up to 7x faster in the previous iPhone. One area you really see it scream is in games.”
158pm: Schiller back: “You’d think if you put a CPU like that you’d sacrifice battery life.” Increased to 8 hours talk time, that is super awesome. “Fantastic battery life.” Just what I was hoping for.
2:02pm Data can now download up to 2x as fast. Theoretical max performance used to be 5.8 up and 7.2 down — now doubles to almost 14.4Mbps down.
2:06pm The new camera is going to be 8MP, at 3264×2448, with 33 percent faster capture. It will still not make you a great photographer. But it’s an improvement!