SAN FRANCISCO — Apple staked a new claim to the living room Wednesday, as the maker of iPhones and other handheld gadgets unveiled an Internet TV system that’s designed as a beachhead for the tech giant’s broader ambitions to deliver a wide range of information, games, music and video to the home.
CEO Tim Cook and other executives also showed off two new iPhone models, a plus-sized iPad with detachable keyboard and updated software for the Apple Watch during an exhaustive, two-hour event in San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
Apple is counting on sales of the new iPhones to maintain its position as one of the most profitable, and valuable, companies in the world.
But it’s the new Apple TV system that some analysts point to as an important step for the company as Cook attempts to build a business that doesn’t rely so heavily on the iPhone.
“TV plays a huge role in our lives, and it occupies an important place in our homes,” Cook said during his presentation. He added that Apple thinks “the future of television is apps” that deliver streaming video, games and other services.
For now, however, the iPhone is still Apple’s most important product. Apple announced Wednesday that it will sell two new iPhone models, dubbed the 6s and 6s Plus, starting Sept. 25.
They’re roughly the same size and will cost the same as the record-selling 6 and 6 Plus models introduced last year, which will now sell for $100 less.
The new iPhones will have more memory and faster processors, along with a new 12 megapixel camera.
The most noticeable upgrade, however, is the addition of “3-D Touch,” a feature that uses added screen sensors to detect the difference between a light tap and extended finger pressure, triggering different menus and functions for apps made by Apple and outside developers.
The new TV box is a significant upgrade from older versions the company has sold since 2007. The new device has a more powerful processor and updated software for running Internet apps and games on TVs, along with streaming music and video. It will start at $149 and will be available in late October.
An integral part of Apple’s system is a handheld remote that can be controlled with a touchscreen and voice commands, allowing users to request information and search for music, movies or TV shows by using Apple’s electronic personal assistant, Siri.
Cook and his top lieutenants on Wednesday also showed off a new iPad Pro with a 13-inch screen, attachable keyboard and a stylus, which the company hopes will help turn around a two-year slump in iPad sales. Earlier full-sized iPads have had 10-inch screens.
