Apple’s latest iOS products releasing this Autumn 2015; iPad Pro and iPhone 6S feature the latest tech they have to offer, all packaged nicely within the familiar Apple brand.

The iPhone 6S, available this month 25 September, introduces an entirely new function/feature, the new 3D Multi-Touch screen. The new screen senses how deeply you are pressing it, allowing you to do more — more quickly and easily.

From the familiar “tap, swipe, and pinch” touch functions, the new “peek and pop” lets you quickly view an item (email, website, photo etc) by lightly touching to “peek” or view (but not open), and then “pop” or open into full view, by pressing more deeply. “Quick Actions”, another new feature, is where a call/text or even taking a “selfie” can be actioned when a quick menu pops down from the familiar (pre-installed) App. Lastly, a cool feature that will be sure to impress is the Live Photos feature, which brings your still photos to life with the touch of your finger.

The iPad Pro is available from November 2015 and will be the most powerful of their iOS devices so far. It will deliver up to 1.8 times the CPU (processor) performance and double the GPU (graphics) performance of the iPad Air 2.

Accompanying the release of the iPad Pro is the Apple Pencil and the new Smart Keyboard. These will both be exclusive accessories made only for the iPad Pro.

Apple Pencil is a surprising accessory to be developed by the brand. Steve Jobs is quoted: “if you see a stylus” on tablets, you know that the tablet makers “blew it”! Another reason for its questionability is that it will be only compatible with the iPad Pro, in adding to the exclusivity that new Apple products demand from their users. Apple defends its new pencil in saying that there are extra layers of sensors that enable a creative process unlike any other out there; with a completely natural and responsive feel. This is exciting news especially for graphic designers, but you will still need to buy yourself an iPad Pro first to experience it.

The Smart Keyboard will pair as a cover and keyboard; sold as an accessory to the iPad Pro, alongside the Apple Pencil. The smart connector, an Apple-designed interface, will allow seamless communication between the Smart Keyboard and iPad Pro.

Interesting information to know, the Microsoft Surface Pro has been available and the newest model, the Pro 4 running Windows 10, will be released in October 2015. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and the iPad Pro parallel one another in that they will both serve as a tablet with a keyboard/cover along with a pressure sensitive Pencil stylus (as well as both adopt the word ‘Pro’) in title.

Comparing the two shows that, as expected, the Microsoft solution is more compatible for the workplace as it runs the fully featured desktop operating system of Windows 10 including more or less unlimited software, whereas Apple limits you to their mobile operating system of iOS and thus their App Store. The iPad Pro is larger and lighter with an impressive 8MP outward facing camera, compared to Microsoft Surface’s 5MP. The Microsoft Surface has a much larger storage capacity ranging from 64-512 GB, whereas the iPad Pro offers no more storage than an iPhone; 32-128 GB. Microsoft Surface Pro’s stylus Pen comes included and Apple’s Pencil is going to cost you, but from expert previews the Pencil is said to be beyond anything out there on the market today.

Apple packages together their unique branding style with their cutting edge technology, which appeals to today’s everyday user. Although brilliant, their products do tend to limit you to their brand, but their look and appeal seems to win some people over no matter the comparison. The upcoming iPhone 6S and iPad Pro, along with the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, are exciting products coming in the near future. Definitely pieces of tech to keep your eye out for, but always do your research before purchasing, to get the product to best suit your needs.