APPLE Inc unveiled an iPhone 7 with high-resolution cameras and no headphone jack at its annual launch event on Wednesday, though the biggest surprise was the debut of a three-decade-old Nintendo game franchise, Super Mario Bros, on the smartphone.
While shares of Apple barely budged, Nintendo’s US-listed shares jumped 29 per cent on investors’ hopes that Super Mario would be another mobile gaming hit for the Japanese company akin to the wildly popular Pokemon Go.
Much of the presentation headed by CEO Tim Cook was devoted to technical details of photography, wireless earphones, games from Nintendo, and a new version of Apple watch — with fitness features.
The biggest iPhone technical improvements all had leaked, and Apple itself spoiled the surprise by sending out tweets of some details before Mr Cook spoke. The company then deleted the messages.
Apple has reported declines in iPhone sales for the past two quarters, which raised the stakes for the iPhone 7.
Some consumers and analysts are considering waiting until 2017.
