TAKE IT TO THE MACS
APPLE BRINGS ITS FANTASTIC NEW CHIP TO ITS RANGE OF COMPUTERS... AND OFFERS A COOL NEW COLOUR SCHEME
APPLE’S Spring Loaded event produced a real surprise – everything that was rumoured to be announced ahead of the presentation actually was announced. There were upgrades and new designs for favourite devices, a whole new product line, a revamp for Apple’s podcast service, as well as a new iPhone... well, a new colour for iPhone, at least. Here’s what Apple CEO Tim Cook unleashed during the presentation.
M1 IMAC
Apple continued its transition from using processors made by Intel to its own brand of silicone with the all-new iMac. Unlike the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, which got the new Apple-made M1 chip last year, the iMac has been completely redesigned to take advantage of the qualities of the new chip – it’s somehow faster than the previous chips, and yet runs cooler. That has allowed Apple to make the housing much smaller than in previous designs – there’s no need for big fans to cool the processor. So the new iMac is only 11.5mm thick and it’s hard to believe there’s such a powerful computer inside.
These new iMacs also come in a sleek range of colours for the first time since those late-Nineties models – and very nice they look in them too.
■ Cost:
NEW IPHONE COLOUR
Apple had a small surprise up its sleeve, with the unusual addition of a new colour for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini.
Both devices will be available in a fetching purple.
■ Cost: iPhone 12 starts at £799, and iPhone12 Mini starts at £699
AIRTAGS
All new were the long-awaited and much-rumoured AirTags – small discs that you can attach to an item so you can track its location and find it using the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.
The system works much like the Find My iPhone system – although the very latest Apple devices feature technology that allow for device tracking with much more accuracy.
If you lose your AirTag-attached keys, for example, the Find My app will guide you to them with pinpoint accuracy.
■ Cost: A single AirTag costs £29, with a four-pack coming in at £99. Accessories start at £29
M1 IPAD PRO
The iMac was not the only computer to get an M1 upgrade – Apple has also squeezed its new chip into its pro line of iPads.
The two sizes of iPad Pro remain, with both the 11in and 12.9in getting the M1 upgrade.
The bigger iPad Pro gets an all-new screen, though, which Apple is calling a Liquid Retina XDR display.
It offers an extremely high dynamic-range, so it can display colours and offer contrast that is more true to life.
The new iPad Pros also feature 5G mobile connectivity for the first time, all-new Thunderbolt ports for faster and more versatile wired connections to other devices, and a new front-facing camera.
This offers an ultra-wide angle view when video-calling, allowing tracking software to follow you round the room if you move while on a call.
■ Cost: The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at £749 and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at £999
APPLE TV 4K
The Apple TV 4K finally got some love after languishing without an update for what seems like an age – no M1 chip here, but instead a very welcome upgrade to the Apple-made A12 Bionic chip, which is the same powerful processor that powers the current iPad.
It will make for better viewing, with support for HDR video and Dolby Vision.
More interesting than the innards, though, is the new remote Apple has made for the set-top box – Apple says it will be much easier to use.
■ Cost: The new Apple TV 4K will cost from £169, including the new remote. The remote, which is compatible with the previous generation AppleTV 4K, will be available separately for £55
PODCASTS SUBSCRIPTIONS
Apple’s Podcasts app is to be updated to bring a new feature – paid subscriptions. Podcast-makers will be able to charge a fee for their podcasts to finance their making.
It’s a feature longrequested by highend podcast-makers, who have had to resort to all-kinds of hacky workarounds to monetise their work. The redesigned Podcasts app also promises new ways to discover both free and paid podcasts, to make it easier to find the stuff you are interested in.
■ Cost: The new Podcasts app will be a free update in May
■ The new iMac, iPad Pros, and Apple TV 4K will be available to order on April 30 for delivery in the second half of May. AirTags and the new purple iPhone 12 can be ordered from Friday, April 23 for delivery on April 30