Apple held its first product launch event of the year at the Apple Park on Tuesday Morning in Cupertino, California. The virtual 2021 Spring Loaded event saw the launch of the long awaited AirTag, updated Apple TV 4K with redesigned Siri remote, iPad Pro with M1 SoC and redesigned iMac with M1 SoC. Other announcements include the Apple Card Family, Apple Podcasts subscription, and new Purple colour option for the iPhone 12/12 mini.
Read More: My Apple Chat (MAC) – For Apple Enthusiasts in Australia And Beyond
Apple AirTag
Apple’s new accessory for locating items and valuables – the AirTag, can be clipped to a bag, bike, keychain, pet, or any personal items. The IP67-rated Bluetooth tracker utilises Apple’s vast, private and secure ‘Find My Network’ to locate tagged items in the items tab of the ‘Find My’ app. Lost items can be found by asking Siri to locate the item or ping it by playing a sound on the built-in speaker.
Priced starting at US$ 29 or US$ 99 for a 4pack, the AirTag is set to rival Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag+ with its ‘Precision Tracking’ ability thanks to Ultra Wideband technology provided by Apple-designed U1 chip on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 series. Once the accessory is placed in ‘Lost Mode’, other devices in the network or NFC-capable smartphone can be used to find it. Apple also announce a host of accessories for the AirTag such as the a Leather Loop and Key Ring which uses tanned European Leather and a Polyurethane Loop.
Continuing its tradition of collaborating with luxury brands such as Hermès, Apple’s AirTag Hermès will feature handcrafted leather accessories and Hermès’ iconic Clou de Selle signature engraved. Availability starts April 30 (US).
Apple TV 4K With Redesigned Siri Remote
Priced starting at US$ 179 (32GB) and US$ 199 (64GB) respectively, the new Apple TV 4K now comes with a more powerful A12 Bionic processor and redesigned Siri remote. The streaming box now supports now supports both high frame rate HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision video at 60 fps. It also taps into the advance sensors on the iPhone to adjust the TV’s colour balance.
The new Siri remote has been redesigned with a five-way intuitive navigation controls and touch-enabled for directional swipes. The power and mute buttons can control the TV’s power and sound, and the side-placed Siri button can be used to search for shows and movies, check the weather or sport scores, control smart home accessories and more. The remote is available standalone for US$ 59 and compatible with existing models.
New 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Apple’s new iPad Pro now has the same M1 processor as the new Macs. The 12.9-inch model has a Liquid Retina XDR display with Mini-LED design while the 11-inch model has a Liquid Retina display with LED design. Both models support the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil, 5G connectivity, and Thunderbolt/USB 4 port for charging and connection to other ports. They also have the same dual pro camera system (12MP (f/1.8) wide + 10MP (f/2.4, 125° FOV) ultra-wide) and the front 12MP TrueDepth camera system has a new feature called Center Stage.
With Center Stage, the iPad Pro models keep the users centered in the frame during video calls. The 11-inch iPad Pro Model start at US$ 799 and US$ 999 for the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models respectively while the 12.9-inch model start at US$ 1099 and US$ 1299 respectively for the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models. The 2nd-gen Apple Pencil is available standalone for US$ 129 while the Magic Keyboard cost US$ 299 (11-inch) and US$ 349 (12.9-inch) respectively. The Smart Keyboard Folio is available for US$ 179 (11-inch) and US$ 199 (12.9-inch).
New iMac With Vibrant Colours
The iMac comes fitted with the M1 processor, allowing for a thinner build (11.5mm thin), faster processing ability and seven colour options: Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Silver and Yellow. It has a 24-inch 2K display, updated 1080p FaceTime HD camera, six-speaker sound system, studio quality mics and four USB-C ports including 2x Thunderbolt ports. Apple also brought the Touch ID support to the iMac for secure logins and safer purchases with the Apple Pay.
The iMac has a colour-matching cable with magnetic connector and users can choose from color-matching Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad.
- Pricing starts at US$ 1,299 for the model with 7-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB storage, 2x Thunderbolt ports, Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse.
- The higher model with 8-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB storage, 2x Thunderbolt ports, 2x extra USB 3 ports, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, Magic Mouse and Ethernet costs US$ 1,499.
Other Highlights
- Apple Card Family now allow couples, partners and up to five people within the same Family Sharing group share Apple Card, track purchases and build credit together. Parents can also share their Apple card with their children (from 13 and above) and put in place restrictions for them to develop better spending habit.
- Apple Podcasts Subscriptions will allow content creators charge users for premium and exclusive content. The updated Apple Podcasts App with enhanced search tab, new Smart Play button and download for offline playback, will arrive with the upcoming iOS 14.5 update.
- The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 are now available in a sleek ‘Spring Purple’ colour. There is no change in the specs, however, this model will ship directly with iOS 14.5, which includes exciting features such as the ability to unlock iPhone with Apple Watch while wearing mask, and redesigned Apple Podcasts app. It is open for pre-orders and will go on sale starting April 30.
Via: MyAppleChat, Wired
