From Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California, the company announces the release of new products – upgraded hardwareand software in a virtual “Spring Loaded” event on Tuesday, April 20. The highlights include new colours for the iPhone and iMacs,video call upgrades, taking into consideration the past year of work from home, the all-new AirTags and iPad Pro. Apple also announced the launch of iOS 14.5, which includes privacy changes and comes to users next week. CEO Tim Cook began the event with a mention of Earth Day and discussing the company’s environmental impact. Cook also spoke about Apple’scarbon neutrality initiativesin their global corporate operations, and offices, stores and data centres that run on 100% renewable energy.
Scroll down to know more about the latest in technology from the tech giant.
AirTag
Photo Courtesy: Apple
Apple releases its newest and one of its most anticipated creations, the AirTag. It’s similar to the Tile, one of the leaders in the lost item finder beacons category, and Galaxy SmartTag+(launched in January).Integrated with Find My app, you can clip Apple’s Airtag to your keys, slip it in your purse, or wallet and pair it with your iPhone. AirTag’s ultra-Wideband technology, Precision Finding (only in iPhone 11 and up)directs you straight to what you are looking for. If you’re not in its Bluetooth range, you can put your AirTag in lost mode, the network of millions of Apple devices around the world will help you track down your tag.
The water-resistantAirTagcan also bepersonalised, that too surprisingly for free!On apple.com/in, you can get the tag personalised with your initials or an emoji. Apple has also released AirTag Accessories in leather and the classic rubber loop in blue, brown, red and yellow, starting from ₹2990. Luxury French leather maker Hermès has also collaborated with Apple to create AirTag accessories, in shades of orange, bleu indigo and fauve. These handcrafted leather bag charms, keyrings and luggage tags start at the price point of $299.
Photo Courtesy: Apple
Battery: AirTag is designed to last a year with everyday use, and the standard battery can be replaced.
Price: Starting from ₹3190
Buy: Pre-orders start 5:30 PM IST on 23 April, available from 30 April
iPad Pro
Photo Courtesy: Apple
A much-anticipated overhaul of the iPad Pro was announced at Tuesday’s event. Applepowers the device with its homegrown M1 chip.Now FaceTime your friends and family with a 12-megapixel sensor and ultrawide 122‑degree field of view that pans dynamically reframing shots for video calls, with a new feature, Center Stage. Custom mini‑LEDs, 120x smaller than the previous generation, make the iPad as thin as 6.4 mm.No claims or updates have been mentioned about battery life.
Notable Upgrades:
– M1 Chip
– Up to 2 TB storage
– 5G connectivity
– Liquid Retina XDR display (in 12.9-inch variant)
– USB C port to Thunderbolt
– 12 MP sensor with dynamic features
Colours: Space Grey, Silver
Price: 11-inch model starts at ₹71,900, 12.9-inch starts at ₹99,900
Buy: Pre-orders start 30 April onwards,available from second half of May
iMac
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The iMac gets a colourful update with a range of playful hues, blue, green, pink, purple, silver, yellow, and orange. The new iMac even comes with a colour-matched keyboard (with Touch ID), mouse and trackpad. Weighing less than 8 kilos, the 24‑inch screen has 500 nits of brightness.
Notable Upgrades:
– M1 Chip
– 11.5 mm thickness
– 4.5k retina display
– 1080p webcam
– Six-speaker sound system and spatial audio support with Dolby Atmos
Buy: Pre-orders start 30 April, available from the second half of May
iPhone 12
Photo Courtesy: Apple
Another shade update, as the tech giant releases iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini in a new purple colour. There has been no upgrade in the specs of the model, the only addition is the colour.
Price: Starting at ₹79,990 and ₹69,900 for iPhone 12 and 12 Mini respectively
Buy: Pre-orders start 23 April, available from April 30
Podcast App Revamp
Apple is rolling out subscriptions for Apple Podcasts in May. The app itself will also undergo a design overhaul. Pricing for each subscription is set by the creators and billed monthly.
Apple TV 4K
Photo Courtesy: Apple
After nearly three years, Apple is giving Apple TV 4K an upgrade. An all-new Siri remote features a more tactile and precise touchpad than its predecessor. An Apple TV show announcement included the return of Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso.
Notable Upgrades:
– A12 Bionic chip
– New remote
– High Frame Rate HDR
– Colour Balance feature (custom TV colour balancing, using iPhone camera)
Price: Starting from ₹18,900
Buy: Preorders start on April 30 and the device will ship in the second half of May.
