Ever since Apple sent out the invites about an event, there were rumours about updated iMac and iPad Pro models making an appearance. Much to my surprise, Mr. Tim Cook decided to launch some other drool-worthy products as well.
While the event’s primary highlights were about the latest from the Cupertino giant, we can’t ignore the pumped-up version of Tim Cook. Okay, him trying to pull off a ‘Tom-Cruise-in-Mission-Impossible-style’ infiltration to get his hands on the M1 chip for the iPads was a bit far fetched, but he was looking in great shape. I wonder if the credit of his workout regime goes to Apple Fitness+.
But, I digress. This article is about the slew of new products launched by Apple and I will get started on that without any delay.
Podcast Subscriptions
Apple has decided to give the Podcast app a much-needed update. Each channel now gets a dedicated user interface within the app. They also plan on introducing paid subscription plans. One hundred seventy countries and regions will witness the launch of Apple Podcasts’ enhanced services next month.
A new colour option for the iPhone 12
To increase demand for their already popular iPhone 12, Apple has decided to give their 6.1-inch and the 5.4-inch Mini smartphones a splash of colour. The device in an eye-popping purple is available for pre-order from Friday, April 23rd in India and will be shipped after that. The prices for the purplicious handsets remain unchanged. Also, the Pro models of iPhone 12 will be untouched by this purple fever and will only be available in the older colours.
Ted Lasso’s second season announced
TV+ wants to gain momentum in the ever-growing OTT platform business. And to pull audiences in, Apple announced the second season of their smash hit comedy Ted Lasso, which will be released on July 23. This rib-tickling show follows a clueless American coach (portrayed brilliantly by Jason Sudeikis) as he tries to train a UK-based football team. You can imagine how popular this show is by the fact that it’s bagged more than half a dozen prestigious awards recently, including Golden Globe for Best Actor (Jason Sudeikis).
Updates to Apple TV 4K
Apple’s video streaming device gets a shot in the arm with the introduction of the A12 chipset. The company claims the latest gadget is capable of upscaling 4K HDR content. Moreover, you can pair the newest device with an iPhone to use the latter’s ambient light sensors to improve the picture quality on your current television. The updated Apple TV 4K device is priced at ₹18,900/- for the 32GB variant and ₹20,900/- for the 64GB model.
The updates aren’t just limited to the streaming box. Apple TV’s Siri-enabled remote receives key updates as well. The remote now gets a new 5-way touch-enabled click-pad along with a new exterior colour. You can use the iPhone-like power button on the side of the remote to summon Siri, and the Power Button can be used to control your TV as well. Priced at ₹5,800, the latest remote is sold separately.
AirTag is here
A bit of a scatterbrain, are you? Well, you gotta get yourself the AirTag. Why? Because it tells you where all your stuff is. The small coin-like device is capable of running for a year on a single battery, and if you’ve got an iPhone 11 and above, you can search for your items with greater precision. Priced at ₹3190 for a single unit, you can also buy a set of four devices for ₹10900. Your days of forgetting your keys in the nether regions-cum-parallel-dimension of your coach are over, as Apple’s hilarious ad suggests.
M1 enabled iMac
The latest iMacs were the true highlight of the Spring Loaded event. Along with installing Apple’s superfast M1 processor, the iMac is now available in a 24-inch screen size. The iPad Air 4 inspired colour scheme also adds a lot of drama and character to the desktops. The overall chassis is now completely redesigned, which makes the iMacs slimmer and more attractive than ever before.
The latest computing device has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera for clearer video calls, and the updated wireless Magic Keyboard now gets Touch ID functionality. There’s a whole lot to talk about the new iMac but not just yet. Let me first get my hands on the device. The 24-inch desktop will set you back by ₹119900/- for the base variant, ₹139900 for the mid-spec model, and ₹159900 for the top-of-the-line model.
M1 enabled iPad Pro
Remember Mr Cook in his Tom Cruise avatar we spoke about right in the beginning? Well, he made a dramatic entry, stole the M1 chipset from Apple’s Mac division, brought it to the iPad lab and installed it in the 2021 Pro models. No kidding, this is what happened …. in the launch video commercial of iPad Pro. And what a commercial it was!
Anyway, the iPad Pros in their 2021 avatars will be installed with Apple’s M1 processor that unleashes the power of an 8-core GPU engine along with 8 or 16GB of RAM. The bigger 12.9-inch model comes with a Mini-LED display and promises 1600 nits of peak brightness.
With so much happening in the iPad, I am wondering if this will prove to be a bit of overkill. Sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing. But, I’ll reserve my judgment till I get my hands on the iPad Pro for review.
This was a summary of everything that Mr Tim Cook and the team announced at the Spring Loaded event. I am over-enthusiastically waiting to get my hands on the latest iMac. However, many, I believe, are looking with awe-struck eyes at the iPad Pros. Stay tuned for detailed write-ups on each of the 2021 devices launched by Apple. I would love to hear which device has you excited. Comment below!
Stay home, stay safe.
