Today, Apple announced two major product releases: the all-new iPad Pro and MacBook Air. Both devices feature significant spec upgrades and performance boosts, on top of some intriguing, and quite possibly revolutionary, new technologies. Let’s take a look at each!
First up is the new iPad Pro, which, like last year’s model, is available in 11 and 12.9” size variations, with storage options ranging from 128GB all the way up to 1TB. On its surface, the new iPad Pro looks identical to its predecessor, but with a significant boost to hardware—most notably, its new chip and camera setup.
The iPad Pro’s new chip goes by the name of “A12Z Bionic.” Thanks to it, Apple claims the iPad Pro is now “faster and more powerful than most Windows PC laptops.” Backed by an eight-core GPU and Apple’s sophisticated Neural Engine, the A12Z Bionic should allow the Pro to do pretty much anything, from editing 4K video to working with 3D model design—it even facilitates the iPad Pro’s new LiDAR Scanner. On top of that, the new chip allows the iPad Pro to support all next-generation apps, deliver up to 10 hours of battery life, and fast connectivity.
The Pro’s other major headline is its new rear-camera setup, which includes a 12MP wide-angle lens, a 10MP ultra wide-angle lens, and Apple’s groundbreaking new LiDAR Scanner. This array is a significant upgrade from the previous iPad Pro. Not only does it offer advanced features like capturing 4K video and pro-quality still, it also supports a whole new set of creative possibilities, including new zoom capabilities, multi-camera use, and the ability to use the Pro as mobile production studio.
In addition to its two wide-angle lenses, the iPad Pro’s also features Apple’s new LiDAR Scanner, which could be a groundbreaking new tool for augmented reality (AR) features and creators. The LiDAR Scanner uses lasers to measure distances from surrounding objects up to 5m away. Not only does this improve the functionality of distance-based applications, like the Measure app, but it also has the potential to unlock a new world of AR experiences.
The last bit of big news for the new iPad Pro is an accessory: the Magic Keyboard, which comes in 11" and 12.9" versions. Just by looking at it you should see one big change in the form of a trackpad. The latest version of iPadOS now has enhanced support for mice and trackpads to make the iPad even easier to use. It also has a USB-C port that offers pass-through charging and is strong enough to support the iPad Pro in a range of different viewing angles.
Apple’s other big announcement was the new 13” MacBook Air. Like the iPad Pro, this latest laptop boasts an all-around hardware and performance boost. According to Apple, it’s now twice as fast as its predecessor, has double the storage, but perhaps best of all, comes with the new Magic Keyboard. For those that detest butterfly keys, the Magic Keyboard’s new scissor mechanism will be a huge selling point.
The MacBook Air has long been billed as Apple’s most popular Mac and these latest upgrades should only help keep that standing. It’s available in gold, silver, and space gray. The base model comes with 256GB, which, again, is double the amount of its predecessor, and is configurable all the way up to 2TB.
Another, smaller change today came to Apple's Mac mini line. The standard configurations now come with double the storage, putting the minimum-size SSD at 256GB. This is great for anyone looking to pick up one of these compact machines.
Both the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro as well as the latest line of Mac minis are available to order now at B&H.
2 Comments
higood
"Apple claims the iPad Pro is now “faster and more powerful than most Windows PC laptops."
Both wrong: faster -> swifter; more powerful -> lesser powerful (<8W vs. 50W) and mihtier. And PCs died with Win 9x; WinNT is Wintel.
will -> shall