Apple launched several new products during a live event, including redesigned iPads, updated internal chips, Magic Keyboard, and Pencil Pro.
The world saw the largest iPad Air during the ‘Let Loose’ event, measuring 13 inches, and the thinnest and fastest iPad Pro ever released.
The new Magic Keyboard features a larger trackpad that comes in two sizes (11 and 13 inches) and the Apple Pencil Pro with pixel-perfect precision features.
Also unveiled at the event was a new AI-focused chip that gives the new iPad Pro a larger “neural engine” that can complete 38 trillion tasks per second.
Apple has launched several new products including redesigned iPads, in-house chips, Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro. Pictured is the new iPad Airs.
Apple typically introduces new iPads in May, a time when education customers make purchasing decisions for the upcoming academic year.
But in recent years, Apple has begun transforming its higher-priced models into devices for creative and business professionals with its iPad Pro models.
iPad Air comes with the largest screen yet
The first device shown during the event was a new iPad Air, which comes with the redesigned 11-inch iPad Air and the all-new 13-inch; both feature Apple’s internal M2 chip.
Unlike previous models, the new tablet features a front-facing camera for improved video calling, along with faster Wi-Fi and an all-day battery life.
The 13-inch iPad Air offers 30 percent more screen than the 11-inch, but both feature a Liquid Retina design and anti-reflective screen coating.
The new iPad Air is available in new blue and purple finishes, along with star gray and space gray.
The 11-inch iPad Air still starts at just $599, and the 13-inch iPad Air is a fantastic value at just $799. Customers can order the new iPad Air today, and it will be available starting Wednesday, May 15.
The 13-inch device offers 30 percent more screen than the 11-inch, but both models feature a Liquid Retina design and anti-reflective screen coating. The new iPad Air is available in new blue and purple finishes, as well as star gray and space gray
Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of product marketing, said: “Many users, from students to content creators, small businesses and more, love the iPad Air for its performance, portability and versatility, all at an affordable price. Today, the iPad Air is even better.”
“We are very excited to introduce the redesigned 11-inch iPad Air and the new 13-inch iPad Air, offering two sizes for the first time.
“With its combination of a brilliant Liquid Retina display, the phenomenal performance of the M2 chip, incredible AI capabilities, and its colorful, portable design with support for new accessories, iPad Air is more powerful and versatile than ever.”
iPad Pro with the new M4 chip
Apple said the iPad Pro, its highest-priced model, will have upgraded displays and will start at $1,000 for an 11-inch model and $1,300 for a 13-inch model.
The 13-inch model measures just 5.1 millimeters thick, which Apple says is its thinnest device to date—thinner than the Nano iPod.
The new iPad Pro also features OLED displays to deliver richer colors and improved contrasts compared to previous models.
Apple said the iPad Pro, its highest-priced model, will have upgraded displays and will start at $1,000 for an 11-inch model and $1,300 for a 13-inch model.
The 13-inch model measures just 5.1 millimeters thick, which Apple says is the thinnest device ever created—thinner than the Nano iPod.
And the device comes with the front camera.
The new iPad Pro is made possible by the new M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon, which offers a huge leap in performance and capabilities.
The internal chip features a new display engine to enable the accuracy, color and brightness of the Ultra Retina XDR display.
It features a new CPU with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, making it 50 percent faster than other chips; Apple said the M4 runs up to four times faster than the M2.
Tim Millet, Apple’s vice president of platform architecture, said: “The Neural Engine makes the M4 an outrageously powerful chip for AI.”
“In fact, at this level of performance, the Neural Engine and M4 are more powerful than any neural processing unit in any current AI PC.”
The new iPad Pro is made possible by the new M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon, which offers a huge leap in performance and capabilities.
It may not be completely clear what AI features the new chips could power until Apple’s developer conference, where it often shows off new capabilities for Siri, its voice assistant, as well as the rest of its operating systems.
For now, many AI features, such as helping to zoom in on a user during a video call and slightly altering the appearance of their eyes to make it look like they’re looking directly into the camera, are unlikely to inspire a wave of updates. , according to some analysts.