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Image Source, APPLE
Apple CEO Tim Cook hosted the pre-recorded event from the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple unveiled the highly anticipated AirTags and another line of products on Tuesday at the first major event in 2021.
In line with the pandemic constraints, the presentation was made through a video recording hosted by Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
One of the main conclusions after seeing the event on Tuesday is that Apple is strongly committed to products containing the M1 chip, which were developed by the company itself due to the global shortage of semiconductors.
And the long-awaited tracker was revealed AIday, which will be released at the end of April.
The first major update in recent years for the iconic desktop computer has also been announced. iMac and a new iPad Pro, which has an M1 chip and 5G connectivity.
The so-called AirTags are a long-awaited product from Apple fans.
Image Source, APPLE
The AirTags will be released on April 30.
They are small discs that can be attached to any object and send a Bluetooth signal to a home device – an iPad or iPhone – to notify the user of their location.
The original tracker, Tile, a rival product, was released after a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2014.
The AirTags costs US $ 29 and they will hit the market on April 30, said Carolyn Wolfman-Estrada, Apple’s program director.
They work with all devices with the U1 chip, including iPhone 11 (released 2019) and later.
Image Source, APPLE
Apple noted that AirTags are designed to “track objects, not people.”
5G is coming to the iPad and other updates
Another bet from Apple is the new iPad Pro, which will include the M1 chip, as well as a high-range camera with 5G data connectivity, as explained by product director Raja Bose.
The M1 chip will make the latest version’s graphics performance 1,500 times faster than the original, he noted in a presentation that focused on the iPad’s graphics and game benefits.
The new model also has up to 2 terabytes of storage space.
According to analysts at IDC, the tablet market grew for the first time in seven years in 2020, with sales growth driven by consumers and the education sector during the pandemic.
Image Source, APPLE
Despite being one of Apple’s oldest products, the iMac hasn’t had a major makeover in years.
New super-slim iMacs were also introduced in seven different colors, with Apple’s new M1 chip inside and a 24-inch screen with 11.3 million pixels, as well as an improved camera and other updates.
No big surprises
Analysis by James Clayton, North American Tech Reporter
This launch was not exactly an event full of surprises.
The new M1 chip Macbooks have received critical acclaim, so it was only a matter of time before Apple switched its other products to the new design.
The new iMacs and iPads will be the fastest and most powerful, it would be ridiculous if they weren’t.
Interestingly, Apple also announced that there was a lot of talk about AirTags.
You can attach it to your keys or your dog’s collar, whatever. If you lose them, you can find them with your phone.
This is very similar to a product already on the market, the Tile, although AirTags seem to have a different tracking system at first glance.
This is another example in the long list of cases where large tech companies borrow / copy ideas from smaller companies, and it is these gestures that many legislators hate.
Image Source, APPLE
The new iPad Pro will include the M1 chip and 5G connectivity.
This release was also interesting so it was not discussed.
It has been speculated that Apple could launch its new transparency tool in tracking apps and now we know the latest OS version, iOS 14.5, is expected next week.
Apple wants to put limits on how businesses track you around the web on their branded devices. You say you want to protect the privacy of your customers.
Platforms such as Facebook, which rely heavily on ad revenue, are against this measure.
However, this Tuesday’s event focused on products.
Apple also announced a new subscription to a platform for podcast, in line with its commitment to the services of streaming, first announced in 2019.
And it showed off a new Apple TV 4K, with a redesigned Siri and HDR remote service.
HDR offers a wider color gamut, making images more vivid and realistic.
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