Apple has announced new products Wednesday, which include a new iPad Pro and an updated MacBook Air. Both devices are already available for preorder and are set for in-store availability next week, despite the fact that most Apple Stores are shuttered due to concerns behind COVID-19.
Never the less, Apple is showcasing the new features and price details on its latest tablet and laptop.
New iPad Pro
The new iPad Pro is available in 11-inch and 12.9-inch options with a display refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. Powered by the A12Z Bionic chip, the professional-grade table also supports up to 10 hours of battery life and features a LiDAR Scanner, which enabled depth-sensing that is ideal for augmented reality (AR) work. It also features five studio-quality microphones and a new camera set-up, which includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 10-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens.
The new iPad Pro will ship with the latest iPadOS 13.4 software, which introduces trackpad support to the iPad line. With this, Apple has also introduced a Magic Keyboard accessory for the tablet, which features USB-C pass-through charging. The Keyboard is also set to be backward compatible with the 3rd and 4th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 1st and 2nd generation 11-inch iPad Pro. iPadOS 13.4 update releases on March 24.
Prices start at $799 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi-only iPad Pro and $949 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. The 12.9-inch Wi-Fi-only iPad Pro sells for $999 and the Wi-Fi and Cellular for $1,149. The Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch model will sell for $299 and the 12.9-inch accessory for $299. The keyboard will be available in May.
New MacBook Air
The new MacBook Air is available in a 13-inch Retina display model and is powered by 10th-generation Intel Core processors, which run 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7. Other hardware includes Intel Iris Plus Graphics chip, with a promise of 80 percent faster graphics, internal storage starting at 256GB and maxing out at 2TB SSD, and an Apple T2 Security Chip.
The new MacBook Air has also adopted the Magic Keyboard that Apple introduced on the MacBook Pro last November, replacing the “butterfly” keyboard design that previously caused issues on MacBooks for a number of years. The new scissor-style keyboard design is based on Apple’s original style, before the butterfly change. This design offers 1mm of key travel to make typing feel more comfortable and stable.
Other features include Touch ID, a three-mic setup, stereo speakers, Thunderbolt 3, a Force Touch trackpad, and the introduction for support for up to a 6K external display. Featuring the latest macOS Catalina Apple also promises all-day battery life for the new MacBook Air.
The laptop is made of 100 percent recycled aluminum and is available in gold, silver, and space gray color options, and sell for $999, with a $899 discount price for students.
