Apple has today
<https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/03/new-macbook-air-has-more-to-love-and
-is-now-just-999/> announced the launch of a new MacBook Air featuring the
Magic Keyboard, up to two times faster CPU performance, twice the storage,
and a new lower starting price of $999.
The new MacBook Air features the latest 10th-generation Intel CPUs, which
Apple says allows the new MacBook Air to deliver faster everyday
performance:
Offering quad-core processors for the first time, MacBook Air now delivers
even more speed across everyday activities, from organizing photos and
creating presentations to editing videos. Featuring the latest
10th-generation Intel Core processors up to 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7 with
Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz, MacBook Air delivers up to two times faster
performance when compared to the previous generation. And with Intel Iris
Plus Graphics, MacBook Air now delivers up to 80 percent faster graphics
performance, so graphics-intensive activities like playing games and editing
video are faster than ever.
The MacBook Air now features the new Magic Keyboard, first introduced on the
16-inch MacBook Pro last year. Its redesigned scissor mechanism delivers 1mm
of key travel, and the new inverted-T arrangement for the arrow keys.
Apple has also doubled the base storage from 128GB to 256GB. You can spec
the storage up to 2TB.
The new MacBook Air comes with the Apple T2 Security Chip, which checks that
software loaded during the boot process has not been tampered with and
provides on-the-fly data encryption for everything stored on the SSD. The T2
chip also protects Touch ID information.
Additional features of the new MacBook Air include:
* A three-mic array for more clear voice capture for FaceTime calls
with friends and family.
* The industry-best Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control
and multi-touch navigation.
* Thunderbolt 3 ports for data transfer, charging and video output
in a single connector.
* Support for up to a 6K external display, a first for MacBook Air.
* Advanced stereo speakers for immersive, wide stereo sound for
activities like watching Apple TV+ content or playing games in Apple Arcade.
The $999 MacBook Air model ships with a 1.1Ghz i3 processor with turbo
speeds up to 3.2GHz, and 256GB of flash storage. A $1299 model comes with a
quad-core i5 processor with turbo speeds up to 3.5 GHz. and 512GB of flash
storage. The i7 model with 512GB of flash storage retails for $1449.
The new MacBook Air is available to order starting today on
<http://apple.com/> apple.com and in the Apple Store app. Apple says that
all configurations will arrive between March 23 and March 25.
In addition to the new MacBook Air, Apple has also updated the Mac Mini
today:
The standard configurations of Mac mini now come with double the storage
capacity. The $799 configuration now comes standard with 256GB, while the
$1,099 configuration features 512GB of storage, and every Mac mini is made
from 100 percent recycled aluminum.
In addition to
<https://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-announces-new-999-macbook-air-and-updat
ed-mac-mini> a new MacBook Air and updated Mac Mini, Apple today has also
announced a new iPad Pro powered by the A12Z Bionic chip and featuring a new
dual-camera, a LiDAR scanner for Augmented Reality, and trackpad support.
According to
<https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/03/apple-unveils-new-ipad-pro-with-lida
r-scanner-and-trackpad-support-in-ipados/> Apple, , the new A12Z Bionic chip
supports an eight-core GPU, enhanced thermal architecture, and tuned
performance controllers that gives the new iPad Pro a performance boost:
The eight-core GPU in the A12Z Bionic, along with an enhanced thermal
architecture and tuned performance controllers, gives iPad Pro the highest
performance ever in an iPad. Combined with the eight-core CPU and the
powerful Neural Engine, which enables next-generation apps, theres no other
chip that can offer the incredible performance found in the thin and light
design of iPad Pro.
The new dual-camera system includes a 10 megapixel ultra-wide and 12
megapixel wide lens, a significant upgrade to the single 12-megapixel back
camera of the previous generation iPad Pro.
The LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro is used for depth sensing and enables
Augmented Reality capabilities Apple says have never before been possible on
any mobile device:
The LiDAR Scanner measures the distance to surrounding objects up to 5
meters away, works both indoors and outdoors, and operates at the photon
level at nano-second speeds. New depth frameworks in iPadOS combine depth
points measured by the LiDAR Scanner, data from both cameras and motion
sensors, and is enhanced by computer vision algorithms on the A12Z Bionic
for a more detailed understanding of a scene. The tight integration of these
elements enables a whole new class of AR experiences on iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro is still available in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, with an
edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display and ProMotion technology. It now features
five microphones which Apple describes as studio-quality and four-speaker
audio that automatically adjusts to any orientation.
When iPadOS 13.4 is released, trackpad support will come to iPad:
Rather than copying the experience from macOS, trackpad support has been
completely reimagined for iPad. As users move their finger across the
trackpad, the pointer elegantly transforms to highlight user interface
elements. Multi-Touch gestures on the trackpad make it fast and easy to
navigate the entire system without users ever lifting their hand. Trackpad
support in iPadOS is designed to work great with the apps customers use
every day. From smoothly scrolling through web pages in Safari and photo
libraries in Photos, to precisely editing text in Notes and quickly viewing
and organizing your email in Mail, its a joy to use a trackpad with iPad.
Most third-party apps work with no change at all, and developers can go even
further with new APIs that let them deliver unique experiences in their
apps.
We will be interested in learning how trackpad support works with VoiceOver
on iPad.
Apple today also introduced the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. Featuring
USB-C pass-through charging and what apple describes as a floating design
with smooth angle adjustment, the Magic Keyboard has a backlit keyboard and
trackpad. It will be available for purchase in May, priced at $299 for the
model made for the 11-inch iPad Pro, and $349 for the 12.9-inch version.
There are also new Smart Keyboard Folio accessories out today, priced at
$179.
Somewhat surprisingly, the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is backwards
compatible with earlier iPad Pro models. Apple says you can use the Magic
Keyboard with:
* iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd and 4th generation
* iPad Pro 11-inch 1st and 2nd generation
The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is from $999.
Pre-orders start today in 30 countries and regions and the devices will ship
starting next week. Apple says that iPadOS 13.4 will be available from March
24.
Even though prices are the same as for the previous generation iPad Pro,
Apple has doubled the starting configuration to include 128GB up from the
previous generations 64GB. Other configurations include 256GB, 512GB, and
1TB.
Apple's Beats subsidiary today announced the launch of Powerbeats, an
updated version of its Powerbeats 3 wireless earphones.
According to
<https://9to5mac.com/2020/03/16/all-new-powerbeats-price-release-date-featur
es/> 9to5Mac, the US$149 Powerbeats have been upgraded on multiple fronts
over the previous generation
Powerbeats 3:
Powerbeats now use the same H1 chip as second generation AirPods, Powerbeats
Pro, and AirPods Pro, boosting battery life from 12 hours to 15 hours, while
enabling Hey Siri support and lower latency. Powerbeats also work with
Apples Audio Sharing feature on iOS.
When it comes to sound,
<https://www.macrumors.com/2020/03/16/updated-powerbeats-earbuds/> MacRumors
says Powerbeats deliver the same rich audio as the Powerbeats Pro with
pistonic drivers that offer clean sound reproduction with low distortion
across the frequency curve and enhanced clarity and dynamic range.
Design wise, MacRumors reports that Powerbeats look similar to the
Powerbeats 3: but have an angled earpiece that's closer in design to the
Powerbeats Pro and a cord that trails down from the earhook rather than the
opposite side. Apple says this makes for a natural, ergonomic contour around
the neck.
The left earbud has a control that toggles power and pairing while the right
earbud toggles volume. The right side also has the b button for managing
playback, phone calls, and activating Siri.
Powerbeats charge over Lightning; and come with a USB-A to Lightning cable
and a soft carrying pouch. They are available in three colors at launch -
black, white, and red.
The all-new Powerbeats will be available starting March 18th from
<https://www.apple.com/> Apple.com, Best Buy, and other retailers that carry
Beats headphones.
If rumors are correct, this could be the first of a series of product
launches via press release by Apple over the coming days or weeks.
Submitted by AppleVis.
===========================================================
The fb-exchange mailing list
Manage account, subscribe or unsubscribe:
//www.freelists.org/list/fb-exchange
Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/fb-exchange ;
Administrative contact: insight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
===========================================================
