From the astounding to the mildly amusing, Apple launched a new category of Mac and added green to the iPhone 13 colour lineup while also introducing performance boosted iterations of the iPhone SE and iPad Air. There are also new accessories.
Image courtesy of Apple
Apple, on 8 February 2022, debuted the most powerful version of the company’s already popular M1 processor; calling it the M1 Ultra which now joins the likes of M1 Max, M1 Pro, and the regular M1 processor within the company’s “Apple silicone” lineup.
With its powerful CPU, massive GPU, incredible Neural Engine, ProRes hardware acceleration, and huge amount of unified memory, M1 Ultra completes the M1 family as the world’s most powerful and capable chip for a personal computer.
The new SoC (system on chip) consists of 114 billion transistors, the most ever in a personal computer chip according to Apple. M1 Ultra can be configured with up to 128GB of unified memory that can be accessed by the 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine, providing breakthrough performance for specialised professionals.
The 32-core Neural Engine in M1 Ultra also offers unprecedented ProRes video encode and decode throughput — the new Mac Studio with M1 Ultra can play back up to 18 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video; a feat no other chip can accomplish.
Studio Display features an expansive 27-inch 5K Retina screen, an advanced camera with Apple’s Center Stage, and includes high-fidelity audio.
Mac Studio starts at USD1,999 with additional configure-to-order options available online and the Studio Display costs USD1,599 — additional technical specifications, including nano-texture glass and a choice of stand options, are available online.
The least expensive iPhone now features the powerful A15 Bionic, 5G, better battery life, improved durability, and a new camera system with advanced features like Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, and Deep Fusion.
The new iPhone SE features upgrades including Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, which powers advanced camera capabilities and makes advanced strides in photo editing to power-intensive operations like gaming and augmented reality. Along with 5G, longer battery life, and improved durability, iPhone SE comes in three colours — midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED starting at USD429.
The new iPad Air now features Apple’s M1 chip, ultra-fast 5G, and a new front camera with Center Stage.
Available in a new array of colours, iPad Air features an Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, a USB-C port with up to two times faster transfer speeds, and 5G on cellular models. According to Apple, advanced cameras and compatibility with the latest accessories will enable users, including content creators, gamers, and students, to push the boundaries of creativity, productivity, and self expression.
Wi-Fi models of iPad Air are available at a starting price of USD599 and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at USD749 — the refreshed model comes in 64GB and 256GB configurations and buyers can choose between space gray, starlight, pink, purple, and blue finishes.
Apple introduced a new green finish for the iPhone 13 lineup with the iPhone 13 Pro receiving an “alpine green” and iPhone 13 getting a green finish. iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are currently available in sierra blue, graphite, gold, and silver, and will be available in the new alpine green in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, starting at USD999 and USD1,099 respectively. iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are currently available in (PRODUCT)RED,6 starlight, midnight, blue, and pink, and will be available in the new green in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options, starting at USD799 and USD699 respectively.
Apple also introduced new iterations of accessories with a new colour option — in the new silver-and-black — for their Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad; for UDS199, Magic Trackpad; for USD149, and Magic Mouse; for USD99.
