Apple Spring Loaded: all the news of the event between iPad iMac Apple TV and AirTag
Apple Spring Loaded
The first event of 2021 for the Cupertino company was a pleasant surprise full of announcements. Apple unveiled several new Mac, iPad and Apple TV products, as well as revamping and improving some of the most popular services such as the Podcast app. The long-awaited AirTags, small devices useful for finding lost objects, have also been revealed. In short, in an hour Apple presented a lot of flab for technology enthusiasts and in particular of the ecosystem created by this company. So let's recap all the news presented in this article dedicated to Apple's Spring Loaded event.
The Apple Card, available only in the United States
Apple Card, Podcast and iPhone 12 Viola
The Spring Loaded event kicked off with three quick announcements, made directly by CEO Tim Cook as we watched him stroll through the giant garden around Apple Park. These are minor innovations, some related to the US territory. For example, the Apple Card, available exclusively in the US, has recently received the new family sharing function. Using this configuration via iCloud with family members, it is now possible to share Apple credit card information for everyone to use. A simple way to be able to share the expenses, without losing even a dollar of the cashback provided by Apple itself.
New Apple Podcast interface
Let's move on to the second minor novelty of the event, this time dedicated to the Podcast application. After fifteen years of experience with managing podcasts on iTunes, Apple wants to take this media to the next level. The graphical interface has been completely redesigned, taking inspiration in part from that of Apple Music. Each content now has a completely new dedicated space with even more intuitive images and buttons for interaction. The real news, however, are the personalized subscriptions for podcasts. Each content creator can define subscriptions for their listeners, in order to unblock extra content, remove advertisements from broadcasts or simply to further monetize the work done. This is a real revolution, clearly aimed at creators, who could see in Apple Podcast an important novelty to make money with this type of content.
Small final gem, before the arrival of the important announcements: the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini will arrive in the Purple color. Apple is no stranger to such commercial moves with the inclusion of an additional coloration for mid-life iPhones. It already happened a decade ago with the arrival of the splendid and innovative iPhone 4 in white color. It will be possible to order an iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini in this color starting from April 23.
AirTag
The Dov 'application has been present on MacOS, iPadOS, watchOS and iOS devices for several years now, it is truly revolutionary for its simple purpose. Thanks to it we can find our Apple devices, both on the map using the GPS, and by making them ring nearby to locate them, for example in our home. The truly innovative part is related to the way these devices are found on the outside. For example, if we lose an iPhone and it doesn't have the ability to connect to the network to broadcast its location, other Apple devices nearby will be able to detect it with proximity-based wireless technologies and share the location of the lost device directly to the owner.
How to easily find the keys with AirTag
This is a truly intelligent and innovative system, created without violating users' privacy. All data related to the location of the devices are in fact protected and encrypted. There are currently more than a billion Apple products communicating with each other in this ecosystem. Starting from April 30th, new products will arrive that have been expected for several years now. We are talking about the new AirTags, small round discs, the size of a two-euro coin. With an interchangeable battery lasting around a year, they can be placed, attached or tied to numerous important objects such as a wallet, car keys or even an animal's collar. These devices report the location of objects to be able to easily find them with the iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch. By combining proximity wireless technologies with augmented reality, it will be sufficient to take a quick look at the iPhone for example to understand exactly the position of the lost object, both at home between the sofa cushions, and outside. The price for the AirTags is € 35 if you buy only one device, while the four-pack costs € 119. They will be available for pre-order starting from 23 April with delivery scheduled for 30 of the same month.
All the news related to the new AirTags
Apple TV 4K
In yesterday's event we also saw a review of the Apple TV 4K, the living room device capable of adding numerous functions to our television. Apple TV 4K has received a small hardware update, winning the new A12 Bionic processor for unparalleled performance, both in the reproduction of multimedia content, and for the use of video games on the App Store and Apple Arcade. The new Apple TV 4K will in fact be able to play videos in 4K HDR with high frame rates. Later an interesting function was announced to be able to calibrate the colors of our TV using the iPhone. The sensors of the smartphone will in fact detect the colors reproduced by the Apple TV connected to the TV and recalibrate the exposure, contrast, brightness and other parameters for an optimal view of the contents.
All the news of the Apple TV 4K 2021 model
The new Apple TV Remote is finally here, the official remote of the Apple TV 4K 2021 model. The touch section present in the previous model has been removed in favor of a new input system very similar to the click wheel of the old iPods. It will therefore be possible to interact with the new Apple TV 4K both using the classic physical keys and the touch input. The button dedicated to Siri has been moved to the side of the remote control to make it more accessible.
The price of Apple TV 4k is € 199 for the 32GB version and € 219 for the 64GB version.
iMac
After years of waiting, Apple has finally announced the new iMacs. The historic line of stationary computers has received the much desired redesign, made possible thanks to the innovative hardware present under the body. The new iMacs have clean, minimal lines with 50% less volume than older models. There are seven colors available, all very bright except the classic Silver. On the front we find a 24-inch Retina True Tone display with 4.5K resolution. The frames remain quite abundant, especially the lower one, which houses the new speaker and microphone system. Apple claims to have implemented the best integrated sound system ever made for a computer. Above the display, the FaceTime HD Camera has been added, capable of capturing videos up to 1080p with ISP technology for image optimization. To complete the audio and video acquisition system we find a new three-microphone system for noise cancellation and optimal recording of our voice.
The new iMacs with M1 processor
The real gem, however, is hidden under the body. We are clearly talking about the new M1 chip, already seen in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and the new Mac Mini laptops announced last fall. Thanks to it it was possible to achieve such a minimal design, because it includes numerous discrete components in a single SoC. Furthermore, its thermal efficiency has allowed the removal of complex and bulky cooling systems in favor of two simple fans, which do not exceed 10 dB in traditional use. The CPU is up to 85% faster and the graphics up to two times faster than the standard configuration 21.5 "iMac models. Thanks to its architecture it is also possible to natively reproduce all the applications dedicated to iPhone and iPad directly. on MacOS.
On the back of the device there are two USB-C and two Thunderbolt ports The power connector is equipped with MagSafe for quick connection and safe, while in the transformer we also find an Ethernet port for a cleaner connection and a truly minimal cable management. Together with it, the Magic Mouse or the Magic Trackpad and the Magic Keyboard will also be sold, available in new colors to perfectly match those iMac 2021. The Magic Keyboard with integrated Touch ID also arrives. Thanks to a processor hidden under the body, the keyboard will be able to communicate securely to transmit the nos tri biometric data to the computer. With our touch we can then unlock the iMac, complete a purchase with Apple Pay or quickly switch users in MacOS. The new iMacs will be available for pre-order starting April 30, while delivery will take place in mid-May. The basic configuration starts at € 1,499, while the most performing one goes up to € 1,949.
iPad Pro
Last big news of the Spring Loaded event were the new iPad Pro. Here, too, the real revolution hides under the body, thanks to the introduction of the M1 chip. The processor allows computational performance up to 50% higher than the 2020 iPad Pro and 40% improved graphics performance. This new SoC also guarantees quick access to internal memory, available for the first time also in the 2 TB cut. The USB-C port we were used to in recent years has been replaced with the more powerful Thunderbolt port, thanks to which we have four times the bandwidth. Using this port it will be possible to connect a display such as the new 6K Super Retina XDR panel announced for the Mac Pro. the cameras have also been updated, achieving performance equal to that seen on recent iPhones. iPad Pro has a new front ultra-wide angle with 12MP sensor and 122 ° angle of view, ideal for FaceTime video calling and using the new Auto Framing feature. Thanks to the new ultra-wide angle and machine learning, the Auto Framing function gives you much more freedom during video calls. If you move, it can automatically shift the frame to never lose sight of you, resizing the image as other people join you or leave during the call. On the back, however, we find a wide-angle and an ultra-wide-angle lens. There is also the LiDAR scanner which measures the time it takes light to reach an object and come back, thus creating a depth map of the space in which you are and making incredibly engaging AR experiences possible. In addition, it works with the powerful ISP processor to focus images and videos more precisely when there is little light, and reduce the acquisition time.
All the news in iPad Pro 2021
The 12.9 "model display has been designed completely from scratch, using Liquid Retina XDR technology to ensure unparalleled contrast and 1000 nit brightness. LED is perfect for all professionals who need a high-level display even on the move to work with multimedia content such as images and videos. In addition, the 5G and WiFi 6 module has been added to ensure unparalleled download and upload speeds even in Mobility. The new iPad Pro 2021 with M1 chip starts at € 899 for the 11 "model and € 1,219 for the 12.9" model with Liquid Retina XDR display. Storage space for the base model is 128 GB and can be configured up to 2 TB Available only in classics and Sidereal Gray and Silver colors starting from mid-May with pre-orders set for April 30th.
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