Apple unveils new iPad, iMac, AirTag, Purple iPhone 12 and more

Tech giant Apple unveiled new gadgets at its one-hour spring event. Tagged Spring Loaded, this is the first event of the year. Here are the new gadgets introduced at the event:

• Purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini 
• AirTag
• iPad pro
• iMac
• Next-gen Apple TV 4K
• Apple Podcast

Purple iPhone 12/iPhone 12 mini

No. This is not a new iPhone but a new colour for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. Don’t ask me why it is a big deal but hmmm….a purple iPhone. You don’t see that very often. It already comes in five different colours – blue, green, black, white. It has the same specs as the regular iPhone 12. The purple phones will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, April 23, with availability beginning Friday, April 30

AirTag

Apple introduced the AirTag – a small and elegantly designed accessory that can be personalised with free engraving, and enables iPhone users to securely locate and keep track of their valuables using the Find My app.There was speculation earlier in the year that it would be unveiled before the end of the year but the company decided to unveil it now possibly because of the earlier launch of Samsung Galaxy’s SmartTag+ and its availability as from April 16. The AirTag can be easily attached to a handbag, backpack or other items. AirTag taps into the vast, global Find My network and can help locate a lost item, all while keeping location data private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption. You can buy the AirTag in one and four packs for just $29 and $99, respectively, and will be available as from Friday, April 30.

iPad Pro

Apple introduced a new iPad Pro with breakthrough M1 chip, ultra-fast 5G, and stunning 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. Here are some of the features:

• 8-core GPU/8-core CPU
• Cellular models will now have 5G support. iPad Pro also features support for eSIM.
• Support for Thunderbolt and USB 4
• Up to 2TB of high-speed storage
• 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display Brings Extreme Dynamic Range to iPad Pro. It features up to 1000 nits of full-screen brightness, 1600 nits of peak brightness, and a phenomenal 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio to enhance creative workflows
• An all-new Ultra Wide front camera which enables Centre Stage, a new feature that automatically keeps users perfectly framed for even more engaging video calls. As users move around, Centre Stage automatically pans to keep them in the shot. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to fit everyone into the view and make sure they are part of the conversation.

You can order the new iPad Pro as from Friday, April 30, on apple.com, and it will be available in the second half of May 2021. The 11-inch starts from $799 while the 12.9-inch starts at $1,099

iMac

Apple unveiled a new iMac which features a stunning design in new vibrant colours, the breakthrough M1 chip, and a brilliant 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and over a billion colours, delivering a brilliant and vivid viewing experience.

Here are some of the features:

• A thinner and more compact design that reduces the volume of iMac by 50 percent, making it to take up less space and fit easily in even more places.
• 1080p FaceTime HD camera, studio-quality mics, and a six-speaker sound system
• Breakthrough Performance of M1
• An expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with narrower borders and 11.3 million pixels
• Touch ID comes to iMac for the first time, making it easier than ever to securely log in, make purchases with Apple Pay, or switch user profiles with the touch of a finger
• Available in an array of colours — green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver 

Customers can order the new iMac as from Friday, April 30 and it will be available in the second half of May.

Next-gen Apple TV 4K

Apple also announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K, delivering high frame rate HDR with Dolby Vision. It features the A12 Bionic chip, all-new Siri Remote, innovative colour balance technology. The new Apple TV 4K will be available starting at $179 (US) for 32GB model or $199 for 64GB from apple.com.

Apple Podcast

Apple also unveiled Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, a global marketplace for listeners to discover premium subscriptions offered by their favourite creators alongside millions of free shows on Apple Podcasts.

As from May 2021, customers in more than 170 countries and regions can sign up for premium subscriptions that include a variety of benefits curated by creators, such as ad-free listening, access to additional content, and early or exclusive access to new series.