The M2 chip has eight processing cores, similar to the M1, but now has up to 10 graphics cores instead of eight. It also has up to 24 gigabytes of memory, compared to 16 on the M1. And there is an updated video engine to play 4K and 8K videos more smoothly.
The M2 chip itself also comes with a low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro, the company said Monday. The new Air model will start at $ 1,199 ($ 1,899 in Australia) and the Pro price starts at $ 1,299.
The new MacBook Pro looks identical to the previous version of 2020. Meanwhile, the high-end MacBook Pros were updated last year.
As a sign of the ongoing supply chain challenges, the new machines will not go on sale until next month. Computers are not yet available and are listed as “currently unavailable” on Apple’s website. Due to COVID-19-related closures in China, a factory contracted by Apple to build Macs was temporarily shut down, delaying shipments.
The Mac line generates a fraction of the sales that Apple’s iPhone makes. But he has been a solid performer in recent years. It accounted for nearly 11 percent of revenue in the last quarter, more than the iPad and Apple’s portable and home products.
The last major revision of the MacBook Air was in 2018, when the company added a Retina display. But the device in general looked like the 2010 model, which was previously considered the most important redesign in the history of the laptop. When Mr. Jobs first introduced the MacBook Air, the co-founder of Apple took the ultra-thin laptop out of a manila envelope.
The redesigned laptop comes in space gray, silver, a light golden star and a new dark blue called midnight. It also relies on MagSafe charging, the magnetic connector used in earlier versions of the MacBook Air but removed with the 2018 redesign. The upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro continues to use a standard USB-C charger.
Apple intended to launch the refurbished MacBook Air last year, but was delayed due to supply chain issues, chip shortages and internal design challenges. Bloomberg announced this year that it would launch at Apple’s developer conference along with the new MacBook Pro.
The latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro were two of several next-generation Macs being tested with variations of the M2 chip, Bloomberg reported this year. Apple is also working on a new Mac Pro desktop, high-end MacBook Pros, Mac mini and an iMac for release next year.
Postpaid service, iPhone updates presented
Apple also introduced a number of new software features and services, including an updated iPhone lock screen and a later payment option that pushes the tech giant deeper into finance.
The new payment feature, called Apple Pay Later, is a much-anticipated addition to the Wallet app. Bloomberg previously reported that the service was coming, part of an expansion into the financial world that also includes bringing more of its internal infrastructure.
The presentation, which is part of a one-week event, shows key features for Apple developers, which now total $ 34 million, according to CEO Tim Cook. Extensive updates are intended to keep users loyal and use more Apple products together. A change to the Mac operating system, for example, will allow customers to use their iPhone as a webcam with their computer.
Apple’s latest iPhone software, iOS 16, will include the new lock screen, which will allow users to customize the feature and view widgets: snippets of software that handle simple tasks. A feature called Live Activities will make it easier to keep track of events or activities, such as an NBA game or an Uber trip, Senior Vice President Craig Federighi said at the event.
The look at the features of the software comes a few months before the launch of a new iPhone, Apple’s flagship product, which is usually introduced in the third quarter of the year. This device accounted for more than half of the company’s revenue during the last fiscal year, generating nearly $ 192 billion.
The ads also included an update that will allow users to edit and undo the messages they have already sent. And Apple’s CarPlay is undergoing a review that will be more closely integrated with a vehicle’s instruments, such as the speedometer and other indicators.
Apple Watch Updates
The Apple Watch is also receiving improvements, such as the detection of atrial fibrillation to help with heart health. And the latest software on the device, watchOS 9, will better track sleep to indicate what stage users are experiencing at different times of the night.
In addition, the watch will have more so-called complications: the data on the face of the device.
Monday’s announcement of Apple Pay Later affected the shares of Affirmar Holdings, which offers a similar service. It was down 4.5% at 2:56 p.m. in New York. Shares of Apple’s stock varied little, trading at $ 145.48.
Apple also said it plans to work with developers to create a “password-free future.” The company is updating its Safari browser to help with password management and move on to passwords, which are cryptographic keys that cannot be impersonated and remain on the device.
Meanwhile, a new collaboration app called Freeform puts Apple in closer competition with Zoom Video Communications. And the iPad is getting more multitasking features and a much-anticipated weather app.
Operating system updates will be available to developers as part of a beta test on Monday, Cook said. And the public will be able to see them in a larger beta test next month.
IPadOS updates
The company also announced new iPad keyboard shortcuts and professional features for applications such as Calendar, Files and Mail. There is a new Mac-like search and replace system and duplicate file controls. IPad is also getting custom toolbars. Developers will get frameworks to add these more similar capabilities to their iPad apps.
The new features of the iPad Pro will allow users to change the display density to see more content on the screen at the same time. There’s also Stage Manager with a revamped iPad multitasking interface and real external display support. The new multi-tasking feature of the iPad is pretty impressive, grabbing laptops directly. For the first time, you can resize windows and operate multiple windows at once.
The new iPadOS will have a collaboration feature that will allow users to communicate with a group of people while working on a document. Apple is also offering a snack on Freeform, a new collaboration app with virtual sticky notes and drawings.
Apple will also add Metal 3 for games to the iPad, including a new feature for developers to allow games to receive updates in the background. Game Center will receive a new activity screen and better SharePlay support for games.
And for color professionals, there’s a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro reference mode feature to better match colors with professional displays. Professional iPad users have been asking for this for years, and Apple is finally doing it.
Bloomberg