Without any sort of prior announcement, Apple introduced Wednesday an updated iPad Pro and MacBook Air, both of which are sporting (or can sport via an attachment) a refreshed Magic keyboard.
iPad Pro
Apple’s most advanced iPad got a performance-enhancing upgrade: an A12Z Bionic chip. The new processor supports an eight-core CPU and the company’s Neural Engine to give professional creators more intelligent performance, longer battery life and stronger connectivity.
The rear is outfitted with a double camera array consisting of a 12-megapixel wide camera and a 10-megapixel ultra-wide camera. According to Apple, “adding a second camera doubles the photo and video possibilities, enabling different perspectives and multi-camera use.” The lenses are complemented by a series of five microphones that record studio-quality audio.
An integrated LiDAR Scanner gives the iPad the capacity to measure objects around it up to 5 meters away. Because of this new method of understanding a scene, the device can deliver augmented reality experiences more in tune with real-life than previous generations.
With the simultaneous launch of iOS 13.4, the iPad gains trackpad support, offering users a more laptop-like experience than ever, a tool that people can enjoy with the brand’s new Magic Keyboard. The attachment provides a full-size experience complete with scissor-style, backlit keys.
MacBook Air
The most exciting news about the updated MacBook Air is its price cut — the model now starts at $999 (over P51,400) instead of crossing the $1,000 (over P51,500) mark.
Now equipped with quad-core processors, the new laptop provides globally faster performance across all apps and tools. Graphics performance has likewise been improved by 80% compared with the last generation thanks to the Intel Iris Plus Graphics card.
Apple is straying from the problematic butterfly keys and has reinstalled those with a scissor mechanism. Storage now starts at 256 gigabytes but can be up to 2 terabytes if necessary.
The new iPad Air is available for order now starting at $799 (over P41,000) while the Magic Keyboard will launch in May starting at $299 (over P15,400). The starting price of the new MacBook Air is just a hair more expensive than its tablet sibling at $999 (over P51,400). CL/JB