The new MacBook Air. Image: courtesy of Apple via AFP Relaxnews
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