There were a few big announcements at Apple’s ‘Unleashed’ event including new MacBook Pro variants and new AirPods.
Let’s take a look at the big announcements that everyone is buzzing about right now. First up is the new MacBook Pro’s.
MacBook Pro
So, the M1 chip was a massive improvement to Apple’s line-up of laptops. The use of Apple’s own in-house silicone meant that performance was pushed to new heights that seemed unachievable with Intel silicone. Well, Apple have improved the performance of the M1 chip with the M1 Pro chip and M1 Max chip which provide up to 70% faster CPU performance.
The M1 Pro chip features:
- Up to 10-core CPU
- Up to 16-core GPU
- Up to 32GB of unified memory
- Up to 200GB/s memory bandwidth
The M1 Max chip features
- 10-core CPU
- Up to 32-core GPU
- Up to 64GB of unified memory
- Up to 400GB/s memory bandwidth
There are two size models for the MacBook Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch. The computer’s hardware includes a Liquid Retina XDR display, better audio systems, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and a broad range of ports including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and an improved headphone jack.
They’ve also created more screen space by implementing a notch and reducing the bezels to just a fraction of what they were. Some great news for enthusiasts is that Apple have finally implemented an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, so things should be looking smoother than ever.
The 14-inch model battery has 17 hours of video playback whilst the 16-inch models has 21 hours – the longest battery life ever for a MacBook.
The new aluminium enclosure provides a slight redesign that isn’t too crazy, and some might not even notice. However, this redesign has a purpose greater than aesthetics. It also optimizes internal space to provide an advanced thermal system that can move 50% more air than previous fanless models.
Apple also decided to finally get rid of the touch bar and have implemented TouchID into the keyboard.
Pre-orders for each model are available now and they are not cheap. The 14-inch model starts from $2,999 AUD and the 16-inch starts from $3,749 AUD.
AirPods 3
The new AirPods are here, and they’ve come with a slight redesign. The most impressive things are not the new design though, it’s the new features.
To start off with, we’ve got a new low distortion driver to deliver more powerful bass and clearer high frequencies. That’s awesome especially given how small they are.
Spatial audio has been introduced which provides a three-dimensional immersive listening experience for surround sound music and videos.
The H1 chip and the new acoustic system essentially means that these are one of the best sounding AirPods we’ve gotten as it utilises computational audio that produces high quality sound with Adaptive EQ.
The battery has been improved so that they last 6 hours without the case and up to 30 hours with the case.
The AirPods 3 will be made available on October 26 and will be available for $279 AUD.
HomePod mini
The HomePod Mini has been given three new colours to choose from – yellow, orange, and blue. The cables and buttons are all colour matched for some added flair.
In terms of new features, you can now hand off audio from your phone to the HomePod by brining your iPhone close to the HomePod Mini.
These are available now from $149 AUD.
Apple Music Voice Plan
There’s a new subscription tier for Apple Music that’s designed around Siri. Essentially it allows you to request music to be played across all Siri-enabled devices that includes the HomePod Mini, AirPods, iPhone, or Apple TV. You can also use it when CarPlay is in use.
It’s available for $6.77 AUD in certain regions including Australia, Canada, China, U.S., France, and Germany.