Apple uses its “Spring Loaded” event to unveil the new iPad Pro and an M1 iMac.
iMac
Cook highlighted the revolutionary impact of the transition to Apple’s custom M1 silicon, before giving the stage to John Ternus to discuss the latest addition to the M1 family: the iMac.
The new iMac is a throwback to the original iMac, coming in seven different colors. Unlike previous generations, however, the M1 allows the iMac to achieve an all new degree of thinness. In fact, the new model is only 11.5 millimeters thick.
iMac stays under 10 decimals under most situations, barely audible to the human ear.
Navpreet Koloty showed off the progress Apple has made on the iMac’s cameras, the best the company has ever put in a Mac. Cameras were always a weak point for the Mac, something that became more apparent during the pandemic, as people started relying on videoconferencing.
The iMac’s speakers and microphones also received a major upgrade, resulting in the best sound system ever put in a Mac.
The new machines are up to 85% faster than previous models, with up to 2x faster GPU performance and up to 50% faster than the fastest discrete graphics iMacs. Machine learning is up to 3x faster.
The iMac is the first desktop to offer Touch ID. Touch ID can be used to log in, make purchases and activate fast user switching, to switch between user accounts.
iPad Pro
Raja Bose took the stage to announce the iPad Pro now has the M1 chip as well. The M1 in the iPad Pro delivers 50% faster performance than the previous generation. The 8-core GPU delivers up to 40% faster GPU performance than the previous model.
The new model includes support for the latest Playstation and Xbox controls, complete with haptic feedback.
The new iPad Pro has 2x faster storage access, and is now available with up to 2TB storage. New model includes Thunderbolt support with USB 4.
The new iPad Pro supports 5G, including mmWave in the US, giving it the ability to have 4Gbps download under ideal conditions.
Fiona O’Leary showed the improvements Apple has made to the cameras. One of the biggest announcements was the introduction of Center Stage. Using the new 122-degree, Ultra-Wide camera and machine learning, Center Stage keeps the user in the center of the view, addressing one of the biggest complaints of the iPad’s current cameras.
The new models also include the much anticipated mini-LED display, complete Liquid Retina XDR, a first for the tablet line. The Magic Keyboard is also available in white.
The 11-inch model starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch starts at $1,099.