The world’s most influential technology brand had all of us waiting with bated breath on 30th October. Apple’s Special Event rolled out some huge announcements in New York after a somewhat disappointing one in September.
Recently, we predicted what Apple would say on the 20th anniversary of the Mac. Were we right? Take a look at our main takeaways from the event…
- The MacBook Air has a new lease of life
10 years ago, Steve Jobs unveiled the first MacBook Air– a laptop so light and portable, it was destined for greatness. In Brooklyn this year, Apple finally showed us how they’re building on its legacy. The new, revamped MacBook Air is thinner than ever (17% thinner, in fact), and has a screen resolution that’s four times higher than the older model.
Touch ID lets users unlock any app with their fingerprint. Meanwhile, an Intel i5 8th generation processor gives the laptop some long overdue technical force. The Retina display model is very welcome indeed, and keeps the original MacBook as your entry point if you’re purchasing on a budget.
Both iterations of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro continue to hold their dominance in the industry.
- Mac Minis got an upgrade
For almost half a decade, nothing was done to the Mac mini, which confounded the former owners that form its target market. But this week, Apple rectified four years of inactivity, and gave the mini some updated tech.
It can now be configured up of six core processors, 64GB of RAM and with 2TB of flash storage. USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports grant more freedom when it comes to varying USB cables. There’s a fresh paint job as well – Space Grey, perhaps to reflect the 100% recycled aluminium composition that now makes the new MacBook Air and Mac Mini the greenest Macs ever.
With a price tag of £4,000, it’s definitely being aimed at pro users who like to have the customisation of a desktop.
- Blackmagic Design are changing too
Apple’s cinematic collaborators, Blackmagic Design, have stayed in step with developments over at Silicon Valley. Their eGPU Pro graphics processor – made for gaming, 3D and VR media – will bring the visual strength of a desktop setup to MacBook Airs and Minis.
Again, much of this adaptability is thanks to the Thunderbolt 3 inclusion. You can plug it into the Apple devices we’ve mentioned, and have industry-leading, pin-sharp video editing on the move, wherever you are.
- iPad Pros became more intuitive
Screen size can really help some employees and home users get more from their purchase. Finally, the iPad Pro received an increase from 10.5” to 11” or 12.9”, eliminating the home button.
Elsewhere, we’re excited at the Apple Pencil charging port – it’s magnetic, on the edge of the device, and is set to make remote creative work even better.
In terms of palette, Space Grey and Silver dominated the event’s colour additions. Does this point to a renewed focus on businesses from Apple HQ? Maybe so. But the most surprising thing of all was that the iMac (as we’ve said, the flagship machine celebrating its 20th year) didn’t get a single mention. This was against what many Apple fans expected.
Over the next few days we will be updating our site with these exciting new products. The 3 new models will be available from the 7th November. You can order these new products now and please do not hesitate to get into contact with us if you have any questions about the new products.
