‘Peek Performance’ – Here’s everything you missed from Apple’s March Keynote

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Apple has kicked off 2022 by unveiling an array of exciting new products during their Peek Performance keynote. Some of the highlights include a desktop Mac complete with new M1 Ultra processor and Studio Display, the third generation of iPhone SE and fifth generation iPad Air.

Read on for a quick recap of all the biggest announcements Apple made during the hour-long event.

M1 Ultra

Apple debuted the latest edition to the Apple Silicon line up…the M1 Ultra! The Ultra bridges two M1 Max chips together to appear as one to the operating system, with double the power and speed. Running eight times faster than a standard M1 chip, while also supporting up to 128GB of RAM, the M1 Ultra is Apple’s new standard for performance and efficiency. While this impressive technical feat is only available in the Mac Studio for now, there are rumours we’ll be seeing more of it in upcoming announcements.

 

Mac Studio

Speaking of the Mac Studio…it measures 7.7 inches square, 3.7 inches tall and is the perfect desktop for creative professionals! It has tons of I/O, with 4 x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, 2 x USB-A ports, 1 x 10-gigabit ethernet port and 1 x HDMI port and 1 x audio jack on the back alone. On the front you’ll find two more USB-C ports and an SD slot.

The M1 Max version starts at $3,099 and includes 32GB of RAM, 512GB SSD and a 24 core GPU. For an extra $300 you can upgrade to the 32 core GPU, which also gives you the option to add extra RAM and SSD.  The Mac Studio is also available with the brand new M1 Ultra. For $6,099 you can grab the basic model that includes 64GB of RAM, 1TB SSD and a 48 core GPU. However, if you’re looking to go all out, the top-of-the-line model will set you back $12,099.

 

Apple Studio Display

Alongside the Mac Studio, Apple has also announced the Apple Studio Display. Encased in aluminium, the Apple Studio Display is a more streamlined version of the 27-inch iMac monitor design. It has all the same capabilities as the iMac, with 5K resolution, the ability to handle up to 600 nits of brightness, P3 Wide Colour and TrueTone compatibility. But that’s not all, the monitor also features an A13 inside, with inbuilt 12-megapixel webcam (including Centre Stage), as well as a six-speaker audio system and three-mic array.

The Apple Studio Display is priced at $2,499 and comes with its own stand. Nano-texture glass and height adjustable stand are also available at extra cost.

 

iPhone SE

Apple also unveiled the third generation of the iPhone SE. Looks wise, this new incarnation resembles its second gen predecessor, with the same body and display as the iPhone 8. However, the inside of the iPhone SE has had a major glow up! The incorporation of the latest A15 processor has improved performance, battery life and added new 5G capability. The A15 has also enhanced image and video quality, without needing to make changes to the existing camera. At $719, there’s only been a slight price increase from the previous generation.

In addition to the iPhone SE news, Apple also showcased the iPhone 13 models in two new green colours. Both the regular and mini iPhone 13 are available in green, with the Pro and Pro Max having an Alpine Green option.

 

iPad Air

The iPad Air has been one of the most popular products amongst Apple’s consumers since the last update in 2020. For it’s fifth generation, Apple has announced a handful of internal improvements to the tablet. The iPad Air’s new 12MP front-facing camera and sensor will now support Apple’s handy Centre Stage feature, which automatically centres your face in the middle of frame during video calls. The iPad Air will also now house the same M1 processor as the iPad Pro.

While the price for an iPad Air will remain the same at $949, a 5G equipped cellular model will now also be available at $1,159.

 

 

 

 

Apple September 2021 Keynote – What’s New?

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In Apple’s September 2021 Keynote ‘California streaming’, the tech giant’s CEO Tim Cook unveiled Apple’s latest product range. The announcement was headlined by the new iteration of the iPhone, and was followed by an introduction of the latest iPads and Apple watches.

Read on for a quick recap of Apple’s biggest announcements.

iPhone 13

 The beloved iPhone doesn’t get a complete makeover this year, but it has plenty of new features to boast about, including an advanced dual-camera system with a new Wide camera with bigger pixels, and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS) that offers better low-light image quality. Perhaps the coolest the new feature is ‘Cinematic Mode’, which allows you to ‘effortlessly create cinema-grade videos’ even without filmmaking experience!

The iPhone 13 is powered by an A15 Bionic processor, which has four high performance and two high efficiency cores. You can expect 5G support, a super retina XDR display that is 28% brighter in sunlight, and extended battery life in a day (+2.5 hours, and +1.5 hours for the mini compared to its predecessors).

Similar to the iPhone 12, there are two versions of the iPhone 13 – a 6.1 inch model, along with a mini 5.4 inch model. It will come in the following colours; pink, blue, midnight, starlight and red.

With entry-level storage starting at 128GB, you can expect to pay around $1,349 or $1,199 for the mini version.

The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max features three new rear cameras, with improved telephoto lenses, MotionPro displays, and a new macro mode that allows you to capture subjects as close as 2cm. The Pro & Pro Max will come in gold, graphite, silver and sierra blue, with prices starting at $1,699 for the Pro (6.1 inch display) and $1,849 for the Max (6.7 inch display).

 

Apple Watch Series 7

A tad bit larger than its predecessor, the Series 7 Apple Watch will come in 45mm and 31mm sizes, with a slimmer 1.7mm bezel around the display. Apple claims that the increased size of the screen will fit 50% more text and a full keyboard.

The Series 7 focuses highly on durability, with a redesigned crack-resistant front crystal that is 50% thicker than the Series 6.  The Series 7 can still be worn underwater, and the certified IP6X rating means it can withstand dust, beaches, and the desert.

On a single charge with the Magnetic Fast Charger USB-C Cable, the Series 7 can last 18-hours and boasts 33% faster charging compared to Series 6 .

The Series 7 comes in black, blue, red, gold and green, and it is rumoured that prices will start at about $550.

 

iPad mini 

The new iPad mini gets a performance boost with the A15 bionic chip, with a 5-core GPU that is 80% faster and a 6-core CPU that is 40% faster than the previous generation, allowing users to play graphically rich games or use demanding professional apps.

The larger 8.3 inch Liquid Retina display has advanced technologies like a P3 wide colour gamut, anti-reflecting screen coating, and True Tone, which come together to bring images and videos to life. Plus, the new screen combined with the landscape stereo speakers makes watching movies on the mini a great experience.

Previously only available on iPad Pro, Centre Stage is now also available on iPad mini, so users can enjoy more engaging video calls with the updated Ultra Wide front camera and new 12MP sensor for a larger field of view.

The iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up the 5Gbps data transfer (10x faster than the previous generation) and connects to a vast number of USB-C accessories such as cameras, external storage, and displays up to 4K.

5G is now available on the cellular version of the mini, and the iPad supports Apple Pencil (2nd gen), which attaches magnetically for wireless charging and pairing.

The cheapest model starts at $749 (or $979 for the cellular model), and comes in the following colours: black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.

 

iPad 9

The iPad 9 comes equipped with an A13 Bionic processor that delivers a 20% performance boost over its predecessor. Apple claims that the iPad 9 is 3x faster than the best-selling Chromebook and 6x faster than the best-selling Android tablet, making it a solid device for students and professionals alike.

Like the iPad mini, Centre Stage is now available on iPad, and is enabled by the new 12MP Ultra Wide front camera and Neural Engine. True Tone has also been introduced to the iPad’s 10.2-inch Retina display, which adjusts screen content to the colour temperature of a room for a more comfortable viewing experience.

The new iPad starts with 64GB (double the storage of the previous gen) and goes up to 256GB for users who require more storage. Entry-level models will start at $499 for the wi-fi only version or $699 for cellular.

And that’s all Apple has announced for now! If you’re missing an upgrade of your favourite Apple product (such as AirPods or new MacBooks) don’t fret – it’s safe to assume that Apple will release another Keynote by the end of this year that introduces more awesome new products.

macOS Mojave

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macOS Mojave

I know… it’s just an operating system, calm down…. but I’m VERY excited about this! Okay lets just jump into this because there’s a tonne of cool new changes that I’m totally geeking out over.

 

Dark Mode

macOS Mojave Dark Mode

This is a feature that a lot of apps – correct me if I’m wrong but I think even the iPhone has something like this? – have had something similar to for a while now and it’s finally coming to macOS!

Dark Mode is a dramatic new look that helps you focus on your work. The subtle colours and fine points of your content take center screen as toolbars and menus recede into the background. Switch it on in System Preferences to create a beautiful, distraction-free working environment that’s easy on the eyes — in every way. Dark Mode works with built-in apps that come with your Mac, and third-party apps can adopt it, too.

 

Dynamic Desktop

Customize your work environment with a time-shifting desktop picture that changes to match the time of day wherever you are. Your Mac is now an even more beautiful place, all day long.

macOS Mojave Dynamic Desktop

Probably not a feature I’ll be using, mainly because my concern is that it would needlessly hinder overall performance of the computer in some way? I could be totally wrong – but either way it’s a cool new feature that I’m sure a lot of people will absolutely love nonetheless.

 

Stacks

Stacks clean up a cluttered desktop by automatically organizing your files into related sets. Group by kind to see images, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and more sort themselves. Arrange by date to group your work from certain time periods. And if you tag files with project-specific metadata, like client names, sorting by stacks becomes a powerful way to manage multiple jobs. Browse all the files in a stack by scrubbing over it with your cursor. Or click to expand the stack and open what you need.

 

Finder

With macOS Mojave, the Finder becomes even more of a doer. Now you can quickly locate a file by how it looks. Perform go-to actions on files without ever opening an app. And instantly see all of a file’s metadata.

 

Quick Look

macOS Mojave Quick Look

Work on a file without even opening it. Now a tap of your space bar provides more than just a quick look at a file. It gives you the power to perform actions specific to the kind of file you’re viewing — without ever launching an app. So you can mark up a PDF, rotate and crop an image, even trim audio and video. And when you’re ready, you can share right from Quick Look, too.

 

Screenshots

macOS Mojave Screenshot Options

Now this is something I’ve been waiting for for a long time. Windows has a similar function called the Snipping Tool, which I use all the time for cutting out images or chunks of text or whatever online or from files without needing to screenshot the whole desktop and open an image editor and crop it down.

With macOS Mojave, all the controls you need to grab any type of screenshot are one simple shortcut away. An easy-to-use menu includes new screen-recording tools and options like setting a start timer, showing the cursor, and even customizing where you’d like to save your screenshots. Take a screenshot and a thumbnail of it animates to the corner of the screen. Leave it there to automatically save it to the destination you’ve chosen. Or click it to mark it up and share it right away — without having to save a copy. It’s more than easy; it’s clutter-free.

 

Continuity Camera

Another incredible new addition to macOS. You can now use your iPhone to snap a picture or scan a document and have it automatically appear on your Mac! No more texting images and files to myself to pull out of Messenger on my Mac!!!

Just choose Insert a Photo from the Edit menu. You can take a photo of something on your desk and instantly see it in your Pages document. Or scan a receipt, and a straightened version is immediately available in the Finder as a PDF. Continuity Camera works in Mail, Notes, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, and more. It’s another way iPhone and Mac just click.

macOS Mojave Continuity Camera

 

FaceTime

Nothing new here if you read the iOS12 updates – FaceTime now supports up to 32 people on a single call.

 

News Apps

Fours apps from the iPhone (iOS) are now full Mac versions. This includes News, Stocks, Home and Voice Memos.

macOS Mojave New Apps

 

Privacy and Security

Apple are “committed to keeping your information yours”. They’re giving your better control of your data, enhanced tracking prevention and automatic strong passwords.

The new automatic strong password suggestion in Safari may swing me back to Safari from Google Chrome – just because it’s easier to house all of my passwords in Keys across all devices? I’m not sure yet though. What browser do you use and why? I’d love to know.