Apple Announces Colorful New iMac, Freshly Designed iPad Pro, New Apple TV and More
A new iMac wasn’t the only thing Apple announced at its April 2021 event. There was also a new iPad Pro, Apple TV, the long-awaited AirTag, and more.
What’s old is new again with the introduction of the new iMac (2021). Available to pre-order starting on April 30, Apple’s newest desktop arrives in May in seven colors harking back to days of the iMac G3, which was eventually released in 13 color combinations. The new iMac was announced at Apple’s “Spring loaded” event, which also featured announcements of a new iPad Pro, new Apple TV, an all-new AirTag tracking device, and more. Here’s a look at Apple’s latest products and when they launch.
New iMac (2021)
The first iMac to feature a 24-inch display since the polycarbonate iMac in 2006, the new iMac (2021) becomes the fourth Apple computer to include an Apple M1 system on chip (SoC) architecture. Unlike the Mac mini (2020), MacBook Air (M1, 2020), and 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020), this new model offers an all-new design.
Available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver, the iMac (2021) is thinner and more compact than previous versions. It includes an interesting new power connector that attaches magnetically. The woven 2-meter-long cable matches the computer’s color, as does the new color-matching accessories, including the Magic Keyboard that now includes Touch ID.
The 4.5K Retina display provides 11.3 million pixels, a P3 wide color gamut, and over a billion colors, plus 500 nits of brightness.
More Than New Colors
The new iMac isn’t just different on the outside. The Apple M1 SoC on the inside offers an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU attached to unified memory architecture and a 16-core Apple Neural Engine. Compared to the 21.5-inch Intel-based iMac it replaced, the iMac (2021) offers up to 85 percent faster CPU person, two times faster GPU performance in certain apps, the ability to edit up to five streams of 4K footage, or one stream of 8K footage, and much more.
On iMac, there’s also a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, studio-quality three-microphone array, and more.
The iMac (2021) with 8 core CPU/8 core GPU starts at $1,499 and offers up to 16 GB of unified memory and 2TB of storage. A budget iMac (2021) version is being offered for $1,299; this model only has 7 core GPU and offers fewer color choices.
Pre-orders for the latest iMac will be accepted beginning on April 30, with the first orders going out in mid-May. The 27-inch iMac (202) remains on the market. It’s now the only iMac that includes Intel inside.
iPad Pro (2021)
This year’s iPad Pro models are the first to feature the Apple M1 SoC. Apple says this brings 50% faster CPU performance and 40% faster GPU performance than the A12Z Bionic chip found on last year’s models. The 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) are very similar machines, except that the latter now includes a new Liquid Retina XDR display.
Engineered with a mini-LED design, the XDR uses over 10,000 LEDs across the back of the display, up to 1000 nits of full-screen brightness, 1600 nits of peak brightness, and a 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio. Both models include ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color support and an all-new mobile cinematic viewing experience for HDR and Dolby Vision content.
These are also the first iPads to support Thunderbolt and offer up to 2TB of storage. Like the iPhone 12 series, the iPad Pro (2021) supports 5G with the Wi-Fi + Cellular models.
Like last year’s models, the iPad Pro (2021) starts at $799 for the 11-inch model and $999 for the 12.9-inch model. The most expensive model, the 2TB 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Wi-Fi + Cellular, is $2,399. Pre-orders start on April 30, with the first iPad Pro shipments arriving in the second half of May. Each is available in silver and space gray.
AirTag
The Apple AirTag is a small and lightweight stainless steel tracking device that’s IP67 water- and dust-resistant. Featuring an Apple-designed U1 chip using Ultra-Wideband technology, AirTag works with the Find My app and lets you keep track of important items such as a handbag, keys, backpack, or other items.
Available for $29 each or $99 for a pack of four, AirTag pre-orders begin on April 23, with the first orders arriving one week later. Customers can personalize each AirTag with free engraving, which may include text and a selection of 31 emojis. Though you can use AirTag on its own, there’s already a large selection of Apple-designed AirTag accessories, including ones made of polyurethane and leather. AirTag Hermès offerings are also incoming, as are third-party options.
New Apple TV 4K (2021)
A new-generation Apple TV 4K was also announced. This model, available with 32GB or 64GB of storage, includes an A12 Bionic chip and delivers high frame rate HDR with Dolby Vision. Perhaps most importantly, the set-top box offers a brand new remote that’s larger than the current one. There’s also a new color balance process that works with an iPhone to improve a television’s picture quality.
The latest Apple TV 4K starts at $179, with pre-orders starting on April 30. Availability occurs in the second half of May. The Apple TV HD will also see an update that includes the new Siri Remote for $149. Separately, you can purchase the new remote for $59. It’s compatible with the Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K.
Other Goodies
At the “Spring loaded” event, Apple also announced a purple iPhone 12, Apple Card Family, Apple Podcasts subscriptions, and more.
The purple iPhone 12 (and iPhone 12 mini) is identical to the current models except for the color. Pre-orders for the new hue start on April 23, with availability beginning a week later. The iPhone 12/iPhone 12 mini is also available in white, black, blue, green, and (PRODUCT)RED.
With Apple Card Family, which launches in March, partners can merge their credit lines for the first time. Parents can also share Apple Card with their children and also set spending limits and controls.
Meanwhile, Apple Podcasts subscriptions will allow creators to offer perks such as ad-free listening, access to additional content, and exclusive access to content for a monthly fee. Currently, all podcasts offered by Apple are available for free.
Looking for more?
Released outside of the event, Apple also added new Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases for spring. There’s also a white version of the Magic Keyboard being released for the first time. The keyboard is available for the iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd, 4th, and 5th generation), iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation), and iPad Air (4th generation).
Catch the Full Spring Loaded Event
If you were too busy during the day to catch it, you can view the entire event below. The entire event is only an hour which is a perfect length for what was announced. Have fun and enjoy!
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