Apple crammed fairly a number of bulletins into a brief, one-hour presentation yesterday: new iPad Pros, new iMacs, a new Apple TV 4K, and the long-rumored launch of AirTags, to call a number of. However for every little thing Apple executives and product managers mentioned onstage, there was one thing else that did not get talked about (or acquired handed over shortly, maybe).
Many of those smaller particulars had been hidden on product, specs, or assist pages after Apple up to date its web site with the occasion’s new merchandise. This is not a complete checklist of all of the issues that modified on Apple’s web site, however we’re choosing a number of the most attention-grabbing ones.
Let’s begin with OS updates.
New OS updates hit subsequent week
Apple seeded the discharge candidate (RC) variations of iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, tvOS 14.5, macOS Massive Sur 11.3, and watchOS 7.4 to app builders yesterday, signaling that these working system updates are mere days away from launch. The time between the discharge candidate and the ultimate public launch has assorted from replace to replace, nevertheless it has virtually at all times been fast—as fast as a single day, generally.
Apple additionally particularly acknowledged that tvOS 14.5 will hit subsequent week, and Apple often pushes out software program updates to a number of working methods at roughly the identical time.
We’ll drill down into the varied options and bug fixes in these updates once they arrive, nevertheless it’s secure to say that what’s attracted probably the most consideration is Apple’s new App Tracking Transparency change, which would require apps to ask customers for permission to trace them throughout a number of apps.
The Intel 21.5-inch iMac isn’t going anyplace (but)
When Apple launched the primary M1 Macs late final yr, legacy Intel variations of the Macs continued to coexist alongside their new Apple Silicon cousins, often within the top-end configurations. That at the least partially stayed true with the introduction of M1 24-inch iMacs yesterday: each the 27-inch and the 21.5-inch iMacs with Intel CPUs are still available to buy in Apple’s on-line retailer.
The 27-inch mannequin is enterprise as standard. It is a comparable case to these late 2020 M1 Macs; Apple sees the M1 as an entry-level chip, and the beefier, extra feature-laden high-end variations of the Macs that acquired M1 variants final yr are nonetheless within the retailer with Intel CPUs.
Samuel Axon
The 27-inch iMac continues to be accessible as earlier than, carrying the high-end flag for that product line till an inevitable Apple Silicon refresh hits the costlier a part of the lineup.
Extra stunning, although, is that there is nonetheless a 21.5-inch Intel iMac on the market, although it is buried deep within the buy web page for the 27-inch iMac, oddly sufficient. This surviving configuration has a 2.3 GHz, dual-core, seventh-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, both 8GB or 16GB of 2133 MHz DDR4 reminiscence, and both 256GB of SSD storage or 1TB of Fusion Drive storage.
It prices $1,099 at entry-level or $1,299 with the 16GB RAM possibility. It has the identical design because the outdated 21.5-inch iMac, with not one of the radical adjustments we noticed within the newly launched 24-inch mannequin.
The Mac mini will get higher Ethernet
When the M1 Mac mini launched, some would-be patrons complained that it did not supply the ten gigabit Ethernet possibility accessible in Intel Mac mini fashions. Apple has now addressed this by including the identical improve choice to the M1 Mac mini. It prices $100 over the M1 Mac mini’s $699 base starting price from Apple’s on-line retailer.
Samuel Axon
A kaleidoscope of equipment
After Apple’s occasion, it got here to gentle that the brand new Magic Keyboard peripheral that is available in a number of coloration choices with Contact ID works with Macs apart from the 24-inch iMac it is bought with. However do not get too excited should you’re an present Mac consumer who likes Contact ID: the keyboard is, at the least in the mean time, solely bought with the brand new iMac. That may change sooner or later—we’ll have to attend and see.
Apple did not go into element about this through the presentation, however there are a number of latest colours for the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard. All of them match the brand new iMac colours, they usually’re all solely accessible as bundles with new iMacs at current. Even the 24-inch iMac’s braided energy twine is color-coded.
Samuel Axon
iMacs and Magic Keyboards aren’t the one issues accessible with new colours and customization choices. Apple added two new iPad Smart Folio and Smart Cover colours: “Mallard Inexperienced” and “Electrical Orange.” The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is out there in white now, too.
The shop has additionally been up to date with new Apple Watch bands. They embody the brand new Hermes Jumping Single Tour model in varied colours, and there are new colours for present band types, too, together with the Solo Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Leather-based Loop, and Sport band. You may go to the Apple Watch website to see the complete checklist of colours accessible.
Lastly, there are new colours for iPhone 12’s Silicone Cases, in addition to for its leather cases and leather wallet.
