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Tech giant Apple has introduced the new redesigned iPad including a new speedier Pro model and a cheaper Apple TV.
The new iPad features an all-screen design featuring a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and is powered by the A14 Bionic chip, which Apple said delivers even faster performance with incredible power efficiency for demanding tasks while still providing all-day battery life.
The new Liquid Retina display boasts 2,360×1,640-pixel resolution, nearly 4 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone technology.
It has updated cameras including an Ultra-Wide 12MP front camera located along the landscape edge of the iPad and am updated 12MP which captures 4K video.
“A USB-C port supports a wide range of accessories, Wi-Fi 6 brings even faster connections, and cellular models feature superfast 5G so users can stay connected on the go,” Apple said.
The home button at the bottom of the screen is also gone and has been replaced with a fingerprint reader in the power button.
“We’re so excited to bring the completely redesigned iPad to our most advanced iPad line-up ever,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
The new iPad will ship in different colours like red, yellow, blue and white.
The new entry-level iPad costs $449 (R8 160) an increase from the $329 (R5 979) price of the previous model.
Apple also unveiled the new iPad Pro with the M2 chip.
The new iPad Pro features what Apple called the next-level Apple Pencil hover experience and superfast wireless connectivity.
The new model runs 15% faster than the M1 version, according to Apple, and it continues to come in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes.
“The next-generation iPad Pro pushes the boundaries of what’s possible on iPad, bringing even more versatility, power, and portability to the ultimate iPad experience,” said Joswiak.
Apple said the M2 features an 8-core CPU — up to 15 percent faster than M1 — with advancements in both performance and efficiency cores, and a 10-core GPU, delivering up to 35 percent faster graphics performance for the most demanding users.
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“Combined with the CPU and GPU, the 16-core Neural Engine can process 15.8 trillion operations per second — 40 percent more than M1 — making iPad Pro even more powerful when handling machine learning tasks.”
Apple said powered by the new iPad Pro and iPadOS 16, hover with Apple Pencil (2nd generation) provides a completely new dimension for users to interact with their screen.
“Apple Pencil is now detected up to 12mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they make it. This also allows users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision, and makes everything users do with Apple Pencil even more effortless.”
The new iPad Pro also supports the fastest Wi-Fi connections with support for Wi-Fi 6E.
The 11-inch iPad Pro model will continue to cost $799 (R14 520) while the 12.9-inch version stays at $1 099 (R19 973). But the price can soar to $2,399 (R43 600) with the largest screen size, 2 terabytes of storage and 5G connectivity.
Apple said the new iPad models are designed to minimise their impact on the environment and include 100 percent recycled gold.
“A first for iPad — in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards, as well as recycled aluminium, tin, and rare earth elements.”
Apple also launched a new Magic Keyboard Folio for $250 (R4 543) that adds a function row for music, brightness and other controls to the accessory, in addition to a kickstand.
The company has been working to fine-tune Stage Manager, the iPad’s multitasking software, after a glitchy debut in the beta version of iPadOS 16.
Stage Manager is an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organises apps and windows, making it quick and easy to switch between tasks.
Later this year, Stage Manager will unlock full external display support with resolutions of up to 6K, so users will be able to arrange the ideal workspace, and work with up to four apps on iPad and up to four apps on the external display.
Apple said the software, which includes the new interface, will be formally released on 24 October.
MacOS Ventura, the new Mac software with the same feature, launches on the same day.
The new Apple TV 4K the company announced on Tuesday offers what Apple said is impressive cinematic quality.
“Driven by the A15 Bionic chip that delivers faster performance and more fluid gameplay, the new Apple TV 4K features endless entertainment options for everyone to enjoy on the biggest screen in the home.”
CPU performance is now up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation, delivering greater responsiveness, faster navigation, and snappier UI animations. GPU performance is now up to 30 percent faster than the previous generation for even smoother gameplay.
HDR10+ support also joins Dolby Vision on Apple TV 4K.
Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing said Apple TV 4K is the ultimate way for users to enjoy their favourite entertainment on the biggest screen.
“The new Apple TV 4K is unlike anything else out there, given its seamless connection to other Apple devices, ease of use, and access to amazing Apple content. It offers something for everyone in the family to love.”
The new Apple TV 4K is available in two configurations: Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi), which offers 64GB of storage; and Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi + Ethernet), which offers support for Gigabit Ethernet for fast networking and streaming, Thread mesh networking protocol to connect even more smart home accessories, and twice the storage for apps and games (128GB).
An older model without 4K video support, the Apple TV HD for $99, has been discontinued, while the new versions gain improved high-dynamic-range video.
It is also slightly thinner and about half the weight of the previous version after the company removed the internal fan
Customers can order the new Apple TV 4K with Siri Remote today at a new starting price of £149, with availability beginning Friday, 4 November.
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