Let’s check out all the things announced at the Apple Event “Unleashed” held on Monday, October 18, 2021.
AirPods 3
Apple announced the arrival of its third-generation AirPods, which received a major revamp, now sporting a design similar to that of the AirPods Pro. The new models now include spatial audio, an H1 chip and a new acoustic system that provides better sound experience as compared to its predecessor. The AirPods 3 is sweat and water-resistant and an even better battery life, offering up to six hours of listening time and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when you factor in the charging case. It also comes with a new case that supports MagSafe with the iPhone magnetic charger.
Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak said, “AirPods forever changed wireless headphones with their groundbreaking design, incredible sound, and magical experience. We are excited to introduce the next generation of AirPods, featuring unrivaled sound through Adaptive EQ and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, along with seamless interaction between Apple devices — making the world’s best-selling headphones even better.”
The best thing about this one is they are more affordable than before: now $179 as compared to $199 for the previous model with the wireless charging case.
M1 Pro and M1 Max
Apple certainly amazed everyone when it first introduced in 2020 its very own ridiculously fast chip with the M1. Now they’ve doubled their efforts, introducing two new M1 chips – the M1 Pro and M1 Max.
Apple states the M1 Pro CPU is around 70% faster than the original M1, with 32GB of unified memory, 200 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and a GPU of up to 2x faster.
As for the M1 Max, the unified memory has been souped up to 64GB.
Both M1 Pro and M1 Max support up to 10 CPU cores – on the GPU front, the Pro can support up to 16-core while the Max can support up to 32-core.
New MacBook Pro Models
The star of the October “Unleashed” Apple Event was the MacBook Pro, which has been completely overhauled. Available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, Apple’s most powerful notebook ever has new features: the bezels have shrunk, the Touch Bar is gone, MagSafe is now included, camera upgrade to 1080p with doubled performance in low-light conditions, and the ports have been expanded to include HDMI and an SD card slot. It is by far the most major redesign in many years, and it would surely become any professional’s dream MacBook thanks to the integration of M1 Pro and M1 Max processors in it.
The 14-inch model will start at $1,999, while the 16-inch model will start at $2,499.
Apple Music Voice Plan
Apple has a new $4.99 per month Apple Music Voice Plan. This entails the use of Siri to activate music, and it is a cheaper plan than the standard Apple Music package. The Voice Plan offers subscribers access to Apple Music’s catalog of 90 million songs; tens of thousands of playlists including hundreds of brand new mood and activity playlists, genre stations and personalized mixes, plus the award-winning Apple Music Radio.
Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats Oliver Schusser said, “Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together. With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world.”
HomePod mini New Colors
HomePod mini now comes in three new colors: blue, orange and yellow.
HomePod mini works seamlessly with iPhone, delivers impressive sound, features Siri’s intelligence and is the foundation for any smart home.
The new colors will be available in November for only $99.
Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing Bob Borchers said, “HomePod mini sounds incredible, and with access to more than 90 million songs in the global Apple Music catalog and deep integration with your Apple devices, it’s the must-have smart speaker for iPhone users. With new vibrant colors, HomePod mini fits in even more places and delivers amazing sound, the power of Siri, and simple and secure smart home controls, all while protecting your privacy.”