Apple announces new iPad Air and brand new £2,000 Mac Studio computer
Both the new iPad Air and Mac Studio feature Apple-made silicon processors for better performance.
Apple has updated the iPad Air and revealed a brand new product at a virtual launch this evening that also saw the announcement of an updated iPhone SE.
A new desktop device called the Mac Studio has been created to take advantage of Apple’s latest silicone processor – the also-announced M1 Ultra.
The M1 Ultra is made by connecting two M1 Max chips (which Apple announced back in October to power the new MacBook laptops) and is eight times faster than M1 chips
Alongside the Mac Studio, Apple revealed a new monitor called Studio Display that can be paired with any Mac, including Macbook Air and Macbook Pro laptops.
Apple says it will offer two versions of the Mac Studio, one with the M1 Max chip and the other utilizing the M1 Ultra chip.
Mac Studio with M1 Ultra is 80% faster than its fastest MacBook Pro.
Mac Studio pricing starts at £1,999 for the version with the M1 Max chip and £3,999 for the M1 Ultra loaded computer.
The Studio Display is priced at £1,499.
‘We couldn’t be more excited to introduce an entirely new Mac desktop and display with Mac Studio and Studio Display,’ said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
‘Mac Studio ushers in a new era for the desktop with unbelievable performance powered by M1 Max and M1 Ultra, an array of connectivity, and a compact design that puts everything users need within easy reach.
‘And Studio Display — with its stunning 5K Retina screen, along with the best combination of camera and audio ever in a desktop display — is in a class of its own.’
Meanwhile, the iPad Air has also been given its first refresh in two years with a new design, 5G connectivity and a faster M1 chipset.
The revamped iPad Air also features a new Ultra Wide front camera with Apple’s tracking Centre Stage feature – which keeps you in the shot during video calls even if you move around.
Apple has also added 5G to the cellular version and a USB-port with up yo 2x faster transfer speeds.
The new iPad Air is available to order from this Friday and Apple says it’ll be in stores beginning Friday, March 18.
‘Whether it’s a college student taking elaborate notes, a content creator working on their latest project, or a gamer playing graphics-intensive titles, users love iPad Air for its amazing performance and versatility in such a portable design,’ Joswiak said said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
‘With the breakthrough M1 chip, Ultra Wide front camera with Centre Stage, and ultra-fast 5G, iPad Air is now more powerful, more capable, and simply more fun than ever.’
The new iPad Air comes in space grey, starlight, pink, purple, and blue colour options.
The WiFi models of the new iPad Air start at £569 for 64GB while adding cellular to that will set you back £719.
If you want to bump up to 256GB of storage, you’re looking at £719 for the WiFi model and £869 for the Cellular version.
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