To open a new perspective for its consumers from their houses, Apple announced a series of new products including laptops, iPads, and accessories. But it didn't provide much detail on the upcoming update of its iPhone's operating system which is expected to transform the smartphone advertising market.
The new iPad pro is equipped with 5G connectivity, and M1 chip created by Apple and included in all its devices since late 2020. The new 11-inch iPad will be available in stores as of May. According to AFP, the devices will start at $800 in the United States for the 11-inch model and $1,100 for a 12.9-inch device.
Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities said: "Apple has seen a major renaissance of growth from its iPad during the work from home phase, showing 40 percent year-over-year growth the last few quarters as more employees, and students went through an iPad refresh."
"We estimate less than half of iPad users globally have gone through a refresh the last year with some clear pent-up demand that these new iPads will unleash in the next year," he added.
Apple is betting on the M1 chip, which promises a better performance than the Intel chip it replaced in all the laptops issued in November 2020. The M1 chip is among the major updates in the iPad, and the new Mac PC (its starting price is $1,300). The M1 helps reduce the sound level of the machine by 50%, the company claims.
Apple also unveiled new accessories including its "Air Tag" devices which can be attached to items (such as keys, handbags…) to help people find them easily via iPhones. These Air Tags can only be used with mobile devices running the iOS 14.4. The accessories will be available in stores as of next week, according to Apple's press release. The upcoming version of the operating system will use a tracking feature called App Tracking Transparency aimed at giving users more control on their data.
