True to its tradition, Apple presented an update of its most popular products in time for spring. And this year, the Cupertino company is going from one extreme to the other, since it is marketing a very inexpensive version of its iPhone while presenting Macs equipped with more powerful mechanics than ever.
Somewhere in between, CEO Tim Cook and his team also showed off a new midrange iPad Air that bridges the gap, so to speak, between the other two. We can say that he alone embodies the challenge that Apple is launching by trying to accelerate the pace of renewal of the processors that drive its products while continuing to offer more affordable versions of these same products.
This duality serves the prestigious Californian brand well. Promoting the high level of performance of its most high-end products, such as the new Mac Studio aimed at graphic arts professionals, attracts consumers who will prefer to buy something more accessible.
An iPhone SE 5G
The same goes for telephony, where the range ofiPhone 13 launched last fall did particularly well for Apple, despite a selling price that was also higher than in the past. “We added more new iPhone users last fall than in any of the previous five quarters,” said Tim Cook on stage, before presenting an iPhone SE at $549.
This new iPhone is powered by an A15 Bionic processor which would make it twice as powerful as an iPhone 7, possibly the device that is in the pockets of the customers targeted by Apple with its new model. It comes in three colors, and its glass and aluminum finish and Touch ID fingerprint reader conceal improved battery life and a 5G antenna.
This may seem like a godsend for regulars of Apple products, but not everyone shares this opinion. “The use of the A15 Bionic processor in the iPhone SE contrasts with what Android phone manufacturers are doing, which will favor lower power processors”, summarizes analyst Ben Wood, of the American firm CCS Insight. “But at US$429 [579 $CA, NDLR], the iPhone SE is a far cry from an entry-level Android phone, which typically costs less than $200. »
An iPad Air or a PC?
The iPad Air is located in Apple’s range between the iPad and the iPad Pro intended for multimedia professionals. This spring, he inherits an M1 processor yet developed internally by Apple for its Macs. This allows this tablet to behave about as well as a well-equipped Windows PC.
A new 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle front camera adds a feature that closely follows the subject in front of the screen, to make video calls more natural. A 5G-enabled iPad Air is one hell of a mobile machine. Just add a keyboard case or even a stylus to get a complete and very versatile personal computer. That said, the iPad Air is also sold at the price of a good PC: its cheapest model will cost $749 when it goes on sale on March 11.
Mac Studio et Studio Display
Tim Cook has finally introduced a new M1 Ultra chip to power its next-gen Macs. In short, it is two M1 Max chips, so far the most powerful engine in Apple’s stable, which have been merged by a connector which in no way limits their computing capacity.
According to Apple, the M1 Ultra chip would consume about half the power of a comparable Intel chip in terms of power delivered over time, such as for editing a 4K video sequence. And because video editing is the livelihood of many Mac owners, it should come as no surprise to see Apple introduce the Mac Studio, the first Mac with an M1 Ultra chip, which is clearly aimed at this clientele. professional.
Microsoft had already tried it two years ago with its own Surface Studio, a desktop device powered by the most powerful Intel chips and which stood out thanks to a huge removable touch screen. No touch surface for the Mac Studio, but certainly more advanced mechanics. And an equally stratospheric retail price of $4999. A lite version starting at $2,499 should tickle consumers who have their eye on similar products from Dell or HP.
Rounding out the program, Apple is adding a monitor called the Studio Display to its lineup. It’s not a trivial detail: monitors are the peripherals that have sold the most in the PC market over the last 12 to 18 months, according to many experts, due in particular to teleworking. Again, Cupertino does not do half measures with a 27-inch diagonal monitor with six speakers and a 12-megapixel video camera. Its retail price of $1,999 will put some people off… but not independent analyst Avi Greengart.
“The buyer targeted by the Mac Studio will prefer to opt for its most expensive version,” the analyst wrote on Twitter, adding jokingly that he is not one of these buyers. “But I would definitely like the Mac Studio Display…”