Apple presents four iPhones at a product event

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Apple launched four new 5G-enabled iPhones and unveiled a raft of updates to some of its most popular devices, including the iPad and Watch, as the world’s most valuable company tried to refocus public attention after months of antitrust scrutiny.

The new iPhone 13 series features the new Apple A15 Bionic chip, an in-house designed system on a chip, and a video tool called Cinematic Mode, which allows users to focus on a subject even while they’re on the move.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the lineup had “the biggest advance in a camera system to date”.

said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight.

The more expensive “Pro” and “Pro Max” iPhone models, which have three rear cameras, have a 120Hz screen that Apple calls “ProMotion” — meaning the screen refreshes 120 times per second. Some Android devices already feature 120Hz screens, but Apple has been conservative about this feature due to battery performance issues, according to analysts.

Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at PP Foresight, described some of the additional features, but said the technology group still had a chance to lead a “super cycle” of upgrades. “There are millions of users who haven’t upgraded to 5G yet,” he said.

Instead of focusing on Steve Jobs’ products and “something else” surprises, Cook used Tuesday’s event to roll out a set of smaller improvements across the portfolio aimed at opening new lines of service revenue and preventing Apple users from switching to Android devices.

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“The more devices a consumer owns, the more valuable subscription services will be,” said Julie Ask, analyst at Forrester. “Apple continues to build momentum here — and it does so based on the strength of the billing relationships and subscription services that we all know hold steady.”

The product launch comes at a challenging time for the company, which has been mired in mixed headlines this year despite massive earnings that have given its stock a 29 percent increase last year and a market capitalization of $2.5 trillion. Apple shares fell 1.5 percent on Tuesday afternoon, to $147.32.

In recent weeks, the company has publicly opposed labor disputes, the departure of a top executive from its secret car project, and a ruling in an antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic, the maker of online video games Fortnite, that resulted in a court order directing Apple to make changes to the App Store. his own.

Tuesday’s event kicked off with two iPad updates, including the first redesign of the iPad Mini since 2019 and a 9th generation iPad with improved processors, which Melody Kona, senior director of iPad product design, called “a giant upgrade to our most popular iPad.” .”.

The updates to iPads, Wood said, “may have been caused by the renaissance of tablets as people dust off old devices in a hurry to call home during the pandemic.”

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Apple has unveiled a new version of the Apple Watch, which has been “completely re-engineered to reduce the border to just 1.7 millimeters,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. It also has a larger, thinner screen and can be recharged more quickly.

Apple is also targeting health and wellness with the Watch — an area Cook promised would be the company’s biggest legacy.

“Apple Watch continues to sell in record numbers and dominate the remote smartwatch market,” Wood said. “Users are clearly happy enough with their daily charging routine, and I expect other improvements to the watch will be very well received.”

Contrary to widespread expectations, Apple has not revealed a third version of its AirPods, its widely popular wireless headphones.

Latest additions to the Apple lineup © AP

iPhone: Apple has launched four new versions of its popular smartphone: iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. The Pro models, aimed at gamers and video enthusiasts, feature a five-core graphics processor that Apple said is the “fastest” of any smartphone. Prices start at $699 and go up to $1,499 for a 6.7-inch model with 1TB of storage.

iPad Mini: The new 8.3-inch tablet has smaller bezels and a “full-screen design” that eliminates the home button. It’s available in four colors, has 5G connectivity, and promises twice as much performance as previous generation models. It also supports the Apple Pencil, which attaches with a magnet on the side, and a USB-C port. It starts at $499.

iPad: The ninth generation of Apple’s most popular tablets will start at $329. It features the Apple A13 electronic chip, which the company said was 20 percent faster than its predecessor.

Watch: The Series 7 Watch is 40 percent thinner, has smaller bezels and a screen a fifth larger. While it still has a battery life of 18 hours, it can now be recharged a third more quickly. The screen can display a full keyboard. It will be “available later this fall” starting at $399.

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