Episode Summary:
So, in today’s show, I’ll share with you my takeaways from the announcements Apple made during the last 2 weeks of March 2019.
Two weeks ago, newly refreshed iPads and iMacs as well as the second generation AirPods, with a twist, have appeared on the Apple Store.
On Monday, March 25th, Apple unveiled a slew of new entertainment services as well as an Apple-branded credit card.
Yes, you heard me right, Apple is firmly setting foot in the banking industry as well.
And finally, Apple cancelled a product that they unveiled with the iPhone X, yes, in 2017.
My goal, with this episode, is to share with you what it means specifically for us, entrepreneurs using Apple hardware, software and services to run our businesses.
Recap of hardware releases & Apple event announcements
- New iPad Air (3rd gen) and iPad Mini (5th gen)
- Updated 4K & 5K Retina iMacs + additional configuration options for the iMac Pro
- Second generation AirPods + wireless charging case BUT cancellation of AirPower
- News+, Arcade, Card, TV+
March 25th announcements
- Link to replay: https://www.apple.com/apple-events
- A new Apple, different from the one I fell in love with
- Change in priorities => should we be worried about a further decrease in quality?
- Wall Street Journal article from Joanna Stern: https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-macbook-keyboard-problem/
- North-America focus for News+ and Card
- News+ is the successor to Texture, the magazine subscription acquired by Apple
- Available in the US and Canada at launch
- Will be extended to Australia & the UK before the end of 2019
- Card is a credit card offered by Apple through a partnership with Goldman Sachs & MasterCard
- Tied to Apple Pay
- Only available in the US starting this summer
- News+ is the successor to Texture, the magazine subscription acquired by Apple
- Worldwide release for Arcade & TV+ but no pricing and vague release date
- Arcade is a game subscription with access to an exclusive catalogue of games
- TV+ is a video streaming service similar to Netflix with exclusive shows and TV series with renowned producers, directors and actors
- Will be available in 150+ countries
- Will be compatible with Family Sharing
- Will be available in Fall 2019 => will it coincide with the release of iOS 13, tvOS 13 and macOS 10.15?
New AirPods & wireless charging case + AirPower
- Longer battery life
- Lower latency (gaming)
- New wireless charging case
- can be purchased separately
- is compatible with 1st gen AirPods
- It’s official: AirPower, the wireless charging mat, will not be released
New Retina iMacs and options for iMac Pro
- Retina iMac models (4K & 5K) get roughly about 50% performance improvement compared to the previous generation for the same price
- For whom? Mainly professional graphic designers
- iMac Pro now can be fitted with 256GB RAM and Radeon Pro Vega 64X graphics options
New iPads
- iPad Air 3 replacing the 10,5 inch iPad Pro in the iPad line of product <=> watered down iPad Pro with
- latest generation CPU while keeping 1st Gen Apple Pencil support & smart connector
- only 2 speakers
- lower resolution rear-facing camera (8MP instead of 12MP only capable of 1080p video vs. 4K for the previous 10,5 inch iPad Pro)
- iPad Mini 5 much awaited boosted version of the iPad Mini 4 with
- the latest generation CPU
- latest retina display technology (crisper)
- improved rear-facing camera (now capable of live photos)
- improved front-facing camera (now 7MP compared to 1.2MP previously)
- adding 1st Gen Apple Pencil support
- Same size but microphone moved so cannot re-use the iPad Mini 4 covers unless there’s a hole on top of the front-facing camera
- Overall, the new iPad line makes more sense:
- All iPads now support the Apple Pencil
- A clearer distinction between pro and non-pro
- Pro = Face ID and 2nd gen Apple pencil support
- Consumer = Touch ID and 1st gen Apple pencil
- The 9.7-inch iPad is mainly for the education market
- The iPad Mini 5 is for professional looking for an ultra-portable solution
- The iPad Air 3 should be the main choice for most people
Next episodes:
I will explore the following questions:
- To which extent could we, Macpreneurs, use an iPad as a MacBook replacement?
- And if so, which iPad should we buy for our business?