Image: Apple
A new M2 processor, a thinner MacBook Air and a redesigned MacBook Pro. Here are all the latest products from Apple.
Apple has revealed details of a whole host of new products and updates – including a new M2 chip, new laptops and iOS 16 – at its biggest event of the year.
While the iPhone is about to get a big update later this year with iOS 16, Apple had something for everyone in its annual developer conference, WWDC 2022. This includes new hardware, software and even tools for developers.
Here’s a quick look at all of Apple’s latest updates hitting stores and devices soon.
M2 chip and the two new laptops it powers
Beginning the next generation of Apple silicon designed for the Mac, M2 is an evolution of the M1 chip announced in November 2020 and the Pro version introduced last October.
The M2 chip is built on second-generation 5-nanometre technology. It takes the performance of M1 even further with an 18pc faster CPU, 35pc more powerful GPU and 40pc faster neural engine, according to Apple.
With 50pc more memory bandwidth than the M1 chip, the M2 comes with up to 24GB of fast unified memory – meaning that it can handle even larger and more complex workloads.
Demonstrating the M2’s power to the world is an all-new MacBook Air with a thinner design, larger 13.6-inch display, 1080p HD camera and MagSafe charging. Available in four finishes – silver, space grey, midnight and starlight – it will be available next month at a price of €1,529.
The new M2-powered MacBook Air. Image: Apple
“Only with Apple silicon can you build such a thin and light notebook with a fanless design, and this combination of performance and capabilities,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice-president of worldwide marketing.
The M2 is also powering a new 13-inch MacBook Pro model, which will come with a Touch Bar, up to 20 hours of battery life, up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB storage. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 starts at €1,629 and will also be available in stores next month.
New operating systems
Apple has also revealed a line of new software to run across its devices, including MacOS Ventura, iPadOS 16 and WatchOS 9.
Powering Apple’s desktop system will be the all-new MacOS Ventura, with a spate of productivity tools and features that aim to enhance user experience – including the ability to use your iPhone camera as a webcam for videocalls.
The new Continuity Camera comes with a Handoff feature that syncs the iPhone camera as a desktop webcam, and also allows users to easily pass FaceTime calls from phones to Macs.
MacOS Ventura across devices. Image: Apple
Stage Manager, a multitasking interface to manage app windows, aims to help Mac users stay focused on tasks while switching between apps and windows, with the ability to share groups of tabs in Safari, and more.
The latest iPad operating system, iPadOS 16, will also come with Stage Manager as well as a host of collaboration tools, including a new cross-device Freeform app for brainstorming.
WatchOS 9 will now have more watch faces (the front display style) to choose from, with “more information and opportunity for personalisation”.
A new sleep stages feature is coming to the Sleep app, and a new FDA-cleared AFib History feature aims to provide deeper insights into a user’s condition. A new Medications app has also been added in an effort to make it easy for users to privately manage their medication through the smartwatch.
BNPL and developer updates
Apple Pay is joining the ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) trend with a new option to split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments over six weeks without interest or late fees.
And, finally, Apple also unveiled new tools and APIs designed to help developers create richer experiences for their users, including through the new widgets on the lock screen.
WeatherKit is an API that gives developers the ability to integrate Apple Weather forecast data directly into their apps. Apple also said that Xcode Cloud, its continuous integration and delivery service, is now available to every Apple Developer Program member to help them create apps faster.
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