Apple Unveils New MacBook Air and iPad Pro with Significant Upgrades

Enjoy 2x performance, 2x storage and a new keyboard on the MacBook Air coming in at $999 and a new iPad Pro equipped with LiDAR scanner tech, trackpad and keyboard support

Yesterday, Apple announced the release of two new products — an updated MacBook Air and iPad Pro. Let’s take a closer look at the MacBook Air first. The new MacBook Air, Apple’s most popular laptop, is equipped with two times the performance with a faster CPU and graphics performance, two times the storage at 256GB for the baseline model and a new upgraded Magic keyboard for better stability and ease of use. MacBook Air comes with a beautiful Retina display, large trackpad, macOS Catalina, all-day battery life and is equipped with Touch ID for easy login and buying online. You can breeze through activities whether they are graphics-intensive like a video game and editing video online or daily productivity tasks.

As always the MacBook Air is appealing for its thin and light design — something Apple founder Steve Jobs first showcased brilliantly by placing the notebook computer in a manila envelope.

Key Features include:

2 times faster performance through 10th generation Intel Core processors up to 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz
80 percent faster graphics performance via Intel Iris Plus Graphics
2 times the storage at 256 GB compared to prior models, offering upgrades to 2TB SSD
Magic keyboard with more stable and comfortable scissors mechanism first used on the 16-inch MacBook Pro replaces old butterfly mechanism
Built-in security and privacy via the Apple T2 Security Chip that protects data encryption, boot process software loading and Touch ID information
Equipped with macOS Catalina including free software such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote
3-mic array design for better voice capture
Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control
Improved stereo speakers for immersive, wide stereo sound
Voice Control lets users control their Mac entirely with their voice
Thunderbolt 3 ports for data transfer, charging and video output in a single connector
Support for up to a 6K external display
Unibody wedge design from 100 percent recycled aluminum
Available in 3 beautiful color finishes — gold, silver and space gray
$999 for 13” base model
1 year of free Apple TV+ using the Apple TV app

Magic Keyboard with Scissor Mechanism

All of these upgrades are useful. By far, what we value the most is the improvement to the keyboard by switching it out to the Magic Keyboard. By replacing the butterfly mechanism, which at times could be unstable or lead to faulty individual key function in prior models, with the scissor mechanism already in use in the MacBook Pro, Apple now provides a more seamless and reliable typing experience consistently.

Continuity Support Through macOS Catalina, Retina Display, Security Features and Apple Services

In addition, the Continuity feature in macOS Catalina is a huge plus. If you start out working on an iPhone, you can copy and paste images, video and text straight from iPhone or iPad to a nearby MacBook Air. You also can even unlock your iMac with your Apple Watch. We love that you can make and receive phone calls without picking up your iPhone and also extend your workspace using an iPad and Sidecar.

Of course, the beautiful Retina display is very attractive and compelling to use for all graphics work. We also greatly appreciate the new Security features that help users stay better protected, particularly during the start up boot process by automatically checking software to verifying user Touch ID information for safe purchasing online and for preventing unauthorized access as well as the “on the fly” encryption capabilities.

Apple’s well thought out ecosystem is apparent in the seamless transition from any Apple device so that you can access Apple Services and more with all the latest versions of what you are doing available at your fingertips.

New iPad Pro with Lidar Scanner, Magic Keyboard and Trackpad Support

Now let’s take a look at the new iPad Pro.

Apple also launched a new iPad Pro yesterday equipped with a powerful A12Z Bionic chip, Ultra Wide camera, studio-quality mics, liquid Retina display and a breakthrough LiDAR Scanner. With its Retina display, the new LIDAR scanner that has amazing depth-sensing capabilities, professional cameras, performance and audio, and new motion sensors, the iPad Pro offers tremendous capabilities for augmented reality (AR).

Key Features include:

Powerful A12Z Bionic chip faster than most Windows PC laptops with eight-core GPU and Neural Engine
New 10MP Ultra Wide camera for larger perspectives
Breakthrough LiDAR Scanner
12MP Wide camera for capturing stunning photos and 4K video
Motion sensors
Studio-quality mics for professional audio
Liquid Retina display
New Trackpad support
Equipped with macOS Catalina including free software such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote
Available in 3 beautiful color finishes — gold, silver and space gray
$799 for 11” base model
1 year of free Apple TV+ using the Apple TV app

Pro Display, Pro Camera and Pro Audio

The beautiful Liquid Retina Pro Display available in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, with True Tone, high brightness and an anti-reflective coating, offers vivid detail and working in tandem with ProMotion technology, helps you scroll smoothly and enjoy the best viewing experience possible. The iPad Pro has Pro Cameras with a 12MP Wide camera for capturing stunning photos and 4K video and a new 10MP Ultra Wide camera that zooms out two times to capture a much wider field of view.

The iPad Pro also offers Pro Audio via five studio-quality microphones for clean audio, capturing little details and delivering an immersive sound experience at any orientation. Combined together, the Pro Display, Pro Camera and Pro Audio offer a strong mobile studio for creative professionals.

Breakthrough LiDAR Scanner

The breakthrough LiDAR Scanner with its powerful depth sensors and photon-level detection helps you scan and measure objects as far as 5 meters away, which works well for placing furniture for homes, for use in professional architecture and construction work, augmented reality and even as a mobile assessment tool for physical therapists and their patients.

Advanced Trackpad Support

One of the best upgrades to the new iPad Pro is Trackpad support available through iPadOS 13.4 for more precision during writing and selecting text and a more natural typing experience for the iPad. Designed to work well with apps you use everyday, the new Trackpad support makes it easier and faster to scroll through web pages in Safari, edit text in notes, view and organize email or scroll through your photo albums in Photos. This also improves the natural functionality of apps such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote, all of which have new templates and features. Trackpad support makes it easier to collaborate.

The new iPad Pro also can pair up with an Apple Pencil and the new Magic Keyboard that attaches magnetically to the iPad Pro and offers easy access to the Multi-Touch screen on display, with cantilevered hinges for easy adjustment for viewing. The Magic Keyboard features convenient USB-C pass-through charging.

Finally, in addition to the two large new updates, Apple also updated its Mac mini, which today functions often as desktop computer, a music and movie storage hub for the family, or as a code compile server for Xcode. The new $799 configuration comes with 256GB — double prior models. All Mac minis are made from 100 percent recycled aluminum.

Apple's Ongoing Response to COVID-19

From closing Apple retail stores outside China till March 27 to working remotely and even hosting WWDC online this year, Apple is taking numerous steps to mitigate risks posed by the spread of the coronavirus

When news of the coronavirus COVID-19’s contagious spread from Wuhan, China to the rest of the world, Apple among other companies with a large presence in China was quick to take action. Now two months later since the Chinese government publicly announced the spread of COVID-19, many areas in China that were closed down have now reopened for business. However, as the virus continues to spread at an alarming rate around the globe, with fatalities, Apple has preemptively closed down all of its retail locations from Apple stores to associated warehouses outside of China till March 27th of this year. This shut down may last longer if the situation does not improve. More than 60 other retailers have also temporarily shut down to stop the community spread of the coronavirus, including well known and popular retailers from Nike to Sephora, L.L. Bean, J.Crew, Bloomingdale’s and more, according to Business Insider. Given the evolving nature of this situation, Apple has also issued a statement available on the home page of its website Apple.com.

“Our retail stores are closed until further notice. We are committed to providing exceptional service to our customers. For purchases with fast and free delivery, shop here on apple.com or the Apple Store app. For service and support, go to support.apple.com or call 800-275-2273. We look forward to seeing you soon.”

— Apple

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will be held online only this year and be entirely digital. Numerous other large events from SXSW to football games have also been canceled as organizers and local government aim to prevent the easy spread of the virus in community settings.

Apple’s stock AAPL took a hammering with the advent of the coronavirus COVID-19 in mid February, which the company forewarned in its investor guidance report earlier this year. Apple is not alone in facing this crisis, as the effects of the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 has led to a shutdown in operations for many companies worldwide. Stock indices from Dow Jones to the NASDAQ initially plunged in response, with concerns of a potential economic recession underway. The effects of being part of an interconnected global economy with its upsides and downsides, could be felt across all stock indices.

The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates down to zero and injected capital into the economy to prevent this. Other economic measures in discussion include a stimulus package to provide some income for Americans who are unable to work during this period as areas for community gatherings are being shut down to prevent the virus’s spread; and a potential payroll tax cut. WSJ reported that the federal government seeks to send $1,000 checks to Americans as part of the $850 billion stimulus package proposed by the White House. The White House also released its guidelines for self-care and protection against the coronavirus, in accordance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Individual states are also taking measures such as delaying collections on late bills for utilities in colder regions of the country such as Vermont to ensure residents have access to electricity and heat, and requiring “shelter in place” to restrict the spread of the disease in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stocks have now rebounded with news of a potential stimulus plan, with the Dow Jones increasing by as much as 1,000 points.

Apple’s stock has rebounded since then, showing an uptick as of March 17, 2020.

Companies like Google have moved their entire North American workforce to working remotely to prevent the spread of the virus. Google offers tips on productivity and numerous free tools to encourage collaboration and prevent isolation. Remote work has its challenges, but many companies ranging from Amazon to Twitter, AirBnB, Facebook, Microsoft and more are moving their workforce online as best as possible, according to CNN Business. Apple has also been making this shift, although it has proved challenging in some areas that require on-site work. Apple has also been rapidly updating its remote learning and device management options.

While the virus spread seems to have slowed down both in China and South Korea where the highest numbers of cases were initially reported, COVID-19 continues to spread around the globe. John Hopkins University’s Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) reported over 196,639 confirmed cases, with 80,840 recoveries and 7,893 deaths as of March 17, 2020. COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) given how easily the disease is spread and since there is no known cure yet. The first clinical trials for a vaccine developed by Kaiser Permanente are now underway in Seattle, WA, according to CBS News. Scientists worldwide are hard at work on developing a suitable vaccine.