In an even held in Cupertino, Tim Cook has unveiled the next generation of Apple iPads, the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3 in addition to the latest iMac model.
To being with Apple has added Touch ID to both iPad models. The iPad mini 3 also got a new colour added to its line: Gold, but thats about it for the mini. Pricing for the Mini 3 (US store):
Wi‑Fi + Cellular: 16GB $529, 64GB $629, 128GB $729
Wi‑Fi: 16GB $399, 64GB $499, 128GB $599
On the other hand, the iPad Air 2 got faster, has an improved camera, and is thinner than last year’s version by 18% (so naturally, skeptics asked….will it bend?). To show how thin it is, Tim Cook showed a video where a laser beam took off a layer of a pencil to make it as thin as the new iPad Air 2.
http://youtu.be/BCqJGoCMlVc?list=UUE_M8A5yxnLfW0KghEeajjw
The iPad Air 2 has an anti-reflective coating on the screen for the first time, and powered by the A8X chip.
Pricing for the iPad Air 2:
Wi‑Fi + Cellular: 16GB $629, 64GB $729, 128GB $829
Wi‑Fi: 16GB $499, 64GB $599, 128GB $699
UAE pricing and availably here.
Apple also announced a new iMac with Retina 5K Display. The new iMac features a 27-inch display, with a resolution of 5,120 x 2,880 and packs 14.7 million pixels that Apple claims is the world’s highest resolution display with 7x more pixels than full HD. The new iMac starts at $2,499.
http://youtu.be/dlfN4vgzypw
Finally, Apple unveiled its new Mac mini, with slightly improved specs and starts at a selling price of $479.00.
UAE pricing and availably here.
Software-wise, Apple has said it will launch Apple Pay on October 20th along side iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite which is available for immediate download for free.
Personally, the only thing that caught my eye from the event was the iPad Air 2; everything else seemed to be tiny updates to existing products.
