Apple event: New MacBook Air, iPad Pro and Mac Mini unveiled – everything you need to know
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Your support makes all the difference.Apple has unveiled a huge suite of new products, including a brand new MacBook Air, Mac Mini and completely re-designed iPad Pro.
The launch comes just weeks after the release of the iPhone XS and XR, where the Apple Watch was also updated, and serves to tweak all of the products that got left out of that event.
The MacBook Air brought a completely new look to Apple's most popular – and until now roundly neglected – laptop. It finally added the long-requested Retina Display, but also changed up the computer's look and brought entirely new features like its Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Apple repeatedly referred to the laptop as its "greenest ever computer", because of a new process that allows it to be made using a new process that allows it to use completely recycled aluminium.
As well as its broad redesign, vastly improved screen and new features, the internal components of the computer were vastly improved to make it far quicker than the computer it replaces.
It starts at $1199 in the US, or the same number of pounds. It is available to order now ahead of a release date on 7 November.
Alongside the MacBook Air came a new Mac Pro, which benefits from the same recycled metals, a new look, and vastly upgraded internals. Both the Mac Mini and the MacBook Air have been neglected for years, with so little attention that some feared it was more likely they would be killed off than refreshed.
The iPad Pro came with a similarly radical redesign, which removes the home button from the bottom and almost entirely gets rid of the bezel that has traditionally wrapped around the sides of the screen. That also meant Apple brought a new way of unlocking it, with the introduction of Apple's Face ID facial recognition technology into the tablet for the first time ever.
Apple removed the Lightning port on the bottom of the iPad, and swapped it for USB-C. That has been used on some of Apple's laptops, but will mean that owners will no longer be able to charge their iPad and iPhone with the same cable.
Apple also introduced an upgraded version of the Apple Pencil, which was first introduced with the first iPad Pro. It now charges by clicking onto the top of the tablet, and features a button on the side that can be press for extra controls.
Alongside that came a new look for the Smart Keyboard that is sold alongside the iPad Pro.
The new iPad Pro comes in two sizes: an 11-inch version, which because of the smaller bezel takes up the same space as the previous 10.5-inch one, and a bigger 12.9-inch size.
The smaller one starts at $769 and the bigger at $969. Both are available to order now and will also go on sale on 7 November.
Below is our live blog from the event, detailing Apple's announcements as they happened.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.
Here we go, into a video of New York, to the sound of Cole Porter's I Happen To Like New York. Which is presumably an explanation for why the event is being held there.
Tim Cook's here! Presumably to tell us why he loves New York. We all love New York, Tim! Show us the new stuff!!
As expected, the New York stuff is about creativity. "We're here to talk about our most creative products."
Plenty more on this story: showing a video of famous (and non-famous) people using the Mac, talking about how people love the computers. New customers are growing – there are now 100 million Macs in use, says Tim.
Going through a rundown of what's new in MacOS Mojave. You can find all of that in our round-up, here.
"Our customers love their Macs. And they especially love one Mac in particular. And that is the MacBook Air."
Here we go, MBA fans!!!
Tim taking everyone through the history of the MacBook Air, starting with Steve Jobs's famous reveal, when it came out of a very thin envelope. It "redefined the modern notebook", Tim says. It's "become the most beloved notebook ever".
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