Apple event: New MacBook Air, iPad Pro and Mac Mini unveiled – everything you need to know
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
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.
A rundown of all the new shops and so on – a very swish one coming to the Champs Elysee, for instance.
Tim Cook now praising the "creative pros" who work in the Apple Stores and help people with their products. They're the "best team on the planet", Tim Cook says to massive applause. (I presume that's from the staff in the audience.) The applause is so big that Tim says he's moving to New York.
We're going through the current line: iPad Mini, iPad, and iPad Pro. The Mini and iPad are affordable; the Pro "pushes the boundaries" and includes the "most advanced technologies".
Here we go: "an all new iPad Pro".
"And it's going to push what you can do on iPad, or any computer, even further."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments