New AirPods, New iPads, and Updated iMacs? What’s Up With Apple?

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This week, Apple has revealed a new product every day. First, they revealed the new iPads on Monday. They followed this up with updated iMacs on Tuesday. Today, Apple released the new AirPods. I fully expect to wake up tomorrow to find out that they’ve updated the iPod Touch, or perhaps the fabled AirPower wireless charging mat will finally be ready for release.

Joking aside, let’s take a look at Apple’s first three days of new products, and then we’ll try to figure out what tomorrow and Friday will hold.

Day 1: New iPad Air, New iPad mini

The iPad Air is back, and it’s better than ever! It’s essentially a remake of the 10.5″ iPad Pro, complete with Touch ID and the A12 processor from the iPhone XS. Notably, this is not the A12X that you’ll find in the current iPad Pro.

The iPad Air, like the old iPad Pro, will work with the first generation Apple Pencil and first generation Smart Keyboard. This is the keyboard that attaches to the bottom of the iPad and acts like a cover, more than a case like the Smart Keyboard Folio on the new iPad Pro.

It has up to 256GB of storage, which will be a little light for many users lookming to replace their computer with an iPad. However, if you mostly use iCloud for documents, this may be suitable.

The screen on the iPad Air is similar to the one on the iPad Pro. It features a 264ppi resolution, wide P3 color gamut, and Apple’s True Tone display technology. The only feature it lacks is the ProMotion high frame rate that’s saved for the pro model.

Finally, you won’t find Face ID on the iPad Air. Instead, you get good old fashioned Touch ID. If you’re a twin, this is definitely the way to go!

The iPad Air starts at $499 for the 64GB model, and goes up to $649 for the 256GB version. If you add cellular, it adds $130 to the price, topping this iPad Air at $779 for 256GB and cellular data.

iPad mini

It’s little, but it packs a new kind of punch! The fifth generation iPad mini is the first iPad mini in years. Apple has neglected their tiny tablet. That all changed this week. The iPad mini comes with the same A12 processor that you’ll find in the iPhone XS. It’s basically a small iPad Air, though it doesn’t have a Smart Connector for use with a Smart Keyboard. Instead, it’ll only work with Bluetooth keyboards.

However, because of its size and Apple Pencil support, it’ll be perfect for note taking. If you like taking notes in a Moleskine notebook or something of similar size, this will be perfect for you.

The iPad mini starts at $399 for 64GB, and goes up to 256GB for $549. Cellular versions, again, cost $130 extra, going up to $679 for the 256GB model with as cellular data connection.

iMac Update

The updated iMac is faster.

That’s it.

It’s faster.

No new design. No Apple Pencil support. Just the same, ancient design with a new processor. I can’t tell if it’s getting late or if I’m just bored. The existing design of the iMac is the same one we saw in 2012. Even then, it’s just a thinner version of the 2007 model. That was just an aluminum version of the 2004 model. So, really, we’re looking at the same basic design for the iMac since 2004. That’s a 15 year old design!

Consider instead the first iMac. It was iconic. Round, egg shaped. Followed up by the 2002 iMac G4, my favorite. A round half sphere on the bottom, an articulating arm, and a flat screen. But since 2004, before Apple even switched to Intel processors, the iMac has been nothing but a thin desktop computer with a screen, mounted on some aluminum.

Yawn.

So, What’s New?

Apple introduced Intel’s latest 8-core 9th Generation processors and Vega graphics to the iMac. The result is an iMac that is “up to 2x” faster than the last iMac. That’s likely an overstatement, comparing the fastest model with the base model from the previous generation, but those 9th generation Intel processors are quick.

The iMac is certainly faster. That is something to be excited about. If you were waiting on an iMac, now’s the best time to get one. They come with 4k and 5k displays, in 21.5″ up to 27″ sizes. You can load them up with up to 64GB of memory and a decent graphics card, along with a solid state drive. Put it all together and you’ll have an amazing Mac on your hands.

But if you were dreaming of an iMac that was something more, like perhaps an ultra wide monitor (like the one I use with my MacBook Pro), an articulating screen, or an Apple Pencil display, you’re likely disappointed.

I know I am.

AirPods 2

Are you AirPods royalty? Have you bought in to the most loved truly wireless headphones? Well, time to whip out that Titanium Black Platinum Unlimited card™! The new AirPods are here, and they’re just as chic as the originals.

Literally, they’re exactly as chic as the originals. Apple didn’t update the appearance of these either. However, they did add a new H1 chip. This allows them to last 50% longer when you’re talking. It also means they connect quicker than ever, and can quickly switch between all of your Apple devices.

That improved microphone efficiency did not go to waste. Apple introduced “Hey Siri” to the AirPods. Now you don’t need to double tap your AirPods to activate Siri. Sure, it might make you feel like you’re in a science fiction movie, but isn’t complete voice control so much cooler?

Finally, you can buy the new AirPods with Apple’s new AirPods wireless charging case. This will work with any wireless charging pad. It’ll also work with your old AirPods.

The new AirPods do not have a grippier texture. They won’t come in black. They’ll still fall out of your ears if you’re not careful. They won’t measure your health. The sound hasn’t been improved at all. These are the same AirPods with a better wireless chip. That’s about it.

The new AirPods cost $159. You can get them with the wireless charging case for $199. Finally, if you have the first generation AirPods and you just want a wireless charging case, you can get that for $79.

Tomorrow?

The last time I tried to predict future Apple products with a Ouija board, the spirits made me give them my AirPods. Do they think I’m made of fat stacks of cash? Instead, I’ll try to make an educated guess myself. Apple could decide to update the iPod Touch, iPhone SE, or finally release the Mac Pro. They could also give a speed bump to the Apple TV, but I feel like they’d save that for the reveal of their video streaming service they’re set to reveal on the 25th. Apple seems to be doing significant upgrades to the internals of their lineup, so I wouldn’t bet on new hardware like the Mac Pro just yet. Instead, I’d expect small updates, like the iPod or speed bumps on the Mac lineup.

We’ll just have to see if Apple will keep the refresh momentum going until tomorrow.