Apple Product Launch 2020: The Big Announcements

Apple’s product launches are some of the most anticipated events each year. These legendary launches capture the attention of a lot of people, all eager to find out the new products and latest updates from the world’s most valuable brand.

This year, the launches were done virtually due to COVID-19. Yes, they were not as glitzy as the previous rollouts, but interest in them did not wane. It even grew when the company decided to break away from tradition and delay the launch of its new iPhone devices.

So, what are the updates and new devices for 2020? Read on to find out everything Apple announced the past months.

Apple Product Launch September 2020

iPad Air

One of the highlights of the September event is the launch of the iPad Air. This tablet is equipped with the A14 Bionic processor, Apple’s first ever chip with 5nm processor.

As compared to its predecessor, the A14 Bionic processor is 40% faster enabling the iPad Air to deliver superior performance.

Available in five different colours, the newest Apple tablet sports a new design – smaller bezels and an edge-to-edge display that has not been seen since the iPad Pro. It has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display and Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the device’s power button.

It charges with a USB-C connector, joining the iPad Pro as the only Apple devices that do not use its proprietary Apple Lightning charger. It is compatible with accessories like Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Pencil.

Entry-Level iPad

Along with the iPad Air, the company also announced the arrival of its entry-level iPad. Featuring a 10.2-inch display, this eight-generation iPad looks just like the seventh generation. But it promises better performance with its A12 Bionic processor with Neural Engine. With its value and specifications, this iPad is perfect for school use. Plus, it supports the first-generation Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard.

Apple Watch

During the September hardware event, the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE were unveiled.

Experts called the Apple Watch Series 6 the star of the show. While its design is like that of the older models, this series is faster as it has the S6 chip, a new processor that is 20% faster than the S5 chip.

But what is most impressive about this wearable is that it has a blood oxygen monitoring feature which can be very helpful during this pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch SE is the company’s newest low-cost wearable. Powered by the S5 processor, it supports features like Fall Detection and Family Setup.

Apple Product Launch October 2020

During its second fall event held in October, Apple launched its much-awaited iPhone 12 series. The line-up features four devices – the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. This is the first time that the brand released four different models in a single year.

These new models are sold at different prices. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12, Apple’s mainstream flagship handsets for 2020, are the budget-friendly models. Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are the high-priced devices in this line-up.

All the devices in this series are powered by the A14 Bionic processor, which is also found in the iPad Air. With this highly advanced processor, these devices boast of superior performance and impressive power efficiency.

They are also equipped with 5G connectivity, so users can expect faster uploads and downloads.

Furthermore, these new Apple phones have a “Ceramic Shield” display cover. This innovative material provides four times better drop protection, making the iPhone 12 devices more durable than the iPhone 11.

Now, let us talk about their differences. Aside from price, screen size is another aspect where these devices vary, with the iPhone Mini having the smallest screen and the iPhone Pro Max having the biggest. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro both have a 6.1-inch display.

The major differentiating factor though is the camera setup. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 sport less advanced dual-lens camera system. On the other hand, the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max have a triple-lens camera setup with LiDar Scanner and other advanced features.

Apple Product Launch November 2020

During its November event, Apple introduced the M1 processor, new line of laptops powered by the M1 and the much-awaited macOS Big Sur.

M1 Processor

Said to be the first Silicon chip for the Mac devices, the M1 processor has up to 3.5x faster CPU performance and up to 6x faster GPU performance. But that is not all – this new processor also has up to 15x faster machine learning!

New MacBook Models

Apple’s newest laptops are the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini. These are the first line of Mac to be powered by the M1 chip. With this new processor, the devices have better performance and battery life.

The MacBook Air is said to be the thinnest and lightest Apple laptop. Its 8-core CPU performs 3.5x faster than the Intel-powered MacBook Air.

One of the notable changes is that it does not have a fan. With the fan-less design, users can expect the laptop to be quiet regardless of the workload.

What is really impressive though is that its battery has up to 15 hours of web browsing and up to 18 hours of video playback. This is a huge leap from the 2020 Intel MacBook Air’s 12-hour battery life.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro features a CPU performance that is 2.8x faster and a GPU performance that is 5x faster than previous generation devices. It is also equipped with a new active cooling system.

Just like the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro also has a long battery life – 17 hours of web browsing and 20 hours of playback. This is two times more battery life than what its predecessor offers. This laptop also has the longest battery life by far.

As for the MacBook Mini, the device is not aesthetically different from the older generation devices. However, its performance is significantly better than its predecessors. Thanks to the M1 chip, the CPU is three times faster and the GPU offers six times better graphics.

It has an advanced thermal design that keeps the machine cool and quiet while in use. It features a 7.7-inch wide and 1.4-inch thick aluminum unibody enclosure.

MacOS 11 Big Sur

For many Mac users, the biggest news for November was the release of the macOS Big Sur. Dubbed as the biggest redesign for macOS in years, the Big Sur is meant to help Apple achieve its goal of making user experience coherent across all its devices.

Big Sur marks the beginning of an era wherein a significant step has been taken towards merging the design and operation of Apple’s desktop and mobile software.

With this OS, Mac users get to enjoy iPhone-like icons and a colourful default interface. The control centre is similar to that of the iPad and iPhone, containing settings and toggles for volume, Wi-Fi, brightness, etc.

There are also significant improvements with the Messages app with iMessage users getting access to memoji, new effects and group messaging features like the @-mentions and line-in-line replies.

The Maps has also been overhauled to look and function like the one on the iPad, making it great for planning routes and finding shops.

Significant improvements were also made on Safari, the two biggest changes being the privacy report and Chrome-style extensions. Other modifications include favicon symbols on tabs by default, additional start page customisation options and new pop-up previews, amongst others.

In summary, the macOS 11 Big Sur seamlessly marries the functionality of Mac and the aesthetics of the iPad and iPhone.

Indeed, the past months have been busy for Apple with all the big announcements. Even with the pandemic, this trusted brand continued its yearly tradition of bringing promising devices and noteworthy updates. So, which of these devices are you thinking of getting?

Are you planning to buy an iPhone or Apple accessory? Or do you need your current iPhone repaired? Choose Pair Mobile – Ireland’s trusted shop for iPhones, Apple accessories and iPhone repair services. Visit our website now to view our products and services!