As known to many, September is a key month for Apple, as this is the time they unveil new and upcoming products/updates and even features that will make their way to existing devices. The two events earlier this year saw upgrades for the iPad, added color choices for the iMac and iPhone 12 and everyone’s first look at iOS 15, Monterey (MacOS), WatchOS 8 and iPadOS 15.
Now, Apple has made the number “13” the key highlight for many awaiting and anxious users. The yearly anticipation for another iPhone model has proven fruitful despite the current pandemic causing spikes and downtrends in the market.
Here’s what Apple announced during their event:
- The new iPad and iPad mini
- The Apple Watch Series 7
- The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
- The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max
We’ll save the best for last. Let’s take a quick look at the new iPad and iPad mini first:
The new iPad
The new 10.2-inch iPad features A13 Bionic, Centre Stage, True Tone, and now starts with double the storage, all at an incredible value, starting at just RM1,499.
A13 Bionic with Neural Engine packing a punch on the iPad
The new A13 Bionic chip delivers a 20 percent performance boost over the previous generation. This makes the new iPad up to 3x faster than the best-selling Chromebook, and up to a whopping 6x faster than the best-selling Android tablet. The performance upgrade will allow users to seamlessly multitask advanced apps and games, all at the tip of their fingers. The Neural Engine in A13 Bionic also powers next-level machine learning capabilities, including Live Text coming in iPadOS 15, which uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in a photo that users can take action on.
Advanced 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera now capable of Centre Stage
Centre Stage literally takes centre stage on this iPad, as users are greeted with more engaging calls as the camera pans and moves towards a moving presenter on the screen. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to include them in the conversation. Centre Stage makes video calls more natural in FaceTime as well as third-party video-calling apps. Whether catching up with loved ones virtually or using an iPad in a remote learning environment, Centre Stage makes the experience of connecting more engaging than ever.
True Tone on the glorious 10.2-inch Display
True Tone now makes its debut in the new iPad. A new, upgraded ambient light sensor enables True Tone, which adjusts screen content to the colour temperature of a room. True Tone on the new iPad makes images appear more natural and provides users with a more comfortable viewing experience in all lighting environments.
Doubling on storage!
Starting it off with a 64GB of storage, the New iPad doubles the storage of the previous generation — offering even more value to iPad users. A 256GB option is also available for users looking to store more apps, games, photos, and videos.
Pricing and availability
- The new iPad is available to order soon on apple.com/my/store and in the Apple Store app.
- Wi-Fi models of iPad are available with a starting price of RM1,499, and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at RM2,119, in silver and space grey finishes. The new iPad starts with 64GB of storage — double the storage of the previous generation. A 256GB option is also available.
- iPadOS 15, the powerful operating system designed specifically for iPad, is available beginning Tuesday, September 21, and ships for free with the new iPad. iPadOS 15 will be available as a free software update for iPad mini 4 and later, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and all iPad Pro models.
- Apple Pencil (1st generation), available for purchase separately, is compatible with iPad (9th generation) for RM419.
- Smart Keyboard for iPad is available for purchase separately for RM649 with layouts for over 30 languages, including simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
- Smart Covers for iPad are available for RM229 in black, white, and English lavender.
- Engrave iPad with a meaningful mix of emoji, text, and numbers, all for free, available on the Apple website.
The new iPad mini
Introducing the new iPad mini. Featuring a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and in four gorgeous finishes, the new mini is sure to be a head-turner for many tablet users.
Boasting the new A15 Bionic
Getting a huge boost in performance, the new iPad mini is sure to deliver top-notch performance when it comes to multitasking different types of workloads. With the combined CPU and GPU, the Neural Engine enables apps to deliver next-level experiences, such as image recognition and natural language learning. Gaming is sure eye-pleaser on this device as The 6-core CPU delivers a 40 percent jump in performance, and the 5-core GPU delivers an 80 percent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini.
Connectivity galore
With 5G now available on iPad mini, customers can do even more with faster wireless connectivity on the go. 5G allows iPad mini to reach peak speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions. iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer, which is 10x faster than the previous generation and connects to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K.
New screen design bringing in more features
The all-screen design is enabled by moving Touch ID to the top button of the iPad mini. Touch ID delivers the same ease of use and secure authentication users know and love — to unlock the iPad mini, log in to apps, or use Apple Pay. iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation), which attaches magnetically to iPad mini for wireless charging and pairing.
Pricing and availability
- The new iPad mini is coming soon to apple.com/my/store and in the Apple Store app.
- Wi-Fi models of iPad mini are available with a starting price of RM2,299 and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at RM2,949. The new iPad mini, in 64GB and 256GB configurations, comes in pink, starlight, purple, and space grey finishes.
- iPadOS 15, the powerful operating system designed specifically for iPad, is available beginning Tuesday, September 21 and ships for free with the new iPad mini. iPadOS 15 will be available as a free software update for iPad mini 4 and later, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and all iPad Pro models.
- Apple Pencil (2nd generation), available for purchase separately, is compatible with iPad mini for RM549.
- New Smart Folios for iPad mini are available for RM269 in black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.
- Engrave iPad with a meaningful mix of emoji, text, and numbers, all for free, apple.com/my/store or in the Apple store app.
Apple Fitness+
Apple Fitness+ will be getting a whole array of fitness programs such as Guided Meditation, Pilates, Workouts to Get Ready for Snow Season, Artist Spotlight, Group workouts with SharePlay and many more.
Availability
- Fitness+ is currently available in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. It will be available later this year in Austria, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, and the UAE.
- Fitness+ requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.2, and is available when paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14.3.
- To get the newest features, use Fitness+ with Apple Watch Series 3 or later; with watchOS 8 paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS 15; iPad with iPadOS 15; or Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD with tvOS 15.
Apple Watch Series 7
The Apple Watch Series 7 features a re-engineered Always-On Retina display with significantly more screen area and thinner borders, making it the largest and most advanced display ever. The narrower borders allow the display to maximise screen area, while minimally changing the dimensions of the watch itself.
Newer design with an optimized UI
The stunning display of the Apple Watch Series 7 offers nearly 20 percent more screen area and thinner borders at just 1.7 mm — 40 percent smaller than those on Apple Watch Series 6. Through an innovative design that maximises the screen area while minimally changing the dimensions of the overall case size, Apple Watch Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes. While the wrist is down, the Always-On Retina display is up to 70 percent brighter indoors than that of the Apple Watch Series 6, making it easier to see the watch face without having to lift the wrist or wake the display.
Durability at its best
A redesigned front crystal with a stronger more robust geometry that is over 50 percent thicker than that of Apple Watch Series 6, making it more crack-resistant without compromising optical clarity. Also featuring an IP6X dust resistant certification and WR50 water resistance, the Apple Watch would be able to take on any weather with ease.
WatchOS 8
watchOS 8 debuts additional watch faces designed specially for the larger display on Apple Watch Series 7. The new Contour face takes the dial right to the edge of the display and fluidly animates throughout the day, emphasising the current hour. The new Modular Duo face leverages the extra screen area with two large, data-rich centre complications.
Availability
- All Apple Watch Series 7 models and Apple Watch SE with USB-C charging cable will be available later this fall.
- New Apple Watch bands and Apple Watch Nike bands will be available to order today from apple.com/my/store and the Apple Store app.
- Apple Watch Hermès Series 7 and new Apple Watch Hermès bands will be available later this fall.
- watchOS 8 will be available for Apple Watch Series 3 and later on Tuesday, September 21, and requires iPhone 6s or later with iOS 15 or later. Not all features are available on all devices and in all regions.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
Introducing the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Both models feature major innovations, including the most advanced dual-camera system ever on iPhone — with a new Wide camera with bigger pixels and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS) offering improvements in low light photos and videos, a new way to personalise the camera with Photographic Styles, and Cinematic mode, which brings a new dimension to video storytelling.
Beautiful and durable, all with better battery life
After being redesigned inside and out, the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini features a durable flat-edge design and an elegant aluminium frame, while coming in 5 gorgeous colors. The 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch displays feature Ceramic Shield on the front, exclusive to iPhone and tougher than any smartphone glass. Both models have an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance and are designed to protect against spills from common liquids.
Paving the way for advanced dual-camera system in an iPhone
Known to have an amazing set of camera’s, the iPhone has always been at the pinnacle of camera quality, both in photo and video. This new line up takes it up a notch by introducing with 1.7 µm pixels, comes with the biggest sensor ever in an iPhone dual-camera system, capable of stunning photos and video that beat out many other flagships out there.
On the forefront of iOS 15
FaceTime, Live Text and many other features are now bolstered with better UI with iOS 15 update, giving easier accessibilities and fluidity to many of its users. Apple Maps brings beautiful new ways to navigate and explore the world with a new three-dimensional city-driving experience and walking directions in augmented reality. Weather is redesigned with full-screen maps and more graphical displays of data, Wallet app now supports home keys and more privacy settings for Siri to give their user the peace of mind like no other.
Availability
- iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will be available in pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED in a new entry-level capacity of 128GB for double the storage, as well as 256GB and 512GB capacities.
- Both models will be available in Turkey beginning Friday, October 1, and in Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, and nearly 10 other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 8.
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
Pushing the boundaries as we know it, the new iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is the most advanced pro camera by Apple thus far. Both models introduce an all-new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion featuring an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, making the touch experience faster and more responsive. The pro camera system gets its biggest advancement ever with new Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras, that capture stunning photos and video, powered by the unmatched performance of A15 Bionic, more powerful than the leading competition.
The most advanced camera on an iPhone. Period.
With new sensors and lenses for all three rear cameras, optimised to work seamlessly with iOS 15 and powered by the new image signal processor in A15 Bionic for improved noise reduction and tone mapping, there’s no other that comes close to it. The all-new Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, the largest ever on iPhone, for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed across lighting conditions, producing even more detailed photos. Coupled with the larger ƒ/1.5 aperture, the Wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offers a massive improvement in low-light situations, up to 2.2x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro, and nearly 1.5x when compared to iPhone 12 Pro Max.
With an all-new Sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) unique to the iPhone, the system stabilizes the sensor instead of the lens, so images are smooth and video is steady, even when the user is not.
The faster Neural Engine translates to better and more advanced computational photography power in the all-new camera. Photographic Styles allows users to bring their personal photo preferences to every image while still benefitting from Apple’s multi-frame image processing. Night mode comes to all cameras on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, including the Telephoto camera with Smart HDR 4 where users can expect improved colour, contrast, and lighting for subjects, even in group shots or challenging lighting situations, making images more true to life.
Forefront of Videography
Photos aside, Cinematic mode on iPhone records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, so anyone can capture cinema-style moments, even if they aren’t a professional filmmaker. For more of creative control, the focus can be changed during and after capture, and users can also adjust the level of bokeh in the Photos app and iMovie for iOS, and coming soon to iMovie for macOS and Final Cut Pro,1 making the lineup the only devices able to edit the depth-of-field effect in video even after recording. Enabled by A15 Bionic and advanced machine learning algorithms, Cinematic mode records in Dolby Vision HDR.
ProRes is also introduced in this lineup, providing an advanced video codec used widely as the final delivery format for commercials, feature films, and broadcasts, to offer higher colour fidelity and less compression.
A more fluid experience with ProMotion
High refresh rate. Sounds familiar? Well, let Apple take you on a tour of how they do refresh rates on their devices. Super Retina XDR with ProMotion, supporting an adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz, for fast frame rates when users need it and preserving battery life when they don’t. Offered in both 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes,4 the intelligent new display leverages a more efficient OLED panel, new display engine of A15 Bionic, faster GPU performance, always-on touch coprocessor, and is custom-designed to operate with iOS 15, making gestures, animations, and activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive.
Pricing and availability
- iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and all-new 1TB storage options.
- Customers in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max beginning at 5 a.m. PDT on Friday, September 17, with availability beginning Friday, September 24.
- Both models will be available in Turkey beginning Friday, October 1, and in Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, and nearly 10 other countries and regions beginning Friday, October 8.
- Customers can get iPhone 13 Pro for RM4,899, and iPhone 13 Pro Max for RM5,299 from apple.com/my/store, in the Apple Store app.
- iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are also available through Apple Authorised Resellers and select carriers.
- iOS 15 will be available as a free software update Tuesday, September 21.
- The new iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe supports Find My, enabling users to be notified of its last known location if it becomes detached from iPhone. iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe joins new MagSafe cases in leather and silicone, as well as a clear case with MagSafe, that are available to order today.
- Apple provides customers with a number of services in-store and online that make its retail experience uniquely Apple. With personalised support and advice from Apple Specialists, convenient delivery and pickup options, and free engraving, Apple ensures the best way to buy Apple products is from Apple Store locations and apple.com/my/store.
There you have it folks. Apple has yet again made sure the whole world tuned in to this spectacle of an event and solidifying their ground as flagship bearers in the smartphone world. Do keep an eye out for any more updates regarding Apple’s products by visiting their website to find out on pricing and availability when they come out. Stay tuned!
