NEW YORK: Apple added 5G connectivity to its low-cost iPhone SE and iPad Air and introduced a faster chip for a new desktop, a high point in Apple’s move to power its devices with microprocessors designed in house.
The new Studio desktop starts at $3,999 with the new M1 Ultra chip. The iPad Air also got Apple’s M1 chip that was developed for laptops. Apple’s Mac Pro still runs on Intel Corp microprocessors. Apple slightly hiked the price on the iPhone SE to $429 from $399 for the previous model. The new phone starts shipping March 18.
The iPhone SE comes with an A15 Bionic chip, which Apple says is the fastest among competition, a 4.7-inch retina display and a home button with touch ID. “This is important for our existing users who want a smaller iPhone at a great value,” Chief Executive Tim Cook said.
The M1 Ultra is made by connecting two M1 Max chips and is eight times faster than M1 chips. Its first use will be in the creative professional-focused Mac Studio computer. Apple will offer two versions of the Mac Studio, one with the M1 Max chip and the other utilising the M1 Ultra chip. Mac Studio pricing starts at $1,999 for the version with the M1 Max chip and $3,999 for the M1 Ultra loaded computer.
READ MORE: Apple halts all product sales in Russia
Apple also debuted a new monitor called Studio Display that can be paired with any Mac, including Macbook Air and Macbook Pro models, and which is priced at $1,599. Apple shares were about flat for the day in mid-afternoon trading.
The company which has been broadening its services and other products also said its Apple TV+ product would begin showing Major League Baseball games on Friday nights. The weekly double header will be available in eight countries.
The new iPad Air gets its first refresh in two years with a new design, 5G connectivity and the M1, popular in MacBooks. The starting price remained $599 and it will be available starting March 18. The new iPad Air also features a 12-megapixel front camera. Apple also announced new iPhone 13 models in two new finishes, including alpine green.
During the presentation, Cook made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine. Apple said on March 1 it had paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion. Russian state media are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside Russia.
