Apple has become well known for surprising fans with product announcements, but today's "Spring Loaded" event delivered way more than expected. including a new purple iPhone 12. The technology giant also announced - among many other things - a new credit card system, colorful iMacs, an iPad Pro refresh, and new AirTags to help you keep track of any item.
The most important of these announcements from Apple today will depend on your own personal wants and needs, but here's a quick rundown of each announced product:
- Apple has a new purple version of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini;
- Apple Card Family allowing for multiple family members on your digital Apple credit card;
- A major overhaul of Apple Podcasts and a new subscription model;
- Apple AirTags to help keep tabs on any product you can attach a tag to (like your keys), through Find My;
- A new season of "Ted Lasso" on AppleTV+;
- A new, more powerful version of Apple TV 4K, and a much-needed overhaul of the Siri remote;
- Finally a new iMac with the M1 chip (and in beautiful colors!);
- A powerful new iPad Pro with M1 as well.
That's a lot of new Apple goodness. But let's take a more detailed look at all of these announcements.
Apple's Purple iPhone 12
The iPhone 12 has already been a big hit, and the colors available were a big part of that. But Apple wasn't content to leave it at that, today they unveiled a new purple version of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. The Apple launch for the purple iPhone 12 will be in pre-order on April 23, and direct purchase on April 30.
“The incredible iPhone 12 is the most popular smartphone in the world, and the iPhone 12 family has an over 99 percent customer satisfaction rate. The new purple finish, just in time for spring, adds another bright and fun option to the lineup, and we think customers are going to love it,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing in a release. “This gorgeous new color joins the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini family, which is available in five other stunning finishes, and features an advanced dual-camera system, Super Retina XDR display, improved durability, A14 Bionic — the fastest chip ever in a smartphone — great battery life, and the best 5G experience on any smartphone.”
Apple Card Family
Apple's new purple iPhone 12 wasn't the only thing shown off in the flashy presentation. Apple CEO Tim Cook also said that the way we think about credit and credit history is unfair. Apple hopes to change all of that with the introduction of Apple Card Family.
The system will allow family members to build credit together on a shared credit line, including allowing children to have access with spending limits and other controls in place.
“We designed Apple Card Family because we saw an opportunity to reinvent how spouses, partners, and the people you trust most share credit cards and build credit together. There’s been a lack of transparency and consumer understanding in the way credit scores are calculated when there are two users of the same credit card, since the primary account holder receives the benefit of building a strong credit history while the other does not,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay. “Apple Card Family lets people build their credit history together equally.”
Apple Podcast Subscriptions
Apple has always been on the forefront of podcasting technology, but rarely have they done much to their system that has been a foundation for much of what we know in the podcasting world today.
Starting next month, Apple has a new system that will allow for premium subscriptions to podcasts from all over their platform. Additionally, they've given a massive overhaul to the way things look and feel in Podcasts, giving you a better user experience.
“Fifteen years ago, Apple took podcasts mainstream, offering creators a premier, open platform to inform, entertain, and inspire hundreds of millions of listeners around the world,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Today, Apple Podcasts is the best place for listeners to discover and enjoy millions of great shows, and we are proud to lead the next chapter of podcasting with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. We’re excited to introduce this powerful new platform to creators around the world, and we can’t wait to hear what they make with it.”
Apple AirTags
Tired of losing your keys? Sick of hunting around the house for your purse or wallet? Can't remember where you set the diaper bag down while out shopping? Apple has introduced AirTags to help you find your stuff, through the Find My system you already know and love.
Single tags are just $29 and packs of four tags are $99. And you can attach them to pretty much anything you want. But it wouldn't be Apple if there weren't some snazzy accessories to help make your AirTag experience even sexier.
Apple TV 4K & Siri Remote
There's a lot of technology behind the new version of the Apple TV 4K, but the most important element is that they FINALLY fixed the god-awful remote that everybody has hated from day one. The new version is far more user-friendly, and allows you to not hate your viewing experience.
Under the hood, there's loads more power and capability to make your TV watching experience a heck of a lot better.
iMac with M1 and COLORS!
Way back to the old blueberry bubble days, the iMac has always been a visual stunner when it comes to desktop computing. Apple has stepped up the game with this new system though. Utilizing their new M1 processing chip, the new iMac is incredibly powerful, and looks amazing.
There's lots of cool new features like a magnetic power plug, and lightning ports but the coolest part is obviously how beautiful these computers are.
iPad Pro with M1
The iPad has always been a cool little tool, and the iPad Pro has made great strides in being extremely useful for a growing variety of professional functions.
But Apple has stepped it up big time with this version, utilizing their new M1 chip, and the Liquid Retina XDR display. All that means is that this is a powerhouse tablet that can do amazing things.
