Cheapest iPhone gets 5G plus updated iPad Air and new power computer aimed at creative pros
Apple has announced a new version of its cheapest iPhone, an updated iPad Air tablet and a new powerful professional desktop computer called the Mac Studio.
During a livestreamed event on Tuesday, Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook also announced that the firm would begin showing Friday night Major League Baseball games on its Apple TV+ service in the US, UK, Australia and other markets.
iPhone SE 2022
The new cut-price iPhone brings the “SE” model more up to date with Apple’s latest A15 processor, longer battery life and 5G connectivity
The new SE keeps the same look as its 2020 predecessor with Touch ID home button and a 4.7in LCD screen with large bezels top and bottom – a body design first introduced with the iPhone 8 in 2017. The updated phone has an improved 12-megapixel rear camera, but lacks the multiple lenses available on Apple’s more expensive models.
What the iPhone SE lacks in modern design it makes up for in value, likely to be supported with software for up to seven years, which is as much as five years longer than similarly priced rivals.
Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said: “Apple’s ability to offer devices with a longer life span, and in some cases with multiple owners over a lifetime, makes its devices more sustainable than those that become obsolete after as little as two years when software and security updates end.”
The third-generation iPhone SE will cost £419 in the UK and $429 in the US and will ship on 18 March.
iPad Air 2022
Apple also updated its mid-range tablet, the iPad Air. It was last updated in 2020 with slimmed-down design, 10.9in screen and Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button.
The new 2022 model is made from recycled aluminium and is up to 60% faster than its predecessor, equipped with the M1 chip from the iPad Pro and the MacBook Air laptop as well as optional 5G.
The front-facing video call camera now has Apple’s “centre stage” technology, which automatically pans and scans to keep video call participants in-shot without having to move the iPad about.
The fifth-generation iPad Air will cost from £569 in the UK and $599 in the US and will ship on 18 March.
Mac Studio and Studio Display
The new Mac Studio is a small but powerful desktop computer, aimed at developers, videographers and creative professionals who do not want a built-in screen.
The new machine is still compact, like the Mac mini, but is now taller with a body made of 80% recycled aluminium.
It has Apple’s new M1 Ultra processor, which is essentially two of the previous top M1 Max chips bolted together, making it 60% faster than the Mac Pro.
It supports up to 256GB of unified memory and has up to six Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports, two traditional USB ports and an HDMI for connecting displays.
To go with it, Apple also announced a new 27in 5K external monitor made of recycled aluminium. The Studio Display has an embedded A13 chip, previously used in iPhones, a 12-megapixel Centre Stage camera and three mics for video calls, plus a six-speaker sound system.
The Mac Studio will ship from 18 March costing from £1,999 in the UK and $1,999 in the US, but models with the M1 Ultra will cost £3,999 or $3,999. The Studio Display will cost £1,499 in the UK or $1,599 in the US on its own.