That’s all she wrote, Apple’s October event is over and it’s likely that draws a line under a phenomenal 2018 for the Cupertino, California, company.
While we didn’t get to see everything we were hoping — there was no mention of new AirPods or the AirPower wireless charger — we did see some well deserved and long-sought-after updates to some beloved lines. There is a new MacBook Air, the diminutive but mighty Mac mini, and an update for the iPad Pro that comes with two new sizes, an updated design, and the all-new Apple Pencil.
There is a lot to get into, and you can check out our full articles on each product to find out more about each. Here’s everything Apple announced at its October 30 event.
MacBook Air 2018
The long-anticipated MacBook Air 2018 was the first product to be revealed. With 100 million Macs around the world, it was no surprise that Apple chose to revamp the relatively “budget” line of the MacBook laptop.
The updated MacBook Air is finally packing a beautiful 13.3-inch Retina display, alongside a revamped design that takes the beloved and traditional style of the MacBook Air, and updates it for a new era. The chunky aluminum bezels are gone, replaced by slim black lines that drop the size of the laptop by 17 percent. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports and Touch ID is also included with a keyboard-based sapphire fingerprint scanner. The keyboard has Apple’s new Butterfly keys and a Force Touch trackpad that is 20 percent larger than the one on its predecessor.
You will find an eighth-generation Intel i5 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1.5TB of internal storage. The Air’s incredible battery life is still present, with Apple boasting a 12- hour battery life. As you would expect on a MacBook Air, it’s thinner than ever and incredibly light.
The new MacBook Air will start from $1,199 and can be ordered on October 30, for release November 7.
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Mac mini 2018
This was another one that we were expecting — and one that might have been even more deserving of an update than the MacBook Air.
The Mac mini has seen a serious upgrade in performance, so each Mac mini is now guaranteed to have at least a four-core eighth-generation processor, and the option for an advanced six-core processor. The upgraded processing power makes it five-times faster than the older Mac mini. There is also 6GB of RAM as standard, with the option of expanding up to 16GB. There’s also support for up to 2TB of SSD storage. There are ports galore, with ethernet ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, HDMI, and USB-A ports all available.
The Mac mini starts at $799 with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. Ordering starts on October 30 and it releases on November 7.
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iPad Pro 2018
What’s a year without a new iPad? We won’t have to find out this year as we have two new iPads this year, including the new iPad Pro 2018.
As suspected by many, the new iPad Pro 2018 has seen a radical change in style from older iPads. The iconic Home button is gone, and the once-chunky bezels are no more. While there’s still a decently sized lip for grip, 2018’s iPad Pro looks different from older iPads. It uses the same Liquid Retina display as the iPhone XR, with two options for screen size: 11 inches and 12.9 inches. Both models are also 5.9mm thick.
With the loss of the Home button’s fingerprint scanner comes Face ID. The Face ID’s sensors are found in the slim bezel and can detect your face in any orientation. It also means that the gesture navigation from iOS 12 has been incorporated in the new iPad Pro. iOS 12’s gestures are perhaps our favorite gesture navigation so far, so it’s good to see them on the new iPad Pro.
Apple’s new A12X Bionic processor powers the tablet and Apple promises it will be multiple times faster than its predecessors. Apple’s Neural Engine from the iPhone XS is also included, making it even more capable with machine learning. There is support for up to 1TB of storage and you will also find a USB-C port that allows reverse charging, so you can charge your phone from your iPad Pro.
There’s also a new Apple Pencil that attaches magnetically to the iPad Pro, and it automatically pairs and charges wirelessly. The new Pencil can change modes with a simple tap. The Smart Keyboard folio has also seen a few small upgrades, to make sure you’re always productive.
The 11-inch iPad Pro will start at $799 for the 64GB model. The 12.9-inch model will start from $999 for 64GB. Ordering begins October 30 and releases November 7.
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iOS 12.1
As the final piece for the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook updated us on the status of iOS 12. iOS 12 .1 is coming, and it includes Group FaceTime, dual-SIM support for the new iPhones, and some new emojis. Keep an eye out for it appearing on your compatible iPhone or iPad.
Updated on October 30, 2018: Added everything Apple announced at its October 30 event.
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