Apple today updated MacBook Air offering faster performance, the new Magic Keyboard, twice the storage and a new lower price of $999, and $899 for education. The company also announced the new iPad Pro, now with the A12Z Bionic chip.

MacBook Air

Apple says that the new MacBook Air delivers up to two times faster CPU performance and up to 80 percent faster graphics performance. Now starting with 256GB of storage, MacBook Air has a 13-inch Retina display, Touch ID for easy login and secure online purchases, spacious trackpad, and all-day battery life combined with the power of macOS Catalina.

Offering quad-core processors for the first time, MacBook Air now delivers even more speed across everyday activities. Featuring the latest 10th-generation Intel Core processors up to 1.2GHz quad-core Core i7 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz, MacBook Air delivers up to two times faster performance when compared to the previous generation. And with Intel Iris Plus Graphics, MacBook Air now delivers up to 80 percent faster graphics performance.

MacBook Air now features the new Magic Keyboard, first introduced on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The company switched back to what is known as a “scissor” mechanism keyboards, discarding the “butterfly” in its most popular laptop models as customers had claimed that the keyboards suffered from issues such as sticky keys, unresponsive keys when tiny amounts of dust or debris accumulated under or near the keys.

A redesigned scissor mechanism delivers 1mm of key travel for a comfortable and stable key feel, while the new inverted-“T” arrangement for the arrow keys makes them easier to find without looking down. MacBook Air features a unibody wedge design made from 100 percent recycled aluminum and comes in three finishes — gold, silver and space gray. The 13-inch Retina display delivers over 4 million pixels and millions of colors.

MacBook Air now starts with 256GB of storage, double that of the previous generation, so customers can store even more movies, photos and files. And for those who need even more storage capacity, MacBook Air offers up to a 2TB SSD, double the previous maximum storage.

MacBook Air comes with the Apple T2 Security Chip, Apple’s own custom-designed second-generation silicon, which checks that software loaded during the boot process has not been tampered with and provides on-the-fly data encryption for everything stored on the SSD. This allows MacBook Air and any Mac with the T2 chip to deliver the most secure boot process and storage of any notebook. The T2 also protects Touch ID information, so whether customers are unlocking their Mac, entering an online password or making online purchases, their information stays safe.

Additional Features

• A three-mic array for more clear voice capture for FaceTime calls with friends and family.
• The Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and multi-touch navigation.
• Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Support for up to a 6K external display
• Stereo speakers

Every new MacBook Air comes with macOS Catalina, the latest version of Apple's desktop operating system. macOS features apps like Safari, Mail, Photos, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. macOS also makes MacBook Air a companion device to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with built-in Continuity features that allow users to make and receive phone calls without picking up their iPhone; automatically unlock their Mac with Apple Watch; copy and paste images, video and text straight from iPhone or iPad to a nearby Mac; and in macOS Catalina, extend the workspace of their Mac using an iPad and Sidecar.

Starting at $999, and $899 for education, the new MacBook Air is available to order starting today on apple.com and in the Apple Store app. MacBook Air will be available in stores starting next week.

Apple also updated the Mac mini. The standard configurations of Mac mini now come with double the storage capacity. The $799 configuration now comes standard with 256GB, while the $1,099 configuration features 512GB of storage, and every Mac mini is made from 100 percent recycled aluminum.

New iPad Pro with LiDAR Scanner

Apple announced its most advanced iPad Pro. Now with the A12Z Bionic chip, iPad Pro is faster and more powerful than most Windows PC laptops. The new iPad Pro adds an Ultra Wide camera, studio-quality mics and a LiDAR Scanner that delivers depth-sensing capabilities, opening up more pro workflows and supporting pro photo and video apps. The LiDAR Scanner, along with pro cameras, motion sensors, pro performance, pro audio, the Liquid Retina display and powerful apps, extends the lead of iPad Pro as probably the world’s best device for augmented reality (AR).

With iPadOS 13.4, Apple brings trackpad support to iPad. Rather than copying the experience from macOS, trackpad support has been reimagined for iPad. As users move their finger across the trackpad, the pointer elegantly transforms to highlight user interface elements. Multi-Touch gestures on the trackpad make it fast to navigate the entire system without users ever lifting their hand.

Apple today also introduced the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. With a floating design with smooth angle adjustment, a backlit keyboard and trackpad, the Magic Keyboard delivers the best typing experience ever on iPad. The Magic Keyboard will be available for purchase in May.

Built for demanding tasks like editing 4K video or designing 3D models, iPad Pro gets another performance boost with the new A12Z Bionic chip. The eight-core GPU in the A12Z Bionic, along with an enhanced thermal architecture and tuned performance controllers, gives iPad Pro the highest performance ever in an iPad. Combined with the eight-core CPU and the powerful Neural Engine, which enables next-generation apps, there’s no other chip that can offer the performance found in the iPad Pro. With a battery life lasting up to 10 hours, faster Wi-Fi connectivity and gigabit-class LTE that’s 60 percent faster with support for more LTE bands than any other tablet, consumers can stay productive and creative all day.

The edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display — in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes is featuring P3 wide color support. ProMotion technology automatically adjusts the display refresh rate up to 120 Hz. True Tone, high brightness and an anti-reflective coating also deliver a great viewing experience.

The Pro camera system on iPad Pro features a 12MP Wide camera for capturing photos and 4K video, and now includes a 10MP Ultra Wide camera that zooms out two times to capture a much wider field of view. Adding a second camera doubles the photo and video possibilities, enabling different perspectives and multi-camera use — a game changer for creative pros.

iPad Pro now features five studio-quality microphones as well as four-speaker audio that automatically adjusts to any orientation, no matter how it is held.

The LiDAR Scanner measures the distance to surrounding objects up to 5 meters away, works both indoors and outdoors, and operates at the photon level at nano-second speeds. New depth frameworks in iPadOS combine depth points measured by the LiDAR Scanner, data from both cameras and motion sensors, and is enhanced by computer vision algorithms on the A12Z Bionic for a more detailed understanding of a scene. The tight integration of these elements enables a new class of AR experiences on iPad Pro.

Every existing ARKit app automatically gets instant AR placement, improved motion capture and people occlusion. Using the latest update to ARKit with a new Scene Geometry API, developers can harness the power of the new LiDAR Scanner to unleash new scenarios.

The LiDAR Scanner improves the Measure app, making it faster and easier to automatically calculate someone’s height, while helpful vertical and edge guides automatically appear to let users more quickly and accurately measure objects. The Measure app also now comes with Ruler View for more granular measurements and allows users to save a list of all measurements, complete with screenshots for future use.

The enhancements to ARKit and the depth sensor in the new iPad Pro have allowed the developers behind Complete Anatomy to introduce a new mobility assessment tool, later this year, for physical therapists and their patients by empowering them with quantified information on their progress, tracking their mobility improvements throughout their recovery.

The new Studio Mode for IKEA Place, available later this year, harnesses iPad Pro’s LiDAR Scanner and ARKit to go beyond placing individual furniture and start furnishing entire rooms intelligently in AR. With Studio Mode, people can explore different areas in their home to discover Room Sets, like you see in the IKEA Store, which complement their existing furniture, space and style.

The LiDAR Scanner on the new iPad Pro will enable Hot Lava’s new AR mode, available later this year, to transform your living room into a lava-filled obstacle course. This technology allows the game to interact with the real world, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual world.

Later this year, Shapr 3D, a professional CAD system based on Siemens Parasolid technology, will use the LiDAR Scanner to automatically generate an accurate 2D floor plan and 3D model of a room which can then be used as the basis to design remodels or room additions like a bathroom or closet. New designs can then be previewed in real-world scale using AR right in the room you scanned.

iPadOS 13.4 brings trackpad support to iPad for the first time for a more natural typing experience and added precision for tasks such as writing and selecting text, working with spreadsheets and pro workflows. Designed specifically for the touch-first experience on iPad, the cursor appears as a circle that highlights user interface elements, text fields and apps on the Home screen and Dock, giving a clear indication of what users can click on. Fluid gestures on the trackpad make it easy to switch between apps, access the app switcher and activate the Dock, Control Center and apps in Slide Over.

Trackpad support in iPadOS is designed to work with the apps you may use every day. From smoothly scrolling through web pages in Safari and photo libraries in Photos, to editing text in Notes and quickly viewing and organizing your email in Mail. Most third-party apps work with no change at all, and developers can go even further with new APIs that let them deliver new experiences in their apps.
Updates coming to Apple’s iWork suite of productivity apps — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — take full advantage of the trackpad. Writing and editing text is a breeze in Pages, working with multiple objects in Keynote is easier than ever, and added levels of precision make working with even the largest spreadsheets a snap. Additional new features include new templates in Pages and Keynote, giving users a head start on creating beautiful documents and, for the first time in iWork, users can add a drop cap to make a paragraph stand out with a large, decorative first letter. Collaboration will also become easier than ever with support for iCloud folder sharing and the ability to edit shared documents while offline.

Joining the second-generation Apple Pencil and an updated Smart Keyboard Folio is the new Magic Keyboard. Attaching magnetically to iPad Pro, the Magic Keyboard puts the Multi-Touch screen on display with its floating design, working equally well on a lap or on a desk. Cantilevered hinges allow smooth adjustments of the viewing angle up to 130 degrees. The portable and protective design of the Magic Keyboard delivers a full-size keyboard with backlit keys and a scissor mechanism that delivers 1mm travel.

The Magic Keyboard features USB-C pass-through charging, keeping the USB-C port on iPad Pro free for accessories including external drives and displays. The click-anywhere trackpad on the Magic Keyboard complements the touch-first design of iPad for easy navigation and precise adjustments.

The new iPad Pro is available to order starting today on apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 30 countries and regions, including the US. iPad Pro will be available in stores starting next week.

• The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be available in silver and space gray finishes. A starting configuration of 128GB offers pro customers more room for their apps and content, along with 256GB, 512GB and 1TB configurations.
• The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 (US) for the Wi-Fi model and $949 (US) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $999 (US) for the Wi-Fi model and $1,149 (US) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model from apple.com.
• Education pricing is available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff and homeschool teachers of all grade levels.
• The new 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $749 (US) and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $899 (US). The second-generation Apple Pencil is available for $119 (US) and the new Smart Keyboard Folio for the new iPad Pro is available for $159 (US) for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $179 (US) for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro for college students.
• The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro will be available for college students at $279 (US) for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $329 (US) for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
• The second-generation Apple Pencil for iPad Pro is available for $129 (US). The new Smart Keyboard Folio for the new iPad Pro is available in space gray for $179 (US) for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $199 (US) for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with layouts for over 30 languages, including simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Macbook Air

• Colors: Gold, Space Gray, Silver
• Price: $999, $1299
• Retina display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• Supported scaled resolutions:
• 1680 by 1050
• 1440 by 900
• 1024 by 640
• 16:10 aspect ratio
• True Tone technology
• Touch ID: Touch ID sensor
• Processor:
• 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz, with 4MB L3 cache
• Configurable to 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz, with 6MB L3 cache; or 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, with 8MB L3 cache
• 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz, with 6MB L3 cache
• Configurable to 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, with 8MB L3 cache
• Storage:
• 256GB PCIe-based SSD, configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD
• 512GB PCIe-based SSD, configurable to 1TB or 2TB SSD
• Memory: 8GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory, configurable to 16GB of memory
• Battery and Power:
• Up to 11 hours wireless web
• Up to 12 hours Apple TV app movie playback
• Up to 30 days of standby time
• Built-in 49.9‑watt‑hour lithium‑polymer battery
• 30W USB-C Power Adapter; USB-C power port
• Size and Weight:
• Height: 0.16–0.63 inch (0.41–1.61 cm)
• Width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
• Depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
• Weight: 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)
• Graphics
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics
• Support for Thunderbolt 3–enabled external graphics processors (eGPUs)
• Video Support:
• Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:
• One external 6K display with 6016-by-3384 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors, or
• One external 5K display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors, or
• Up to two external 4K displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at millions of colors
• Thunderbolt 3 digital video output:
• Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
• VGA, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 output using adapters (sold separately)
• Camera: 720p FaceTime HD camera
• Charging and Expansion
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for:
• Charging
• DisplayPort
• Thunderbolt (up to 40Gb/s)
• USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s)
• Wi-Fi
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking
• IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
• Audio: Stereo speakers, Wide stereo sound, Support for Dolby Atmos playback, Three-mic array with directional beamforming, 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Backlit Magic Keyboard with:
• 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
• Ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
• Operating System: macOS

iPad Pro

• Sizes: iPad Pro 11‑inch, iPad Pro 12.9‑inch
• Finish: Silver, Space Gray
• Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Display
• 11” 11 inches Liquid Retina display
• Liquid Retina display
• 11-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology
• 2388-by-1668-pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi)
• ProMotion technology
• Wide color display (P3)
• True Tone display
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Fully laminated display
• Antireflective coating
• 1.8% reflectivity
• 600 nits brightness
• 12.9 inches Liquid Retina display
• Liquid Retina display
• 12.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology
• 2732-by-2048-pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi)
• ProMotion technology
• Wide color display (P3)
• True Tone display
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Fully laminated display
• Antireflective coating
• 1.8% reflectivity
• 600 nits brightness
• Chip
• A12Z Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture
• Neural Engine
• Embedded M12 coprocessor
• Camera
• Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8 aperture
• Ultra Wide: 10MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture, and 125° field of view
• 2x optical zoom out; digital zoom up to 5x
• Five‑element lens (Wide and Ultra Wide)
• Brighter True Tone flash
• Panorama (up to 63MP)
• Sapphire crystal lens cover
• Backside illumination sensor
• Hybrid IR filter
• Autofocus with Focus Pixels (Wide)
• Tap to focus with Focus Pixels (Wide)
• Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
• Exposure control
• Noise reduction
• Smart HDR for photos
• Auto image stabilization
• Burst mode
• Timer mode
• Photo geotagging
• Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
• Video Recording
• 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps (Wide); 60 fps (Ultra Wide)
• 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
• 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
• Brighter True Tone flash
• Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps (Wide); 240 fps (Ultra Wide)
• Time‑lapse video with stabilization
• Cinematic video stabilization (1080p and 720p)
• Continuous autofocus video
• Noise reduction
• Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
• Playback zoom
• Video geotagging
• Video formats captured: HEVC and H.264
• TrueDepth Camera
• 7MP photos
• Portrait mode
• Portrait Lighting
• Animoji and Memoji
• 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
• Retina Flash
• ƒ/2.2 aperture
• Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
• Smart HDR
• Backside illumination sensor
• Auto image stabilization
• Burst mode
• Exposure control
• Timer mode
• Video Calling
• FaceTime video
• iPad to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
• Audio Calling
• FaceTime audio
• iPad to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
• Speakers: Four speaker audio
• Microphones: Five studio-quality microphones for calls, video recording, and audio recording
• Cellular and Wireless
• All models
• 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6; simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO
• Bluetooth 5.0 technology
• Wi-Fi + Cellular models
• UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC‑HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Gigabit-class LTE (Models A2068 and A2069: bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71)
• Data only
• Wi-Fi calling
• eSIM
• SIM Card
• Nano‑SIM (supports Apple SIM)
• eSIM
• Location
• All models
• Digital compass
• Wi-Fi
• iBeacon microlocation
• Wi-Fi + Cellular models
• Built‑in GPS/GNSS
• Cellular
• Sensors
• Face ID
• LiDAR Scanner
• Three-axis gyro
• Accelerometer
• Barometer
• Ambient light sensor
• Face ID
• Enabled by TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
• Unlock iPad
• Secure personal data within apps
• Make purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store, and Apple Books
• Apple Pay
• Siri
• Charging and Expansion: USB-C
• Power and Battery
• iPad Pro 11-inch: Built-in 28.65-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch: Built-in 36.71-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
• All models:
• Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video
• Wi-Fi + Cellular models: Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using cellular data network
• Operating System: iPadOS