iPads\, Macs get new screens as Apple pushes creativity

iPads, Macs get new screens as Apple pushes creativity

AP  |  New York 

Apple's new will more closely resemble its latest iPhones as they ditch a home button and fingerprint sensor to make more room for the screen.

also unveiled new Mac computers, including a laptop with a high-resolution screen.

Tuesday's announcements took place at an opera house in New York, where the company was emphasizing its products' ability to create music, video and sketches. Neither the Mac nor the generates as much revenue for as iPhones.

Tablet sales have been declining overall, though Apple saw a 3 percent increase in sales last year to nearly 44 million, commanding a 27 percent market share, according to research firm Apple has been promoting its high-end iPad Pro as ideal for artists, photographers and other creators.

The iPad changes are likely enough to drive continued growth in tablet unit sales for Apple, said

"The company is doing a nice job of rolling out next with features customers want to sustain momentum."

The smaller of the two new Pros will have a larger display, with an 11-inch screen rather than 10.5 inches, as measured diagonally. For the larger, 12.9-inch model, Apple is fitting the same-size display into a smaller device about the size of a standard sheet of paper.

The new will have an LCD screen similar to the XR rather than the more vibrant one found in the top-of-the-line XS models. The displays on the new don't run to the edges as much as they do on the iPhones.

The new iPads start at about $800.

An optional companion pencil will now be able to attach magnetically to the iPad for storage and charging.

Apple is bringing a high-resolution display to its low-end MacBook Air, something until now limited to pricier models such as the MacBook Pro products.

But the starting price is now about $1,200, $200 more than before. The Air also joins higher-end Pros in sporting a fingerprint sensor, something the iPad just lost.

Apple also announced an updated desktop computer, the Mac Mini, starting at about $800.

The company says both Macs will use aluminum left over from producing iPads and other products.

The new and iPad Pros will now use a standard, oval-shaped connector called USB-C. That means accessories using the iPad's old port will need adapters. But the change will allow people to charge their iPhones through the iPad.

Patrick Moorhead, of & Strategy, said the refreshed products are likely to please Apple fans and Apple users.

"The company hadn't updated the Mac Mini for years, and the for a while, so these are very welcome changes," he said. But he said the new features aren't significant enough to cause much a shift from existing Windows devices to Mac products.

"Overall some nice improvements, but I don't think these are game changers," he said. "Nor do I think we'll see some drastic market shifts." All the new products come out Nov. 7.

Apple also is releasing a update for iPhones and iPads on Wednesday with previously announced features such as group video chats on FaceTime.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, October 31 2018. 00:05 IST