Because I was stuck in meetings during Apple’s “spring loaded” keynote, I devoured articles in my RSS feed once I got home to learn about what Apple announced today. After going over the Apple press’ initial impression of the event and reviewing the product pages, I feel like I have a good grasp on Apple’s new products.
iMac
I must admit that I’m a little underwhelmed by the new iMac. I think the new models are exceptionally pretty, though I’d prefer to see a little less chin, but I hoped to see the 27″ version updated in addition to the smaller model. I’m not in the model for a desktop computer, but if I were, I’d want the bigger one, and I think that a lot of creatives wouldn’t be able to use this as their main machine. I’m interested to see how bifurcating the iMac line will work moving forward, but I hope the splashes of color make it to the pro-focused market
iPad Pro
I have no need for a new iPad, as my 2018 iPad Pro is still just fine for my limited needs, but I am impressed with the new iPad Pro hardware. 16 GB of RAM on an iOS device seems incredible, as does Thunderbolt capability, but with the state of iPadOS as it stands, I have trouble thinking of how much good this does. I do, however, agree with Matthew Cassinelli in expecting a big WWDC for iPadOS. I’m hoping that this hardware is a precursor to new software functionality, such as external display report
Apple Tags
Out of all of Apple’s announcements today, this is the only one I am going to preorder. I don’t often lose things, but I’d like to put one on my keychain and in my messenger bag for a little extra piece of mind. Despite the potential utility of Air Tags, the Hermes accessories ended up being the punchline of the event with such an out of touch price tag.
Apple TV
I agreed with Jason Snell when he wrote his piece about the Apple TV hardware needing a big upgrade or price cut to be a worthwhile part of Apple’s line up. I use my Roku smart TV to watch my favorite Apple TV Plus shows, and for the most part, it’s fine. Despite that, when I move into a new place, I plan on getting the new Apple TV for my home theater setup. I’m intrigued by the new remote, and as an Apple One customer, I’d like to be able to play Apple Arcade games on a larger screen.
I’m pleased by what Apple announced today, and it makes me excited to see what the next few months have in store. I’m still holding out hope for a revised MacBook Pro to replace my 2015 model, but as a Mac fan, today was a step in the right direction.
Michael Miller 