Apple held an event this week to announce updates to their computers, operating systems, and a new mixed reality headset.
- The Vision Pro mixed reality headset
- Lets you partake in both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences
- The primary interface displays apps on top of the real world for the wearer
- People nearby can see the wearer’s eyes through the device using an external display feature that Apple calls EyeSight.
- Single strip of glass on the front of the device, along with a digital crown that lets you switch in and out of AR and VR
- External battery pack that’s capable of lasting two hours with a single charge
- The Vision Pro is priced at $3,499, and it won’t be available until early next year.
- Will be running on visionOS – Apple’s new VR operating system
- A bigger 15-inch MacBook Air
- 15.3-inch display – a pretty big upgrade to its MacBook Air lineup, which has only featured 13-inch displays up until now.
- Apple calls it the “world’s thinnest” 15-inch laptop and says it weighs just a little over three pounds.
- Up to 18 hours of battery life, 500 nits of brightness, and a 1080p webcam.
- It costs $1,299, and you can order it now
- The Mac Studio and Mac Pro get an upgrade with a more powerful M2 Ultra chip
- Apple announced that its latest versions of the two desktop devices will have the new M2 Ultra chip, a component that has an up to 24-core CPU and up to 76-core GPU.
- While the Mac Studio starts at $1,999, the Mac Pro starts at $6,999.
- A mental health-focused journaling app
- Apple has a new app for iOS, called Journal. As its name implies, Journal will encourage you to log your thoughts about recent activities or trips.
- Apple says the app is secured with end-to-end encryption and that your logs are stored locally on your device.
- The app will arrive later this year.
- iOS 17 adds a new StandBy display mode and several other features
- A new StandBy feature that turns your iPhone’s screen into a smart home-like display when it’s tilted horizontally while charging, allowing it to display essential information, like the time and date.
- iOS 17 will support transcription for voice messages
- A new safety-focused Check In feature lets you share your location with someone you’re meeting
- A NameDrop feature that allows you to easily share your email address or phone number with another iPhone user.
- Apple’s dropping the “Hey” portion of its “Hey, Siri” trigger phrase.