Apple upgrades low-end iPhone SE with 5G, and high-end Mac Studio computer with faster chip

NEW YORK - Apple Inc on Tuesday added 5G connectivity to its low-cost iPhone SE and iPad Air and introduced a faster chip for a new desktop, a high point in Apple's move to power its devices with microprocessors designed in house.

The new Studio desktop starts at $3,999 with the new M1 Ultra chip. The iPad Air also got Apple's M1 chip that was developed for laptops.

"Apple Silicon strategy is the key highlight," said analyst Neil Shah of Counterpoint Research. "Apple is scaling the portfolio of its in-house semiconductor capabilities to power a broader set of richer devices from affordable iPhone SE to the most powerful product Mac Studio."

Apple's Mac Pro still runs on Intel Corp INTC.O microprocessors.

Apple slightly hiked the price on the iPhone SE to $429 from $399 for the previous model. The new phone starts shipping March 18. 

The iPhone SE comes with an A15 Bionic chip, which Apple says is the fastest among competition, a 4.7-inch retina display and a home button with touch ID.

"This is important for our existing users who want a smaller iPhone at a great value," Chief Executive Tim Cook said.

Nabila Popal, an analyst at IDC, said the new iPhone SE will cater to consumers looking for a budget 5G device, and it could be particularly popular given the economic uncertainty caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"A cheaper iPhone with 5G is good news for Apple, especially in these times of uncertainty," Popal said.

But demand for larger screens could negatively impact iPhone SE sales, Popal added. Some consumers might instead opt for older iPhone models with bigger screens in the same price range.

The M1 Ultra is made by connecting two M1 Max chips and is eight times faster than M1 chips. Its first use will be in the creative professional-focused Mac Studio computer.

Apple will offer two versions of the Mac Studio, one with the M1 Max chip and the other utilizing the M1 Ultra chip.

Mac Studio pricing starts at $1,999 for the version with the M1 Max chip and $3,999 for the M1 Ultra loaded computer.

Apple also debuted a new monitor called Studio Display that can be paired with any Mac, including Macbook Air and Macbook Pro models, and which is priced at $1,599.

Apple shares were about flat for the day in mid-afternoon trading.

The company which has been broadening its services and other products also said its Apple TV+ product would begin showing Major League Baseball games on Friday nights. The weekly double header will be available in eight countries.

The new iPad Air gets its first refresh in two years with a new design, 5G connectivity and the M1, popular in MacBooks. The starting price remained $599 and it will be available starting March 18.

The new iPad Air also features a 12-megapixel front camera.

Apple also announced new iPhone 13 models in two new finishes, including alpine green.

During the presentation, Cook made no mention of the conflict in Ukraine. Apple said on March 1 it had paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion. The Russian state media, RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the Apple Store outside Russia. Read full story

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation.”

(Reporting by Danielle Kaye in New York and Nivedita Balu and Kanika Sikka in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Ashwini Raj, Ahmed Farhatha, Shivansh Tiwary and Nilanjana Basu in Bengaluru; Editing by Karishma Singh, Peter Henderson and Lisa Shumaker)

-reuters-

Apple to upgrade budget handset to 5G, drop iPhone Mini from 2022 lineup: Nikkei

Apple Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The company will start selling a 5G version of budget iPhone SE in the first half of 2022, Nikkei reported, adding the device will be powered by its A15 processor and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm Inc's X60 modem chip.

Telecom operators have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to the much-touted 5G to enable faster internet and better coverage. However, analysts are skeptical of the uses of the technology to individual consumers and believe there are years to come before one can reap the actual benefits.

Meanwhile, demand for iPhone Mini, the smaller version of Apple's flagship device has been muted, compared with its bigger and high-end models like iPhone 12 Pros and the older iPhone 11s as users prefer larger devices to run almost every day-to-day tasks.

US sales of iPhone 12 Mini were just 5 percent of overall sales of its new phones during the first half of January, according to industry data provider Counterpoint.

Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. 

-reuters-

Apple unveils updated iPad with lowest-ever price

Apple Inc unveiled an updated version of its iPad tablet with a brighter screen on Tuesday, available to order from Friday and with a $329 starting price that is the lowest ever for a full-sized tablet from Apple.

Apple also said its smaller iPhone SE model will be available in 32 and 128 gigabyte (GB) versions, replacing the 16 GB and 64 GB models.

The hardware updates are incremental improvements that were announced without a major media event. Apple is widely expected to unveil an update to its flagship iPhone this fall that might have new features such as wireless charging, 3-D facial recognition and a curved display.

The new iPad model starts at 32 GB of storage and replaces the iPad Air 2. It will be slightly less expensive than the smaller iPad Mini 4, which starts at $399 for a 128 GB model.

Apple also announced a new app for creating videos and sharing them with friends on its iOS devices. The new feature, along with extra iMessage features released in recent years, pushes Apple closer to competing with the features in social networking apps like Snap Inc.

The new app, called Clips, lets users add captions and speech bubbles to videos and share them on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram or Apple's own messaging app, where videos can be sent to contacts with a single tap. But unlike Snap or other messaging apps, users can add captions to videos using their voice.

(Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar and Frances Kerry)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Future Perfect: 4 gadgets that may be worth your money

After they were revealed in Barcelona, several new gadgets are set to hit Philippine markets and here's a rundown of what to expect.

Manila Bulletin's Art Samaniego Jr. talked to Tony Velasquez to sample the new iPad Pro, Acer Jade Primo, Samsung S7 and S7 Edge, and iPhone SE.

Apple has said the iPad Pro is more than just an upgrade of the iPad as it rivals the capacity of a personal computer (PC). It was touted to be the it-gadget for graphic designers as it came with the Apple Pencil. It was also compatible with the Smart Keyboard for users to type more efficiently.

Now, they have introduced a version that comes in a nifty 9.7" package, quite like the original iPad.

Like it's predecessor, the 9.7-inch tablet has a an A9 processor and an M9 motion co-processor.

Compared to the normal iPad, the new tablet produces richer sound quality with its four speakers--one on each corner. Apple has also improved its rear camera, going from 8MP to 12MP.

It is also equipped with True Tone technology, which uses light sensors to adjust the display to maintain consistent colors in a variety of environments.

According to Samaniego, "for sketching, the bigger is better. The iPad Pro 9.7 is for people who love the idea of the iPad Pro, but wants the size of the original iPad plus better camera"





Now here's a quirky idea for the mobile generation: a phone that can be your PC's Central Processing Unit (CPU).

Because it runs on Windows 10, the Acer Liquid Jade Primo is almost literally a handy PC because it supports Microsoft's feature called "Continuum." This means that with a specialized dock, you can connect it to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor and it will run basic Windows apps.

The Primo carries a 21MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. It also has a 5.5” full HD AMOLED screen, Qualcomm hexa-core processor, 3GB RAM, and 32GB internal storage.

It is not graphics-intensive, and Samaniego said it's not compatible for video editing, so one must not put his hopes up too high.

But he added, "many people don’t like to store their data in the Cloud—they’re afraid of security, they want it in their possession. This is one of the solutions."

The phone will sell at P25,000 but the dock and keyboard will be sold separately.



The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are the latest offerings from the Korean tech giant.

S7 and S7 Edge have Quad HD super AMOLED display measuring 5.5” and 5.1” respectively. Both phones have cameras with 90% improvement from previous models.

Pre-ordered S7 and S7 Edge was bundled with Samsung's virtual reality headset, the Gear VR.

"It’s an improved version of the [Google] Cardboard which you have featured a long time ago. This one now has easier controls," he said pertaining to the touch pad located at the headset's side.

The Oculus app has to installed on the phone, then it must be docked into a slot in the headset for you to enjoy the 360 experience.

The Gear VR supports only Samsung Note 5, S6, S6 Edge, S7, and S7 Edge but the headgear may be bought separately for P4,000.


Apple recently backtracked and released a smaller phone in the form of the iPhone SE (Special Edition).

Samaniego described it as a phone "with 5S body with 6S specs" and added that this could be a good phone for first-time iPhone users.

The SE shares the 6S' 12MP rear camera and retina display but not its 3D touch feature.

While the 6S sells at $649, the SE will sell at $399.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Apple unveils smaller, cheaper iPhone SE aimed at mid-market

CALIFORNIA - Apple Inc. on Monday (early Tuesday morning, Manila time) unveiled a smaller, cheaper iPhone aimed at new buyers, especially in emerging markets and China, as the technology company looks to reverse a decline in worldwide sales of its most important product.

The new device, called the iPhone SE, has a 4-inch (10-cm) screen and starts at $399. It represents Apple's second bid for the crowded mid-tier market after an unsuccessful foray three years ago. Orders start on Thursday, and the phone will be available next week.

The $399 starting price is well below the $649 for the current top iPhone model without a contract, which is beyond the reach of many. The new phone, with Apple's vaunted A9 chip, is much faster than Apple's previous attempt at an entry-level phone, launched in 2013. It also runs Apple Pay and comes in the wildly popular rose gold color.

Analysts had said before the event that a phone priced below $450 could be competitive with other mid-tier rivals, mostly running Google's Android system, and make an impact in emerging markets and China, the world's biggest buyer of smartphones.

Apple is hoping the cheaper model will stimulate overall iPhone sales, which it expects to decline this quarter for the first time since it essentially created the smartphone market nine years ago.

"There are people who want that smaller screen size," said Bob O'Donnell of TECHnalysis Research, but he warned that it may not be a sure-fire hit.

"It's a more attractive price point, but I don't think it moves the needle in emerging markets," he said. "You do a price cut when you need to drive the market a bit more."

Apple shares fell in the afternoon and were down about $0.15 at $105.77. The stock is down 20 percent from its all-time high closing price of $133 in February 2015, as Wall Street worries that the company does not have any blockbuster products in the pipeline.

The company showed off new wristbands for the Apple Watch and a new iPad Pro tablet at Monday's event, but it generated little excitement among investors.

“Apple is so big now that nothing seems to be earth-shaking anymore, and the strategy seems to be turning to offering complementary products like watch bands so they can maintain their sales momentum,” said Skip Aylesworth, portfolio manager of the Hennessy Technology Fund.

The more compact phone design comes after it expanded the size of the screens in its high-end iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones in 2014 to as large as 5.5 inches. That was broadly seen as an attempt to match rival Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) with its large-screen Galaxy phones.

Before the launch at Apple's leafy Cupertino, California headquarters, Chief Executive Tim Cook defended the company's refusal to comply with a U.S. court order to unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the shooters in a December attack in San Bernardino, California.

Apple has a responsibility to protect customers' data and privacy, Cook said, adding that Apple "will not shrink from that responsibility." His statement was greeted by applause from the audience.

The tech company's dispute with the U.S. government has become a lightning rod for a broader debate on data privacy in the United States. The company is set to square off against the U.S. government at a court hearing on Tuesday, likely the first round in a long legal fight to avoid being forced to decrypt the iPhone.

Apple also announced a new scheme it called 'Liam' to take apart old iPhones and reuse the materials.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com