Apple today announced iPhone SE, a powerful new iPhone in an iconic design, with exceptional capabilities and performance at an incredible price.

iPhone SE comes in a compact and durable design, and together with iOS 15, delivers a seamless user experience. The new iPhone SE features impressive upgrades including the performance of A15 Bionic, which powers advanced camera capabilities and makes nearly every experience better, from photo editing to power-intensive operations like gaming and augmented reality. Along with 5G, longer battery life and improved durability, iPhone SE comes in three stunning colours, midnight, starlight and (PRODUCT)RED.

“iPhone SE has been an incredibly popular choice with our existing users and for new iPhone customers, thanks to its iconic design, exceptional performance and affordable price. This year we’ve built the most powerful and durable iPhone SE yet, with better battery life thanks to A15 Bionic, the same chip as our iPhone 13 line-up that also unlocks advanced camera features like Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles and Deep Fusion,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “And with 5G, iPhone SE gives users faster downloads and uploads, higher-quality video streaming, real-time interactivity in apps and much more. Delivering the latest generation of technology and performance at this price is something only Apple can do.”

iPhone SE is as durable as it is beautiful, and features an aerospace-grade aluminium and glass design, now with the toughest glass in a smartphone on the front and back, the same as on the back of iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13.

Rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, iPhone SE is designed to protect against spills. iPhone SE features the familiar Home button with Touch ID, an easy, private and secure alternative for logging in to apps, authorising App Store purchases, making Apple Pay transactions and more.

The power of Apple silicon delivers industry-leading performance and cutting-edge capabilities to iPhone. The lightning-fast A15 Bionic, introduced with iPhone 13, comes to iPhone SE and makes nearly every experience better, from launching apps to handling demanding tasks with ease.

A15 Bionic packs a powerful 6-core CPU, the fastest CPU in a smartphone, with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, making iPhone SE up to 1.8x faster than iPhone 8, and even faster compared to older models. The 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling faster machine learning computations for third-party applications, as well as unlocking features for iPhone SE like Live Text in the Camera app with iOS 15, and on-device dictation. Perfect for photography, gaming and augmented reality experiences, A15 Bionic makes every action feel fluid.

Built for efficiency, A15 Bionic works in conjunction with the latest-generation battery chemistry and tight integration with iOS 15 to enable better battery life on iPhone SE. Even with its compact form factor and new technologies like 5G, iPhone SE has longer battery life than the previous-generation and older 4.7-inch iPhone models. iPhone SE is compatible with Qi-certified chargers for wireless charging, and also supports fast charging.

iPhone SE features an all-new camera system powered by A15 Bionic, with a 12-megapixel ƒ/1.8 aperture Wide camera that offers incredible computational photography benefits, including Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, Deep Fusion and Portrait mode.4 Introduced with iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13, Smart HDR 4 uses intelligent segmentation to apply different adjustments for colour, contrast and noise to the subject versus the background.

This ensures faces are properly exposed in challenging lighting, and renders people in the same photo individually, with different adjustments optimised for lighting and skin tone for each person. Photographic Styles allows users to bring their personal photo preferences to every image while still benefitting from Apple’s multiframe image processing.

Preset and customised preferences work across scenes and subjects, and unlike a simple filter, intelligently apply the right adjustments to parts of the photo to ensure the important elements, like different skin tones, are preserved. Deep Fusion uses advanced machine learning to do pixel-by-pixel processing, optimising for texture, details and noise in every part of the photo. The image signal processor in A15 Bionic delivers significantly improved videos with reduced noise, particularly in low light, with better white balance and truer skin tone.

5G allows users to take advantage of the latest generation of wireless technology, with faster uploads and downloads, lower latency and better experiences in more places, like seeing family with higher-quality HD FaceTime calls, even when on mobile data and not on Wi-Fi.5 With iOS 15, SharePlay on 5G unlocks powerful shared experiences such as watching HDR movies or TV shows in sync with friends while on a FaceTime call.

And Smart Data mode will intelligently conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds are not needed. Support for 5G worldwide is growing, with more than 200 carriers in over 70 markets and regions supporting it by the end of the year.

iOS 15 enhances the iPhone experience with more ways to stay connected, powerful updates that help users focus and explore, and intelligent features to get more done with iPhone.

Now FaceTime calls feel more natural with Spatial Audio and a new Portrait mode, SharePlay delivers a way for users to share experiences with friends and family while on a FaceTime call, Focus helps users reduce distraction, notifications have been redesigned, and Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in a photo and allows users to take action. Apple Maps brings beautiful ways to navigate and explore the world with a three-dimensional city-driving experience and walking directions in augmented reality. Weather is redesigned with full-screen maps and more graphical displays of data, and privacy controls in Siri, Mail and more places across the system further protect user information.

iPhone SE will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in midnight, starlight and (PRODUCT)RED and will be able to pre-order beginning at 2:00 am NZDT on Saturday, 12 March, with availability beginning Friday, 18 March, 2022.

The post Apple announces new iPhone SE appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Apple today introduced the new iPad Air with the Apple-designed M1 chip, delivering a massive leap in performance.

Available in a new array of colours, iPad Air also features the new Ultra Wide front camera with Centre Stage for a more natural video conferencing experience, a USB-C port with up to 2x faster transfer speeds and blazing-fast 5G on cellular models, at an affordable price.

Advanced cameras and compatibility with the latest accessories enable users, including content creators, gamers and students, to push the boundaries of creativity, productivity and self-expression.

“Whether it’s a college student taking elaborate notes, a content creator working on their latest project or a gamer playing graphics-intensive titles, users love iPad Air for its amazing performance and versatility in such a portable design,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the breakthrough M1 chip, Ultra Wide front camera with Centre Stage and ultrafast 5G, iPad Air is now more powerful, more capable and simply more fun than ever.”

The breakthrough M1 chip in iPad Air delivers a giant performance boost to even the most demanding apps and workflows, with incredible power efficiency and all-day battery life.

The 8-core CPU delivers up to 60 per cent faster performance, and the 8-core GPU delivers up to 2x faster graphics performance compared to the previous iPad Air. Combined with the CPU and GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine powers advanced machine learning (ML) functions that enable next-level experiences. From editing multiple streams of 4K video, to playing graphics-intensive games, redesigning a room in 3D and more realistic augmented reality (AR), the performance of M1 enables users to do more than ever with iPad Air.

The Ultra Wide 12MP front camera with Centre Stage automatically pans to keep users in view as they move around. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to include them in the conversation. So whether catching up with loved ones or learning remotely, Centre Stage makes connecting more engaging than ever. With the addition of Centre Stage to iPad Air, all iPad models now feature this magical experience.

The 12MP Wide camera on the back of iPad Air lets users capture sharp photos and 4K video, scan documents and enjoy amazing AR experiences. An end-to-end solution for photo and video capture, editing and sharing, iPad Air is an incredibly versatile and ultraportable mobile studio.

Customers can do even more on iPad Air with faster wireless connectivity on the go. With 5G, iPad Air can reach peak speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in ideal conditions.

With eSIM and Wi-Fi 6 support, iPad Air offers greater flexibility when users need to get connected, from accessing files, to backing up data, communicating with colleagues, or enjoying a movie with family and friends using SharePlay.

The USB-C port is now up to 2x faster than the previous generation, with data transfers up to 10 Gbps, so importing large photos and videos is even quicker. The port connects iPad Air to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras, external storage, and displays with up to 6K resolution.

Loved for its thin and light design, the new iPad Air comes in a gorgeous array of colours: space grey, starlight, pink, purple and a stunning new blue.

iPad Air features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display for an immersive visual experience, with 3.8 million pixels and advanced technologies, including 500 nits of brightness, full lamination, a P3 wide colour gamut, True Tone and an antireflective screen coating.

Combined with the Liquid Retina display, landscape stereo speakers in iPad Air deliver wide stereo sound for a great movie-viewing experience. Touch ID is built into the top button of iPad Air, delivering the same ease of use and secure authentication users know and love to unlock iPad Air, log in to apps or use Apple Pay.

Apple Pencil (2nd generation) turns iPad Air into a digital journal and sketchbook users can take anywhere. With wireless charging and pairing, Apple Pencil delivers pixel-perfect precision and imperceptible lag, making writing as easy and natural as using pen and paper.

The new iPad Air is compatible with Magic Keyboard, providing the best typing experience with its floating design and built-in trackpad; Smart Keyboard Folio, with its comfortable typing experience in a slim design; and Smart Folio covers, which come in beautiful coordinating colours, black, white, electric orange, dark cherry, English lavender and marine blue, that complement the new iPad Air finishes.

iPadOS 15 delivers an experience that is designed to take advantage of the unique capabilities of iPad.

• Multitasking is even more intuitive, making features like Split View and Slide Over easier to discover, easier to use and more powerful.
• Notes goes system-wide with Quick Note, and offers new ways to collaborate and organise, whether typing or writing with Apple Pencil.
• SharePlay makes it possible for friends and family to share experiences while on a FaceTime call. Whether users are hosting a viewing party, listening to an album together or completing a fitness challenge with a friend, SharePlay keeps everything and everyone perfectly in sync.
• iPad keeps getting smarter with advanced ML capabilities. Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in a photo and allow users to take action. For example, a snapshot of a shopfront may reveal a phone number and the option to place a call.
• With next week’s release of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3, Universal Control will enable users to work with a single mouse and keyboard and move between Mac and iPad for a seamless experience, with no setup required. Users can even drag and drop content back and forth between devices, great for sketching with Apple Pencil on iPad and placing it into a Keynote slide on a Mac.

The new iPad Air is available to order beginning Saturday, 12 March, and will be in stores beginning Friday, 18 March, 2022.

The post Apple Introduces Most Powerful iPad Air. Ever. appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Apple unveils new iPad mini with breakthrough performance in stunning new design, featuring an all-screen design, the A15 Bionic chip, Centre Stage, 5G, and more.

Apple today introduced the powerful new iPad mini, with a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, in four finishes.

Featuring the brand new A15 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini delivers up to 80 per cent faster performance than the previous generation, making it the most capable iPad mini ever.

A new USB-C port allows faster connectivity, and cellular models with 5G bring more flexible mobile workflows. New advanced cameras, Centre Stage, and support for Apple Pencil (2nd generation) enable new ways for users to capture photos and videos, communicate with loved ones, and jot down their ideas when creativity strikes.

“With its ultra-portable design and wide range of uses from everyday tasks to creative and enterprise applications, there’s nothing else like iPad mini,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With a new all-screen Liquid Retina display, massive boost in performance, new advanced cameras on the front and back, Centre Stage, USB-C, 5G, and support for Apple Pencil, the new iPad mini is a huge leap forward that can be held in the palm of your hand.”

The new iPad mini delivers an amazing experience in a gorgeous new array of finishes, pink, starlight, purple, and space grey. iPad mini features a larger 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with narrow borders, all while keeping the same compact footprint. With advanced technologies such as 500 nits of brightness, a P3 wide colour gamut, anti-reflective screen coating, True Tone, and full lamination, images and video will be vibrant and come right up to the surface of the glass. And new landscape stereo speakers, combined with the new display, deliver a great movie-viewing experience.

The all-screen design is enabled by moving Touch ID to the top button of iPad mini. Touch ID delivers the same ease of use and secure authentication users know and love, to unlock iPad mini, log in to apps, or use Apple Pay. iPad mini now supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation), which attaches magnetically to iPad mini for wireless charging and pairing.

iPad mini gets a huge performance boost from the new A15 Bionic chip, with its incredibly efficient design that delivers all-day battery life.

The 6-core CPU delivers a 40 per cent jump in performance, and the 5-core GPU delivers an 80 per cent leap in graphics performance compared to the previous generation of iPad mini. A15 Bionic on iPad mini handles even the most demanding tasks, from graphically rich games to pro apps used by designers, pilots, doctors, and more. With its powerful performance and compact design, iPad mini is the ultimate tool users can take anywhere.

Advanced machine learning (ML) functions are powered by a 16-core Neural Engine and new ML accelerators in the CPU, delivering 2x faster ML tasks than its predecessor. Combined with the CPU and GPU, the Neural Engine enables apps to deliver next-level experiences, such as image recognition and natural language learning. With iPadOS 15, powerful new ML features include Live Text, which uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in photos that users can take action on, and even translates text from photos into seven different languages.

The Centre Stage experience on iPad Pro is now available on iPad mini, so users can enjoy even more engaging video calls. An updated Ultra Wide front camera with a new 12MP sensor and a much larger field of view enable Centre Stage, which automatically pans the camera to keep users in view as they move around. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to easily include them in the conversation.

The back camera now features a 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels and a larger aperture to capture sharp, vivid photos. The back camera also features a True Tone flash, perfect for capturing images in low light. With a new ISP in A15 Bionic, users will also see remarkably natural-looking photos with Smart HDR, which improves image quality by recovering details in shadows and highlights.

With 5G now available on iPad mini, customers can do even more with faster wireless connectivity on the go. 5G allows iPad mini to reach peak speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in ideal conditions.3 Users can now stay connected and be even more productive wherever they are, from everyday activities like friends playing games, to field service technicians working onsite.

Combined with continued support for Gigabit LTE and eSIM, iPad mini offers incredible flexibility when users need to get connected. Wi-Fi 6 ensures even faster Wi-Fi connections as well.

iPad mini now features a USB-C port for up to 5Gbps data transfer, which is 10x faster than the previous generation, and connects to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras and external storage and displays up to 4K. USB-C enables workflows with high-bandwidth input and output for everyday users and creative professionals alike, perfect for a photographer connecting cameras when shooting on location, or a doctor conducting an ultrasound remotely.

Apple Pencil (2nd generation) turns iPad mini into a digital journal and sketchbook users can take anywhere.

With wireless charging and pairing, and support for double tap, Apple Pencil delivers pixel-perfect precision and industry-leading low latency, making writing as easy and natural as pen and paper.

A new Smart Folio designed for iPad mini is a slim, lightweight cover and delivers open-to-wake and close-to-sleep functionality. The Smart Folio now comes in beautiful coordinating colours that complement the new iPad mini finishes: black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.

iPad mini features 100 per cent recycled aluminium in the enclosure, marking a major milestone where every single model in the iPad lineup now has a 100 per cent recycled aluminium enclosure. iPad mini also uses 100 per cent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board, and 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in the magnets in the enclosure and the speakers.

The new iPad mini is available to order beginning today, with availability beginning Friday, 24 September 2021.

The post Apple unveils new iPad mini appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Apple introduces iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, delivering breakthrough camera innovations and a powerhouse chip with an impressive leap in battery life.

Featuring a sleek and durable design, an advanced new dual-camera system for improved photos and videos in low light, and introducing Cinematic mode.

Revealed today, iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini  the next generation of the world’s best smartphone, featuring a beautiful design with sleek flat edges in five gorgeous new colours.

Both models feature major innovations, including the most advanced dual-camera system ever on iPhone, with a new Wide camera with bigger pixels and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS) offering improvements in low-light photos and videos, a new way to personalise the camera with Photographic Styles, and Cinematic mode, which brings a new dimension to video storytelling.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini also boast super-fast performance and power efficiency with A15 Bionic, longer battery life, a brighter Super Retina XDR display that brings content to life, incredible durability with the Ceramic Shield front cover, double the entry-level storage at 128GB, an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance, and an advanced 5G experience.

“Our customers rely on iPhone every day, which is why we’ve made iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini more powerful, more capable, and more fun to use,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Both phones have beautiful designs, industry-leading performance, and advanced camera systems with impressive computational photography features, all with incredible durability, water resistance, and a big jump in battery life to ensure customers can depend on their iPhone when they need it. All of this, tightly integrated with iOS 15 and with privacy built in, make iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini an unbeatable choice.”

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have been redesigned on the inside and out, and come in five gorgeous colours featuring a durable flat-edge design and an elegant aluminium frame.

The 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch displays feature Ceramic Shield on the front, exclusive to iPhone and tougher than any smartphone glass.

Both models have an industry-leading IP68 rating for water resistance, and are designed to protect against spills from common liquids. A redesigned rear camera layout with diagonally arranged lenses enables the advanced dual-camera system, and a redesigned TrueDepth camera system is smaller while still packing in the same breakthrough technologies, including Face ID, the most secure facial authentication in a smartphone, but offering more display area.

The improved Super Retina XDR OLED displays deliver an incredible contrast ratio for true blacks and a 28 per cent increase in max outdoor brightness at 800 nits, with higher peak brightness for HDR content like photos and videos at 1200 nits, all while being more power efficient.

Major battery life improvements come to both iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, made possible by A15 Bionic, more efficient components, a larger battery, and power optimisations from a deep integration of hardware and software. iPhone 13 delivers incredible all-day battery life,4 offering up to two and a half more hours in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 mini provides up to an hour and a half more in a day than iPhone 12 mini.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini represent a massive leap in camera design with advancements in hardware and computational photography that deliver stunning photos and videos.

The new Wide camera, with 1.7 µm pixels, comes with the biggest sensor ever in an iPhone dual-camera system and is capable of gathering 47 per cent more light for less noise and brighter results. Sensor-shift OIS, a technology introduced in iPhone 12 Pro Max and not found in any other smartphone, also comes to the Wide camera, even in the more compact iPhone 13 mini.

It stabilises the sensor instead of the lens so shots are more steady, while the custom-designed Ultra Wide camera with a new sensor captures images with more detail in the dark areas of photos, and videos with less noise.

Following extensive study of cinematography and the powerful use of rack focus, Cinematic mode on iPhone records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, so anyone can capture cinema-style moments, even if they aren’t a professional filmmaker.

For creative control, the focus can be changed during and after capture, and users can also adjust the level of bokeh in the Photos app and iMovie for iOS, and coming soon to iMovie for macOS and Final Cut Pro, making the iPhone 13 lineup the only devices able to edit the depth-of-field effect in video even after recording.

Enabled by A15 Bionic and advanced machine learning algorithms, Cinematic mode records in Dolby Vision HDR. Both models also offer HDR video recording with Dolby Vision, from capture to editing and sharing, now supported for 4K up to 60 fps on all cameras.

A faster Neural Engine in A15 Bionic, new image signal processor (ISP), and advancements in computational photography power all-new features on iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.

Photographic Styles allows users to bring their personal photo preferences to every image while still benefitting from Apple’s multiframe image processing. Preset and customised preferences work across scenes and subjects, and unlike a simple filter, intelligently apply the right adjustments to parts of the photo to ensure the important elements, like different skin tones, are preserved.

The dual-camera system and power of computational photography support Smart HDR 4, now with improved colour, contrast, and lighting for each subject in a group photo, including in challenging conditions, making images more true to life, as well as improved Night mode. And the TrueDepth camera supports all the amazing new camera features, including Cinematic mode, Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, and more.

A15 Bionic is much faster than the competition, delivering more performance and better power efficiency, making everything even more fluid in the iPhone 13 lineup.

It uses 5-nanometre technology and has nearly 15 billion transistors to tackle the most demanding tasks, including the latest computational photography features.

A new 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores is up to 50 per cent faster than the competition, the fastest in any smartphone, and handles demanding tasks smoothly and efficiently, while the new 4-core GPU is up to 30 per cent faster than the competition and enables more lifelike visuals and lighting effects in graphics-intensive games.

The new 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, enabling even faster machine learning computations for third-party app experiences, as well as features like Live Text in Camera with iOS 15. Major advancements to the next-generation ISP, paired with computational photography and powerful camera hardware, combine to create the new dual-camera system.

The world is quickly moving to 5G, and iPhone offers an advanced 5G experience, transforming the way users connect, share, and enjoy content.

The customised hardware design in the iPhone 13 lineup features more 5G bands, allowing it to work in more places on 5G for greater coverage and performance.

By the end of 2021, support for 5G on iPhone will double around the globe, with over 200 carriers worldwide in 60 countries and regions.

Users can experience higher-quality video streaming on their favourite platforms, more competitive gameplay in multiplayer games, faster download and upload speeds, and so much more. With iOS 15, SharePlay on 5G will unlock powerful shared experiences such as watching HDR movies or TV shows in sync with friends while on a FaceTime call. And Smart Data mode will intelligently conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.

iOS 15 enhances the iPhone experience with new ways to stay connected, and powerful features that help users focus, explore, and do more with on-device intelligence.

FaceTime calls feel more natural with spatial audio and a new Portrait mode, new Focus features help users reduce distraction, notifications have been redesigned, and Live Text uses on-device intelligence to recognise text in a photo and allows users to take action.

Apple Maps brings beautiful new ways to navigate and explore the world with a new three-dimensional city-driving experience and walking directions in augmented reality. Weather is redesigned with full-screen maps and more graphical displays of data, Wallet adds support for home keys, and new privacy controls in Siri, Mail, and more places across the system further protect user information.

iPhone 13 is designed to minimise its impact on the environment, including antenna lines that use upcycled plastic water bottles that have been chemically transformed into a stronger, high-performance material, an industry first.

iPhone also uses 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in magnets like those used in MagSafe, 100 per cent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board and, for the first time, in the solder of the battery management unit.

Both models also use 100 per cent recycled gold in the plating of the main logic board and the wire in the front camera and rear cameras. Redesigned packaging eliminates the outer plastic wrap, avoiding 600 metric tons of plastic and bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from all packaging by 2025.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will be available in pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED, with pre-orders beginning Friday, 17 September, and availability beginning Friday, 24 September 2021.

The post Apple introduces iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 mini appeared first on Shane the Gamer.