Pocket-lint daily - Apple Mac Studio, iPad Air, iPhone SE, and more

Good morning! By Stuart Miles | Wednesday March 9 2022 Good morning! - If you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? Get them to [sign up here.]( Apple's "Peek Performance" event sees upgrades and new kit coming 18 March Apple What's happened? Apple held its virtual “[Peek Performance]( spring event yesterday, where it revealed a deal to show live MLB baseball on Fridays in the US, a new iPhone SE, new iPad Air, green iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models, as well as its most powerful Apple Silicon yet - the M1 Ultra. There were also a brand-new Mac, the Mac Studio, and a display to go with it. Why does it matter? In the fast-paced tech world that we live in, customers have come to expect regular updates from Apple. These were its offerings for the first half of the year, with all products being available from 18 March. There's plenty more to come in 2022, mind. Apple even teased further announcements during the presentation. What's my take? The event was jam-packed with announcements and subtle messages as we saw a mixture of spec boosts to familiar products and reveals of brand-new kit and services. Tim Cook, Apple’s long-time CEO, kicked off proceedings with the usual excited gusto wearing a blue jumper and yellow Apple Watch combo in what was presumably a nod to the ordeals of the Ukrainian people. Here’s my take on the announcements from the event: On Friday Night Baseball In an Apple first, the company is [expanding]( into live sports. This will no doubt send shivers of fear down the spines of traditional sports broadcasters already trying to fend off advances from the likes of Amazon and DAZN. Baseball is no NFL, but it’s only a matter of time before Apple will be keen to tackle other sports. I’m really interested to see how the company tries to elevate the coverage to enrich the game analysis. On the green iPhone 13 and alpine green iPhone 13 Pro Mid-season colour reveals are a nice way for companies to give sales a small boost - that’s clearly the hope here. I’m looking forward to seeing exactly how the shades look in real life. On the iPhone SE You now get the A15 Bionic processor found in the iPhone 13, 5G, and a bevy of other improvements, albeit in a form factor that is starting to look tired. For those that always clamber for the new and exciting, it's sometimes hard to get excited about internal spec boosts, but they shouldn't be overlooked. The changes to the [iPhone SE]( here will therefore be welcomed by those on a budget especially. On the iPad Air The [iPad Air]( goes M1 (the same as the iPad Pro launched last year) and also gets 5G. It retains the same design but does get a new colour. The inclusion of the M1 processor is going to make it very appealing, especially if you can’t justify the pricing of the iPad Pro range, as it effectively has the same power but in a smaller form factor. The iPad Air was already very good, this should make it even better. On the M1 Ultra Like the technical bit in a shampoo commercial, it’s easy to get lost in what Apple is trying to do if you don’t pay attention. The easy way to look at it is that Apple has worked out how to bolt two M1 Max processors together to create the [M1 Ultra]( yet convince the system and therefore apps that they work as one. This makes it easier for developers to take advantage of the new power available without having to change their code. Double the power without doubling the hassle. On the Mac Studio Easily seen as an incredibly powerful Mac mini Pro, the [Mac Studio]( sits in a new product category that I feel is just above general consumer us, but not as corporate as a Hollywood blockbuster production machine (that would be the Mac Pro). This is going to be for all the photo editors, app developers, and anyone that wants a MacBook Pro approach in a desktop machine. And, judging from the specs and options available, Apple seems to be delivering that. Plenty of ports (which is a complete change from previous years) and the ability to connect to five displays should mean there are plenty of usage options. On the Studio Display If you’ve got a new Mac Studio desktop box, you’ll want a 27-inch 5K display to go with it. That’s what the [Studio Display]( is designed for. It's a hark back to the Apple Thunderbolt displays that were discontinued in 2016. The $1,500 monitor comes with an A13 processor, Center Stage enabled camera, and six speakers - perhaps making it the most perfect Zoom-ready display going. And why the need for the same processor that powered the iPhone 11? It's so those who've yet to upgrade from an Intel Mac can benefit from those new multi-media specs too. On the discontinued 27-inch iMac With the Mac Studio and Studio Display combo there's no need to offer the [27-inch iMac]( anymore. That's likely to annoy some, but this new approach really does give Apple a more modular offering. A MESSAGE FROM SPONSOR Keep track of your cats with Tractive Tractive Tractive is a small, comfortable device that allows you to keep track of your cats. [Find out how!]( Shure Aonic 40 review: Customisable cans deliver on quality Pocket-lint What's happened? The Shure Aonic 40 headphones have some attractive prospects, offering a mid-priced pair of comfortable active noise-cancelling (ANC) over-ear wireless cans with a decent carry case included. Our quick verdict At this mid-level price point, these over-ears deliver a lot of features, a decent level of comfort, and great battery life. They are also to-notch when it comes to audio clout. However, they're big in scale, so won't suit all, and the ANC here isn't as adept as the very best (and admittedly pricier) headphones on the market. [Read our review.]( In Case You Missed it Sony's newer [DualSense controllers]( have some telling upgrades. --- Check out this Sony [Xperia 10 IV]( design and specs leak. --- Google's Nest Wi-Fi extender twin pack [has a $90 saving]( coming in at $209 instead of $299. You'll save 30% on this mesh system that covers up to 4,400 square feet. From The Gear Loop Zwift The best smart turbo trainers and static bikes: Baby it's cold outside, so stay warm and stay bike fit. [Read more.]( And finally... Apple There was plenty of chatter around Center Stage at the Apple Peek Performance event yesterday, but what is Apple's Center Stage camera feature and how does it work? [Read more.]( Have you checked out our weekly podcast that comes out every Friday? It's packed with news, interviews, and top things to get. You can subscribe to the Pocket-lint Podcast via [iTunes]( and [Spotify]( or access it on the web via [Acast](. This week, we talk about everything that happened during Mobile World Congress 2022 - not just the launches, but what it was like being at a trade show during the pandemic. [Listen to the new episode today.]( Thanks for reading , if you're enjoying the email, why not get a friend to sign up too, so they can also be in the know? 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