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Apple kicked off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference yesterday in San Jose, Calif., where it introduced its first new product in years: the HomePod. The long-rumored device is Apple’s answer to Amazon Echo and Google Home, but the company co-founded by the late Steve Jobs says its device is specifically made to play music.
Related: Why Apple’s Video That Imagines a World Without Apps Makes Me Sad
Along with the HomePod, Apple introduced updates to its existing line of hardware and software. Here’s a quick look at what’s new.
Apple’s HomePod is its first new product category in years. It’s a wireless speaker that uses spatial awareness to sense its location in a room and automatically adjusts the audio. The device, which works with Apple Music subscriptions, will be available starting in December in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. for $349.
MacOS High Sierra offers an all-new file system, support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and an update to Metal, which powers machine learning and virtual reality content creation. The operating system also refines Photos, Safari and Mail.
Related: Apple Touts Speed and Privacy Upgrades in macOS High Sierra
The iMac line will be updated with more powerful graphics and faster processors, Thunderbolt 3, faster storage options and brighter Retina displays, Apple says. The 21.5-inch version will cost $1,299.
Related: Augmented and Virtual Reality Headed to Macs and iPhones
Apple introduced a new workstation-class product line called iMac Pro that features a 27-inch Retina 5K display, up to 18-core Xeon processors and up to 22 teraflops of graphics computation. The company says it’s “the most powerful Mac ever made.” It comes at the hefty price of $4,999. It is set for a December release.
Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Kaby Lake processors up to 3.5 GHz Core i7 and the 15-inch MacBook Pro up to 3.1 GHz Core i7. Both feature the Touch Bar with Touch ID.
Along with the announcement of iOS 11, which is coming soon to iPhones and iPads, Apple unveiled its new App Store, which aims to make discovering apps easier. The new store features editorial stories among its new tabs. Apple said in a release that more than 180 billion apps have been downloaded, with more than $70 billion going to developers.
Related: iOS 11 Adds Peer-to-Peer Payments and Siri Translation and Overhauls App Store
Apple introduced both 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch versions of the iPad Pro, which feature the new A10X Fusion chip. The smaller model weighs one pound and works with the Apple Pencil.
The new 10.5-inch model reduces the borders by nearly 40 percent to fit into an incredibly compact package that still weighs just one pound. Combined with powerful new iPad features in iOS 11 coming this fall, such as the all-new Files app, customizable Dock, improved multitasking and deeper integration of Apple Pencil, iPad Pro gives users the ability to be even more productive and creative.
Related: iPad Pro Gets a Bigger Screen, But Comes at a High Price
Along with updates to the iPad, Apple introduced the Pencil and Smart Keyboard, sold seperately. The Apple Pencil measures pressure and tilt to allow users to draw and take notes naturally. The keyboard is designed for the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro and doesn’t need to be charged. It folds into a protective Smart Cover.
The Apple Watch, seen here with new bands releasing in the summer, will see a new version of its operating system. WatchOS 4 “features a proactive Siri watch face that displays the information users need most throughout the day, personalized Activity coaching and an entirely new music experience,” Apple says. It also increases the focus on fitness, with the introduction of an enhanced Workout app and GymKit, which offers connected workouts with cardio equipment.
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