Apple launched a range of products, including its long-awaited AirTag to track and find missing items and a redesigned iMac desktop in a variety of colours that use chips designed by the company in-house chips instead of those made by Intel.
Other products launched during the event included a new iPad Pro with 5G connectivity, a smart TV, a family Apple Card to let people share the same credit card, a new podcast subscription service and a purple iPhone 12.
The iPhone maker showcased its latest products and services at its Spring Loaded event, which was streamed online from the Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday.
The company’s iMac line-up has undergone one of the biggest redesigns in years and uses a processor developed in-house, the M1, as opposed to chips developed by Intel for the first time.
Available in seven colours, the 61-centimetre iMac is more compact than previous models as the volume of the machine has reduced by up to 50 per cent. Apple has also shrunk the size of the internal fans to make the device quieter.
Priced from $1,299, the IMac will be available to pre-order from April 30 and delivery will begin in the second half of next month.
Apple, which launched four models of 5G-enabled iPhones in October, is making its own chips to reduce its reliance on other manufacturers. These are being used in both iMacs and iPads.
Many manufacturers including Samsung and Xiaomi are dealing with a severe shortage of chips after demand for gadgets picked up amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Apple's AirTag is a small disc that can help users to keep track of and find products such as electronics, luggage, wallets or keys through the Find My app. It can be attached to personal belongings and sends users regular notifications about the location of their product.
It does this while keeping the location data of the user private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption, the company said.
“We are excited to bring this incredible new capability to iPhone users,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPhone product marketing.
AirTag can be bought in packs of one and four for $29 and $99, and will be available from April 30.
They also come with a built-in speaker that plays sounds to help users locate them. Users can also ask Siri to find their item and AirTag will play a sound if it is near by.
Facing stiff competition from the likes of Spotify, Apple also announced its expansion into podcast subscriptions.
This will be a global marketplace for listeners to discover premium subscriptions offered by their favourite creators, alongside millions of free shows on Apple Podcasts, the company said.
Some of the benefits will include advertisement-free listening, access to additional content and early or exclusive access to new series.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said this was “the biggest change to Apple Podcasts since its debut”.
“We are proud to lead the next chapter of podcasting with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services.
The service will be available to listeners in more than 170 countries and regions from next month.
Apple also introduced Apple Card Family, which allows people to share their Apple Card, track purchases, manage spending and build credit together with their family sharing group.
Customers can add up to five people to their account. All users must be part of the same family group to be invited to Apple Card Family and be 13 years or older.
“We designed Apple Card Family because we saw an opportunity to reinvent how spouses, partners and the people you trust most share credit cards and build credit together,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay.
Apple is working with Goldman Sachs, the fifth largest lender in the US, which is the issuing bank for Apple Card.
Apple also announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K that comes with A12 Bionic, which that provides a significant boost in graphics performance, video decoding and audio processing.
With tvOS, the new TV will work seamlessly with other Apple devices and services, the company said.
It also offers thousands of applications on the App Store for more entertainment options.
The company unveiled a new, 32.7cm iPad Pro, which it claims to be the most powerful and advanced.
It comes with Apple-designed M1 chip and 5G connectivity to deliver fast performance.
It will also support the Thunderbolt connector, the same port on the latest Macs, which will enable connectivity with external monitors, hard drives and other peripherals.
The company also unveiled a purple finish for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, which were originally launched in October.
MATCH INFO
BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
McTominay 44'
Mata 73'
Pogba 80'
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
Profile Periscope Media
Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)
Launch year: 2020
Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021
Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year
Investors: Co-founders
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
ARGENTINA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Agustin Marchesin, Esteban Andrada
Defenders: Juan Foyth, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Tagliafico, Ramiro Funes Mori, Renzo Saravia, Marcos Acuna, Milton Casco
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Roberto Pereyra, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Matias Suarez
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)
Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)
Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)
Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
Jiu-jitsu calendar of events for 2017-2018:
August 5:
Round-1 of the President’s Cup in Al Ain.
August 11-13:
Asian Championship in Vietnam.
September 8-9:
Ajman International.
September 16-17
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Ashgabat.
September 22-24:
IJJF Balkan Junior Open, Montenegro.
September 23-24:
Grand Slam Los Angeles.
September 29:
Round-1 Mother of The Nation Cup.
October 13-14:
Al Ain U18 International.
September 20-21:
Al Ain International.
November 3:
Round-2 Mother of The National Cup.
November 4:
Round-2 President’s Cup.
November 10-12:
Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro.
November 24-26:
World Championship, Columbia.
November 30:
World Beach Championship, Columbia.
December 8-9:
Dubai International.
December 23:
Round-3 President’s Cup, Sharjah.
January 12-13:
Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.
January 26-27:
Fujairah International.
February 3:
Round-4 President’s Cup, Al Dhafra.
February 16-17:
Ras Al Khaimah International.
February 23-24:
The Challenge Championship.
March 10-11:
Grand Slam London.
March 16:
Final Round – Mother of The Nation.
March 17:
Final Round – President’s Cup.
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
