11 iPhones, iPads and More that Sparked the Apple Ecosystem in 2020
A snapshot of Apple’s newest Macs, iPads and iPhones.
December 30, 2020
![iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 mini](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/blt7619f2250b8d1780/6524570857fabd6a87406258/10-iPhone-12-mini-1.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Apple
Apple revealed in June that it would begin transitioning the Mac architecture from Intel processors to its own chipsets. It’s only the third time the company shifted processor platforms, not a trivial move for the Apple ecosystem. The new Apple silicon is based on the same Arm-based, system-on-a-chip architecture (SoC) used for the company’s iPhones, iPads and watches. Apple’s inaugural chip for the new Mac lineup is the M1. All three new Macs are based on the M1.
The base configuration of the M1-based MacBook Air costs $999. It has an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. A higher-end option with an 8-core GPU and a 512GB SSD costs $1,249, also with 8GB of RAM. Apple offers a version with 16GB of RAM for $200 extra and SSDs up to 2TB. The new MacBook Air is also fanless.
The new M1-based MacBook Pro costs $300 more for the base model but the performance boost over the MacBook Air is narrower than in the past. It has an 8-core CPU and a brighter display (500 nits vs 400 nits), though similar resolution.
Apple gave the new MacBook Pro a more powerful battery — 58.2 watt-hours compared with the MacBook Air’s 49.9 watts. The MacBook Air also includes Apple’s Touch Bar. The size is identical, but the MacBook Pro weighs 3 pounds, compared to the MacBook Air, which is 2.8 pounds.
After revamping the Mac mini line in 2018 with an improved form factor, Apple updated it with the new M1 chipset. In an atypical move, the company lowered the entry-level model from $799 to $699. The new Mac mini includes two Thunderbolt/USB-C 4 ports, two USB-A ports, a single HDMI input and an Ethernet port. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. The new Mac mini comes with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, and the base model has a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. It is configurable to 16 GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
It allows for dual displays, one that can deliver up to 6K resolution at 60Hz connected to the Thunderbolt port. The second display, connected via HDMI 2.0, can deliver up to 4K resolution.
A notable but not surprising omission from this fall’s iPad launch was that neither of the two new tablets are 5G-compatible. For now, that’s not a showstopper, since 5G availability remains limited. Nevertheless, Samsung has bragging rights in that department with the release of its new Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ tablets.
The 10.2-inch 8th Generation iPad is Apple’s lower-cost tablet. Apple has updated its base iPad with its A12 CPU and GPU chipset. The company claims it offers 40% better performance and twice the graphics rendering speed. The base model with 32GB of storage, with Wi-Fi only connectivity, costs $329, and with LTE it is $459. Versions with 128 GB cost $100 extra.
The 4th Generation iPad Air is slightly larger than the new base iPad with a 10.9-inch display. More notable is that it comes with Apple’s new A14 Bionic processor and its Liquid Retina True Tone. Apple’s new iPad Air has more features, including support for Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which supports a trackpad. It also supports Apple’s 2nd generation pencil and has a higher resolution 12MP camera.
Moreover, the new iPad Air has a USB-C interface for connectivity, replacing Apple’s Lightning connector, which the company kept on the 8th generation iPad. The iPad Air starts at $599 for Wi-Fi only with 64 GB of storage. A comparable model with LTE connectivity costs $729. Models with 256 GB of storage cost $150 extra.
Apple upgraded its highest-end tablet, the iPad Pro, back in the spring. But for those requiring the most performance and best display, that’s the model of choice. The iPad Pro comes with two display options: One is 11-inches and the other 12.9-inches. The current iPad Pros are powered with Apple’s A12Z Bionic chipsets and offer Apple’s new LiDAR Scanner, improved cameras and motion sensors that aim to enhance the Liquid Retina displays and the tablets’ augmented reality (AR) capabilities. Both iPad Pro models are available with storage capacities of 128GB, 2565GB, 512GB or 1TB. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799 and the 12.9-inch version starts at $999.
Wall Street has pined for Apple to deliver a 5G-compatible iPhone and the company obliged with much fanfare. But partners should be wary of pushing any of the four new iPhone 12 models on customers just because they are 5G-capable. Nevertheless, there are high expectations for the iPhone 12 line.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is almost the size of an iPad mini with a 6.7-inch OLED display. It is not light, either, weighing 8.03 ounces. The base model, which costs $1,100, supports up to 128GB of storage, though it is configurable with 256GB or 512GB. It is powered with Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset and has a 12MP camera with ultrawide, wide and telephoto lenses. The camera has a 2.5x optical zoom-in lens, 2x optical zoom-out; 5x optical zoom with a 12x digital Zoom.
The most discernable difference between the iPhone Pro Max and iPhone Pro is size. The iPhone Pro, which starts at $999 with 128GB of storage, is 6.1-inches and weighs 6.66 ounces. The camera has a 2x optical zoom-in, 2x optical zoom-out and 4x optical zoom range. The digital zoom on the camera maxes at 10x rather than 12x.
The iPhone 12 also has a 6.1-inch OLED display but is an ounce lighter than the Pro, weighing 5.78 ounces. It is also powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chipset but has 2 cameras instead of three. The iPhone 12 base model, which costs $799, comes with 64GB of storage, though Apple offers 128GB and 256GB capacity levels as well.
For those who don’t think bigger is better, Apple’s iPhone mini has most of the same specs and options as the base iPhone 12, except that it is smaller and lighter. The iPhone mini has a 5.4-inch display and weighs 4.76 ounces. The iPhone 12 mini also costs $100 less, starting at $699.
Some customers may be satisfied with their iPhone 6, iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 models, but need an upgrade. Apple introduced the iPhone SE earlier this year with a faster A13 Bionic processor. The iPhone SE starts at only $399 with 64GB of storage, but available with 128GB or 256GB. It is familiar to those with older iPhones with a 4.7-inch display. The iPhone SE also has the home button that Apple last offered with the iPhone 8.
Some customers may be satisfied with their iPhone 6, iPhone 7 or iPhone 8 models, but need an upgrade. Apple introduced the iPhone SE earlier this year with a faster A13 Bionic processor. The iPhone SE starts at only $399 with 64GB of storage, but available with 128GB or 256GB. It is familiar to those with older iPhones with a 4.7-inch display. The iPhone SE also has the home button that Apple last offered with the iPhone 8.
It was a significant year for the Apple ecosystem with major refreshes of its iPhones, iPads, Macs and their underlying platforms.
In 2021, Apple and its partners will lead with many of the household product names the company launched this year. Of note, Apple rolled out the first Macs based on the company’s own chips. Also, new Rosetta 2 software aims to let apps developed for iPads and iPhones run on the new Mac platform.
Investors have valued Apple on that prospect, pushing its market value up 121% since March 23, to $2.1 trillion. Total revenue for the fourth quarter of Apple’s fiscal year, which ended Sept. 26, was $64.7 billion, a year-over-year increase of 1%.
The company posted the slight revenue gain despite sales of iPhones falling 21% as customers awaited Apple’s first 5G phones. Also contributing to the decline was the COVID-19 pandemic, which analysts said curbed demand for smartphones. Sales of smartphones worldwide declined 5.7% in 2020’s third quarter, according to Gartner.
Growth of Apple’s Macs, iPads and services helped take up the slack. In Apple’s fourth quarter, Mac revenue surged 28% year-over-year, from $7.9 billion to $9 billion. Sales of iPads were $6.8 billion, a formidable 46% increase.
While Apple didn’t give a forecast for the current period, observers hope for a strong quarter with all of the new products. Among them, here’s a look at 11 new Apple products that promise to boost sales in 2021
Take a look at the new Apple iPhones, iPads and more in our slideshow above.
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