So you read our recap post and learned the basics from Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event earlier this week: colorful new M1-powered iMacs, a powerful M1-powered iPad Pro, a tiny tracking device called AirTag, and a redesigned remote for Apple TV. But beneath the headline features and big stories, a few small but telling details about each of these reveals slipped through the cracks.
Here are four things you should know from Apple’s event that may have passed you by.
1. Yellow, orange, and purple iMacs cost more
The new M1 iMacs have split opinion. We think they’re gorgeous: mind-bendingly thin and as flamboyantly colored as the iconic Mac designs of the 90s. But whatever your view, three of the seven colors aren’t available with the base configuration.
That’s not the only compromise either. The entry-level $1299 version also lacks Touch ID, USB 3 ports, and has fewer GPU cores to play with. If you want those “extras” – or one of the aforementioned color ways – get ready to shell out a minimum of $1499.
2. That super-powered iPad Pro ain’t cheap
On paper, the M1 iPad Pro is incredibly impressive – especially the 12.9-inch version with its fancy new Liquid Retina display. But increasingly it’s looking like expensive overkill for most users.
Those changes mean the larger model now starts at $1099 ($100 more than before) and larger jumps between storage capacity tiers mean the top-level specs will now set you back a whopping $1999. Considering almost every app we’ve tested still works great on the 2018 iPad Pro, we’re not sure if even more processing power is really worth the extra money.
3. AirTags will last forever
Apple didn’t make a big deal of it at its event, but we’ve confirmed that AirTags include user-replaceable batteries like those found in the average watch.
Many existing Bluetooth trackers – including some Tile models – don’t have this simple feature, meaning that once their year-or-so battery life runs down you’ve got no choice but to buy a replacement. Considering Apple is notorious for making internals difficult for users to tinker with, this decision certainly wasn’t a given – but it’s a sensible choice.
4. You’ll need an AirTag for your new Siri Remote
This is a missed opportunity that has been pointed out by several commentators already: Apple TV’s redesigned Siri Remote doesn’t include the U1 technology needed to work with Apple’s Find My service.
That means if you’re worried about the remote going AWOL, you’ll need to glue an AirTag to the back of it for precision tracking…