New OS, new features, super powerful processor, laptop and PC. What innovations has Apple offered to consumers?

June 6, 2023  16:06

At the WWDC event held yesterday, Apple presented a number of new products to its consumers, including the iOS 17 operating system, the latest version of the MacOS Sonoma operating system for PC computers, the StandBy function, the 24-core M2 Ultra PC processor, the Mac Studio mini computer with the M2 Ultra and M2 Max processors and the 15-inch MacBook Air with the M2 processor. You can read about Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality device here.

iOS 17 operating system

During the Apple WWDC event, the company announced the new operating system, iOS 17, in which there are a number of new functions. It's now possible to leave a video message on FaceTime to someone you can't reach. Тhe function of decoding online messages from voicemail has been added. Filters have been added to iMessage to make finding messages easier.

AirDrop has added a NameDrop feature that lets you transfer a pre-selected phone number or email address by simply holding one iPhone close to another. This feature works when transferring information between iPhone and Apple Watch, it can also be used to share photos.

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Some changes related to the keyboard. The text input algorithm now uses a new language model to improve sentence quality. In addition, it will be easier for users to go back to the original word if the algorithm incorrectly replaces the typed word.

iOS 17 also added the Journal application, which is a personal diary. Here it is possible to enter not only text, but also photos, music, etc. To interact with the Siri voice assistant, all you have to do now is say its name, whereas before you had to say "Hey, Siri." As before, the stable version of iOS 17 will be released in the fall.

macOS Sonoma

Apple also unveiled macOS Sonoma, the latest version of its PC desktop operating system. It has advanced video conferencing features that enable users to present and share their work more effectively in any video conferencing application.

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It also has widget support, a new set of screen savers, and a new Game Mode that gives games priority access to CPU and GPU resources and reduces lag when connecting AirPods, Xbox, and PlayStation controllers to a PC. According to Apple, Game Mode works with any game.

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The update, also known as macOS 14, will be available in developer beta in the coming days and public beta in the coming weeks. It will be available to the public later this year.

StandBy function

This feature will expand the capabilities of Apple Home smart home control, turning the iPhone into a smart display that will allow you to control the smart home. StandBy turns on automatically when iPhone is charging and in horizontal position. During this time, it can display the time, Apple Home controls, weather, Apple app widgets, and other customizable features.

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At night, StandBy dims the screen light so as not to disturb the user's sleep. Apple claims that StandBy automatically displays the right information at the right time.

StandBy will also allow you to use the Siri assistant hands-free. The user can ask Siri to play music, just like HomePod, and in StandBy the phone will show the answers to the questions asked by the voice assistant.

M2 Ultra processor

Apple presented the processor, M2 Ultra, which, according to Apple, is the most powerful chip of the company's own production. The M2 Ultra consists of two M2 Max crystals interconnected using the UltraFusion architecture.

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The M2 Ultra includes 24 cores (16 performance and 8 energy efficiency), delivering 20% faster performance than the M1 Ultra, which has 16 performance and 4 energy efficiency cores.

The M2 Ultra supports up to 192GB of combined memory, which is 50% more than the M1 Ultra. The memory bandwidth is 800 Gb/s, along with 32 core neural engine and 134 billion transistors. The M2 Ultra will be used in the updated Mac Studio minicomputer as well as the updated Mac Pro.

Mac Studio with M2 Ultra and M2 Max processors

Apple also introduced a new version of the Mac Studio PC with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips. It has the same design as last year's M1-based PC, but with much more powerful processors inside.

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As for the M2 Max variant, the Mac Studio will launch in this configuration with a 12-core processor, a 38-core GPU and up to 96GB of combined memory with a bandwidth of 400GB/s.

The company says these figures should deliver an impressive performance boost in video and photo applications. Apple claims Octane 3D rendering will be up to three times faster on the M2 Ultra compared to the M1 Ultra.

MacBook Air with M2 processor

Apple also unveiled a new 15-inch MacBook Air laptop at the WWDC 2023 event. The thickness of the novelty is only 11.5 mm. The weight of the device is 1.5 kg. Apple claims it's the world's thinnest 15-inch laptop.

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It works with an Apple M2 processor, has two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) connectors, a protective MagSave charging port and a 3.5 mm audio output, a 15.3-inch screen with a brightness of 500 q/m2 and is equipped with a 1080p web camera. It has 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The novelty may appeal to those who want a very thin laptop, but do not need the capabilities of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The new 15-inch MacBook Air will be available next week, starting at $1,299. The laptop will be offered in several body colors.


 
 
 
 
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