Apple released a number of new products and services during Spring Loaded – its first event of the year on Tuesday.
The National lists the five major announcements from the Cupertino-based company.
iMac with Apple’s M1 chip
The company’s iMac desktop underwent one of the biggest redesigns in recent years. For the first time, the iMac will be equipped with an Apple-made silicon processor, the M1, and not an Intel chip.
The 61-centimetre iMac – which will be available in seven colours – is also more compact, with the latest design reducing its size by up to 50 per cent. Apple has also made the size of the internal fans smaller to make the device quieter. Staring from $1,299, it will be available for pre-order from April 30 and delivery will begin in the second half of next month.
Much-awaited AirTag
The new disc-shaped AirTag can be attached to almost anything and can help iPhone users track and find items.
Even if the AirTag is away from its owner and out of bluetooth range, Apple’s Find My App network can help to track it down. The Find My App network has close to a billion Apple devices and can detect bluetooth signals from a lost AirTag and help the owner locate it.
The AirTag can be bought in packs of one and four for $29 and $99 respectively, and will be available from April 30.
Apple TV becomes more interactive and brighter
The new Apple TV 4K will support fast-moving action at 60 frames per second, leading to a smooth display that will appear more lifelike, the iPhone maker said.
It comes with colour balance technology that uses the light sensor in an iPhone to compare the colour balance to industry-standard specifications. Using this data, Apple TV automatically tailors its video output to deliver more accurate colours and improved contrast – without customers having to adjust their television settings.
Expanding Apple Card
The company also introduced Apple Card Family – an option that allows multiple users to co-own an Apple Card. Available in the US next month, the Apple Card Family also allows users to share and merge their credit lines while building credit together equally.
Apple Family Card is designed to help customers “achieve a healthier financial life by making it easy to track spending, all on iPhone and with a single monthly bill” the company said.
It will also let parents share a credit card with their children, while offering optional spending limits and controls.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini in purple
Apple introduced its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini, originally launched in October, in purple to attract more customers.
“The iPhone 12 is the most popular smartphone in the world and the iPhone 12 family has an over 99 per cent customer satisfaction rate,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said.
“The new purple finish adds another bright and fun option to the line-up and we think customers are going to love it,” he added.
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
