Hermes

Apple's big product unveil: AirTags, pod subscriptions, and a whole lot of color

Snacks / Wednesday, April 21, 2021

It's the ~ aesthetic ~ for Apple... Yesterday, Apple hosted its first event of the year. Starburst must have taken over Cupertino, because the tech giant unveiled a slate of deliciously colorful products. Like: a lavender-colored iPhone 12, and an iMac that comes in seven dreamy colors, including peach and mint. Apart from tea-flavored tones, Apple dropped:

  • New iPad Pro: Now built with Apple's powerful M1 chip and a better camera.
  • Redesigned iMac: Also with the M1 chip, and a fingerprint scanner.
  • Podcast Subscriptions: For paid ad-free listening and exclusive content.

The star of Apple's show... is also its worst-kept secret. Apple finally unveiled AirTags, little Bluetooth buttons you stick on things like wallets and keys to locate them (yep, just like Tile). They start at $29 each and drop on April 30. AirTags use Apple's U1 chip — the same one used in iPhone 12. The chip will make AirTags trackers more accurate than those from Tile, Samsung, and Sony. Also...

  • AirTags use the "Find My" network, the same one used for Find My iPhone, Friends, etc.
  • Like blockchain, for iPhones: "Find My" is a crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help users locate their missing tech through Bluetooth connection. Whoa.

AirTags = ultimate brand power move... Apple’s powerful brand is a statement – that's currently limited to Apple devices. But with AirTags, people can slap expensive Apple labels on non-Apple products. The Find My network will expand beyond your iPhone, to your wallet, suitcase, and $300 Hermès key chain (seriously: Apple created one). Unlike Tile, AirTags are fancy-sleek: stainless steel and Apple-branded, with a smiley face on one side. There's a built in speaker that rings to help you find items. To cap it off, you can add free engraving (emojis included).

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