On March 8th, 2022, Apple hosted its first livestream of the year. The company sent out press invitation emails for their event, calling out “Peek Performance” in the event title, a fun play on words hinting at product performance enhancements.
The Announcement
During the keynote event, Apple introduced new products, enhancements, and technology. The livestream went on for about an hour with exciting announcements about 5G, iPhone SE, iPad Air, new displays, and a brand-new addition to the Mac lineup: the Mac Studio.
iPhone SE
The new iPhone SE is Apple’s most affordable 5G phone and it starts at just $429. The phone will have the A15 bionic chip with a sturdy glass and aluminum design -the same glass used for the iPhone 13. It’s available in three stunning colors: midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Apple decided to bring back the home button on the SE. This button has been a hot debate topic in the technology world: some are happy with the newer models’ buttonless design that allows for more screen space, but others miss the simplicity of navigating with the big button.
The iPhone SE uses the iOS 15 operating system and will include one of its newest features “Focus.” This helps the user concentrate (like when they need time to study, work, or fall asleep) without getting distracted by notifications. In an effort to be more eco-friendly, this phone is 100% recyclable, and the plastic wrap packaging has been eliminated.
Pre-orders begin March 11, and it will be available starting on March 18.
5G
5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology for broadband cellular networks. Apple announced that every new product will have 5G capability. This isn’t really a surprise because every major device that’s launched within the past year has had built-in 5G capabilities; what’s notable is that the refreshed version of the iPhone SE will now have 5G connectivity since the first iteration of the phone did not.
M1 Ultra
The M1 Ultra is the new chip that completes the M1 family. This chip is a giant breakthrough for Apple, offering unprecedented levels of performance and capabilities. It has a 64-core GPU and is 8x faster than M1. It is the most powerful chip ever for a personal computer. Read more about the M1 Ultra here.
iPad Air
The new iPad Air is supercharged by the M1 chip (the same chip as iPad Pro) and will have a 60% performance increase. It’s 2x faster than the best-selling laptop in its price range. Plus, it has a USB-C port, 5G capabilities, and is made of 100% recycled materials. Some companion accessories Apple emphasized were its Magic Keyboard and 2nd gen Apple Pencil.
Like the iPhone SE, pre-orders begin on March 11, and it will be available March 18. Choose from beautiful finishes like space gray, purple, blue, starlight, and pink. iPad Air starts at $599 and comes in two storage sizes: 64GB or 256GB.
We can’t wait for you to get your hands on Apple’s newest innovations! Find a Wireless Zone, Verizon authorized retailer, store near you.