Tag: apple event

iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 to be Unveiled at the Apple Event on 15th March

Rumours have been circulating about an Apple event slated for sometime next month which will see the company unveil the new 4-inch iPhone and updates for the Apple Watch, along with the iPad Air 3 which is also expected to make an appearance at this event.

Though no concrete information has been available about this event but sources now reveal that this event will take place on the 15th of March.

According to reports, a new Apple Watch being launched is unlikely but news about the launch, and information regarding what to expect from the next Apple Watch when it finally arrives is surely on the cards. The existing Apple Watch is also going to receive some new band options and refreshed software.

The iPhone 5se which is going to be the big announcement at this event except for the possible addition of some extra curves at its edges, and an overall “less shiny” look will look very much like the iPhone 5s. It is expected to be priced around the $450( approx Rs. 30,000), and will be available in either 16 or 64 GB of storage. It will be powered by an A9 chip.

February 3, 2016
Apple Pencil Wants to Take on Samsung’s S-Pen

What do you do when Apple announces an Apple pencil? You write about it. Then, because it’s so similar to Samsung’s S-Pen, you compare them.

Whether you’re sketching in the park, painting a watercolor portrait, or drafting a blueprint, Apple Pencil gives you a variety of tools in a single instrument. You hold it, but it doesn’t hold you back.

The new S-Pen most recently arrived with the Galaxy Note 5. It came as a stylus on the side of the smartphone and could be used on the Note 5 even when the display was off. Sounded fancy enough.

In comparison, the Apple Pencil came along with the 12.7 inch iPad Pro that was just announced at their 2015 event today. Now here’s the annoying bit about the Apple pencil – you have to buy it for $99, which is approximately Rs.5,000. It’s unfair, because they make an expensive iPad with this new stylus and then don’t even give you the full stylus in one set. It’s like buying an iPhone without the battery.

Moving on, we see that the Apple Pencil is charged by directly plugging it into the iPad Pro while the S-Pen is independent. The problem with that is, that you already have a 12.7 inch iPad and if one has to charge the pencil, that too will be attached to the length of the iPad. So how does one fit it in their bag pack? Seems uncomfortable. That being said, it has a battery life of this novel Pencil is 10-12 hours and it gives you 30 minutes of usage with just 15 seconds of charge. That seems grudgingly, impressive.

The Apple pencil doesn’t really have a ‘wrong side’ either, so you can write using both side. Whereas, you can use the S-Pen only on the ‘right side’. Not just this, you can draw lines of varying thickness depending on how much pressure you apply and you can even shade if you tilt the pencil and use it at a slant.

Now all we’re waiting for is to get our hands on the Apple ‘Stylus’ (and the iPad Pro) to tell you if it really lives up to the hype.

September 10, 2015
Twitteratti React to the New iPhones

Trust the social media to explode when something big happens. The Apple launch was that ‘something big’ that went viral on the internet and major social media sites from the moment the event began. Just hours before the launch Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, tweeted his excitement on showing the world what he and his team had up their sleeves.

Just a few hours to go here in SF! We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. http://t.co/DeBsAD67p5 pic.twitter.com/DLIPTK2m1L

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 9, 2015

Here are some Twitter reactions from around the world that bombarded the internet once the devices were unveiled. And like everything else on the internet, the reactions were either of pure ecstasy or mockery.Those in favour tweeted:

iPhone 6S. Wow. iPad Pro. Hell Yeah. Apple TV. OK, I guess. #AppleEvent — Brian Tong (@briantong) September 9, 2015

iPhone = Great Pictures. I can safely say “No smartphone has ever bettered its contemporary iPhone on Sheer Picture Quality” #AppleEvent — Madhu Menon (@madhutmenon) September 9, 2015

Mind is literally being blown with every presentation in the #AppleEvent. The iPad Pro looks incredible.

— Soul7 (@Soul7Beats) September 9, 2015

While others were left saddened about their current iPhones:

Thanks #AppleEvent for making my iPhone 5s feel utterly obsolete ? — Angie Romero (@angiejromero) September 9, 2015

And regarding the iPhone’s Live Photo feature:

Photos that are actually short videos: JK Rowling is reaching for her copyright lawyer. #AppleEvent — Laurie Voss (@seldo) September 9, 2015

The Apple Pencil got a lot of negative tweets rolling as well, remembering Steve Jobs’ dislike for the stylus:

Just going to leave this here… #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/dk9WV2gljX

— aaron frank torres (@thatfrankie) September 9, 2015

Vir Das wanted in on the action, too:

Now watching a man play an acoustic guitar for people who make devices and software that render his instrument obsolete. #AppleEvent — Vir Das (@thevirdas) September 9, 2015

September 10, 2015
Yes, the iPhone 6s Comes in a Rose Gold Colour Variant

We have been speculating about this for a while, and now Apple has finally confirmed it – the new iPhones will be available in a rose gold variant with an aluminium finish. At the ongoing mega event held in San Francisco, Apple also unveiled an Apple Watch variant to match. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be available in a total of four shades – silver, gold, space grey, and breaking the monotony from iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, there will be one more addition, rose gold.

The new phones will also boast of a brand new glass structure, strongest in the industry. Along with the iPhone 6s, Apple also announced the new iPad Pro and Apple TV.

For more details about the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus click here.

September 10, 2015
The 12.9 inch iPad Pro is Finally a Reality

At the Apple launch, Tim Cook announced “The biggest news in iPad since the iPad”. The new iPad Pro is the company’s push for the iPad in a big way. It is the “biggest screen on an iOS device, with more power and performance than any iOS device.”

According to the company, the iPad Pro is thin enough to hold all day long and buoyant enough to be used as a flotation device in case of emergency. But we feel like it may just be too big to hold in one hand.

Screen 12.9 Retina display

Display 5.6 mil pixels

Sound 4 speaker audio

Battery 10 hours

Camera 8 megapixel iSight

Connectivity Up to 150 mbps LTE

The iPad Pro is upto 1.8X faster than the previous models and is faster than 80% of the portable PCs that have been released. It boasts of a desktop class performance and a great sound system, which includes a four-speaker audio system that balances stereo and frequencies depending on how you hold it.

Apple introduced two new features – the physical keyboard and the Apple Pencil. The keyboard can be attached to the iPad magnetically. The Apple Pencil was introduced to almost lukewarm reactions from the crowd. The stylus has a built in lightning cable for charging.

Apple in a surprising and amusing move, gave the stage to the Microsoft Office team headed by Kirk Konigsbauer, who introduced the Microsoft Office for the iPad. Using iOS9 multitasking, you can have word and excel on the screen at the same time. Earlier, Samsung came out with a multitasking feature, but Apple looks to make it more efficient and user friendly.

Next was Irene Walsh on stage who introduced a new app called 3D4Medical.

“I’m excited to show you how with the new iPad Pro, our ability to communicate with patients has dramatically improved.”

The app shows 3D models of the body, animated in real time. This app is sure to help both patients and medical professionals because the advantages seem to reach far and wide as one can draw out surgeries and get a look of injuries in 3D.

Last year’s iPad Air 2, had a new display, upgraded A8X chip, 6.1mm thin, less than a pound. This year’s new iPad, the iPad Pro, has a better display, upgraded A9X, slightly thicker, slightly heavier. The 32/128 (Wi-Fi)/128 (Wi-Fi + Cellular) GB iPad Pro will cost $799/ $949/ $1079 respectively, the Pencil will cost $99 and the keyboard will be $169.

The iPad Pro is a designer’s dream come true because of the apps and features it offers. However, only the future will tell us how it will make an impact in terms of usage, to the common man. Let us know what you think about this wonder, in the comments below.

September 9, 2015
Apple Announces Major Updates to the Apple Watch

Tim Cook , the CEO for Apple appeared on stage wearing the new Apple Watch. Several new updates were announced. The watch boasts of many fancy features among which the Air Strip is one of the most important. It is a medical app which allows doctors to review different patients’ heart rates all at the same time.

Sense4u allows you to put the watch on the mothers belly and feel the babies heart beat and send it to the doctor. Apple has collaborated with Hermes for this watch which boasts of over 10000 apps and more.

Cook says about the watch, “It’s amazing how much power you have on your wrist” .

Facebook Messenger will be coming to the Watch, as well as iTranslate. Users can also display video, and access hardware like the mic and speakers.

Gold aluminium and rose gold aluminium are two colour variants, with Sport Bands in lavender, antique white, stone and midnight blue, it will be available in. The Watch also has a stainless steel case with a red band.

watchOS 2, which further allows third-party native apps to run smoother and faster, arrives as a free software update on September 16. September 16th is also the date when the Watch would be made available for sale in 24 countries. A portion of the sales from the Watch goes to the Global Fund against AIDS.

While Smart Replies or emoji, and Digital Touch are some of its other features, the Apple Watch requires iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus with iOS 8.2 or later to run.

September 9, 2015
Apple Officially Confirms – iPhone 6s Arrives on 9th September

This time last year we expecting big things from Apple. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were on their way, and the rumour mill was working hard and fast to deliver the latest. This year we’re expecting another upgrade – we’re looking forward to the iPhone 6s.

Apple has officially confirmed that its mega ‘iPhone’ event for 2015 would be held on 9th September 2015. Which means after months of deciphering rumours, we finally get to see what the Cupertino-based tech giant has in store for us this year. The formal invites for the event reveal that it will be held at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Apple is expected to reveal two iPhones at the event and then ship them later that month. The phone will be first shipped to Apple’s ‘first-tier’ countries – Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S, and mainland China.

As a small recap – the device is rumoured to have a Force Touch display, an “A9″ processor, and 2 GB of RAM.

According to rumours, there may be a multitude of ‘other’ new arrivals, since the company has decided to host the event in a larger auditorium. However, you should definitely expect to see the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus along with a brand new Apple TV.

As always, watch this space for the latest updates.

August 28, 2015
Along with iPhone 6s, Apple Expected to Reveal New Magic Mouse and Keyboard

With Samsung’s major Unpacked event out of the way, we now have two big events to look forward to in September – IFA Berlin and Apple’s iPhone unveiling. Apple’s annual event, held in September, usually showcases the latest iteration of its flagship smartphone, along with which Apple also throws light on several other peripherals. Last year, along with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus all the attention was grabbed by the Apple Watch.

We’re now hearing that this year we can expect to see the upgrades to Apple’s Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. According to a FCC filing, the two accessories will see a major overhaul in the connectivity department. They will get rid of the Bluetooth 2.1, and jump to the latest, Bluetooth 4.2. This should smoothen the interaction between the main device and the accessory.

Along with this, there is also a mention about the battery used within the two devices. According to the reports, the company may include rechargeable batteries, instead of the swappable kinds that are currently in use. All in all, the AA batteries will be replaced by integrated lithium battery packs.

Source : [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.slashgear.com/new-apple-mouse-keyboard-incoming-with-bluetooth-le-14397335/”]Slash Gear[/tw-button]

August 17, 2015
All the Important Apple Announcements From WWDC 2015 in One Place

At this year’s WWDC, Apple made a string of announcements about its future. From the new Mac OS X El Capitan to the now widely accepted Apple Pay, here’s everything important that the California-based tech giant disclosed at the event:

Launch of Mac OS X El Capitan

The new OS brings out a lot of new visual changes, as well as enhanced performance. The OS comes with several features like a new Safari browser, improved ‘Spotlight’ and enhancements to mission control. It has improved gesture support and the ability to snap windows to fill the sides of the screen.

Click here to read more about Apple’s latest operating system.

Siri Gets ‘Proactive’

In an attempt to beat Google, Apple has brought in significant changes and new features for Siri. Instead of scouring through the cloud, they have given their Digital Assistant the permission to monitor a user’s daily habits to help give them better suggestions. Overall, it’s a step towards making Siri more intuitive, and subsequently, more helpful. The Calendar app supports the cause.

Read more about it here.

The New Power Saver Mode

Battery life was one of the most important issues discussed at WWDC 2015. A new low-power mode will allow devices to reduce power consumption and restrict to only phone call capability; improving the last few minutes of battery to upto 3 hours of usage.

Click here to read more.

Apple has Open Sourced their New Coding Language “Swift”

For faster bug fixing and developing new features, Apple has open sourced their coding language, Swift, for developers. But, does this mean other manufacturers will be able to make iOS devices?

Click here to know more.

Multi-Tasking is Here!

The company brings in the much-awaited multi-tasking feature, which was missing on Apple devices. Multitasking has been broken down into three fundamental characteristics – Slide Over, Picture in Picture, and Split View. There is a basic version that can multi-task on the most recent iPad models, while the newer iPad Air 2 will support full screen split with any app.

Click here for more details.

Watch OS with Improved Performance and Native Apps

Apple has added new updates to the Apple Watch OS 2. Apple has now allowed moving the logic and processing directly to the Apple Watch; improving the long and nagging load time everyone has been complaining about.Developers create applications that run on the Watch itself rather than in the background on a paired phone.

For more details about the improved Watch OS, click here.

A Truly Consolidated Music Streaming Service

Yes, the rumours were true. The Cupertino-based tech giant introduced its new music streaming service. Apple Music will be available 30th June onwards. For the initial three months, the service is available free of cost. After which, it will cost 9.99$ per month. Click here for more.

June 9, 2015
With iOS 9, Apple Finally Brings Multitasking

The Side-by-Side multitasking feature has been sorely missed on Apple devices. At the Worldwide Developers Conference today, the company finally introduced how they plan on taking it forward. Apple has only introduced it on iPads, for now.

Multitasking has been broken down into three basic features – Slide Over, Picture in Picture, and Split View.

New multitasking features and tools on iOS 9 help you do more of the things you love — at the same time.

‘Slide Over’ allows you to open another app, without leaving the app you’re working on. All you have to do is, swipe the screen from the right to bring in another app. Next, using the ‘Split View’ Mode, two apps can be open and proactive on the same screen, at the same time. As expected, using the Split Screen, you can drag and drop between the two working apps. Lastly, the ‘Picture in Picture’ feature allows you to watch a video, while you work on another app on your iPad. These features will be available when iOS 9 releases. According to the company, the developer API will be made available for the three new features.

Stay tuned, more details coming up soon.

June 9, 2015
With These New Features, Siri Might Actually Become Helpful

At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2015, Apple announced major software changes. Amongst other things, Apple threw light on how they’ve been spending time further improving their digital voice assistant. It seems that Siri is trying hard to keep up with Google Now, its arch enemy, which has speedily raced ahead in the game.

However, at the event Apple claimed that Siri takes over 1 billion requests per week. They expect the new and improved Siri to further improve this number. According to the company, on iOS 9, Siri is going to be 40% faster, as well as 40% more accurate.

Here’s how the company plans to achieve that:

Like we had suspected, Siri gets more ‘Proactive’. The easiest way to explain this would be the fact that the new and improved digital voice assistant not only answers to your requests, but is present at all times, noting your daily habits and patterns of how you use your phone. Apple gave an example, when you plug in your headphones, Siri would read the sign and automatically launch iTunes.

Siri can now also view the apps you’re viewing, and help you make plans accordingly. The Calendar app helps the cause. It gives you suggested times when you should leave your house, based on the traffic on your way to your destination.

These announcements seem reminiscent of Google’s introduction of Android M. Android’s new feature ‘Now on Tap’ can also be used while you’re viewing a particular webpage or an app. For example, if you’re viewing a friend’s Facebook profile, you can use Now on Tap to find out more details about the person. It may then link you to the person’s Twitter and Instagram profile.

While the world squabbles about which company came up with the idea first, we feel that Google, as well as Apple may have found the perfect formula on making their digital assistants more useful.

June 8, 2015
What Happened to the iPod?

The annual Worldwide Developers Conference begins tonight at 10.30PM IST, with a special event hosted by Apple. Every year, the company hosts the event in the first week of June, to unveil major changes in software and relatively minor hardware upgrades. While the iPhone launches are slated for later in the year, the company uses this event as an opportunity to announce the upgrades they’ve made to their various software offerings. Last year, Apple introduced us to the iOS 8, OS X Yosemite and a range of continuity features. This year, we expect them to announce iOS 9, a revamped music service and something more. Having tracked Apple’s movements closely, we’re wondering if we’re in for a surprise iPod announcement.

The Apple iPod, when it was first introduced by Steve Jobs in 2001, single-handedly took over the online music industry, subsequently killing the MP3 CD movement. A music device, which could hold a 1000 songs and portable, was unheard of at the time. Much like the iPhone, it was a game-changer in its own field.

Apple Computer Inc. chief executive Steve Jobs gestures as he introduces the new iPod during Apple’s launch of their new online “Music Store” in San Francisco, Monday, April 28, 2003. (AP Photo)

Since our smartphones are now compact devices that have been designed to cater to our every need (including music), the spotlight on the iPod has faded. Apple continues to retail the iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, however, the last time the Cupertino-based tech giant announced an iPod was back in 2012. The 5th Generation iPod arrived the same year iPhone 5 did. In the past three years, the company has advanced by leaps and bounds, to say the least. We’re now impatiently waiting on the next iteration to arrive.

The 5th generation Apple iPod Touch comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants, with a 4-inch retina display. The device comes with a 5MP iSight Camera and a 1.2MP FaceTime camera.

Evidently, Apple currently has an empty canvas to paint on. There is a buzz that the 6th generation iPod will be made available in two sizes – a choice between a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch display. The multimedia device would come with iOS 9, out of the box; and may even come with the Apple Pay feature. There is also a high possibility we will see more action from Apple’s go-to ingredients such as USB Type-C, Force Touch and their ever-favourite, Finger-Print Scanner.

According to the rumour mill, the sixth-generation iPod is expected to arrive until later this year, along with the iPhone 6s. However we suspect otherwise; although tonight’s conference focuses on developers, Apple is known to make surprise hardware announcements. While the company is yet to confirm the details, we think it’s about time that Apple unveils another consolidated entertainment device. One with an endless battery life and a massive storage capacity.

June 8, 2015
Apple Expected to Fine-Tune its Music Service

As the WWDC excitement continues, we can see that Apple is expected to make new announcements of its breakthrough in technology. The tech giants always make new disclosures at the Worldwide Developers Conference and this year, we hope to see the company’s new revamped streaming service, against the likes of Spotify and Pandora.

Apple’s acquisition of Beats for $3.2 billion had a reason last year in May. We can now see what the reason was. The company’s new streaming music service- Apple Music- will be based on the service of Beats Music. Explaining how Beats will reshape Apple’s digital music, the company has made a musician the main man for overhauling the music streaming service. Trent Reznor, frontman of Nine Inch Nails, who was the chief creative officer for Beats, had been playing a major role in designing the music app, along with two other Apple employees.

Sony Chief Executive, Doug Morris, who also shares a long history with Beats Co-Founder and Apple Music Boss, Jimmy Iovine, announced ‘It’s happening tomorrow’ to the audience at the Midem Music Conference in Cannes.

Apple plans to retain the idea of asking people their favourite genres of music when signing up. Not much detail was revealed by Morris, but it is expected to be priced at $9.99/month for individuals and $14.99/month for the family plan with a three-month free trial period with ads. Morris said that Apple’s entry into the paid subscription market would majorly shift the industry from downloads to streaming.

Morris said:

What does Apple bring to this? Well, they’ve got $178 billion dollars in the bank. And they have 800 million credit cards in iTunes. Spotify has never really advertised because it’s never been profitable. My guess is that Apple will promote this like crazy, and I think that will have a halo effect on the streaming business.

If the service is stashed along with the upcoming iOS 9 and is being offered for a free trial, this could guarantee millions of customers for Apple.

While iTunes had changed the way music was sold, the new streaming service will help Apple build an exclusive relationship with artists and labels. Apple has been approaching big name artists reportedly, like Taylor Swift, to sign up to guest DJ on a revamped iTunes Radio service, or enter into an exclusive streaming partnership.

June 8, 2015
Top 7 Coolest Features of the New Apple MacBook

Apple launched their first Macbook seven years back in 2008, showcasing an unimaginable super slim laptop to the world. Now the legacy lives on with Apple announcing its newest Macbook, which surprisingly will be called just the ‘Macbook’. Apple has yet again pushed the boundaries of laptop innovation which are simply commendable, though might have negated certain aspects.

One can’t deny that the new Macbook reinforces Apple’s philosophy yet again that computers are an extension of the person itself. Here are the coolest features of the new Macbook:

Edge to Edge Retina Display

The latest Macbook gets a 12-inch Retina display with a very small bezel, with a resolution of 2304×1440, and an aspect ratio of 16:10. The display quality is certainly quite a notch up compared to the new Macbook’s predecessors, with the screen built into something that is as thin as a file folder. Apple has again manged to pull of something unimaginable bearing in mind the technical limitations with making something so skinny.

Thinnest and Lightest, Ever

Talking about thin, the new Macbook redefines the concept of slim, it’s as thin as 13.1mm, compared to 17.3mm of the MacBook Air. It’s 24 percent thinner than the Air, the company mentioned at the event. The new Macbook weighs mere 2 pounds (lightest ever), which is amazingly only half a pound over the original iPad.

Redesigned Keyboard

The new Macbook gets an entirely redesigned 12-inch keyboard. A welcome change compared to the Macbook Air which is less than the full size. The keys have been revamped to a new butterfly mechanism that Apple claims offers more stability with improved keystroke force distribution.

Death of the Right Click

Steve Jobs had a vision years ago that the mouse needed only one button, and it seems his vision is finally realised as Apple has added the Force Touch trackpad. One of the most nerdy aspects about the newly unveiled device is the fact that it comes with a Force Touch trackpad. Force Touch was introduced with the Apple Watch, it is the mechanism which senses pressure. The Force Touch trackpad has force sensors that detect how much pressure you apply on its surface. So basically, it can tell the difference between a light tap and a deep press.

Death of the USB Ports

The new Macbook has a single USB-C which does everything from charging, to transferring data, sending videos etc. There’s only one port which means you cannot simultaneously charge your laptop or your phone. This is probably a byproduct of their quest to make the thinnest Macbook possible (and make our lives tange-free.)

Apple has yet again gone against industry standards. In 1998, Apple surprised everyone as its iMac G3 did not include a floppy drive.

Improved Battery Performance

Apple claims to have added a new, custom-shaped battery that maximizes every millimeter of space, helping the MacBook achieve an all-day battery life. It gets a slightly beefier battery unit than the 11-inch Macbook Air and can deliver 9 hours when on Wi-Fi, and 10 hours watching iTunes video.

What Lies Beneath

Barring all the phenomenal exterior changes, significant changes have been made under the hood. For starters, the new Macbook gets Intel’s Core M processor, which consumes less power and produces less heat. The exact model of the chipset is yet unknown but its likely a tweaked 1.1 Ghz Intel Core M, which offers slightly less processing power than your standard Core i5 or i7, though offer better and efficient power management.

Pricing

Okay this might be a “cool” feature, but for most of us pricing would play a major factor. The words ‘Apple’ and ‘budget’ don’t blend in so well, and this holds true for the new Macbook. It comes in two variants, 256GB (1.2GHz Intel Core M) priced at $1299, which is notably higher than the 11-inch Macbook Air. And the second configuration for $1599 features the 12-inch Retina display, 1.2GHz Intel Core M, Intel HD Graphics 5300, 8GB memory.

The new Macbook certainly has features that would give Mac buyers more than one reason to upgrade. The new Retina display, better power management, ultra portability and with significant price cuts, the new Macbook should attract new potential buyers.

March 10, 2015
New Apple MacBook Marks the Beginning of the Next-Gen Reversible USB-C

There were several major announcements today at Apple’s Mega Event held in San Francisco. We found out the Apple Watch’s pricing, availability, and battery life. The company also announced its new ResearchKit. And then, there was the arrival of the Apple MacBook.

Apple’s new notebook sounds like an amazing product. It’s the thinnest and lightest MacBook ever. It is their first fanless notebook and also the first to include Force Touch in its keypad. Most importantly, it is the first one to incorporate the coveted USB Type C.

We’re certain that this marks the beginning of a new era; the next line of products are sure to add-on this feature. iPhone 6 leaks had indicated that Apple was working on its own USB-C, but we weren’t quite expecting it to arrive today.

Apple’s USB-C supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2 all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port. Since the MacBook is the thinnest notebook ever (24% thinner than the Air,)slimmed down ports were also necessary to bring in.

Not only that, this new connectivity standard gives you five ports in one – power, USB data transfer, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA capabilities.

What makes the Type-C a revolutionary technology is that it is going to replace all the form factors and unlike the other standards which target different classes of device, Type-C form factor will be a universal USB standard. The reversible Type-C connector is roughly the same size as the existing Micro-USB connector at the bottom of your smartphone, but it’s reversible.

To understand the reversible USB Type-C better, click here for an in-depth explanation.

March 10, 2015