As rumors swirled and investors got giddy, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage on Wednesday to announce a brand-new iPad. From a sharper camera to a pared-down Siri, The Daily Beast runs down the features.
Retina Display
The centerpiece of Apple’s announcement today is, of course, the new iPad, and the biggest news about it is its new supersharp screen. Current iPads have a display resolution of 1024x768. The resolution of the new iPad is 2048x1536—double the resolution, bringing the new iPad in line with the iPhone 4’s retina display. “Put another way, you all have an HDTV at home, 1080p—an iPad has more pixels. That’s incredible,” says Apple’s Phil Schiller.
4G LTE
The new iPad will have 4G LTE connectivity on AT&T or Verizon networks—but not both on the same device. It’s Apple’s first LTE-capable device, and Schiller says it “has the most wireless bands that has ever shipped.” It’ll also have 3G that works around the world.
A5X Chip
The new iPad is faster—it has to be in order to manage the new screen. According to Apple, it’s twice as fast as the old Tegra 3 chip and has four times the graphics performance.
Siri’s Back … Almost
The new tablet sort of has Siri, albeit only in the form of voice dictation, not the full voice assistant.
Apple TV
The other big announcement today was an update to Apple TV. It will now support 1080p, and all iTunes movies are jumping to 1080p too. Apple’s Eddie Cue says that TV shows will pop up in 1080p on iTunes the day after they’re released. The new Apple TV looks different, too. The new user interface looks like iOS, with thumbnail buttons for movies, shows, podcasts, and other programs appearing on the screen.
But How Much Does It Cost?
The really important numbers: Both the new iPad and revamped Apple TV will be available on March 16, though preorders start today. The iPad will sell for $499, $599, and $699 for 16, 32, and 64GB respectively. 4G LTE costs a bit more: $629, $729, and $829 for the respective models. The new Apple TV will be available March 16 as well, for $99.
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