Apple Inc. (AAPL.O) on Tuesday announced a series of new computers, a paid podcasting service and devices to find lost items, indicating the continued expansion of its product line, once simple, to each more and more corners of customers ’lives.
The new $ 30 AirTags, small devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot seller that would also keep more than 1 billion customers the company closed products.
A new iPad Pro tablet, which features the same Apple-designed processor that powers the company’s latest Macs, has keyboard and trackpad options that make it a complete alternative to traditional laptops and desktops.
And an update to the Mac desktop line features seven color options, reminiscent of the famous sweet-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s.
The ads show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers engaged with its family of devices, even when government scrutiny over power and scope of major technology companies.
Most product presentations had been telegraphed before the presentation, which came as no surprise. Shares of Apple fell 1.3%, slightly more than the 1% drop in the Nasdaq index.
The new iMacs, starting at $ 1,299, feature a higher-quality front-facing camera and microphone, which responds to consumer complaints during the pandemic that computer cameras hadn’t kept pace with iPhones and iPads for a while. era of widespread video calling.
“Apple’s cameras on their computers have been terrible, frankly. They finally have a reasonable camera on the iMac,” said Bob O’Donnell, head of TECHnalysis Research, who added that the new colors are likely to stand out in a market dominated by black, white and silver machines. “For now, it feels fresh and new.”
The new iPad Pros, starting at $ 799, use the same M1 chip as other Apple computers, rather than the enhanced version of the iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company’s laptops. (Graph: https://tmsnrt.rs/3duRDcD)
Analysts said that, combined with Apple’s keyboard and trackpad accessories, the new iPad Pro models could be a compelling replacement for a laptop, especially for content creators or business travelers. But these accessories also raise the price to nearly $ 1,100, more than Apple’s cheapest laptop, the $ 1,000 MacBook Air.
Ben Bajarin, chief consumer market intelligence analyst at Creative Strategies, said the devices are likely not to be volume sellers, but will target the niche of consumers who value versatility.
“If you want to go in the range of mobile production, content consumption or creativity, this is the device that does it,” he said.
Apple also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify Technology SA (SPOT.N), a move to regain ground in a market it popularized years ago but never made money.
Apple shares have risen nearly 95% in the past year, faster than the 63% increase in the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC), thanks to record sales of $ 274.5 billion in 2020, as consumers were depleted of electronics during the pandemic.
The AirTags announcement could lead to a new round of complaints to lawmakers that Apple is hurting smaller rivals. Tile, a privately held company that has sold a competition tracker for nearly a decade, last year testified before the U.S. House of Representatives that Apple’s App Store rules had made it difficult to use Tile and they will be summoned before the U.S. Senate to testify Wednesday.
Apple has said it subjects all apps, including its own, to the same App Store review rules and has recently allowed third-party developers to access the same systems as its AirTags.
In a research note, Raymond James analysts Chris Caso and Melissa Fairbanks said AirTags “could grow to become a $ 10 billion opportunity, similar to AirPods.”
But Bajarin of Creative Strategies said it is likely that iPhone owners who come to rely on labels to help them keep track of everyday items will stay with the Apple brand for longer.
“The more purchases you make on a single hardware product, the less likely you are to go out,” Bajarin said.
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