Apple Inc. (AAPL.O) on Tuesday announced a range of new computers, a paid podcasting service and devices for finding lost items, signaling the continued expansion of its once simple product line to more and more corners of customers’ lives.
The new $ 30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items like keys and wallets to locate them when lost, have been hailed by analysts as a hot seller likely to also hold over $ 1 billion. of the company’s customers locked in products.
A new iPad Pro tablet, with the same processor designed by Apple, which powers the company’s latest Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that make it a complete alternative to traditional laptops and desktops.
And a refresh of the Mac desktop line has seven color options, going back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the ’90s.
The ads show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers dedicated to its family of devices, even as government control over the power and coverage of large technology companies intensifies.
Most product introductions were telegraphed before the presentation, which came as no major surprise. Shares of Apple fell 1.3%, slightly more than a 1% drop in the Nasdaq index.
The new iMacs, starting at $ 1,299, feature a front-facing camera and a high-quality microphone that responds to consumer complaints during the pandemic that computer cameras have not kept up with iPhones and iPads in during an era of ubiquitous video calling.
“The Apple cameras in their computers were awful, honestly. They finally have a reasonable camera in the iMac,” said Bob O’Donnell, head of TECHnalysis Research, who added that the new colors could stand out in a car-dominated market. black, white and silver. “For now, it feels fresh and new.”
The new iPad Pro, starting at $ 799, uses the same M1 chip as other Apple computers, rather than the improved version of the iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while having 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 those accessories also push the price to almost $ 1,100 – more than Apple’s cheapest $ 1,000 MacBook Air laptop.
Ben Bajarin, chief analyst for consumer market intelligence at Creative Strategies, said the devices are unlikely to be volume sellers, but will target consumers who appreciate versatility.
“If you want to go to the range of mobile production, content consumption and creativity, this is the device that does it,” he said.
Apple has 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 did not never earned 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 for fiscal year 2020, as consumers have sourced electronic products during the pandemic.
The AirTags announcement could lead to a new round of complaints to lawmakers that Apple is hurting smaller rivals. Tile, a private company that has been selling a competing tracker for nearly a decade, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives last year that Apple App Store rules made it difficult to use Tile products and will be called on Wednesday before the U.S. Senate.
Apple said it subjects all apps, including its own, to the same App Store review rules and recently allowed third-party developers to access the same systems as its AirTags.
In a research note, analysts Raymond James, Chris Caso and Melissa Fairbanks said that AirTags “could become a $ 10 billion opportunity, similar to AirPods.”
But Bajarin of Creative Strategies said iPhone owners who come to rely on labels to help them keep track of everyday items are likely to stay with the Apple brand for longer.
“The more you buy in a single hardware product, the less likely you are to ever leave,” Bajarin said.
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