Although 2020 forces Apple to change the way it works with many employees working from home most of the year, Apple has managed to get a long list of new products out over the past twelve months, and most devices in its range to refresh and introduce new software.
In our latest YouTube video, we’ve put together our top five products of 2020. While there were plenty to choose from, there were several standouts such as the M1 Macs, the iPhone 12 Series, the iPad Air, the AirPods Max and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro.
Magic Keyboard
It may seem like forever, but back in March 2020, Apple debuted new iPad Pro models with updated camera technology that included a LiDAR scanner for the first time, and with the new iPad Pro models, Apple introduced the Magic Keyboard .
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Apple used to have a smart keyboard for its iPads, but the Magic Keyboard is the best Apple-designed iPad keyboard to date. It has a screen mechanism keyboard similar to the keyboard used for Apple’s Macs, and for the first time there is a trackpad.
The trackpad makes the iPad more laptop-like than ever before, and Apple’s iPads are also now compatible with mice. The Magic Keyboard also has a handy float design that allows the screen to be adjusted, and it even works well in a shot.
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On the downside is the price of $ 300, which is incredibly expensive for a keyboard, and it can not be folded back, so you can not use it as a standard case if you do not need the keyboard.
iPad Air
Launched in September 2020, the iPad Air is Apple’s first full-screen device and Touch ID, with a ‘Touch ID’ fingerprint sensor built into the on / off button.
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It also got a faster A14 chip before the A14 chip came to the iPhone 12 (although Apple eventually released the iPad Air and the iPhone 12 series at the same time), and it comes in a series of fresh colors that are still was not previously used for a iPad.
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Compared to the previous generation Generation iPad Air models, it has a iPad Pro style screen with a rounded edge, and with its A14 chip, ‘Touch ID’ and a new design, it’s a good price at the starting price of $ 599.
iPhone 12
Apple has released four new iPhones this year, including a 5.4-inch iPhone mini, the smallest iPhone in many years designed for those who love smaller devices, and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, the biggest iPhone to date.
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All new iPhones feature a fresh iPad Pro-style design with square edges that differ from the rounded edges we’ve seen since the iPhone 6 in the iPhone series.
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The iPhones all have OLED screens, even on the low side, and have A14 slides that are incredibly fast. They all have great cameras, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max has the best camera setup, though both Pro models feature the same LiDAR scanner that was first introduced in the iPad Pro.
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HoneIPhone 12 models are also equipped with a ring of magnets inside which makes it compatible with a new technology called MagSafe, which is used to attach chargers and magnetic accessories. With agMagSafe, iPhones can charge wirelessly up to 15 W, which is improved over the previous maximum of 7.5 W.
M1 Macs
At WWDC in June, Apple confirmed that it was working on its own Apple silicone arm chips, and in November, the first Apple silicone Macs with ‘M1’ chips were unveiled. The M1 Macs are without a doubt the most exciting new products that Apple has come out with in the Mac series in years.
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Before the launch, no one knew exactly what to expect from the M1 Macs, but Apple surprised everyone unbelievable performance. In terms of single-core processing speed, the M1 Macs outperform all other Macs on the market, and in multi-core performance it’s equal to some of Apple’s higher-end desktop machines.
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Apple has put its M1 chip in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and despite the speed increases introduced with these chips, it is the low side Macs, with even more powerful chips expected in 2021 for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, iMac and other machines.
AirPods Max
We only expected the AirPods Max in 2021, but Apple introduced it as a surprise in December. The AirPods Max is Apple’s first over-the-ear headphone from Apple and it turns out to be more expensive than anyone expected at $ 549.
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The AirPods Max features aluminum headphones, mesh pillows and a mesh headband, and although heavier than many other ear-to-ear headphone options on the market, due to the premium build-up, most people have found them comfortable.
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IrAirPods Max has all the features you expect from AirPods, such as fast connectivity, fast device switching and a large variety, plus active noise reduction, customizable EQ and spatial sound. It sounds like $ 549 and the battery life is decent at 20 hours.
The only downside is the Smart Case, which has a curious design, offers no protection and is usually considered one of the worst cases included with a set of premium headphones.
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What’s on your list of the top five Apple products of 2020? Let us know in the comments.
In 2021, we expect many more new devices, including additional (and more powerful) M1 Macs, AirTags, an Apple TV, new software, and the iPhone 13 series. You can keep an eye on what is rumored to be launched in our Upcoming Apple Product Guide, and we’ll have an in-depth review later this week.