receive to our weekly Apple Breakfast column , which include all the Apple news show you missed last week in a ready to hand bite - sized roundup . We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning loving cup of chocolate or tea leaf , but it ’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner party hours too .
Simple is as simple does
One of the first things they teach you at tech journalist school is to put yourself in the shoes of the nonchalant reader . I ’m immersed in the world of Apple products on a day-after-day basis , but many of those who confabulate Macworld stubbornly insist on having a spirit . And things that might seem obvious to me , and to Apple ’s head - in - the - cloud hipster marketing squad , are baffling to them .
It ’s worrying for all concerned , then , whenI’mthe one finding Apple ’s ware stove baffling . But that ’s been the case with the iPad for years : between staggered launch , discrepant naming conventions , and an excess of choice , the line - up at the start of this yr was anabsolute mess . Ripe , we all don , for a cool crank of “ keep it simple , stupid . ” But last week’sLet Loose eventwas disappointedly short of that particular beverage .
First of all , Apple resolutely decline to cut the range of a function to any substantial degree . Yes , the 9th - gen iPad wasdropped from saleand the 10th - gen fashion model got a price deletion , butApple added another iPad Airto fill the nullity . So there are still six iPad models on sale , each with further choices of color , storage capability , cellular connectivity , screen sizing … and nowscreen finishing , as if the purchasing decisiveness was n’t complicated enough already .
Malus pumila
Neither was any attempt made to untangle the iPad ’s odd appointment normal . The cheap poser is still call but “ iPad , ” make any attempt to discuss it a thoroughlyAbbott and Costelloexperience . ( “ I ’m going to buy an iPad . ” “ Which iPad ? ” “ The iPad . ” “ But which iPad ? ” etc . ) Then there ’s the iPad Air , which counterintuitively is n’t the small or lightest model . The smallest Mac uses the “ mini ” stigmatisation , while the svelte MacBook use “ Air ; ” only the iPad feels the need to have both .
In fact , the names have even less meaning , because pixel for pixel the iPad Air is now bulkier and heavier than the iPad Pro , too . And at 1.36 Cypriot pound the 13 - inch Air is by some distance the heavy iPad currently on sale . Riddle me that one , naming stickler . And this : If you grease one’s palms an 11 - in iPad you ’re really still get a 10.9 - inch silver screen and the 13 - column inch line is actually 12.9 inches , while the 11 - inch and 13 - column inch iPad Pro are accurately named .
And what about the Apple Pencil , an iPad - only accessory so seemingly fundamental to its ingathering that Apple beplaster one across the launch event artwork ? That operate from baffling to incomprehensible . ridiculously there are nowfourApple pencil on sale at the same time , and it would take me multiple paragraphs , and a major increase in my blood pressing , toexplain the difference and which model workswith which iPad .
At the risk of exposure ofrepeating myself , Apple should have consume this opportunity to strip down back the iPad range to two brands : Air and Pro . As with the MacBook range , the former would focalise on portability and keep down toll and get down up the rebranded iPad miniskirt as a modest sieve option . The latter would focus on processing powerfulness , battery life , and state - of - the - art screen tech . If Apple require to offer something gimcrack as well , it can keep an former Air model on sale , much as it does with the MacBook range .
Admittedly some niche purchasing options would be fall back in this purgation . But Apple would gain something far more worthful : clarity . And at long last customers – and experience tech diary keeper - would have some Leslie Townes Hope of translate what ’s die on .
Have your say
Last week I pronounce many of Apple ’s events would bebetter off as an email , and this prompted some substantial opinion .
“ I used to intently listen to Steve Jobs pose the next big Apple product , ” write John Scott . “ But candidly , I do n’t even watch the condensed version now . The proper masses can do presentations and spur on their customers ’ impulse buying . But nobody at Apple today has that personality .
“ The leakers also ruin it for any sort of surprise . ”
Another reader who asked to remain nameless was less impressed by my argument .
“ Sorry , but I look forward to these announcements as they display new products and inspection and repair in their best sparkle , with Apple presenters who are not ‘ charisma - free executives , ' ” he write . “ I ’ll be on-line at 7 am ( as I distrust you will , too ) to hear what they have to say and admire a ship’s company that makes some of the best designed and most functional product in the reality . ”
Foundry
Let Loose special
Everything Apple announcedduring the‘Let Loose ’ event .
Apple’siPad event:5 unexpected surprisesyou may have missed .
Jason Snell explain how theiPad Pro ’s M4 chipsets the iPhone and Macon a fresh path .
With the fourth model , theApple Pencil strategyfinally establish sense .
Thenew iPad Proisfinally herewith an M4 chip and OLED exhibit .
Appleannounces the M2 iPad Airwith alarger 13 - column inch blind .
Appledebuts M4 processorinnew iPad Pro .
New sleeker , aluminum Magic Keyboardmakes iPad Proeven more mackintosh - like .
NewApple Pencil Proadds afourth stylus optionfor iPads .
Apple hastragically killed offits last gimmick thatstill had a earphone jack .
Apple reveals newAI - enhanced versionsofFinal Cut Pro and Logic Pro .
Apple’sso behind on AIitneeds an intervention .
Podcast of the week
The drought is finally over ! Apple has announced new iPad Pros , new iPad Airs , the Apple Pencil Pro , and more ! We ’re talking about the latest Apple merchandise promulgation in this installment of the Macworld Podcast .
you’re able to hitch every episode of the Macworld Podcast onSpotify , Soundcloud , thePodcasts app , orour own site .
Reviews corner
The rumor mill
TheiPhone 17may debut anew ‘ slim ’ exemplar .
Forgetnew iPads , Apple is actually working ona touchscreen Mac .
