Tag: Retina display

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MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)

On October 18, 2018, Apple introduced an all-new MacBook Air model:

“Apple today introduced an all-new MacBook Air, bringing a stunning 13-inch Retina display, Touch ID, the latest processors and an even more portable design to the world’s most loved notebook. Delivering the all-day battery life it’s known for, the new MacBook Air is available in three gorgeous finishes — gold, space gray and silver. The most affordable Retina-display Mac ever also includes an Apple-designed keyboard, a spacious Force Touch trackpad, faster SSDs, wide stereo sound, the Apple T2 Security Chip and Thunderbolt 3, making the new MacBook Air the perfect notebook to take with you everywhere you go.”

The 13.3-inch Retina display was 2560 x 1600 (at 227ppi)—a 16:10 aspect ratio. It used a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, and offered many storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1.5TB SSD. RAM options included 8GB or 16GB.

Like all previous MacBook Air models, this version used a tapered body design. It measured 0.16 inch in front to 0.61 inch in back (0.41–1.56 cm) thick, and was 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) wide and 8.36 inches (21.24 cm) deep. It weighed 2.75 pounds (1.25 kg).

The front camera was a 720p FaceTime HD camera. This was the first MacBook Air to ship with 2 USB-C connections, and it also had a 3.5mm headphone jack. Further, this was the first MacBook Air to include an Integrated Touch ID sensor.

The 2018 MacBook Air was released at a time when its features were potentially confusing to customers when compared to other Apple laptop offerings at the time. A reviewer at The Verge noted:

“Is this new Air like a 12-inch MacBook, just blown up to a slightly bigger size? Is it more like a 13-inch MacBook Pro (sans Touch Bar), just with cheaper parts?”

When released, this this MacBook Air only was offered in a 13-inch option, dropping the 11-inch version available in the previous design. This was also the final MacBook Air with an Intel chip—future versions included Apple Silicon, such as the M1.

Source: Apple (Newsroom, Tech Specs), The Verge

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MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

The 15-inch MacBook Pro (2019) model was the first to offer an 8-core processor in a MacBook. Apple’s press release announced:

“Apple updated MacBook Pro with faster 8th- and 9th-generation Intel Core processors, bringing eight cores to MacBook Pro for the first time. MacBook Pro now delivers two times faster performance than a quad-core MacBook Pro and 40 percent more performance than a 6-core MacBook Pro, making it the fastest Mac notebook ever. These new processors, combined with powerful graphics, the brilliant and colorful Retina display, super-fast SSDs, the Apple T2 Security Chip, all-day battery life and macOS, make MacBook Pro the world’s best pro notebook.”

Both a 6-core and 8-core version of this MacBook Pro was available.

This MacBook Pro was available in both Silver and Space Gray. It had a Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor. Apple describes the Touch Bar:

“If your Mac has a Touch Bar, you can use familiar gestures—like tap, swipe, or slide—directly on the Touch Bar to adjust settings, use Siri, access function keys, and do tasks in different apps.”

The 15.4-inch Retina display was 2880 x 1800 (at 220ppi). This MacBook Pro was offered with a 256GB or 512GB SSD as standards, but was configurable to up to 4TB SSD. All models had 16GB of RAM. The front camera was a 720p FaceTime HD camera.

Physical ports included 4 USB-C ports (all had Thunderbolt 3 capability) and a headphone jack. Wireless interfaces included 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0.

This MacBook Pro was 0.61 inch (1.55 cm) thick, and measured 13.75 inches (34.93 cm) wide x 9.48 inches (24.07 cm) deep. It weighed 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg).

Its 10-hour battery charged with an 87W USB-C Power Adapter.

This MacBook Pro featured what Ars Technica referred to as the “new new new butterfly keyboard…which Apple believes will be more reliable than its problem-laden predecessors.” Later in the review, the author adds that “the touchpad is enormous” and describes it as “luxuriously large.”

Although Apple’s press focuses on the 8-core version of this laptop, this particular MacBook Pro (2019) is the 6-core version in Space Gray.

Sources: Apple (Newsroom, Tech Specs, Touch Bar), Ars Technica

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iPad (Generation 5, 2017)

The iPad Generation 5 was released on March 21, 2017, and was described as having a “stunning Retina display and incredible performance.” It was offered in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. It was available in 32GB and 128GB configurations with WI-Fi-only or with Wi-Fi+Cellular capabilities. This example is a 32GB Space Gray Wi-Fi-only model.

In a press release, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said:

“iPad is the world’s most popular tablet. Customers love the large, 9.7-inch display for everything from watching TV and movies, to surfing the web, making FaceTime calls, and enjoying photos… New customers and anyone looking to upgrade will love this new iPad for use at home, in school, and for work, with its gorgeous Retina display, our powerful A9 chip, and access to the more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for it.”

It used a 9.7-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch Retina display at 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution (264 ppi). This iPad measured 9.4 inches (240 mm) x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm), and was 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) thick. It weighed 1.03 pounds (469 g). This iPad was powered by the A9 Fusion chip.

The back camera was 8 Megapixels with features such as Autofocus, Panorama (up to 43 megapixels), and HDR. The front FaceTime HD Camera was 1.2 Megapixels.

It used five sensors including Touch ID, a 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. Its Home button used the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.

The iPad Generation 5 originally shipped with iOS 11.

Source: Apple (Tech Specs, Newsroom)

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iPad (Generation 6, 2018)

The iPad Generation 6 was considered Apple’s “base” iPad when it was released on March 27, 2018. It was offered in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. It was available in 32GB and 128GB configurations with Wi-Fi-only or with Wi-Fi+Cellular capabilities. This example is a 32GB Space Gray Wi-Fi-only model.

This iPad was announced in Chicago at an education-focused event at Lane Tech High School. An Apple Press Release stated:

“The new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil give users the ability to be even more creative and productive, from sketching ideas and jotting down handwritten notes to marking up screenshots. The new iPad is more versatile and capable than ever, features a large Retina display, the A10 Fusion chip and advanced sensors that help deliver immersive augmented reality, and provides unmatched portability, ease of use and all-day battery life.”

The iPad generation 6 used a 9.7-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch Retina display at 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution (264 ppi). This iPad measured 9.4 inches (240 mm) x 6.6 inches (169.5 mm), and was 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) thick. It weighed 1.03 pounds (469 g). This iPad was powered by the A10 Fusion chip.

The back camera was 8 Megapixels with features such as Autofocus, Panorama (up to 43 megapixels), and HDR. The front FaceTime HD Camera was 1.2 Megapixels.

This iPad used five sensors including a 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. Its Home button included the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.

This was the first base-model iPad to support the Apple Pencil and the Logitech Crayon, and it originally shipped with iOS 12.

Source: Apple (Tech Specs, Newsroom)

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Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, Silver Stainless Steel, California Poppy Leather Link band, 2021)

The Apple Watch Series 7 is similar to the Series 6 that preceded it, but has a larger, edge-to-edge display, a more durable case, and faster charging capabilities. Like all previous Apple Watch models, the Series 7 uses Apple’s Digital Crown and a touch display with haptic feedback. Apple described the Series 7 as having “a reengineered Always-On Retina display with significantly more screen area and thinner borders.”

The Series 7 introduced two new sizes, 45mm and 41mm. This example uses the 45mm display. The display is a 396×484 LTPO OLED and is “Always On.” The display is protected by Apple’s Sapphire crystal that adds durability.

The cellular-equipped Apple Watch Series 7 models were available as an option with the aluminum colors and standard with stainless and titanium models. The cellular Apple Watch models can connect to the Internet without an iPhone (non-cellular models can answer phone calls if an iPhone is “tethered” and in range). Cellular models require an add-on cellular data service obtained through your cellular provider that links your iPhone number to the Watch and costs approximately $10 per month.

Apple described the color choices:

“Apple Watch Series 7 introduces five beautiful new aluminum case finishes, including midnight, starlight, green, and a new blue and (PRODUCT)RED, along with a range of new band colors and styles. Stainless steel models are available in silver, graphite, and gold stainless steel, along with Apple Watch Edition in titanium and space black titanium.”

The Apple Watch Series 7 has a ceramic and sapphire crystal back. Upon release, Apple offered eleven pre-configured options:

  • Green Aluminum with Clover Sport Band
  • Starlight Aluminum with Starlight Sport Band
  • Midnight Aluminum with Midnight Sport Band
  • Blue Aluminum with Abyss Blue Sport Band
  • (PRODUCT)RED Aluminum with Red Sport Band
  • Gold Stainless Steel with Dark Cherry Sport Band
  • Gold Stainless Steel with Gold Milanese Loop
  • Silver Stainless Steel with Starlight Sport Band
  • Silver Stainless Steel with Silver Milanese Loop
  • Graphite Stainless Steel with Abyss Blue Sport Loop
  • Graphite Stainless Steel with Graphite Milanese Loop

Two aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 Nike options were available at release as pre-configured options:

  • Starlight Aluminum with Platinum/Black Sport Band
  • Midnight Aluminum with Anthracite/Black Sport Band

Two Apple Watch Series 7 Hermès options were available at release:

  • Space Black Stainless Steel case with patterned blue and black leather Circuit H Single Tour Band
  • Silver Stainless Steel case with brown leather Single Tour Deployment Buckle

In addition to the included Hermès-designed bands, Apple Watch Series 7 Hermès devices with black housings include a black Hermes Sport Band and models with silver housings include an orange Hermes Sport Band.

This silver stainless steel 45mm example shipped with a Starlight Sport Band. It is shown here with a California Poppy Leather Link band.

Sources: Apple, EveryMac

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iPhone SE (original, Space Gray, 2016)

The original iPhone SE (Special Edition) was released along with the larger iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Many users preferred the smaller size of this phone and its flat sides that used the same design as the iPhone 5s.

The original iPhone SE’s exterior differed from the iPhone 5s in its finishes, including four colors, and matte (instead of shiny) edges. Colors for the iPhone SE included Silver (white glass front and a silver aluminum sides and back with a white top and bottom detail); Space Gray (black glass front and a gunmetal gray aluminum sides and back with a black top and bottom detail); Gold (white glass front and a gold aluminum sides and back with a white top and bottom detail); and Rose Gold (white glass front and a pink-tinted gold aluminum sides and back with a white top and bottom detail).

The original iPhone SE used a 4-inch Retina display (1136×640 at 326 ppi). Its two cameras included a rear 12-megapixel iSight camera with a True Tone flash and a front 1.2-megapixel 720p FaceTime camera.

A Touch ID fingerprint sensor was embedded in the Home button of the iPhone SE. It used Apple’s A9 processor and was available with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB storage. Wireless connections included 4G/LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and NFC (Apple Pay). Wired connections included a headphone jack and a Lightning connector.

The iPhone SE would become the first iPhone name to be later reused (in April 2020) in a completely different design.

Source: EveryMac

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iPod touch (Generation 4, 8 GB, white, 2011)

The 2011 version of the iPod touch Generation 4 was identical to previous versions of the iPod touch Generation 4, except it was also offered in white, like this example.

Although the iPod touch Generation 4 has a design similar to the iPhone 3GS, its features more closely resemble those of the iPhone 4 that sold at the same time. (The iPod touch lacked the iPhone 4 features of 3G/EDGE phone, A-GPS, and digital compass.)

The iPod touch Generation 4 included a 3.5-inch Retina Display (960×640 at 326 ppi), FaceTime video calling (using Apple ID), an integrated microphone, front-facing VGA camera, 3-axis gyroscope, and a 720p camera (lower quality than the iPhone 4). The iPod touch Generation 4 also allowed iMovie editing using the iOS version of iMovie available at the time.

The iPod touch Generation 4 used the Apple A4 processor, 256 MB of RAM, and was available with 32 or 64 GB of RAM for internal storage.

Sources: Everymac, Wikipedia

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iPad (Generation 4, Wi-Fi, black, 2012)

The iPad Generation 4 was referred to by Apple officially as the “iPad with Retina Display.” Similar in many ways to the iPad Generation 3 before it, the iPad Generation 4 replaced the 30-pin dock connector with the Lightning port, and also offered incremental upgrades.

The Retina Display increased the touchscreen resolution to 2048×1536 (at 264 ppi). Internally, the iPad Generation 4 used a dual-core 1.4 GHz A6X processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was offered with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of storage. Its back 5-megapixel iSight camera could record video at 1080p, and its front FaceTime HD camera could record video at 720p. Wireless connectivity included 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The iPad Generation 4 was available in black and white (both options had a silver aluminum back). This example is black.

Source: Everymac

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iPad (Generation 4, Wi-Fi, white, 2012)

The iPad Generation 4 was referred to by Apple officially as the “iPad with Retina Display.” Similar in many ways to the iPad Generation 3 before it, the iPad Generation 4 replaced the 30-pin dock connector with the Lightning port, and also offered incremental upgrades.

The Retina Display increased the touchscreen resolution to 2048×1536 (at 264 ppi). Internally, the iPad Generation 4 used a dual-core 1.4 GHz A6X processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was offered with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of storage. Its back 5-megapixel iSight camera could record video at 1080p, and its front FaceTime HD camera could record video at 720p. Wireless connectivity included 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The iPad Generation 4 was available in black and white (both options had a silver aluminum back). This Wi-Fi example is in white.

Source: Everymac

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iPad mini (Generation 2, Wi-Fi, silver, 2013)

Originally, Apple referred to the iPad mini Generation 2 as the “iPad mini with Retina Display” when Apple increased the touchscreen resolution of the 7.9-inch screen to 2048×1536 (at 326 ppi). In addition, the iPad mini Generation 2 gained a faster processor and upgraded Wi-Fi.

Internally, the iPad mini Generation 2 used a dual-core 1.3 GHz A7 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and was available with 16, 32, 64, or 128 GB of storage. The rear camera was a 5-megapixel iSight camera that recorded video at 1080p video. The front camera was a 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera that recorded 720p video. Wireless connectivity included 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. It included two microphones, speakers, and a Lightning port. It could run up to iOS 7.0.

The iPad mini was available in silver (white front with metallic silver aluminum back) and space gray (black front with metallic dark gray aluminum back). This example is silver.

Source: Everymac, Wikipedia