Apple WWDC: New MacBook Pros, iOS 6 revealed
Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller announces the new MacBook Pro during the keynote address during the Apple 2012 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) at Moscone West on June 11, 2012 in San Francisco, California. According to reports Apple is expected to unveil a slew of new hardware and software updates at the company’s annual developer conference which runs through June 15.
Apple made some big announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
In addition to introducing the iOS 6 for the iPhone and iPad, Apple also unveiled a new line of MacBook Pros, said The New York Times.
The next-generation MacBook Pro which was revealed looked like a hybrid of a Pro and a MacBook Air, only 0.71 inches thin and touted as the lightest MacBook Pro ever made, according to CNET. It also comes with a Retina Display, the same screen found on the latest iPhones and iPads.
Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller said, "It's the most beautiful computer we've ever made," according to USA Today. The next-generation MacBook Pro will start at $2,199.
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The MacBook Air will have the Intel Ivy Bridge chip and will be available with up to 8GB RAM and 512GB flash storage, according to The Huffington Post. The price also dropped slightly, with the 11-inch MacBook Air going for $999 and $1099.
The regular MacBook Pro will also get an Intel Ivy Bridge update and a better graphics chip and a better camera.
USA Today noted that with the MacBook Pro upgrade, Apple will be discontinuing the 17-inch version.
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According to The Times, part of the iOS 6 upgrade includes new maps software that replaces Google Maps with Apple's own mapping system, including three-dimensional that let users zoom over an image.
Other changes include improvements to Siri, the voice-activated assistant on the iPhone. A new function called Eyes Free will allow drivers to communicate with the assistant by pushing a button on their General Motors, Toyota and BMW cars, said The Times.
The upgraded version of iOS 6 will be available to consumers in the fall, and Siri, for the first time, will be included on the iPad, according to ABC News.
The WWDC is a yearly event where Apple showcases its latest products in an effort to encourage software developers to continue making software for Apple devices, said The Times.
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