Summary
- In 2024, Apple held three major launch events where the company introduced the new iPad models, Apple Intelligence, and the new iPhone.
- The company also introduced new Mac models this year (based on the M4, M4 Pro, and the M4 Max chipsets), which weren’t revealed via a single event but rather a whole week of announcements.
- It was Apple Intelligence that dominated all the significant Apple events of 2024, and we expect the GenAI features to be a central theme in the coming year of announcements as well.
Apple saw tremendous growth in 2024 while introducing big changes to its ecosystem to accommodate the stringent rules put forward by the EU. Despite everything, we saw some massive launches on both the hardware and software side.
Let Loose: New 13-inch iPad Air and Thinnest iPad Pro
In January and March, the company pushed the iOS 17.3 and iOS 17.4 updates, respectively. While the former introduced Stolen Device Protection, a safety feature that prevents thieves from changing critical system information, the latter focused on the EU and its demands related to alternative app marketplaces and new terms for the region.
It wasn’t until May that Apple held its first big event. Titled ‘Let Loose,’ the event saw the launch of two new iPad Air models (with the M2 chip) and the extraordinarily thin iPad Pro models, with which the company also unveiled the M4 chip. Both devices represent a key change in the company’s vision.
It is the first time Apple has released a 13-inch iPad Air variant, which acknowledges an industry-wide shift from small to big-screen devices. In terms of specifications, the device offers either an 11- or 13-inch IPS screen, Apple’s capable M2 chip, two 12MP cameras, Wi-Fi 6e, and a battery that lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge.
The M4 iPad Pro, on the other hand, marks the beginning of what could be a new super-thin trend. This is reflected rumors about an upcoming iPhone 17 ‘Air’ model in 2025. With its latest Pro iPad, the company offers a Tandem OLED screen, the latest M4 chip, two 12MP cameras, studio-quality microphones, and up to 2TB of storage.
WWDC 2024 Made Way for Apple Intelligence
Shortly after the new iPads came out, Apple unveiled its new GenAI features at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2024. The iPhone 16 launch aside (we’ll come to that in a bit), WWDC was one of the most crucial events for the company.
At the event, the company talked about iOS 18 (and other operating systems). The main focus, though, was on Apple Intelligence, the umbrella term used for the GenAI features in iPhones, iPads, and Macs with an A17 Pro or M1 chip (and newer).
At the event, the company showcased all the features it possibly had at the time, including enhanced search in the Photos app, Writing Tools, Notification Summaries, Image Playground, Genmoji, and Visual Intelligence, among others.
I won’t lie; all the new features were one of the key reasons I purchased the iPhone 16. However, I was slightly disappointed upon finding out about the company’s phased approach for the Apple Intelligence rollout. Nonetheless, upgrading from the iPhone 13 to the iPhone 16 was a sweet experience, and I have no regrets at all, except for the fact that all of the new AI-based features haven’t arrived (yet).
At WWDC 2024, Apple also announced RCS support for its default messaging app, the new iPhone Mirroring feature, an upgraded Game Porting Toolkit, Live Activities for Apple Watch, and a couple of other announcements. Some people might have missed it, but the conference also marked the Vision Pro’s global launch.
Glowtime September Event: iPhone 16, Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4
Between June and September, Apple kept working on iOS 18 (and other operating systems) and released the beta versions. Then came September 9, the day when the company unveiled one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year: the iPhone 16. Along with the new iPhones, a few other devices broke cover, including the Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 (with ANC).
Usually, Apple’s September events are all about new hardware. However, the Glowtime event focused heavily on Apple Intelligence and how it makes the iPhone 16 a better iPhone. During the event, the company showcased several GenAI features and how they work on the new iPhone. And yes, the Camera Control button was also an important subject of discussion.
For those catching up, the iPhone 16 series consists of four devices: the vanilla iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The first two (non-Pro iPhones) come with the A18 chipset, a dual-camera setup on the back, a 60Hz OLED screen (which could really do with a 120Hz bump at this stage), and the same Dynamic Island and USB-C charging seen in previous models.
The two other Pro models feature an additional camera on the back, along with a ProMotion display and the more powerful A18 Pro chipset. Check out our detailed comparison between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Pro.
Apple Intelligence aside, the new iPhones are an incremental upgrade at best. The new Watch Series 10, which features the largest screen on any Apple Watch (including the Watch Ultra 2) and has the thinnest chassis, offers new features like Sleep Apnea detection, sports training load, and the new Tides app. Last but not least, the new AirPods 4 stand out as the only open-ear earphones to offer ANC.
Other than that, the event also showcased iOS 18, which brings a new Control Center, an improved Passwords app, a dedicated Game Mode, and changes in the Photos app, among other additions. Moreover, the event was about the latest iPhone and ecosystem devices for 2025.
Mac Announcements Week: New iMac, Mac mini, and M4 MacBook Pro
Late in October, Apple dropped several Mac upgrades, starting with the new M4 iMac. With an upgraded chipset, the iMac now comes with an optional nano-texture glass (first introduced with the M4 iPad Pro), 16GB of base memory, and up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports. You can choose from seven iMac colors, including silver, blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and green.
The following day, Apple pulled the curtains off the M4 Pro and M4 Max chipsets, which debuted with the new MacBook Pro. Available in both 14- and 16-inch models, the new MacBook Pro offers the most powerful chipsets by the company, with increased memory bandwidth and Thunderbolt 5 ports for exceptional data transfer speeds.
The new Mac mini is a beast of a machine itself. Featuring the vanilla M4 chipset, the portable PC offers enough power for creative professionals. What’s interesting is that the company managed to reduce its footprint to half of its predecessor’s while equipping it with Thunderbolt 5 ports. Both the MacBook Pro and the Mac mini come with 16GB of base memory.
With the new products, the company added USB-C to all the Mac accessories, including the mouse, trackpad, and keyboard. During this time, the company released iOS 18.1 with the first batch of Apple Intelligence features. This, in itself, is a milestone for the company, as it had started marketing the features since WWDC but took another four months to launch them.
Indeed, it was a busy year for Apple. As we enter the new year, we expect to see more Apple Intelligence advancements and the usual yearly refreshes including the iPhone 17 series.
