Apple unveils new products, credit card service, podcasts subscriptions

SAN FRANCISCO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Apple on Tuesday unveiled its new iPad Pro, iMac models, iPhone 12 in the purple finish, along with Apple TV 4K, AirTag, Apple Card Family service, and podcasts subscriptions during its virtual Spring 2021 event.

The new generation of iPad Pro features 5G and the company's own-designed M1 chip.

With a new Ultra Wide front camera, the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be available in silver and space gray finishes. The new device also supports Thunderbolt.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro features a new Liquid Retina XDR display.

"The revolutionary M1 chip has been a breakthrough for the Mac, and we're incredibly excited to bring it to iPad Pro," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

Featuring a more compact and 11.5 millimeters thin design and enabled by the M1 chip, the new iMac has a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels.

It also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and a six-speaker sound system. The Touch ID comes to iMac for the first time.

"M1 is a gigantic leap forward for the Mac," said Joswiak.

The new iPad Pro and iMac will be available to order beginning April 30 in 31 countries and regions including the United States and China, and will be available in the second half of May.

Apple also unveiled a purple finish for its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.

Both models feature a dual-camera system with Super Retina XDR displays, an Apple-designed A14 Bionic chip, and 5G, the company said.

"The new purple finish, just in time for spring, adds another bright and fun option to the lineup, and we think customers are going to love it," said Joswiak.

The AirTag is an accessory that helps keep track of and find the items with Apple's Find My app while keeping location data private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption, Apple said.

Third-party products and accessories can add support for finding with the new Find My network accessory program.

Customers can order the new purple iPhone and AirTag beginning Friday, April 23, and they will be available beginning Friday, April 30.

The new generation of Apple TV 4K is equipped with the A12 Bionic chip, delivering high frame rate High Dynamic Range (HDR) with Dolby Vision. It enables fast-moving action at 60 frames per second (fps) to play more smoothly.

"With the A12 Bionic and the all-new Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K lets customers enjoy their favorite shows, movies, and more in the highest quality, with simple and intuitive controls," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

Customers can order it beginning April 30, with availability beginning in the second half of May in more than 30 countries and regions.

Apple Card Family offers a new way for people to share their Apple Card and build credit together with their Family Sharing group.

Available in the United States in May, Apple Card Family allows two people to co-own an Apple Card, and share and merge their credit lines while building credit together equally, the company said.

Apple Card Family also enables parents to share Apple Card with their children, while offering optional spending limits and controls.

"We designed Apple Card Family because we saw an opportunity to reinvent how spouses, partners, and the people you trust most share credit cards and build credit together," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay.

Apple Card customers can add up to five people to their Apple Card account by sharing Apple Card with them in Apple Wallet.

Starting in May, listeners in more than 170 countries and regions can sign up for Apple Podcasts premium subscriptions that include a variety of benefits, such as ad-free listening, access to additional content, and early or exclusive access to new series, Apple said.

With iOS 14.5, listeners can access a redesigned Apple Podcasts app featuring an enhanced Search tab that provides quick access to Top Charts and categories, the company said.