Some species are named after beloved teen activists or Lady Gaga. Others are named after plastic. Before science even discovered this deep-sea crustacean, plastic had infiltrated its stomach. So scientists named it accordingly. Meet Eurythenes plasticus.
With no March media event in the works, Apple this week rolled out a number of product updates including updated iPad Pro models with dual cameras, a LiDAR scanner, and a Magic Keyboard accessory with trackpad.
On the Mac side, we got an updated MacBook Air and storage-bumped Mac mini models, as well as new Powerbeats earphones, so check out the video above and read on for all of our coverage on those topics and more.
New iPad Pro Announced With A12Z Bionic Chip, Magic Keyboard With Trackpad, LiDAR Scanner, Ultra Wide Camera, and More
March is a common month for new Apple products and this year has proven to be no exception. While the COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented it from hosting a media event, Apple this week introduced new iPad Pro models with a slightly faster A12Z Bionic chip, an Ultra Wide camera for 0.5x zoom, a LiDAR sensor for enhanced augmented reality, and more.
New MacBook Air Announced With Magic Keyboard, Up to 2x Faster Performance, and Lower $999 Starting Price
Apple this week updated its MacBook Air lineup with faster 10th-generation Intel Core processors and graphics, a scissor switch Magic Keyboard, a lower starting price of $999, and more.
The new base model MacBook Air has a starting price of $999 with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM in the United States, which is $100 less for double the storage compared to the previous generation base model. Early reviews have praised the new keyboard, improved performance, and lower starting price.
The new Powerbeats feature the same Apple-designed H1 chip as the Powerbeats Pro and AirPods Pro, enabling hands-free "Hey Siri" voice commands, faster pairing with iOS devices, and more. The new Powerbeats also have up to 15 hours of battery life and a similar design as the Powerbeats Pro, but with a wire between each earpiece.
We've also put together some tidbits about the devices, including the new iPad Pro supporting Wi-Fi 6 and the new MacBook Air supporting up to a 6K external display, including Apple's Pro Display XDR.
Apple Stores Now Closed Until Further Notice Amid COVID-19
Apple has announced that all of its retail stores outside of the Greater China region are closed "until further notice" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apple also said it is making a substantial donation to COVID-19 relief efforts in Italy, with the funds set to help first responders, medical personnel, and volunteers working to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, which has the most confirmed cases in Europe.
Follow our COVID-19 roundup as Apple continues to respond to the pandemic.
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
As part of a collab with the World Health Organization, Google announced a new Assistant command Friday to walk (or, rather, sing) users through one of the most basic yet crucial defenses against spreading potentially fatal contagions: washing your hands.
All of Apple's retail locations outside of Greater China are closed right now, and customers who left their devices for repair are unable to pick them up until the stores reopen, an Apple spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.
Apple closed all of its stores on Saturday, March 14, but stayed open for a few extra days to allow customers to pick up devices ordered for in-store pickup or that were at the store for repair. There were, however, some people who weren't able to make it into stores to get their devices.
"We made every possible attempt to get people's products back to them," an Apple spokesperson said. "There certainly are people that, for whatever reason, did not pick up their products before we closed and their products are at our stores."
Apple's stores are closed "until further notice" with no specific reopening date, and an Apple spokesperson said there is no protocol in place for people to get their devices until the stores reopen. Apple originally planned to reopen on March 27, but later updated wording on its website with a less specific timeline.
Apple is working with customers who had their devices sent to a repair center to get them sent back to their homes rather than to retail stores for pickup.
