Apple’s ‘Unleashed’ Event Roundup: Apple Music Voice Plan, AirPods 3, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro

BY Mahit Huilgol

Published 18 Oct 2021

Apple Unleashed event

We are mighty impressed with what Apple has announced at the Unleashed event. Apple has announced a new ‘Voice’ Apple Music tier, AirPods 3, new colors for HomePod mini, M1X chip, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Let us take a closer look at all the latest Apple devices and services.

Apple Music Voice- Siri Powered Music Streaming

Apple has now lowered the subscription entry barrier for Apple Music. The new Apple Music tier is called the ‘Voice Plan’ and is priced at $4.99. Voice Plan is available for individuals and only works with Siri. The new Apple Music plan gives access to songs, playlists, and radio stations on all Apple devices.

AirPods 3- Premium Features on a Budget

airpods 3 in action

Apple has finally pulled the wraps from the much-awaited AirPods 3. The latest generation AirPods packs an Apple H1 chip, new drivers with lower distortion, Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Adaptive EQ, better battery life with 30 hours of playtime, and finally, MagSafe wireless charging support. Most importantly, the AirPods 3 is a great value-for-money product priced at $179. When compared with AirPods Pro, you miss out on Active Noise Cancelation and silicon ear tips.

14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Gets 120Hz Display, M1x chip, MagSafe Charger, HDMI Port and More

New MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro touts a design overhaul and a new chassis. Apple has come up with a new aluminum enclosure that helps save space and improve thermal efficiency. Furthermore, there is no Touch Bar, and instead, you get a full-fledged row of function key. As part of the redesign, Apple has reduced the bezel by 24 percent. You also get rounded corners and a notch for the FaceTime camera.

The new MacBook Pros are powered by an M1x chip that offers 3.7x faster CPU performance while GPU performance is 4x better when compared with the Intel model. Apple claims a battery life of up to 21 hours on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, while the 14-inch can last for 17 hours. Preorders have already begun for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

macOS Monterey Release Date Announced

macOS Monterey FaceTime Portrait mode

At the Unleashed event, Apple revealed the macOS Monterey release date. The latest macOS arrives with redesigned Safari, Portrait mode, and improved FaceTime. Apple will be releasing macOS Monterey to the general public on October 25.