The news that Apple has introduced chip-powered laptops and smartphones is an exciting one. It not only means that the company has made a significant breakthrough in its quest to build the world’s most advanced computers, it also reflects a growing commitment to tackling climate change. With the company aiming to become carbon-neutral by 2030, its latest products offer a glimpse of how the company will make this possible.
MacBook Air
The Apple MacBook Air is the new addition to the popular Mac family. It will incorporate a new M2 chip which will improve its performance and battery life. This will help the device to run more efficiently than ever.
The new MacBook Air is also more compact. The new design features a thinner profile and a notch display. This will provide a more natural viewing experience.
The new MacBook Air will also be quieter to operate. It will have improved noise reduction, better camera image quality, and greater dynamic range. Plus, the M2 chip will enable the laptop to play more streams of 4K and 8K video.
The M2 chip will allow the MacBook Air to offer faster data transfer and multitasking capabilities. The laptop can run more complex applications, including Machine Learning workloads, at 9x faster speeds.
The M2 chip will also provide higher frame rates for graphics-intensive games. With up to 8 cores, the GPU will deliver graphics up to 5x faster.
Another great feature of the M2 chip is the new MagSafe charging port. You can charge the MacBook Air to 50% in less than 30 minutes.
When it comes to battery, the new model will offer up to 18 hours of wireless web and video playback. A new compact power adapter is available as well. The MacBook Air comes with a choice of two Thunderbolt ports.
Also included in the new MacBook Air is a four-speaker sound system. A 1080p FaceTime HD camera is also a feature of this device.
Lastly, the MacBook Air has a Retina display. The screen features reduced bezels, a brighter panel, and a bucket-shaped notch.
iPad Pro
The new Apple iPad Pro has a chip-powered design and features the fastest USB-C port ever. This allows creatives to easily import and transfer files, as well as access to a plethora of high-performance accessories.
The latest M2 chip provides a 15 percent increase in graphics performance compared to the M1 chip, which means better gaming experience. The M2 chip also offers improvements to efficiency cores, as well as unified memory bandwidth.
The device is compatible with third-party peripherals such as external displays and keyboards, which can be integrated via the Smart Connector. Also, the device is capable of charging other devices, including AirPods.
Another feature that is new to the iPad Pro is its Thunderbolt connection. This technology lets you connect to a high-resolution external display, and it supports 10Gbps Ethernet. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate that improves motion content.
Stage Manager organizes apps and windows into an optimized workspace. This function helps users switch between tasks and customize toolbars. Additionally, users will be able to organize and view folders by resolution. Stage Manager will also let users adjust the size of file extensions and other options.
In addition, the device has a LiDAR Scanner for augmented reality experiences. The camera on the iPad Pro is capable of focusing and recording ProRes video in 4K.
Other features include the Magic Keyboard, which provides a comfortable typing experience. The device also includes an integrated trackpad that works with third-party apps.
As for battery life, the iPad Pro is rated for up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. Users can also charge other devices with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
M1 Ultra
Apple’s latest M1 Ultra chip is an upgrade to its popular M1 Max chipset. This chip is more efficient, uses less power, and offers better graphics than the discrete GPU. While it is not yet compatible with Intel chips, it is expected to show up in future Apple desktop computers.
The M1 Ultra SoC offers eight times the graphics performance of the original M1 chip. It also features a 64-core GPU that is twice as powerful as the one in the M1 Max. In addition to the M1 Ultra’s four high-performance cores, it includes a 32-core Neural Engine for machine learning. Using this neural engine, ML workloads run up to 9x faster.
It also offers 2.5TB/s of interprocessor bandwidth. That means that the M1 Ultra is able to handle 22 trillion operations per second.
M1 Ultra integrates several different components, including Apple’s latest Secure Enclave. It also comes with an SSD controller and image signal processor.
Unlike other chips in the M-series, the M1 Ultra uses a unified memory architecture, eliminating the need to swap memory pools. With the unified memory, Apple chips can scale quickly and efficiently.
In addition to the four high-performance cores, the M1 Ultra also includes an advanced display engine and an encode/decode engine. These engines allow developers to take full advantage of the chip’s high speed.
M1 Ultra also includes a 32-core Neural Engine that can tackle tough machine learning tasks. Using just 100W of power, the Neural Engine can achieve peak performance.
The M1 Ultra offers industry-leading performance per watt. When compared to a 10-core x86 chip, M1 Ultra uses 65 percent less power.
Among its many features, the M1 Ultra is the first to offer industry-leading memory bandwidth. With a memory bandwidth of 800GB/s, it is able to play back 18 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video.
Carbon neutrality
Apple has been calculating its carbon footprint since 2008 and has been reducing its emissions by more than 35% since then. The company estimates its total 2018 carbon footprint to be 25.2 million tonnes CO2. This figure includes direct operations and energy used for charging devices, but excludes indirect emissions from the manufacturing of products.
Apple has committed to reducing its global carbon footprint by 75% by 2030, a target that will see the company become carbon neutral for its corporate operations. In order to achieve this goal, Apple has partnered with suppliers to promote a transition to cleaner power. It has also encouraged the Japanese government to invest in renewable energy projects.
To help with the transition to cleaner power, Apple launched a Supplier Clean Energy Program in 2015. Over the past two years, the program has engaged with more than 200 suppliers to bring 10 gigawatts of clean power online worldwide. Apple is now working to expand these efforts.
As part of its commitment to clean energy, Apple has invested in solar and wind projects in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Earlier this year, Apple announced plans for three new projects through its Restore Fund, a partnership with Conservation International. These new projects are expected to sequester one million metric tons of CO2 annually from the atmosphere.
Apple is working to reduce its supply chain’s emissions, which account for nearly two-thirds of its total emissions. More than 40 suppliers have committed to using 100 percent renewable energy for Apple products.
Apple is establishing an Impact Accelerator to support small- and medium-sized businesses in communities that are especially vulnerable to environmental hazards. Over the next two years, the initiative will help 100 social innovators gain access to funding opportunities and skills to implement climate solutions.
Net-zero climate impact by 2030
Apple recently announced a suite of new sustainability initiatives. The company aims to make every product it sells carbon neutral by the year 2030.
To achieve its goal, Apple will reduce emissions by 75% in the next ten years. It will also invest in innovative renewable and nature-based solutions, and will design products that are efficient and recyclable. In order to do so, the company is partnering with suppliers, suppliers’ networks, and other stakeholders to build a network of supply chain projects.
One of the first initiatives Apple announced is the launch of a unique carbon removal fund. The fund will enable the company to generate financial returns while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Another initiative, the Restore Fund, will protect and restore natural ecosystems and working forests. Together with Conservation International, Goldman Sachs, and three forestry managers, the Restore Fund will work to restore 150,000 acres of working forest and native land in Paraguay and Brazil.
As a further sign of its commitment to the environment, Apple has launched a Supplier Energy Efficiency Program. This program provides Apple’s suppliers with country-specific information and training on energy efficiency.
To help suppliers become more energy-efficient, Apple also plans to develop innovative product recycling solutions. These include using a new robot Dave to recover materials from the vibrating Taptic Engine of returned devices.
Apple also launched a number of other initiatives, including a global partnership with the World Wildlife Fund in Namibia, two new projects in Thailand and the Philippines, and a new solar array in Scandinavia. They’ve also partnered with ChangemakerXchange, a new venture that connects youth-led climate innovation to funding opportunities.
