Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has been a quite busy year for Apple. From the introduction of the new iPhone lineup to the launch of Apple Watch Series 6 and M1 Macs, we’ve recapped all of the most interesting things about Apple in 2020 here.
January and February
Like last year, January and February started slowly for Apple after the release of the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR in December of 2019.
The only product introduction we saw at this time was Apple’s rack-mounted Mac Pro. Also, Apple launched the Mac Pro on January 14th and it started at $5999.
March
After a slow start earlier this year, Apple began its March with the introduction of many new hardware products and accessories. The company released a new Intel-powered MacBook Air, two iPad Pro models, and the Magic Keyboard for iPads.
Surprisingly, the new MacBook Air was equipped with a scissor-switch Magic Keyboard and boosted internal specs. Even though the Intel Mac would eventually be replaced by the first M1 MacBook Air, it still represented a notable overhaul at the time.
About the iPad, Apple released the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with an A12Z processor and a LiDAR Scanner. But, it didn’t stop there! The company also launched the Magic Keyboard, a perfect companion for iPad Pro and iPad Air. For the first time, the trackpad feature was added to the iPad Pro experience.
April
Apple kept that momentum up in April with its introduction of a new iPhone SE. The device was announced exactly on April 15, with pre-orders starting on April 17, followed by its availability on April 24.
The new iPhone SE features a 4.7-inch display (like the iPhone 8), which is smaller than the rest of the upcoming flagship iPhone lineup. However, it is still equipped with the A13 Bionic processor, offering amazing performance just like the iPhone 11 series.
May
In May, Apple continued updating its Mac lineup with a refresh to the MacBook Pro. To be more specific, the company finally brought back the scissor-switch keyboard in its 13-inch MacBook Pro models. Additionally, you can also see this update in Apple’s Intel MacBook Air model back in March.
Overall, this officially marked the end of the butterfly keyboard era. Plus, the 13-inch MacBook Pro also got more power thanks to its 10th-generation Intel processors, more RAM, and other tweaks.
June
As usual, June was a busy month for Apple as it held its annual Worldwide Developer Conference, this time it was online only because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Software was the main focus of WWDC 2020, with Apple unveiling iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14. Also, at WWDC, Apple officially confirmed its plans to transition the Mac lineup to its own Apple Silicon processors.
July
Sadly, July was a very quiet month for Apple as the focus shifted towards its beta testing of iOS 14 and other software updates. As we now know, July is the quietest month of the year for Apple in 2020.
August
Apple unveiled its brand-new iMac lineup at the beginning of August. With the new Intel processors, SSD storage by default, and new nano-texture matte display option, the iMac kept maintaining its success as one of Apple’s most successful products.
On top of that, the reviews for the 2020 iMac were widely positive. However, most people still cautioned that users should be aware of the impending Apple Silicon transition.
September
Due to the pandemic, Apple had to hold its events online on September 15. And, this event focused on Apple Watch and iPad. Apple brought us two new Apple Watch models this year, including the high-end Apple Watch Series 6 and the mid-range Apple Watch SE.
For the iPad lineup, Apple introduced a new 8th generation iPad powered by the A12 processor. Moreover, the company also unveiled a new iPad Air with Touch ID in the power button, an iPad Pro-inspired design, and Magic Keyboard support. Unfortunately, all of these wouldn’t be released until October.
October
In October, Apple unveiled 4 new iPhone models with a new design, 5G, an A14 Bionic processor, and many more. Besides, Apple also introduced new MagSafe accessories for the iPhone 12 series at the event. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were released on Friday, October 23, as was the iPad Air that Apple announced in September.
In addition, Apple also announced the HomePod mini during this event, although it wouldn’t be released until November. Plus, there was also Apple One services bundle launched on October 30.
November
In November, the attention shifted back to the Mac with Apple holding its third and final event of 2020. The major announcement in this “One more thing” event was the M1 processor, Apple’s first system-on-a-chip for Mac computers. As expected, Apple released 3 new M1 Macs, which are the 13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
Furthermore, November also marked the time when the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max are finally available to everyone.
Related article: Apple Silicon M1 Mac Mini vs Intel Mac Mini
December
After a wild October and November, you might think that Apple was done for the year. But, that wasn’t the case. As it turns out, Apple announced its long-rumored AirPods Max over-ear headphones on December 8 for $549. Also, the company debuted its Apple Fitness+ subscription service on December 14.
Apple 2020 Wrap-up
Apple finished off the fiscal year with a record September quarter revenue of $64.7 billion. While the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for some companies, it’s actually led to increased sales for Apple.
Despite some challenges due to social distancing, 2020 was a great year for the company. Not only did Apple release its annual iPhone updates, new Apple Watch, and iPad, it also undertook a massive transition with the first Apple Silicon-powered Mac.
Looking ahead to 2021, we expect Apple to make its M1 Mac lineup more compatible with other apps. Besides, there might be a new iPad Pro refresh in Q1 of 2021 with mini LED display tech among other changes.
What do you think of our “Apple year in review” article? Do you think the company actually did well in 2020? Let us know what you think in the comments!
